Using the Vegetables

Greg's grandparents Marge & Neal have filled us up with loads of vegetables from their garden when we've been home and when we moved, which meant we had a lot of cooking learning to do. We did find some good zucchini bread and stir fry recipe that made for great and tasty vegetable usage. Definitely worth sharing.

Zucchini Bread
(Makes 2 loaves)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking power
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cup white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini

Directions
1. Grease & flour 2 8x4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
2. Stir flour, salt, baking powder, soda & cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla & sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to creamed mixture & beat well. Stir in zucchini until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Back 40-60 minutes. Cool in pan for about 20 minutes & remove bread from pan to cool completely.

Eggplant & Green Bean Stir-Fry with Coconut Rice
Prepare the coconut rice:
1 1/4 cups jasmine rice
1 can coconut milk
1 cup water

Add to pan, bring to a boil & reduce heat to steam the rice for 15 minutes. Remove from heat & keep covered for 5 more minutes.

Stir-Fry
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 large eggplant, peeled, seeded & sliced into bite-size pieces
1 pound of green beans
3-4 tbsp minced, pealed ginger (we didn't have this so we put in peppers!)
3-4 small cloves of garlic (we used minced garlic)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup basil
2 large chicken breast sliced (this was our addition)

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and green beans, chicken, ginger & garlic. Saute for 5-6 minutes until the green beans start to turn bright green and are still crisp. Add soy sauce & basil & continue to saute for another 1-2 minutes. Serve over rice.

Iced Coffee

Yep, another recipe. This is for you, but maybe it's more just so I have a quick place to look for recipes I like. Either way, this is worth trying if you like coffee.

When it's warm outside, I'm not a big fan of drinking hot coffee. I'd rather have something cold, but still need my coffee. So I went out searching and found this recipe. It has been approved by my co-workers on the eMarketing team and also by my mom, yes my mom who doesn't like coffee!

Ingredients:
2/3 cups of course ground coffee
3 cups cold water
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a jar or pitcher, stir, cover & place in the fridge and let set overnight. In the morning, you'll need to strain out the grounds, I typically put the filter in the regular coffee pot and dump it straight into the filter and let it go through (note: don't turn on the coffee pot), it's a slow process but not that bad. You could use a french press if you have it as well.

After straining it, I usually put in back into a pitcher and add milk, add as much milk or cream as you desire for taste. Enjoy!

Lessons from ACL Reconstruction

As the basketball season rolled on at NB and girls started to tear their ACLs, I thought to myself what words of encouragement could I give? What did I learn from the experience? What advice could I give? Now that my sister has joined the group, I feel I need to get my thoughts down.

I didn't have the what's wrong factor some people go through after doing something to their knee. I knew it was the ACL and Kurt, my PT, and Dr. Jones, my surgeon, fully agreed. And then it was time for the pain and work to get back.

One of the first thing Kurt told me was that if I came in with a negative attitude, he would not work with me. That was blunt, but he told me it was going to be tough and that I needed to be positive if I was going to get back. There lies the 1st lesson: Optimism

During reconstruction and rebuilding your strength, you work with a lot of different people each wants to get you back to your full ability in the quickest timeframe, but they know you have to be back at a reasonable strength level and with a low chance of re-injury. However, at times you feel they aren't doing enough because you are feeling good, but this is what they went to school for and it's their reputation on the line based on your success. Which brings us to the 2nd & 3rd lessons: Listen & Trust

ACL reconstruction can take months, 6 months is the typical statement. It may be more it may be less, but it will take time and you will feel it at other times in the future as well. That's a lot of time to stay focused, keep working and having patience that you will get back. After surgery the muscle in your surgery leg seems to disappear, it is crazy. You want that leg muscle back and it's painful, but you can't rush and you have to work through some of the pain, you've got to take the necessary time to get back and make sure it heals properly and is strong enough. This is a time to learn proper form, learn the game you are going back for more throughly, it will make you better as a whole. The next lesson is three-fold: Perseverance, Hard Work & Mental Toughness

As an athlete, you are a member of a team, most likely an active member if you got hurt. You have a role you filled and now it's changed. You can't just jump out and play, you've become a the injured reserve. This can be incredibly hard, but you've got to find a way to be positive and encouraging to your team, you can't sit and sulk and feel sorry for yourself. This is your chance to express how much you can support your team, learn the game further, offer advice to a teammate, but remember to be active. WANT to be a part of the team, injured or not. Final lesson: Be a Team Player

Through the rehab process you'll meet people who are going to support you and drive you to get better. You'll have to take rehab on head on and commit your efforts and focus into improving each day. Celebrate the small things like bending your knee a few more degrees, getting to full rotations on the bike or adding weight to your squats. No 2 rehabs are the same, so don't compare your progress to someone else going through the same process, you've got to go at the pace you can handle based on your PT's advice. Frustrations will come, as will tears, but how you react will determine your success. But remember, that knee has to get you through the rest of your life, take care of it!

