Christmas 2009

It's that time of year again, and as I was reading last year's Christmas letter, I was almost tempted to just change the date. Seriously, this year is very similar to last years.

We took two family vacations. 1) So. California in January to do some whale watching and visit theme parks. 2) Orlando in September where we did the whole Disney World, Epcot, Animal Kingdom park and beach tour. We had such a fabulous time, especially Sophie, that we're planning our next vacation to Orlando the first part of 2010.

Soph's Uncle Eric (from Belgium), was here in March. As usual we skied, played trivial pursuit (btw, Uncle Eric is such a good sport since these games are American geared), shopped and had stimulating conversations.

I got to see my brother Jim and his wife, Sandy in May as he had a meeting of all places in Draper, Utah. We saw them again in October for a quick visit and to spend precious time with mom. Of course, the saddest news of all and as most of you already know, my mom passed away mid-November. You can read my tribute of mom within this blog.

Aside from realizing how time flies by, I've created a public blogsite compared to the ones I created in the past. Knowing how fleeting life is, I really felt the need to stay-in-touch with family and friends the best way possible, especially because everyone is scattered all over creation. And at the same time, the blog provides a great deal of health-related matters I wish I knew when I was young that I can now pass on to Sophie at a much earlier age, or whomever else that's health minded.

Funny, I already see signs of Sophie eating healthier preferring grilled fish over fried chicken or dark chocolate versus milk chocolate, reminding me she needs to take her vitamins and other supplements so she can be healthy. It's hard to believe she will be 6 years old in 6 days. She's very mature for her age and to be quite honest reminds me of a 16 year old stuck in a 6 year old body.

Last year I volunteered at Soph's preschool and just showed up as scheduled. This year, I was relegated...lol... as a room mom for her kindergarten class planning the schedules, organizing class parties and field trips, enlisting as much help as I can from other moms, which isn't always swift and easy. Nevertheless, it's nice to have so many parents that are not only interested in their kids education but are "involved" in some form or fashion. I definitely have a greater appreciation for teachers and if there's any way I can help, I'm all for it.

Vince continues to enjoy and excel within his company. They say if you love and are passionate about something, you will succeed. Accordingly, he loves what he does and it shows, especially when the president of the company acknowledges his work in more ways than one. Yes, I'm a lucky girl :o) He travels weekly to Caremark in Arizona. I sometimes wonder why we moved to Utah?....lol. Yet, he prefers it this way as opposed to going in an office and commuting back and forth in never ending road construction traffic-ridden jams.

As you can see Vince isn't mainstream when it comes to work. I'm not mainstream when it comes to health and nutritional healing and Soph isn't a mainstream child. However, one thing that is mainstream is we wish we lived closer to family.

We want to wish everyone a very Happy Holiday filled with peace and harmony and everything pleasant and nice.

Love,

Vince, MaryAnne & Sophie

Sophie's Kids

This post is really appropriately titled "Sophie's kids." She's always saying "my kids...." thus referring to her classmates.

So, here's her Kindergarten class picture of all her "kids." Being a "Room Mom" has allowed me to enjoy interacting with all these cute kids. Some are really smart, some suffer from ADD, some are funny, some are allergic to peanuts, some are wild, some are calm, some are shy, some are very gregarious, etc. According to Soph's teacher, she does what she's supposed to do. Is she turning into an L7 like her mother? Hubby's biggest quibble about me, I'm too square....lol.

I never really signed up to be a "Room Mom." It just kind of happened, but I'm not complaining. As long as I'm able I don't mind helping out, and besides Sophie luvs it when I volunteer. Hubby, an intelligent listener commented one day when I said, "I have to go volunteer today." He said that doesn't sound very good if you "have" to volunteer. But seriously, I don't mind it all. And plus, I believe parents need to be involved in their kids education as much as possible.

As before in preschool, the kids know I'm Soph's mom. They always tell me not only does Soph look like me, but that she sounds like me...hmmm.

So far, Soph has done well in school, achieving all 3's and 4's on her report card. She has advanced to level 2 in her reading and level 2 at gymnastics. She still wants to be an artist; however, she also wants to combine that with being a doctor. Her daddy approves.

Strands of beads and snow

Next school project / homework assignment: Decorate the Christmas tree

Sophie had a lot of fun decorating this tree. I always try and let her do as much as she can on her own. Her favorite part was stringing the beads and coloring. In school, they have been learning a lot about patterns and so she was having a ball creating her own pattern, which was used as garland to trim the tree. Adding the snow to the tree was something we did a couple of years ago to our own tree.

2007 was the year it snowed and snowed and snowed and snowed... And so I decided to carry the theme inside our house with our Christmas tree. Also, while driving through Little Cottonwood Canyon, to Alta, the trees were beautiful, covered with cotton ball looking snow on the branches and limbs. Hence the name "Cottonwood," I suppose. Of course, I had to try and replicate that with our Christmas tree (see below).

