Angels We Have Heard on High

The Eucharistic Prayer during Mass has always been the occasion for powerful encounters for me. When I altar serve (or have done, since my current parish doesn't make room for adult servers) it is always with great difficulty that I don't pass out. Of course that could be the acrylic talking, as in the hot robes, but I never experience that anywhere else. Some of my best revelations/conversations with God happen then, even when I am completely focused.

Today was Nico's turn. Right in the middle, just before the Epiklesis, he whispered to me, "Look, Mommy, here they come." He waves his hand in the air in an arc above the altar. "They're here," he said, "the Angels." I repeated, in our custom, "They're here, the Angels." He was pleased, and hugged me close.

They're here, the Angels.

The Ice Cream Truck Cometh

So this has been the status of things around here since last Friday when the ice cream truck made it's first appearance for the season:

Thank God we do not actually have this many cats.

Just Kidding.

Actually this is probably closer to the truth:


Survival Skill 101: The Scream: "When I scream like this, all humans, animals, plants, and even aliens are struck with fear."


This is a picture of Nico last year at the zoo when a sheep said, "baa." Nico must speak sheep, and whatever that sheep said so offended him that he let loose with Freak Out.

Apparently, Nico can also decipher the hidden messages in the creepy music of the ice cream truck, because he's been putting on his Freak Out whenever he hears it, bless him. On Friday when it came by we were outside on the front porch and our neighbors were visiting. He Freaked. So the neighbor actually bought him a popsicle. But it probably didn't help that the worker was missing most of her teeth.

He ate the popsicle willingly enough of course - he's never met a dessert he didn't like - but that did not serve to remove any fear. All weekend long - even at lunch today (Monday) - Nico has spontaneously asked, "Ice cream truck, it's okay?" and then he repeats it to himself several times (It's okay Ice Cream Truck) for further reassurance.

Today it came by, I was upstairs and Bill and the boys were downstairs. The ICT came by. A few minutes later Nico bursts into tears, sobbing. Bill finds him in his room, distraught, and he won't say why he's crying. Bill says to him, "Nico, the ICT is gone. It's okay." Nico: "Ice cream truck, it's okay?" B: "Yes. It's gone." Nico stops crying, but repeats "It's okay Ice Cream Truck." When I come downstairs, he cries out again. I pick him up and he talks to me about the ice cream truck. I assure him it is gone, it is not in the house, it just drives by.

It's tough being a kid sometimes.

I'm sure Nico is simply exhibiting an awareness of the danger of ice cream trucks, and their probable connection to clowns and mall Santas. He is ahead of his time, as this oh-so-very-true article from Avant News indicates: "London, August 29, 2009 -- Ice cream trucks, the ubiquitous roaming purveyors of frozen dessert products that infest suburban neighbourhoods around the world, announcing their arrival using strident, uniformly irritating off-pitch melodies, have been found in a recent study to be a leading international cause of insanity." (you can read the rest of the, ahem, "article" here.) :-)

Good Times, y'all. Pass the popsicle.

About Medieval Mama

Happy New Year, Cats and Kittens! It has been a while. Pregnancy and new baby and dissertation, Oh My! So lots is happening and I am excited about sharing. I'll start the new year with a little update to the blog: the About page. Here 'tis:

I am a medievalist, an historical theologian, a wife and a mother. My husband works in the fields of education and ministry. We are Christians, the straight-not-narrow kind. I became a mother in April 2008 and again in November 2010. My darling husband (DH) and my two boys, pumpkin (approaching 3) and mango (in his first months), are part of my soul.


We currently live in Springfield, IL. Besides being a stay-at-home-mother, I am writing my dissertation and plan to have finished in August 2011.


My hobbies include cooking and baking, knitting, crochet, and sewing, singing and playing the flute and french horn. I also love to read. I enjoy learning and using multiple languages, and I love computers and technology. I also enjoy sports and find myself being converted into being a fan with actual sports knowledge who watches, listens to, and talks sports. I watch little television and few movies, but Netflix has become a friend. I like swimming and walking and dancing.


In short, I am both a geek and a nerd.


As for lifestyle and parenting philosphy, my husband and I strive for simplicity. We aim for fiscal responsibility, not spending money we don't have and spending what we do have according to budget based on our values. I breastfeed, and we cloth diaper and enjoy cooking most of our meals and snacks from scratch. We don't believe in spanking but do believe in consistent discipline. We enjoy attending Mass every week and being involved in our parish.


But all that being said, I firmly believe in idea expressed in the following quote from Jennifer Garner from an interview published in Parade on Jan 24 2010: "I will tell you what I can’t abide—and I think the Internet has really created a space for it—women criticizing other women and mothers criticizing other mothers. It just makes me crazy, whether it’s between staying at home, going to work, how long you breastfeed, if you use formula. I feel like we should just assume everyone is doing the best they can. Women should take care of each other, not tear each other down."


I hope this blog is a place where we may inspire each other.

Pax, Shalom, Salaam: Peace to you all!

