Heading into a New Year...

As we approach 2009, it's hard not to think of all that's happened this year. I try to keep this blog uplifting and light-hearted but sometimes I feel I need an outlet to work through some of my feelings and reactions to what is happening in our country. I was watching Meet The Press yesterday and one piece caught my attention. It was a quote from Jeff Immelt, the CEO of General Electric, the parent company of NBC--at a speech in November: "The economic crisis doesn't represent a cycle; it represents a `reset.' It's an emotional, social, economic reset. ... People who understand that will prosper. Those who don't will be left behind." I think this is absolutely true. When I reflect on my time at Washington Mutual- there are years that just blend together because everything was moving so quickly and the idea of quantity over quality dominated our way of life. Slow and steady did not win the race. Or did it?

While it's hard not to worry about all of our problems- I find myself hopeful that, because we have a chance to "reset," our lives will end up more fulfilling. It could be just the stage of life I am in with starting a family but I am so grateful that I have something else to talk about other than banking. This time in Albany has been enlightening in many ways because I have learned that I actually have a lot of interests. I think we get so wrapped up in careers and proving ourselves that we sometimes miss the joy that all of that is supposed to provide. I had a conversation with my friend Whitney about this last week because she turned 30- as many of my friends have or will shortly. I told her that 30 is the new awesome- we spent our twenties trying to prove ourselves to everyone. It's time to be confident! For me, going into my own thirtieth year- I want only to build on my own happiest life. So with that, I offer you my 2009 New Years Resolutions:

1) Start a vegetable garden
2) Find work that fulfills me
3) Exercise- I'm not aiming for a specific weight goal- I aim only to treat my body with the respect it deserves.
4) Utilize our Netflix account- 3:10 to Yuma, while good, was not worth $60 - nice that they let us keep it for six months though
5) Enjoy time with friends and family- traveling, cooking, eating, and playing

We are having friends over to ring in the New Year- I'm planning a fabulous dinner and hope you all have equally fun plans! Cheers!

More Winter Fun

We had another full day of snow!  I have no idea how much we have in total- it's just a lot!  It really is pretty.

We took Gavin and the dogs out for a long walk.  Gavin had the luxury of being pulled on a sled! He had an absolute blast!

We went to Saratoga Springs yesterday afternoon and ran into Santa! Gavin wasn't a real big fan of him!
Outside Santa's workshop...

Gavin scored a job as one of Santa's elves...


Playing in the backyard... Adam was having fun picking Starsky up and throwing him into the snow!  You can sort of make him out in the photo below- flying through the air!  Hope you all are having as much fun as us!

Winter Wonderland

Well, this may not be impressive for those of you living in the Northwest considering you are experiencing similar weather!  I like to think that Mother Nature wants you to feel more connected to us in spite of the 3,000 mile separation.  Our snow storm began around noon yesterday and dumped about a foot of snow.   
We have the joy of having to shovel after each snow storm- per New York State Law.  The thrill wears off pretty quickly.  Although, we've discovered how we can stay in shape this winter. 
Starsky loves the snow- plays in it like a puppy!  Max, on the other hand, remains huddled by the back door. 


We are fortunate to have better plows etc... so we're going to venture up to Saratoga Springs for the afternoon.  We will take pictures and post later along with snow pics of Gavin. He hasn't been out in it yet... I'm sure that will be fun!  We're expecting another foot of snow tomorrow and from what it sounds like- you are expecting more snow! Stay warm and have fun!

Winter Ice Storm- 2008

Ok, I don't mean to sound like one of those lame weathermen that stands outside in their North Face jacket waiting for the first sign of controversial weather BUT we had an ice storm! I'd never experienced an ice storm before. The forecast actually predicted ice accumulation- we got about a half an inch of solid ice on everything. At first glance, it might appear that it snowed but it's just ice. Trees are down all over the place- it's so crazy! Albany was even featured on the Today Show this morning as one of the cities worst hit by this storm. However, we live in the more urban part of Albany and it's not as bad -at least we have power! I'm not really a big fan of ice - I'd prefer snow. I guess that's a good thing because before I finished typing that sentence, I looked out the window and now it is snowing! I'm such a wuss when it comes to this kind of weather. I hope to "man up" before the end of the season. Well, guess I better go scatter ice melt on my front steps so the mailman doesn't sue us! Hope you enjoy these pictures of Albany's Ice Storm 2008 :)

12 degrees, feels like- it's freaking cold!