So far this year, the snow has been minimal (thank goodness...a nice break); our Christmas tree was decorated with slight snow at the top and beads to match Soph's Christmas tree. You can't see the beads very well, but they are there, little green dangles. Also, this Christmas tree has Sophie's touch at the top. We used her blue fairy star wand as the tree topper.

I can't believe this, but we put our Christmas tree up and decorated the house before December. This is the first time this has happened. Usually, we decorate the tree 2 weeks before Christmas. (I believe having Soph has a lot to do with it.) Also, hubby and I are going to actually buy presents for each other to put under the tree along with Soph's, that way she knows it isn't always about her. (Okay, lets see I want a cellercise, SmartSole, I want it all bracelet ...LOL... that's all :D). Sophie gets a lot of gifts due to the fact her Birthday is the 22nd :o/ And, yes I do wrap her birthday presents in birthday paper so she knows the difference.

BTW, she's still afraid of Santa Claus. So still no picture of her with Santa to date. I might have to wait until she's a teenager. But then again, at that age I don't want her sitting on Santa's lap...how weird (as in hehehe) as I was typing Santa, I accidentally typed Satan....hmmm.

Remembering Mom

Martha (Marty) Ellen Mettel

April 5, 1926 - November 19, 2009

Normally, when I write a piece about a specific topic, whether it be about health, nutrition, recipes, family stuff, etc., I can usually whip something out without a problem. They say as long as you write about the things you know, writing will flow easily. For me, it takes anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or so to compose a quick draft.

Granted it isn't eloquent writing, but I am leaving what some might say "a written legacy." You know, where you write about important family history, memories and stories you want to share before they become fuzzy and eventually lost forever.

However, when it comes to writing about my Mom who passed away last Thursday, it has been very difficult to put pen to paper, or in this case keys to computer. Maybe because I'm struggling with the fact I can't attend her funeral due to many circumstances that didn't permit it. Or maybe because Mom's passing has affected me more than I expected. I've always seen her as a free spirit full of life, loving and living life to the fullest with lots of grit when it came to the strength of her character. And because of these qualities, I naively thought she would remain very independent living well into her 90's.

While attending the funeral would have been a tangible closure after losing a loved one, it certainly isn't the only way to express and honor my mentor, role model and Mom. This is my personal recollection and story I want to share of my sweet Mom... Memorable impressions that put a smile on my face.

Mom: "July 1970 - Nina, MaryAnne, and Mom just came home from church and Daddy took our picture. Taken in front of 907 N. 9th Street, Springfield, Illinois. House where Grandpa Bollman was born and grew up and where your Daddy grew up. We lived there from 1963 - 1972."

To me, Mom looked like Joan Crawford. She had that "star quality" I haven't yet encountered with anybody else. She was beautiful, intelligent and statuesque. Even though she considered herself as an introvert, you'd never know it as she could talk circles around most people having the ability to mix persuasive word with bold actions. She was drawn to innovative ventures and progressive enterprises. People were attracted by her very genial personality and open-minded acceptance of all types of people. Yes, she was very popular and made friends easily.

Her restless nature required a creative outlet as she was a master in painting ceramics, making quilts, actually anything artistic that required intricate creativity.

Her abundant energy and sharp intellect was later put to use when she became a private investigator and learned to use a computer in her 70's. She kept her mind sharp by always learning something new and she loved it. This is something she had instilled in me as I too love learning about everything and anything.

Mom, 19 years

Mom had been sick since March 2009. Because she had been sick for awhile, her death was not a real surprise to family and friends, but that didn't make it any easier to bear. I'm so thankful, hubby, Sophie and I were able to see Mom one month before she quickly deteriorated. She very calmly and matter-of-factly stated she was at peace with the decision she made, refusing chemotherapy and other treatments, at peace with her Creator, and "ready." I knew that was the last time we would see Mom alive. She was 83 years old.

Mom and Me

A little about hubby

This is my favorite picture of hubby. He's standing in front of the sign that says "Except Federal Police." For those that don't know, law enforcement in Belgium is integrated and encompasses both the Federal and Local levels. And because of that, he was required go through military training in order to become a national police officer.

So how did he make the transition into computers? The police department was in the process of getting "computerized" and were looking to recruit a few people with a strong background in math and logic. About 40 some odd freshly minted police officers raised their hand, to include Vince.

In order to weed out the vast majority, a one-on-one interview was conducted. Here the group of 40 dwindled to half. The remaining 20 then had to take a series of tests which were not always obvious. This is when it became apparent who really had a very strong math and logic background. And not just common logic, but reverse logic for example like figuring out days in a backwards week :o/ Vince was in the top 3 and from there was able to pursue the world of informatics that suited his personality and strengths perfectly.

So from programming to mainframes to networking to data storage, it has been a field he enjoys a lot. Currently, he works for a major data storage company as a Sr. Solutions Architect, designing solutions for major corporations that have petabytes of data.

