October 2012

Family Pictures

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a family picture is worth a million.

And even then, it only tells part of the story.

A few weeks ago, on a warm Friday in September, one of our dear friends drove from Wisconsin to take our family photos.

We ended up with several shots worthy of a Christmas card.

But those photos are a mere snapshot, a frozen second in time.

They don't tell the whole story.

Behind the scenes, Kieran was having a rough day. He hadn't taken a nap at home, opting instead to sleep in the car during the afternoon school drive. He woke up about half an hour before our session began, cranky and disoriented, liable to burst into tears at the slightest provocation, sucking his finger like it was a drug.

Teyla was grumpy too, but her scowl was due to our photographer, Nicole, having the nerve to be married to Josh, Teyla's true love. So instead of being amiable, Teyla spent our entire time together scowling and glaring at Nicole. The only way we could get her to smile was to tickle her, or let Nicole frame the shot, then have Josh click the shutter.

It was hard work. And not the best time of our lives.

But you know what? Our family does not let the grumpy win. It was so bad, it started to get funny. I started to laugh at the absurdity of it all.

We started to get goofy.

Which begat "let's beat each other with the letters that spell family."

And then Kieran decided he was so over this photography thing.

So we took one last picture and called it a day.

But you know what? It's all good. This is us. We aren't just the polished, smiling family on the Christmas card. There is so much more to our story. One photo can't tell it all.

And that's OK with me. Because the beauty of life is writing this story story together, one day, one snapshot, at a time.

Photos courtesy 1000 Words Photography and the incomparable Nicole Wilke

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Welcome to The Parent 'Hood, a weekly blog round-up of all things parenting. I host this carnival every Monday, along with some of my favorite blogging buddies (FriedOkra, Vita Familiae, To Think is To Create, Joy in this Journey, Lovefeast Table and O My Family). Post your link using the tool below, and your post will show up instantly on all the host blogs. (How cool is that?)

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Here, Taste This : A Semi-Healthy Halloween Dinner

Getting your kids to eat a semi-healthy dinner on Halloween night is parenting at the black-belt level.

The pre-trick-or-treating adrenaline, the excitement over costumes, the fever lust of all that candy: It's hard enough to get the kids to stop bouncing, let alone consume broccoli.

Your only hope is to make dinner fun.

A few years ago, I started making mummy dogs for my kids on Halloween night. They aren't exactly clean food, but they are ridiculously easy and kid-friendly. And it's easy to pair them with healthy sides like baby carrots, apple slices and milk (colored orange, of course).

Huge hit.

Until last year.

Last Halloween, my kids suddenly decided they don't like hot dogs. (To be fair, they've never been huge fans.) And they claimed the crescent dough tasted "weird." (To be fair, it does.)

So this year, I'm making what my Mom used to make for Halloween dinner: tiny meat pies topped with cheese cut-outs that look like Jack O' Lanterns.

I've got both recipes below. Take your pick. Make it fun. Serve a few healthy sides. And then let the kids go crazy with candy, guilt-free. Halloween comes only once a year.

Mummy Dogs

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls
1 package hot dogs

Directions:
1. Pop the can of crescent rolls. Scream. Roll out the dough and use your fingers to seal the perforations.
2. Using a pizza cutter, slice the dough into long, thin ropes.
3. Wrap the dough lines around the hot dogs. Overlap and will and pinch to add a new rope onto an existing mummy. Make a small part in the ropes to let the mummy have a face.
4. Bake according to the dough directions; usually 15 minutes or so in a 375 oven.
5. Use mustard to make dots for eyes.

Tips:
1. My kids loathe mustard (weirdos) so I used black decorating gel one year to make eyes. Whatever works, you know what I'm saying?
2. If you're thinking, "that is the lamest recipe ever," you're right. But it really is that simple.