Things I've Learned This School Year

**Please note that these learnings are not academic.

• In my sixth year of higher-ed, I have discovered I have nearly mastered the art of procrastination when it comes to academics. 
• In the past week, I have completed my grandpa's slideshow, baked cookies (twice) and cleaned anything and everything, but still have a lot of homework to do.
• Undergrads now-a-days do not know what citing sources is.
• Evidently, citing sources has been eliminated from HS curriculum. After teaching this past year, I have had to deal with arguments that copy and pasting a website at the end of the paper is citing. NO! If facts or quotes are used they probably came from somewhere, so cite it, otherwise it's plagiarism!
• The straightest distance between two points in straight line, therefore crosswalks take too long.
• I'm from small town Iowa, went to a small college and crosswalks were never used. I find them to be out of the way and to take too long, so yes I jaywalk 9 out of 10 times, because I don't like to wait.
• I'm getting older.
• Therefore, I need more sleep than I used to get and midnight is too late. Also my body doesn't bounce back as quickly from playing too much volleyball or stupid little nagging injuries, seriously! Also I like my coffee black...old I'm telling you!
• My brother has better fashion sense than me...evidently I got Jeff's genes there.
• Every once and awhile I check my oil when I get gas.
• This is to appease Greg and my grandpa (cause I would guess he is watching me). However, I have no idea what I would do if it read it was low on oil...probably call Mark.
• Patience & Faith.
• I'm not always good with these, but my Grandpa Mouw reminds me of this whenever I talk to him. Thank goodness I have this reminder.

Well that's what I have for now, but everyday is a learning day.

Saying Goodbye

Saying goodbye is never an easy task, especially when it's a final goodbye. Last week, I said my final goodbye to my grandpa as he took his final breath surrounded by his loving wife and children.

I know he is in a better place and is free of the limits his age and body had put on him. But his sense of humor and contagious smile are something I will continually miss until we meet again.

My grandpa was born and raised in Greene, Iowa. Became the head of the household before the age of 10, graduated HS early, went to college for a year on a baseball scholarship, but returned home to take full responsibility of his family farm instead of taking a chance to play professional baseball. He never complained about what could of been, this is what needed to be done and he needed to do it.

This was the attitude he had through life, if it needed to be done, he did it. He didn't complain, he didn't get angry, he just did it...no matter what it took.

Farming is no easy task, especially with very active kids and then grandkids. But I struggle to think of a time my grandpa wasn't in the stands for one of my games, no matter the sport. I remember being in a hitting slump one softball season, only to find my grandpa at my house one morning with a wooden bat rigged up with a ball on a string. He stood out in the yard and swung it around and made me hit until he felt it was better. Believe me, it got better.

I also spent my time with him at hog sales, which meant rides and stories in the pick-up and ice cream afterwards. Long tractor rides to Dougherty to pick-up wagons, were always interesting too, but grandpa always made it pleasant. And throughout elementary I spent many league nights at the bowling alley cheering on his team. The soles of my feet will continue to live in fear of grandpa's finger tickling them and my hand will miss his strong welcoming grip. But my heart will remember his smile, humor and fight until the end.

While tears flowed heavily, so did laughs and memories over the last week. There is so much to cherish about my grandpa's 89 years on Earth, that sorrow and grief should not define it, but rather smiles, laughs and memories.

The way my grandpa lived his life was a true model for which to strive for. I hope throughout my life, I can follow his way. Let unneeded stress go, smile, work hard, laugh, crack a joke and most importantly be a positive impact on your community and people that surround you.

Happy Mother's Day!

I thought I'd take the time on this lovely Mother's Day to thank my mom for all she has taught me about myself over the 24.5 years we have spent together. Without her, I may not have been able to to figure this all out!

1. She's my favorite.
My mom has 4 wonderful kids, each with their own personality, but it seems the 3rd child gets a bit more attention. Why you make ask? Well according to my mom, she is the favorite. This statement was reinforced by the card Leah received on Valentine's day, see image on the right.