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

Blessings upon this new year! Party on, y'all!

Baby Burrito - Bear

I love knitting.

And knitting is much more fun when I get a chance to share it.

I am expecting baby #2 in November, and I recently realized it was time to begin some baby crafting, and so I chose to make Baby Burrito - Bear. Eventually this post will contain the complete pattern and pictures of my progress, and a demonstration with new baby when he arrives.

The Baby Burrito is like a swaddle for the baby without all the swaddling. It is a body sock. And I'll be making this one with a matching hat with little bear ears, and bear paw stitching on the body.

Please follow my progress on Ravelry: Burrito Baby - Bear Project Page

Speaking of Ravelry, I have only just found this on-line communtiy for Fiber Arts Lovers, and it is great! If you like to knit, crochet, dye, spin, weave, etc. this is a great resource and a great way to meet others. Plus there are themed groups ( I joined one for medievalists, Harry Potter fans, and Doctor Who fans today) and groups by location to help put you in touch with people in your area!

Pattern So Far:

Burrito:

Camus helps with the first stage of Baby Burrito

16" Circular needles size three

Trim color: left-overs, I'm using multicolor white/lt blue/darkblue

Body color: 1 skein ?, I'm using beige.

In Trim Color, Cast On 79

K2P2 (except for last three st in round which wind up being k2p1) for 8 rows

Change color to body Color.

knit every stitch for 1 row

Seed stitch (k1p1) every row (if you knit the stitch in the row before, purl it the next time and vice versa) for 18 inches...... [I'll get there....]

In Search of a Deep Fryer

I know, I know. Fried food will kill you, blah blah blah. But seriously, it is not the 'fried' nearly so much as the quantity and quality. And quality fried food is hard to get at home.

We requested and very kindly received a deep fryer as a wedding gift, but after four years it died. By the time it did, it was no great sadness, because it had stopped holding its temperature a long time ago. Limp, soggy french fries are unappealing.

Then we became the proud caretakers of a hand-me-down wok from a friend. This worked great, temperature-wise. But the lid merely balanced on top, and everything within a ten-mile radius was covered with a fine coating of peanut goodness. Which is great if you're a chocolate bar, but sticky for everything else. Then it died.

Since then we have been in mourning. We've made due with a skillet, but this makes it hard to do egg rolls or crab Rangoon.

So we recently made the decision to at last begin our search for a new, better quality deep fryer.

A decision that has been a little like wandering in the desert.

We were willing to pay a little more for a quality product, something that holds its temp, that won't up and die, and that makes it easy to put the oil away. This last quality is my requirement. I really hate the oil being just left in the fryer/wok/pan because it makes the whole kitchen and then eventually house smell like used oil. When I come into the kitchen the smell attacks me. And since I got pregnant the smell problem has only become worse.

So we looked and looked. And read reviews. And looked on every website for a zillion stores. But for each different model, there were always enough serious reservations that it left us in a quandary. They leak. They die. They don't hold temps. They cost a fortune to run. And if you really want something that even reaches 375 F, you have to install a 220v outlet.

Is there in fact a quality deep fryer at all??

Finally I had a light bulb moment. Check America's Test Kitchen! Eureka! I looked both at different recipes for things we like to cook and at the Equipment section for Fryers.

The answer?

No, there is no such thing as a reliable, quality deep fryer.

They use a Dutch Oven. Or a French Oven, depending on your heritage! And there is a new line out that costs closer to $50 instead of the usual $200+.

Well, we don't have one. We have stock pots, but a French Oven is cast iron, and if you get one with an enamel coating then you do not have to worry about seasoning problems. And of course it is not only good for frying but soups, stews, certain breads, and chicken pot pie !! (My husband: "I don't _care_ what else it's good for!! :-)

So we ordered one, and a metal funnel strainer to go along with it, complete with a promise from my darling dearest to willingly participate in the putting away of the oil after it cools.

The review to follow after we've given it a run!

Fantastic Strawberry Fluff Cupcakes

Oh. My. God.
Icing should Never Ever taste this good.
I'm considering just eating Strawberry Fluff Icing for dinner.
Wow.

See,  Apparently cupcakes are all the rage in New York City, according to my sister who lives there, at least in her corner of the world.

For cupcakes

• 2/3 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature

Directions


1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.

2.Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.

3.In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.

4.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.

5.With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.

6.Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.

Ingredients

Makes enough for 1 dozen cupcakes

1/2 cup whole frozen strawberries, thawed
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
Pinch of coarse salt
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1.Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

Latin Breakthrough

Hooray! I think that I finally understand the difference between the gerund and the gerundive. They come from basically the same form - and/end/und - but the gerund is a stand alone noun, conjugated 2nd decl neut., and the gerundive, while meaning almost the same thing, is used adjectively with the object of the sentence. I want [of writing] {I want to write} - I want of letters [to be written] {I want to write letters.}
Cupida sum scribendi - Cupida sum litterae scribendae.
So gerund adject and gerundive adjective.
Well, it makes sense to me, anyway, finally!