Jack O' Lantern Meat Pies

1 12-ounce can refrigerated biscuits (or homemade biscuit dough)
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 15-ounce can of tomato sauce
1 cup grated carrot
8-10 slices of American cheese (or cheddar)

Directions:
To make the pie cups:
1. Pop open the can of biscuits. Scream. Flatten the rounds slightly, until they have about a 4-inch diameter. Grease the underside of a muffin tin and spread the biscuits over the bottoms of the cups. Bake according to directions or until cups are just turning brown. Remove from muffin tin and let cool while you make the filling.
To make the filling (is there an echo in here?):
1. In a large skillet, brown ground beef and diced onion until no pink remains and the onions are translucent.
2. Add remaining ingredients and let the mixture simmer until it reaches sloppy joe consistency, about 20 minutes.
3. Place biscuit cups on a baking sheet. Fill with the meat mixture.
4. Using a sharp knife or a biscuit cutter, cut a circle out of each slice of cheese. Cut out small triangles for eyes and a goofy mouth to make a Jack O' Lantern face. Top each meat pie with a cheese pumpkin.
5. Bake meat pies for 3-5 minutes in a 400 degree oven or just enough time to melt cheese.

Tips:
1. Feel free to get creative with the Jack O' Lanterns.
2. I've heard some people add the cheese leftovers to the meat mixture so they don't waste the scraps. Interesting idea.
3. Theoretically, you could serve these pies to adults for dinner as well. Or you could make a bit more meat mixture and serve it on buns as sloppy joes. I've never tried that, but it seems reasonable.

If you're looking for other fun Halloween fare, check my Boo! board on Pinterest.

A Twin Cities Halloween: The Best Family-Friendly Fun

If my kids had to pick just one holiday to celebrate each year, I'm not sure anything could beat out Halloween, not even Christmas. There's just something about a day laden with candy and costumes and magic that seems to make kids dance with happiness.

(Or maybe that's just my four-year-old dancing because she has to go to the bathroom. "Do you have to go potty, Teyla?" I ask my daughter at least a day when I see her doing The Potty Dance in the playroom. "No, Mommy," she says, legs crossed, booty wiggling. "I'm just dancing!")

The anticipation reaches fever pitch this week, when the sleeps-until-Halloween number in the single digits. Personally, I'm all for the kind of fun Halloween represents for young kids.* Dressing-up? Make-believe? Candy and giggles? It's childlike play at its best.

The last few years, I've made it my personal mission to scout out the best Halloween events for families in the Twin Cities, with a special emphasis on my neck of the woods in St. Paul. The more my kids get to dress up in their costumes, the better - especially since all good Minnesotans know to not count on the outfits actually being seen during Halloween trick-or-treating, what with the winter coat and mittens and hats and all. And heck - it's fun! It's fall! It's cavities! What's not to love?

Here are my top picks for non-spooky, family-friend fun.

Byerly’s and Lund’s Boo Blast

I put this one at the top of my list because it’s my family's favorite. Picture a Halloween party in the midst of a gourmet grocery store, and you'll have a good idea what to expect. (Pity the poor shoppers who swing by that night planning to pick up a few things for dinner.) The main attraction is the trick-or-treating through the aisles; kids follow a well-marked path and pick up treats like chocolate milk and chips and baby carrots from costumed employees. But there is also cookie decorating, a DJ-manned dance party and picture opportunities throughout the store. It's a madhouse, but it's a fun madhouse.

(And in case you doubt my love for the Boo Blast, I offer this proof to you: Our first year back in Minnesota, I drove two hours one way to attend a Boo Blast - with a two-year-old Natalie and a two-week-old Connor in tow. Here's a picture of my sister holding newborn Connor - in costume, no less - as we ate dinner at Byerly's Restaurant.)

Dates and times of the Boo Blast vary by location. Check the link above for the store closest to you.

Kowalski's Markets also do a Boo Bash, a fact I just discovered. All the stores do the event on the same night. This year, that night is October 23, from 4:00-7:00 PM. If you have a Kowalski's near you, it might be worth checking out.

Halloween at the Minnesota Children's Museum

The Minnesota Children's Museum is one of the best children's museums in the country. That's straight-up fact. So naturally, their Halloween event is a must-attend. It's a full evening of trick-or-treating through the museum, getting to play at the usual, amazing exhibits and other special events like glow-in-the-dark crafts, spooky mirrors and a moon bounce. Due to popularity, this party has transitioned from being open to the public to a members-only event. Reservations are recommended. This year's party is scheduled for October 26 and 27, from 6:00 - 9:00 PM. (Update: Bummer! And I just learned it's sold out for 2012! Like I said: It's popular!)

Como Park's ZooBoo

The ZooBoo is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and with good reason: It's a magical event that transforms the zoo into a world of fairytales with more than 200 costumed characters entertaining tiny costumed guests. It's always been insanely busy when we've gone; but the volunteers working the event make it fun, and the kids love seeing the zoo in a new light. Plus, it's Como's largest fundraiser of the year, and I'm all about supporting a zoo that requires nothing more than a what-you-can-spare donation for normal admission.