It is sooooo cold here! Apparently, just six degrees earlier this morning. It is 12 degrees right now. Also extremely dry- even my jeans stick to my legs from static. At this point the weather forecast should just be- Monday- cold, Tuesday- colder, Wednesday- dress in tons of layers because you're going to be freakin cold! You get the idea. I also don't understand the whole "it's 12 degrees but with the wind chill- it feels like below zero temperatures." I'm sorry but if it feels like, then it is. I am actually not complaining- more like expressing my shock at how different it is. I'm sure by mid-January, I will advance to full-complaint mode. The thing is- even with the cold- it is so beautiful outside. It is sunny with blue skies which makes it incredibly misleading! For example, yesterday we decided to go get our Christmas tree. It was sunny and clear and so we thought- let's go to the tree farm and cut one down. Here's how the event took place:
2pm- The deMars arrive at tree farm
2:02- Adam says to Jen, "wow, it's cold!" Jen replies, "yeah, and with that wind- brrr...."
2:03- The wind picks up; Gavin's cheeks are bright red. Jen says to Adam, "That tree looks good!"
2:04- They look at several other trees- Adam says, "I think that first tree is perfect." Jen agrees.
2:05- Gavin has tears rolling down his face from the wind. Jen says, "ok, we'll wait for you in the car."
2:10- Tree is on top of car and as they drive off, Jen says to Adam, "Do we even know how tall that tree is?"

Our tree looks nice- it's very simple. We decided to skip the beads and shiny red balls- hoping to make it less tempting for Gavin. We went with the Fraser Fir which seems to be the the tree of choice here in New York. It would have been nice to have walked around for an hour or so looking for the perfect tree but I think we did fine considering the circumstances. Now I just need to find a tree skirt and a tree topper. After all these years, we have never invested in either.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Well, having returned from our Thanksgiving break- we are settling back into the swing of things here in Albany. We got the Christmas lights up on the house. The picture is sort of poor- my apologies- it is 11pm here and I just stepped outside really quickly to snap a photo. I will replace the picture later when I can get a better shot from across the street. I didn't want my neighbors to think I was that crazy!

The weather has been sort of strange since we returned. Yesterday it snowed off and on all day, turning to freezing rain. I was sure we were going to wake up to all kinds of ice. Instead, it was absolutely gorgeous today- 55 degrees and sunny! I can't get too excited though- the upcoming weekend has a cold forecast- 34 is the high- 16 is the low! We are all set for the snow now- we got a snow shovel and a huge bucket of ice melt. I'm confident that the winter will provide good blog material.

As for a comfort food update- tonight I made Tyler Florence's Ultimate Macaroni & Cheese. I used the recipe out of his cookbook which varies slightly from this one off food.com. My recipe adds 2 cups frozen peas to the bacon, onion, garlic mixture that goes on top. I have to say- YUM!! I wasn't sure what to think about the pea addition but it was really good. Plus, you can feel just a little bit better about eating all that cheese and bacon! Ha!

If stoves can be sexy- that's one sexy stove!

Big event in the deMars household- I got a new stove! I absolutely LOVE it! I can't take credit for calling it sexy- that would actually have been my mother in law- which makes it all the more funny! Our oven was on a downward spiral and I did not want to waste any time getting a new appliance. I made that mistake with our Seattle home and had to buy new appliances two weeks before the house went on the market and didn't even get to enjoy them! SO- live and learn! And LIVE I did! This range is sweet! It is a gas convection with a warming oven! It has 5 burners- complete with griddle! It has a meat probe and quick boil and simmer settings! I am breaking it in with a roasted chicken- smells fantastic!

Startin' 'em young!

Adam has already met enough friends to host a fairly regular poker night at our place... even Gav is getting in on the action! Will Gavin be the youngest to play at the final table of the World Series of Poker?

