Peace on... Missouri

We arrived in the land of wet and cold... Missouri! Joe put Julie and I straight to work - here we're putting lights on the deck... Julie is rocking Katies jacket and hat from middle school... the gloves are work gloves that Joe gave us... Good thing, since we were hard at work with the staple gun!

We visited Julie's grandpa and grandma McCarthy (both in their '90s) - here is Grandpa trying julie's decadant Truffles - yeah, he was a happy camper after that. Grandma said she didn't like carmels... but you couldn't tell the way she scarfed it down! It was a meaningful time to be with them and listen to stories. Each time we get to visit the McCarthy's we get to see more of the family tree and stories that have shaped part of who Julie is.

Back at Joe's place, G$, Julz, Katie, and Joe... watching one of Julie's favorites, Julie & Julia - Joe is quite the cook; apple smoked chicken, white-bean chili, 8hr Spagetti sauce (with every spice, including the 'kitchen sink') in a 15lb cast-iron pot... thanks to Patti for taking the photo!

We went to Tillis Park to see the Christmas lights... a good reminder of the reason for the season... all praise and glory to the babe of Bethleham... the King of Kings...

In Honor... Senor Torres

Last night, we remembered Senor Torres. A father, a friend, a neighborhood mentor, a skilled worker... a man of great faith. Pictured here with his eldest son, Ruben, wife, and ruben's friend Bryan. This is taken from the LA Marathon 2008. He passed of Cancer in the lungs. He has two son's, Ruben (Pictured) and Joel. Although, he was a father to many neighborhood kids. He invited the rough and tumble into his house... into his Church community... into a new life. The memorial service was very sad... yet so filled with Esperanza and Corazon (hope and heart). I say it this way, because the whole service (3 hours) was in Spanish. The whole group of High School mentorees were at the service, also. This meant a lot to Ruben and his mom. His mom couldn't stop mentioning what this program (that Julie and I provide) means to her, and meant to her husband - that we were 'special' in Rubens life and faith development. I was reminded of the practice of "presence" - that showing up is atleast half of what life is about. Also, the self-less acts that Senor Torress practiced are an inspiration and a reminder of how the redeeming work of Jesus translates into life change. All who were present were touched by the stories of a life well-lived and of a trust-worthy Hope found in God. We will greatly miss Senor Torres, and count it a blessing to part of this community.

Truffle-a-thon and Advent

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Our weekend, rather 'cooking weekend', started off with finding a creative way to use the carmel that didn't quite come our 'right'. Julie made a couple of batches that didn't sit-up right for making carmels... BUT it did make for some GREAT caramel SAUCE! She is so creative - she made a Caramel-Apple Layer Cake with Caramel Icing! Hmmm, yumm-o!
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We finished our Candy production, and the Truffle-a-thon has officially ended!!

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Here Julie is sorting and boxing... on the right, julie put together a platter for a baby shower, for our good friend Lauren... The platter looked like a blue-hannakah candy, regardless of what I saw, It was again a very cool expression of Julies creativity!
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Here are the Truffles in Completion... We went for a theme... The Caramels got City names... and the rest... based on our love for travel, and europe... gave them country themes... The are in the long line of Sandy Christman's Candy recipes... I say long line because some of the recipes go back 4 generations.


.... Venice (Cali): Decadent Caramel (sea-salt top)


.... St.Louis: Chocolate Covered Caramel


... Italian: Bicerin Nut Truffle


... Netherlands: Oranje Truffle


...Belgium: Almon- Amaretto Truffle


... France: Raspberry Beret Truffle

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Yesterday in our Sunday Service, we paused to recognize Advent, and per Shalom's request we had the youngest light the candles; Green for Growth, Red for the Blood of our Savior, and Gold for our King...

... Here is Zion doing the duty

... and Liam very focused...

Raining in LA

We just came through a big rain, despite old '90's tunes that sang the opposite... for LA this is normal in December/January... Ironically, in my recent memory it usually happens during Christmas week. I liken it to the snow/'white' christmas of the midwest. I remember, fondly, the snow moving people indoors and socializing in a deeper way with some tea or coffee. When it rains here, it seems like it has a similar effect... but with some disonance, as the culture here is consummed with Sun.

I found this music from our good friends Josh and Elle, about 'raindrops' is it were, fitting on such a rainy day... A song is below; Morning Coffee; by an artist in Japan... Julie is a big morning coffee person, I'm not so much, but this music was a delight during the cloudy days... which have turned for 'the better' today... (the better because I've become a part of the cultural norm-although, I'm more easy to resist it when the rains come by enjoying it. One way that I did this was had our runners out in the rain last friday... at first they complained, "we don't even go out in the rain!" - this is why the rain here is likened to 'snow days' back east. To my, and their surprise, at the end of the run, drenched and soaking wet, they all love it! One or two of them shifted their cultural out look of rain... or so I hope;)

12 days of Christmas

Oh, yeah... This is it... the Christman Truffle-a-thon! This is the Bicerin Nut Truffle... hmmm, yeah, so good! Bicerin makes for a nice Coffee Drink and is strickly a Torino staple. It also makes for a ultra creamy, yummy, truffle.

Julie is becoming quite the Chocolatier - but all the work makes her go alittle crazy! ;) These are Julie's, Oranje' Truffles. Made with a 40 proof orange liquer, and sprinkled with orange zest. We're naming these Oranje Truffles because our friend, Eva, is in the Netherlands and their Football (think soccer) team is the Oranje. It may not make sense. Thats ok. They taste delicious!

This is her Carmel batch - she's made four batches... 2 will see the inside of our mouths... In the background is Julie's favorite little Christmas decoration... It's a ridiculous Raindeer that 'houses' jellybelly's...

And when you push down on it, it 'poo's out the beans ;) I know... it something else, and she loves it. I hope you're having an enjoyable Season, and remembering the reason for the season. If you're lucky, Hopefully we can get you a taste of our treats... ;)

Thanks Gardening-Hiking-Sailing

This Thanksgiving - we celebrated rightly... I mean this... that is we started a garden - with the help of the Locals ;) It is in a neighborhood garden and we have a little plot. We planted Parsnips, Beets, Mustard, Collards, Spinach... and we've yet to see anything come up - but it was a great way to start Thanksgiving Day!

I wish I could say this was the Fruit of our labor - but it was even better - it was the fruit of everyones labor! We had 30+ people together in the back of Shalom and Steph's place - two turkeys - and a wonderful time! It was a really good time and we had two Int'l students who got to have 'thanksgiving' for the first time!

This is Chris Miller, Cap'n' Ray, Katie and Stephanie Miller on our Post-Thanksgiving Hike! What a great way to enjoy the day-after ;)


Later that same day, Ray invited us out on his boat! We had a very relaxing time - but we had to make sure Katie didn't put the rails too far into the water! (This was her first time Steering a vessal - and she did great!)

Cirquing

 

Our friend, Stephanie, got us tickets to the latest Cirgue du Soliel Show - Kooza - and It is Koo-Koo-Krazy Good! ;) We had a great time - Julie liked the "salamander" girls... I was more into the Wheels of Death - crazy acrobatics! This was our crew, Vanessa, Shalom, Steph, Ben (of the Jamin' Bread Co.) The masks were for sale, and we had fun trying them on!