Because this event is so popular, Como runs it two consecutive weekends. Remaining dates for 2012 are October 26, 27 and 28, from 4:30 - 7:30 PM. Tickets are $7 at the door or $6 in advance. You can purchase tickets online, in person at Como's gift shop or by phone at 651-487-8229.

Tamarack Nature Center Trick or Treat

This is one of those Halloween events that will either be the highlight of the season, or a really soggy Saturday. It's all about the weather. Tamarak Nature Center is a gem tucked away in the northeaster quadrant of the Twin Cities. (Two words: Discovery Hollow. If you've never visited this world-class nature play area, put it on the top of your list!) Tamarack is well-known for its preschool programs, so it's not surprise that their Halloween festivities are decidedly non-spooky. Besides trick-or-treating outside on the trails, kids can enjoy games, entertainment, hand-pressed cider and a few live animals.

This year's Tamarack Trick or Treat is Saturday, October 27 from 3:00 - 5:30 PM (although, due to popularity, when you register, you pick a start time - either 3:00, 3:20, 3:40 or 4:00). The cost is $7.50 per child, $3.25 per adult. Register online.

Grand Ave's Boo Bash

A whole day of free fun along St. Paul's charming and iconic Grand Ave. Events include a children's costume contest, a Monster Mash dance, a petting zoo, pony rides, a bounce house and a trick-or-treating word search in participating stores. This year's party is Saturday, October 27, from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM.

*Just to be clear: Halloween to me is dressing up like super heroes and princesses and eating too much candy. I am not a fan of the creepy, gory, scary version of Halloween. I relate a lot with what my friend Hollywood Housewife said here.

The Fish

Once upon a time (read: this weekend), my family visited Petsmart.

But lo, this was more than an errand. Given the level of animal love in my children, any trip to Petsmart is a full-fledged event, complete with shrieks of joy at the presence of actual hamsters and tears of devastation when, once again, the children are informed we are not adopting a cat.

(I've had a cat before. I don't need that much condescention from a creature that sheds more than me.)

Technically, the purpose of our visit was to buy fresh dog treats. But the real agenda was to see the wild critters.

Kieran ran into the store, head down, arms pumping and then stopped and shouted, "Let's DO dis ting!"

Then he ran to the birds, shrieking, "WOOK MAMA! BIRDS!" Because who would expect to find the same parakeets at the pet store every time you go?!?

The kids wandered from section to section. A kind employee, who was tending to the reptiles, let us hold some geckos and a small bearded dragon. Natalie, Connor and Teyla eventually took up residence in the cat jail, where rows of adoptable cats (oxymoron) sat peering through the bars with suspicion. Kieran entered the room and was so overcome with joy ("CATS! MAMA! KITTIES MAMA! MEOW! MEOW!") that the cats went into full arrogance mode, glaring at the loud intruder. One even jumped up on its litter box and glowered.

Kieran and I left to visit the fishes.

He was equally enamored by the wall of blue. He peered and laughed and pointed to each little tank.

And then I had a flashback:

Kieran, last spring. Same wall of blue. I turn, to ask an employee a question. When I turn back, Kieran has both arms fully submerged in a low-lying tank. "FISHES MAMA!" he yells with excitement.

Me, horrified, running in a slow motion. "NOOOO BUDDY! You can't catch the fish!"

Minuscule goldfish in a frenzy, swimming away from gigantic chubby hands.

I scoop him away from the tank. Dry his hands on my shirt. "Kieran! No! The fish need to stay here."

"Dis one?" he asks innocently, holding out a little fist that has A TINY GOLD TAIL STICKING OUT OF IT!

OH MY FREAKIN' WORD, CHILD!

Me, running in slow motion, back to the tank. Opening chubby fist, shaking tiny goldfish back into the water.

Me, running out of store with wet-handed, sad little boy, vowing never to return.

End flashback.

Gather the family quickly. End Petsmart trip.

And the cats rejoiced.

The Fellowship

Everyday, we wake up to war.

We battle. We retreat. We slog. We scream. We may not even be aware of it, for it is largely invisible. Mortals, we are accustomed to eyes and ears and hands and feet, so we friviously rate our days by how many tasks we accomplish, how many meals we make, how many loads of laundry we do.