Comfort Food- Roasted Pork Loin with Fingerling Potatoes

There is something about the way you feel when your home has the fragrance of something delicious roasting in the oven. Tonight I am roasting a pork loin with fingerling potatoes, leeks, carrots, celery and onion. The aroma is captivating- makes you want to grab a blanket, a glass of wine and curl up and read a good book. You feel at home.

Roasted vegetables:
10-15 Fingerling potatoes
1 Celery Stalk- chopped in three large pieces
6 Carrots- peel carrots and cut into three pieces
1 Leek- chopped
1 Spanish Onion- quartered
¼ c Melted Butter
3 Tbls Olive Oil
Three Sprigs Thyme Leaves
Salt & Pepper

Toss vegetables in melted butter, olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for 20 minutes in large roasting pan at 425.

Pork Roast:
2 ½ lb Pork Loin Roast- Center Cut
3 Tbls Dijon mustard
2 Garlic Cloves- minced
2 Tbls Thyme Leaves
2 Tbls Fresh Rosemary Sprigs- chopped
2 Tbls Olive Oil
1 Tbls Kosher Salt
1 Tsp Black Pepper

Mix ingredients together- brush on roast- let sit for 20 minutes while vegetables are roasting.

Place roast on top of vegetables and put back in oven and continue to roast until center of roast registers 150- about 45-55 minutes.

Remove Roast- cover with foil and let sit for 15 minutes while vegetables continue to roast in oven.

Slice Pork and place on platter with roasted vegetables.

A weekend in pictures...

I could not resist the urge to carve an Obama Pumpkin- it's true - I am a democrat!  Barack the Vote!

What else would Gavin be for Halloween other than a beagle!?!  I do not consider myself crafty but odd things happen to you when you have children.  I came to this realization Thursday evening, when I was sitting on the couch watching Grey's Anatomy while trying to hand sew the tail. I simply thought to myself- "oh wow, I'm making a freakin' dog costume!"  
Adam raked up all the leaves in our backyard - filled up 12 large compost bags- wasn't that just super fun for him!?!
One of my old WWU roommates came for a visit this weekend. Melissa is living in Washington DC so she made the short trip up to NY to spend the Halloween weekend with us. We spent Saturday afternoon up in Saratoga Springs. Saratoga is awesome- sort of a cross between Bellingham's Fairhaven and NYC's Greenwich Village.  
Mel and I down by the Hudson River.
Ok, so Albany does have its charm.  As you've seen from prior posts- I've basically made a strong case for the Northeast Fall.  Just as an August day in Seattle clinches the best summer weather award- the Northeast Fall beats Northwest fall hands down.  Today was just a quintessential fall day- extremely crisp air, gorgeous foliage and all this witnessed with great friends. We spent an hour or so walking around by the river front and taking some photos of this beautiful day.

I know all people think their kids are cute- but holy crap - he's cute!

Comfort Food- Goulash!

Ok- so it might be something about the word goulash because some people hear it and think- GROSS! But- this is a dish that I crave on occasion and thought I'd share it with you. Goulash is another meal that my mom used to make when I was growing up. Later, when I asked how to make it- I got "a little bit of this and little bit of that!" She just makes things up and they are always great but then there's no recipe! I always try and get exact measurements but once you start making it- you might think you want more spices or less- just make it however you want! Use my recipe as a guide- this is a perfect weeknight meal when you just need something quick yet satisfying. I made this last night- and I got the vote of approval from Gavin, "MMMM..."

Grubbin' Goulash

1 pound lean hamburger

1 yellow onion- diced

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 can tomato soup

1/2 lb elbow macaroni

1 can dark red kidney beans

1 can stewed tomatoes

1/2 stick of butter

• Boil water for macaroni- adding a little salt for taste- pour in macaroni and boil until tender
  
• Brown hamburger with the diced onion - once browned- add seasonings and stir to coat.
  
• Add tomato soup, rinsed kidney beans, stewed tomatoes
  
• Drain macaroni and then stir into the hamburger mixture
  
• Add butter and stir until melted
  
• Once heated through- serve!
  

This is seriously good! In fact- for my less culinary inclined readers- you can easily pull this off and score some points with family. It beats take out! Try it out on a cold night!

First Snowfall- sump pumps, basement water, and music that makes you love life!