2. I am huge.
About a year or so ago, Leah so kindly took my seat after I stood up, well of course I sat on her for doing this. After Leah's squeal of aggravation, my mom looks at me and tells me to get off of her because I am huge! Really mom?? Huge is not a substitution for tall! However, I did sit on the favorite, refer to #1.

3. I am uncoordinated.For many years of my childhood I wanted to be in dance with all my friends, but my mom didn't like it and never let me join. She tells me later in life it was because I was uncoordinated and she didn't want me to embarrass myself...thanks mom. Why did you let me be in gymnastics? That requires a lot of coordination too...thank god for participation trophies!

4. I have no butt in dress pants.
Last fall, after I walked across the whole U of I campus to find the emergency room my grandpa was in, my mom's first reaction to seeing my sweating face in a business suit is that I have not butt in dress pants. Why thank you, I am glad to see you too!

5. Stray animals easily become pets.
Well, let's see. Every one of the animals my family has adopted in the past...all my life...has been a stray or abandoned animal. The ones that land on our porch are the most adoptable and I guess can be easily converted. My mom is too much of a softy to let the animals to starve or be cold and to be honest my dad is the same way (but he'll never admit that!).

6. Family is #1.
My mom would drop nearly anything if her family needs her. Whether it is a sporting or fine arts event, birthday or medical happening, she wants to support her family. This is something she has transferred on to her kids as well. I will make trips home to see Leah and Daniel's events or trips to see my grandparents, David does the same thing. And I am willing to bet Leah will be the same next year as she journeys off to college.


7. When I was your age...After graduation from Central, I complained about the job search, etc. Typical stuff. However, my mom's response often was at your age, I was married, commuted to school...blah, blah the list went on. She had a way of making feel like I needed to do more/have motivation to keep fighting for what I want. However, too bad for you mom, I will still complain & you'll have to listen! :)

8. I say it how it is.
My mom seems to think this is kind of annoying or rude. But has she met my father? I learned all I know from him. And just for the record, I do better at keeping my volume down and holding my tongue than he does!
I figured Mother's Day was a chance for me to not let you down & 'say it how it is'. Thank you for being a wonderful and supportive mom for all of us & Happy Mother's Day! :)

Wonders of Social Media

I started using Twitter just over a year ago and never dreamed it would become to communicate in so many ways. I got it because we used it at work and figured I should know how to use it well enough to be effective.

Here's a few things I have used it for in the past couple months:

Finding a job posting. One of the marketing agencies I was interested in, MindFire Communications, listed their job opening by sending out a Tweet. I saw it and was able to apply. There is also a Twitter account that is specifically for MBA hiring and lists 5-10 job or hiring tips daily.

Additionally, I have been able to connect with different marketing agencies and potential employers. Many of them use Twitter, some more than others, but it is a way to stay up on current events in their company or start a conversation with them.

I have used it to send messages to people, like Central College's President Putnam. I sent him a Tweet the day my dad and sister went down for Scholarship Day, telling him to convice her. He responded within 30 minutes telling me he was 'on it'. He ran into my dad at one of the day's events and after introducing himself, goes to my dad "Your Sara's dad, aren't you? I talked with her this morning." According, to my dad, who freaked out slightly because of his lack of what Twitter is, it was kind of cool.

Communication with Twitter is key with my Rockets team. All 10 of the 17-year-olds use Twitter constantly, so I used that to my advantage. They do not check e-mail so responses fromt their are unheard of, so I went to where they are. We have a team Twitter account that I send out reminders and quotes on. It's worked pretty slick.

Updates on sporting events or news are also handy. I don't watch or read the news that often (probably should). But when a headline comes through Twitter that looks important, I read it.

Finally, Twitter's free marketing is nice. Especially, for what I want to go in to. The use of it is becoming more important. It gives smaller (bigger, too) organizations a way to connect to customer bases with much cost, just the effort to maintain it. I suggested some marketing ideas for Greg's cousin's videography business and Twitter was one of them, she has done an awesome job with it and I think it is helping her connect with other local organizations and potential partners of her business. Check it out: https://twitter.com/#!/VisualitiesV & additionally, once she reaches 300 fans on Facebook a giftcard is being given away!

Oh the wonders of social media, they can't be left alone, but they can be used wrong. It's a fine line but a very powerful tool in the marketing world.