But that is like reading poetry and seeing only words.

There is more.

Our days are filled with battles unseen. The fight to create when it's easier to watch TV. The wrestle to listen when we want to speak. The struggle to forgive. The assault on joy. The unrelenting battle to love well.

We each have our own arena, our own mission, and no one can lift our sword for us, no one can fight our fights.

But they can battle alongside us.

Sometimes, we forge our own band of brothers. Family, maybe. A circle of college friends. A group from church.

And sometimes, it is forged by forces bigger than we.

"That is the purpose for which you are called hither. Called, I say, though I have not called you to me, strangers from distant lands. You have come and are here met, in this very nick of time, by chance as it may seem. Yet it is not so. Believe rather that it is so ordered that we, who sit here, and none others, must now find counsel for the peril of the world."
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

Sometimes, there is given a fellowship.

Companions for the journey.

And of course, not all is grim. There is laughter.

There are inside jokes.

There is adventure and the unexpected.

There is personality.

There is freedom.

There is love.

And if you're especially blessed, there is sangria.

This is a bond that runs deep, one not of human origin. A promise to stay, to weep, to rejoice, to pray.

This is a vow to fight side by side, to raise swords and shields around the wounded, to shout with the holy roar of Eowyn, "I am no man!"

There is forged a fellowship.

And so the burdens are lighter, the joys richer.

The war rages on. But we are not alone.

"You can trust us to stick to you through thick and thin – to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours – closer than you yourself keep it. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo. Anyway: there it is. We know most of what Gandalf has told you. We know a good deal about the ring. We are horribly afraid – but we are coming with you; or following you like hounds."
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

All photos courtesy Kelly Sauer and Jen Johnson Photography

Today Needs Boots. And Black. And a (gasp) Skirt.

The way I dress is changing.

Maybe it's because I'm 40. Maybe it's because I'm crawling out of the day-to-day trench work of mothering young children. Maybe it's my friend Megan's influence.

Whatever.

My style is emerging.

And I like it.

Today, I have parent-teacher conferences, coffee with friends, karate and Target on my schedule. It's not a day for staying home, for being cozy in jeans and a t-shirt.

Today needs a take-charge attitude, a bit of sass.

Today needs boots. It needs black.

And because I'm feeling a little French thanks to this post, I paired it with a skirt, which is very uncharacteristic of me. I'm normally a jeans girl. Like, always a jeans girl.

But I like it. I like this outfit.

I hardly recognize myself.

Yet I've never felt more like me.

(Is it OK to wear the boots with socks showing like this? I think so. Corey was a little thrown.)

Today, I'm dressing for the day I want to have, not the day that wants to have me. Want to play? My friend Abby issues the challenge every Wednesday.

Playing Catch Up

Today is my son's 9th birthday.

I am not prepared for the party tonight.

Yesterday, we dismantled the crib and set up a big boy bed for my two-year-old.

I forgot to buy a mattress pad while I was at Target, and the sheets we thought we purchased were actually duvet covers.

My daughter wore her new shoes to church yesterday morning. I got them on clearance at the end of last winter.

They don't fit. She's grown three sizes in a year. I didn't see that coming.

Sometimes, parenting feels like an endless game of catch-up. I'm always trying to stay ahead of the curve. I pack lunches the night before, I sign school papers as soon as they come home. I try to notice when we're running low on diapers so I can get them during a regularly scheduled Target run, and not have to make a separate trip. I meal plan. I run a mean To Do List.

Which is to say: I try. I try hard. And sometimes, I succeed. But most of the time, I can't seem to gain traction. I make progress in this area, only to slide back in that one. I delight one child and disappoint another.

I buy shoes a season ahead. And then they don't fit.

It's tough on a mom's ego, especially when she's spun plates at warp speed for her career. Can managing the lives of four kids really be more harrowing than producing a newscast during sweeps month?

The answer, I'm sorry to say, is yes.

As a mom, I'm always on call. I'm always in charge. If something goes wrong, I'm the one who needs to fix it. I find the missing headband, register for skating lessons, buy the fleece gloves before the first snow falls.

The good news is, the smile on my children's face when they see that birthday cake, that new dresss, the Angry Birds bandages, well, that means more to me than any paycheck.

In the end, I won't remember the crazy day I have in front of me, getting ready for Connor's party, all the cleaning and baking, the present wrapping and detail snatching. I'll just remember the celebration itself, the laughter and the ice cream, the Wii games and the love.