Well, here we are- October 28th- first official snowfall.  It has been raining non-stop for the past 24 hours and just turned to snow.  Albany is such an old town that the infrastructure, i.e. drainage system, is lacking severely.  When it rains hard- we, without question, wind up with water in our basement.  It's really not a big deal as we have a sump pump and a lot of old towels!  I really don't know what the sump pump does- I guess it pumps the water out should we get a lot of it (here's hoping)  Our basement is pretty much terrifying.  It is old and damp (i.e. stinky)- we need a new dehumidifier.  It's just one of the perks of owning a colonial, aka OLD, home!

Even with the stinky basement and water issue- there is just always something magical about the first snowfall.  It's cozy and quiet.  I just recently found a c.d. that I LOVE- Adele 19.  I'm sure some of you have already found this album- but it is excellent and has been my album of choice during these quiet months at home.  Every now and then you discover music that you love and it just flips your day!  So cheers- to the first snowfall and music that you love!

Crunchy fall leaves and squirrels that continue to mock me!

It's a beautiful day today, although chilly - just 29 degrees when we woke up. I just dropped off the boys- Adam at the hospital and Gavin at school. I was walking into the house when I looked at my yard- just covered with leaves. I couldn't help myself- I had to run through them! I have always enjoyed the feeling of stomping on crunchy leaves. Even when I go on walks I cannot resist the urge to go out of my way to stomp on them! The crunchy sound reminds me of being seven years old and makes me laugh. I highly recommend you try it- it's oddly therapeutic. As I was giggling about running through the leaves by myself and thinking that my neighbors could possibly think I am crazy- out pop those damn squirrels! It's sort of funny that this family of squirrels have decided to take up residence in our maple trees. The beagles continue to chase them and bark at them yet they show no fear nor any signs of leaving. However, this poses an interesting question- where do squirrels go in the winter? Do they hang out in below zero temperatures? I guess we'll find out in a few months! In the meantime, enjoy these pictures of my yard covered in crunchy leaves and the squirrels that I will learn to tolerate.

The story of the controversial toy trucks and consumerism...

Ok, so I have to rant about an experience I had at Starbucks last week. Gavin really loves to play with the trucks at daycare and because we didn't have any at home- I took him down to a shopping plaza to find him some. Afterwards, I decided to go to Starbucks and get myself a latte. While waiting in line a lady tells me what a cute little boy I have and asks him how his day is going. I responded that he's having a great day because we just found him some fun trucks to go home and play with. I assumed at this point our conversation was over but then she says, "Wow, see this is the problem with our economy- advocating consumerism at such a young age!" At first I was shocked and offended but thankfully I have been blessed with the sarcastic gene. I simply responded "Wow, that's an interesting commentary from someone who is buying coffee at STARBUCKS! Oh- and nice COACH bag!" I understand there are plenty of conversations we can have in regard to consumerism in America- and yes, it has gotten out of control BUT I hardly think that my buying my son a couple of $10 plastic trucks is advocating consumerism! (P.S. They were made in Sweden and not China- I think that is worth mentioning) I just find it so funny that she gave me a little lesson on consumerism while at Starbucks- I mean isn't Starbucks sort of a symbol of consumerism??? I debated going further with the conversation to see if she knew anything about mortgage backed securities and some of the real reason we are in this financial crisis (other than of course, me buying my son toys) but I decided to let it go. Now that I've completed my rant- check out Gav playing with his AWESOME new trucks :)

More Fall Foliage: Stratton, VT

After telling some friends about my last trip to Vermont, they wanted to check out the foliage and this drive I raved about! They found a ski resort that offers gondola rides for the ultimate viewing pleasure. We headed to Stratton Mountain which is about two hours away. The drive is truly magnificent... although this time Gavin added his own "soundtrack" as we realized half way that he is cutting two large back teeth. Imagine crazy, loud screaming... I can bet that our friends suggest that we meet them there next time rather than riding along with us :)
Nonetheless, we made it to Stratton and Little G cheered up. We had a nice lunch and walked through the resort. It's not Whistler Village but still has that same ski resort vibe that you can't help but enjoy! After lunch, we took a gondola up the mountain and walked some of the trails, taking in the beauty of a fabulous 70 degree day! Here are some pictures of our fun afternoon- enjoy!