Beef and Broccoli

Tired of the blubbery, chewy beef with overcooked broccoli drenched in gravy-like brown sauce? This is what I consider as the American version of Chinese offerings. If you're like me, I prefer beef that's "tender-crisp" and broccoli cooked perfectly that actually tastes like broccoli. Unfortunately, I can only get it at mid-priced restaurants, where attention and care to the formulations are considered more than the restaurant's concept.

The last time I had great Beef and Broccoli was when I was in high school. That's a very looong time. I knew two Asian mothers (real Asians unlike me :o/) that made mouth watering, super tasty Asian cuisines and spoiled me rotten with all their cooking. They used a "secret" ingredient I actually learned about just only 5 years ago. I always thought Mrs. Pei and Mrs. Pereida were using coca-cola. Now I know. It's Chinese black vinegar (water, vinegar, caramel and spices) that provides a mild and tangy sweetness. Typically it's something I see often in braises, marinades, and sauces (like the one I make for the pot stickers on rare occasions).

I can only find black vinegar at Asian supermarkets. If you don't have an Asian store nearby, you can use a dark balsamic vinegar as a substitute.

This version of Beef and Broccoli is the absolute best, full of flavor, lightly glazed and easy to make incorporating the Chinese black vinegar, cooking the meat so it comes out "tender-crisp," using a smidgeon of cornstarch (in fact, it's only in the steak marinade) that'll thicken naturally when you simmer the sauce, and steaming the broccoli separately.

Overview

Flank steak, thinly sliced. Cutting it thinly is what makes the beef tender.

Steak marinade: soy sauce, oil, cornstarch (not much) and pepper.

I like to use chopsticks to ensure steak strips are coated with the marinade.

Steam broccoli until fork tender. This should take about 3 mins. Drain broccoli and set aside.

Add the steak strips in a single layer, do not crowd. You may have to do this in two steps.

Serve in your favorite bowl with some Jasmine rice. In this case, this is the bowl Sophie made when she was 4 years old at Color Me Mine.

Broccoli and Beef

Serves 4 as part of a multicourse meal.

Ingredients:

1 lb top sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced into 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick strips

1 1/2 lbs (750 g) broccoli, cut into bite-size florets

1 tablespoon high heat cooking oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Beef Marinade

1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon cooking oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Stir Fry Sauce

3 tablespoons oyster sauce

2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)

2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the Beef Marinade. Add the beef and let marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the Stir Fry Sauce.

3. In a wok or large sauté pan, add 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and cover to steam for 3 minutes. The broccoli should be bright green, crisp tender and you should be able to pierce the stem with a fork. Drain.

4. Discard the water in the pan and dry the pan well. Set the pan over high heat and when hot, add the high heat cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the garlic and fry for 15 to 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the steak strips, keeping them in one layer and fry 30 seconds. Flip the strips and fry the other side.

5. Pour in the Stir Fry Sauce and stir to combine. Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 30 seconds. Add the cooked broccoli back into the pan and toss to coat well.

Recipe: Courtesy of thepioneerwoman, who featured this recipe from Jaden Hair's cookbook, "the Steamy Kitchen," a food writer and food blogger.

Soy What?

I'm not a big fan of soy such as soy milk. You hear often as women enter menopause, one should eat lots of soy. I feel it is incumbent on me to demystify the differences in soy products. As I've already touched on in previous posts, there's good and bad in everything.

While completing all my chemistry classes in school, I really did not appreciate it as much as I do today. Food combination is key to getting the most benefit from the foods you eat. I've always been concerned of what I eat, but never how my food goes together. For instance with, coffee, black tea, chocolate, even fruit, etc., in order for your body to soak up the natural antioxidants, they should not have milk in them. It's the milk that actually cancels out the antioxidants from these beverages and foods. That's why dark chocolate is better for you than milk chocolate. I know a lot of people that say, "well, it doesn't do anything for me..." and that's because they're not drinking or eating it in it's most basic, raw and pure form and/or consuming these drinks and food with complementary food to enhance it's flavonoid properties (eg. almonds and cocoa, dark chocolate combines well with protein, so eating dark chocolate with nuts provides a flavonoid-rich morsel).

Ok, where was I going with this? Actually, I wanted to show how becoming more aware of your food, other than satisfying hunger, can have a significant impact on getting the most nutritional bang for your grub.

Back to the topic of this post... The soy products you want to avoid are the genetically modified soybeans that are all high in phytic acid. It's the phytic acid that can block the complete intake of essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc in the intestinal tract. However, fermented soy products, which I like a lot like miso soup (fermented tofu), tempeh, natto (soy beans) and brewed soy sauce, found primarily in the Far East diets, is what you want to look for in relieving the annoying symptoms associated with menopause (i.e. hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, bone loss, dry skin, etc.).

So the next time you visit a health food store, check out these cultured soy foods and give them a try.