And I did remember to throw a handful of confetti into his lunchbox last night.

I haven't lost the game entirely. Booyah.

Here, Taste This : Garlicky Green Beans

Today, I'm sharing with you one of my secret weapons.

These green beans are so good, so tasty, so smack-your-lips amazing, they can heal relationships, inspire love poems, moderate Presidential debates.

They can even get your children to eat their veggies.

I know! It's like having a super hero in your fridge.

It's also fast - it takes less than 20 minutes from start to finish. And it has the ability to make people think you spent a lot of time and energy on it. Even though it's really simple.

Which makes you the super hero, now that I think about it.

Garlicky Green Beans
Recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, Desperation Dinners

1 pound fresh green beans
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves fresh garlic
1/4 cup white wine
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon crystals
fresh cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Wash beans and remove ends.

2. Heat oil and butter on medium in a large skillet. Add beans and stir to coat.

3. Peel and mince garlic. Add to skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until beans turn bright green, 4 to 5 minutes.

4. Add wine and bouillon. Raise heat to medium-high; you want to hear it sizzle. Then reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring frequently, 5 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender.

5. Season with pepper to taste, and serve.

Tips:

1. A few words about the beans themselves: If you're making this with green beans from the farmer's market, definitely remove the ends. But lately, I've been making this with haricot verts, the thin French green beans that are so tender, they hardy have any ends to begin with. So I've been skipping the "remove the ends" step. Feel free to do the same.

2. I use a high-sided skillet for this recipe. It makes it so much easier to toss the beans.

3. Fresh garlic is important to this recipe! Don't use the jarred kind. (Not that I even know what that is. Cough.) But if you don't have time or energy to mince, you can use a garlic press. Just know you'll have to stir more if you use a press, since the garlic will be finer and more prone to burn.

4. Haricot verts cook faster than the times in this recipe. What you're looking for is bright green, tender beans that might have just a bit of char from the bottom of the pan. (Note: Those are the best beans! Do not give them to your children!)

5. I've heard some people say you can sub soy sauce for the white wine and get more of an Asian garlic green bean. I haven't tried, since I love this recipe so much. But it's worth mentioning.

Dress For The Day (Especially When It's Cold)

Two Wednesday mornings a month, I attend a moms group at my church. It's sort of a MOPS graduate course, for those of us growing out of the toddler stage and into the school-age and oh-my-word teenage years.

I love the group; I'm making the best friends there. And I secretly love that I get to wear grown-up clothes that day. Maybe it's my overly practical nature, but I can't justify a cute outfit with accessories when all I'm going to do is stay home and clean. Some days were just made for jeans and t-shirts, you know?

But not today.

Today, I wore my new favorite color combo - aquamarine and periwinkle. The shirt drapes just right and the chunky necklace and cuff are very me.

And WHOA! Today it's chilly in Minnesota. Like, I walked out my front door this morning and it was 36 degrees. (And since I was trying to take my own picture by setting my camera on a bale of straw and triggering the self-timer, I had plenty of time to feel that windchill. My apologies for the lack of focus and hideous backlighting. I was numb.)

So I threw on a coat. A green coat. COLOR EXPLOSION!

And then I made faces at myself because I wore my glasses today. (I don't need them to see, but without them, I lack depth perception. And fall is a good season to see 3D.)

And then I lost feeling in my toes. Because I was wearing wedge sandals.

And that, my friends, brings me to one of my perpetual fall conundrums. I adore sandals and flip-flops. I wear them to the bitter end of summer. And today is that bitter end.

But, maybe because I'm loathe to shed the sandals, I don't have good in-between footwear. I have cute boots for winter and several pairs of LL Bean shoes that work with sweaters and jeans. But those feel like overkill on October 10.

What shoes would you recommend with this outfit?

I'm linking up today to my friend Abby's brilliant Dress for the Day, which entails dressing for the day you want to have, not the day that wants to have you. Come play, every Wednesday!

Fashion Update

Clothes have always been inconsequential to my oldest daughter.

Even after she could dress herself, Natalie happily wore whatever I laid out for her. I would find a cute outfit, hold it up for her approval and she would obligingly shrug, "Sure, Mom. If you like it."

It's a good place to be, as a mom.

