Living Full on Life

The End of an Era

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I started this post ten days ago…

Today I taught preschool for the last time ever. I have been part of a preschool co-op since Sam (13) was two! For years my friends and I took turns teaching our children. We had lessons about everything from bugs to dinosaurs to the five senses (that was a fun one!).  In Virginia a large part of our teaching was field trips to downtown D.C. and other fun places. It was an essential and regular part of our lives because as young mothers we needed each other! Not to mention the benefit to our kids of learning to interact peacefully with other children. I will always cherish the sweet interactions I have had with my friends and their adorable children. Today, on the last day I was telling a story with a puppet and one of the cute boys excitedly said to me, “I LOVE your stories!” I felt so warm and fuzzy remembering that story telling has always been something I enjoy and glad that it has brought pleasure to the children I have taught. I remember even as a teenaged babysitter I often made up long elaborate stories for the children I watched. Also today, one of the children who has been the most aloof of the group, really wanted me to understand something he was trying to tell me so he put his two little hands on my face and looked at me right in the eye and told me the important thing. These are the connections and the experiences that make a rich, full life. These heart connections cannot be replicated in any other way than by taking the time to make them.

I love the memories I have as a preschool mom/teacher. I thought I would be sad at the idea of being done with this phase of life…but I’m not! So far, I am just so excited for the next phase. Anna is so excited for kindergarten! I am excited to be at the school more, to have some time to myself, to spend one day a week at the temple. Recently I was talking about the time I would have once all the kids were in school and I exclaimed, “Think of all the cleaning I could do!” Grant (knowing me well) corrected me by saying, “You mean, think of all the reading you could do?!?”

The following are some photos of the years of teaching. Sadly, there aren’t any of just Lizzie’s group. (Typical of a second child’s experience right?!)

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Part of our first group ever. Sam on the far right.

April 2004 241

Field trip to the National Mall. Sam in green.

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Asparagus and Pea Soup with Parmesan Cheese

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Creamy-Asparagus-and-Pea-Soup-Healthy-filling-screams-spring-vegan-glutenfreeI have only made this deliciously subtle soup one time because I felt it was very labor intensive. However, it tastes really and truly gourmet to me and I have craved it many times since. I would use this recipe to begin a really fancy meal.  It serves 6 but only very small helpings. Three very hungry people devoured it and wished for much, much more. …

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Odoriferous Asparagus

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Ahh asparagus. I love asparagus. I love that it is in season just as spring is coming on. (Spring is my favorite time of year.) Since I just posted an asparagus recipe, and I am about to post another, I thought I might share an asparagus related memory. Six years ago I was at a cooking class for our church’s women’s organization and brought up the question as to why eating asparagus made urine smell different-as in worse. Some of the ladies there had never smelled the smell before and actually didn’t know what I was talking about. One lady, who truly is a kindred spirit sent me an article explaining this phenomenon.

From webmd:

Q: I’ve noticed that when I eat asparagus, my urine has a funny smell. Is that normal?

A: It’s totally normal. In fact, the effect of asparagus on urine odor has been observed for centuries. French novelist Marcel Proust famously wrote in 1913 that asparagus “transforms my chamber-pot into a flask of perfume.” And one British men’s club is said to have put up a sign reading, “During the asparagus season, members are requested not to relieve themselves in the hat stand.”

Depending on which study you read, between 22% and 50% of the population report having pungent pee after eating asparagus. But that doesn’t mean only some people’s bodies generate that smell. Researchers believe that, during digestion, the vegetable’s sulfurous amino acids break down into smelly chemical components in all people. And because those components are “volatile,” meaning airborne, the odor wafts upward as the urine leaves the body and can be detected as soon as 15 minutes after you eat this spring delicacy.

But only about one-quarter of the population appears to have the special gene that allows them to smell those compounds. So the issue isn’t whether or not your pee is smelly; it’s whether you’re able to smell it. If you smell a funny fragrance in your urine after you eat asparagus, you’re not only normal, you have a good nose.

Renée’s Tomato Soup

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TomatoSoup_DTThis is pure goodness! I love the addition of sun-dried tomatoes that give it a deeper flavor. We all love this recipe best with grilled cheese sandwiches-which we used to eat more of before my panini maker threw itself off the pantry shelf and exploded on the floor. That was a sad, sad day in the Beckwith household. Coconut milk or almond milk can be used to make it vegan but it won’t be quite as thick. …

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Trip Planning and Family Vacation Rules

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I am starting to plan our next mammoth road trip due to occur in October. We are going to visit the LDS church historical sites in Nauvoo, Illinois, some Lincoln sites in Springfield, Illinois and then up to Wisconsin to visit Grant’s extended family. As I begin the planning stages I decided to take a trip down memory lane and share our family vacation rules:6a00e5502e47b28833017d3c9bcb8d970c-pi1. Gratitude. Gratitude. Gratitude. Talk about your blessings not about your bothers.
2. We use rest stops to buy gas, use the bathroom and stretch our legs. NOT to buy anything.
3. Fill it and spill it. When mom and dad fill up the tank, you empty yours. If you don’t have to go to the bathroom at least try.
4. When it is bedtime we go to sleep and stay in our beds. No arguing.  A sleepless vacation = a bad vacation.
5. No screen time in national or state parks. Period.
6. Pick up your trash in the car, in campsites, and hotel rooms.
7. We start each day with a devotional. Please help us do this.
8. Follow all posted rules everywhere we go. Including “Stay on Trail”
9. We do not ask other people to stop singing or whistling.
10. We do not sing or whistle to bug other people.
11. Car seats and/or seat belts must be used at all times.
12. Remember that any fun we have each day is a bonus. Please don’t expect it.
13. Follow the Golden Rule. Treat others as you want to be treated.
14. You are responsible for keeping track of your own things.
15. Be willing to try new foods.
16. Be kind or be quiet.
17. NEVER turn your back on the water when we are on the beach. Sneaker waves are common and deadly.
18. Always use the buddy system. Do not go anywhere alone.
19. When we set up or break down camp help THE WHOLE TIME until we are done.
20. No complaining about having your picture taken. (That means you too dad.)

Mom’s Potato Soup

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20150105-potato-leek-soup-recipe-07-thumb-625xauto-417406This is a family favorite from my mom. I love that it has a lighter, tangier taste than other potato soups I have tried. The difference? Leeks are used instead of onions, buttermilk rather than heavy cream, and Gruyere (pure deliciousness) instead of cheddar cheese. For a fancy lunch or light dinner I like to pair this with the Greek pita sandwiches. Always double this recipe….

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Potato Corn Chowder

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img_9857This is my kid’s favorite soup. My one son, William didn’t like potatoes for the longest time so we just called this corn soup and he ate it with pleasure, never realizing there were potatoes in it. I try not to think about how exceptionally fattening this is. This is not for those who are watching their cholesterol!…

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