No battles over clothing. No refusal to wear what I buy. No "I don't like that color" or "This tag is itchy" or "I don't wear plaid." I was free to indulge my own whims, choose whatever I thought was cute.

Until now.

Last week, I bought an outfit for for Natalie at Gymboree, one of my all-time favorite kids' clothing stores. At 11, Natalie has almost sized out of Gymboree clothes. But when I saw this shirt-and-jeans combo, it was so sunny and cheerful, I immediately thought of her.

I bought it, brought it home and showed it to her as soon as she get home from school.

"What do you think?" I asked, expectantly.

She grimaced ever so slightly. "It's cute, Mom. But it's not really me."

And I saw, in an instant, she was right.

That outfit is not right for a sixth-grader, especially not a sporty, tomboy sixth grader who would rather climb a tree or read a book than worry about looking cute.

Natalie is growing into herself. She's learning who she is - and who she's not. And naturally, that trickles down into what she wears. She's spurned my suggestions to wear boots, claiming only girls who care about boys wear boots. She's decided skirts aren't practical for school; how can one do flips on the monkey bars with a skirt? And she's adamant she wants her hair long and straight, for no discernible reason.

That's not to say Natalie doesn't care how she looks. She dresses in fun jeans and t-shirts most days, and she is thrilled when I buy her anything purple (her favorite color) or anything with a touch of glitter. She jumps on any opportunity to get a pedicure, and she is growing more conscious every day of her reflection in the mirror.

If fashion is defined as what you wear reflecting who you are, then it's time for a fashion update.

Natalie is not a little girl anymore. But she's tuned in to who she's becoming, and she likes herself.

It's a good start for style.

Here, Taste This : Homemade Granola

I cannot go to bed without eating a bowl of cereal first.

It's a habit that probably started back in my TV news days, when my schedule and body rhythms were whacked. (Anyone else regularly pull through Carl's Junior at 9:30 AM and beg for a bacon burger and a chocolate coffee shake?) When I worked on the 11:00 PM newscast, I would get home about 12:30 AM. I would watch the Late Late Show (sometimes with my brother, who lived with us for a while) and I would play as many games of Solitaire as it took for my brain to calm the heck down.

Then I would have a bowl of cereal and go to bed. The childhood familiarity of crunchy grains and creamy milk would settle my soul and I would fall asleep around 2:00 AM with a smile on my face.

These days, my body rhythms aren't quite as messed up. But I can't kick the cereal habit.

Which brings us to today's "Here, Taste This" recipe.

Homemade granola. Have you tasted it? Have you made it? Have you had it with milk?

It's a revelation. And I should know, since I've been eating it before bed almost every night for the past three years.

You can eat it with yogurt too, of course. Or use it to top ice cream. But it's meant to be eaten in your jammies, before bed, with ice cold milk.

Sweet dreams.

Homemade Granola
(Adapted from BooMama's recipe)

1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3 cups whole oats
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup chopped raw almonds
1/3 cup chopped raw pecans
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, melt butter. Mix in honey and vanilla.

2. In a large bowl, combine oats, flour nuts and salt.

3. Pour the butter mixture on top of the oat mixture and stir until well combined.

4. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet; bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until golden. Let it cool for 5 minutes then use a spatula to break it up into pieces. Store in an air-tight container.

Tips:

1. Sometimes, I add in 1/4 cup of ground flaxseed. It helps to remember to do this before you put the granola in the oven.

2. This recipe is highly customizable, yes? I love it so much as is, I can't bear to mess with it much. But I'm sure you could add dried fruit, some cinnamon and swap out the nuts without problem.

3. Don't let it cool too long before you scrape it off the baking sheet, or you will end up with huge granola chunks that you will have to break up with your fingers.

4. The first time I made this, I ate the whole thing in about one sitting. That's not good for the ego. These days, I often make a double batch (use two baking sheets if you do this; the granola needs space, man), which means I can go about a week before making some more.

To be a Child in the Fall

Color explosion.

Fall practically pounced this year. Nothing gradual. Nothing held back.

Autumn is extravagant.

Parking lots become galleries for nature's best works.

Forest turns cathedral.

Lakes glow with hues not their own.

And children pick up leaves to remember the beauty of this day. This season.

This is worship, to play under the trees and celebrate the beauty, unconcerned with the season ahead. Because today, the sky is brilliant and the ground is golden and the leaves rain down like kisses.

Lord, let me always be a child in the fall.