Got Cascarones?

In Mexico, many festive days, holidays, and all saint day celebrations involve the making of cascarones. Cascarones ("kass-kuh-ROW-nays") are a cross between an Easter egg and a party favor. They are brightly colored eggshells, either hand-painted or dyed, filled with confetti. Many cultures have a tradition of colored eggs, especially around Easter. For our family cascarones also represent the Resurrection of Jesus Christ; the breaking of the egg symbolizes how Christ had risen from the tomb, just like a new born chick opens the shell. Thanks to my friend Delinda our family tradition is to playfully crack an egg in our hands releasing it over one another's heads unleashing God's blessings, well wishes, good luck and good fortune in a shower of confetti. This gringa loves instilling some Mexican traditions in her children...stay tuned for Mamacita's upcoming Quinceañera...that promises to be a really amazing 15th birthday celebration.

What You Need to make cascarones :

* Eggs
* Tissue Paper
* White glue
* Scrap paper
* Hole punch

What to Do:

1. Carefully break a hole about the size of a penny, or slightly smaller, into one end of an egg.
2. Gently shake out contents of the egg into a bowl. If you wish, you can keep the egg yolk and egg white to use for cooking later.
3. Hold the empty eggshell firmly but gently between your fingers, and rinse it out with warm water. Mix in a small amount of dish soap to remove any traces of the egg's contents.
4. Set the hollowed eggshell aside to dry thoroughly. If you are preparing several cascarones, you can set the empty shells in the egg carton to dry. After the top of the eggshell is dry, flip the eggshell to allow the other side to dry. (At this point you can color or decorate the empty and dried egg).
5. Buy or use a hole punch to make confetti out of scrap paper in various colors. To brighten the confetti, you can also punch holes in foil paper!
6. Stuff the confetti into the eggshell, very gently. Fill the egg all the way to the top, shaking the eggshell so that the confetti settles.
7. Place small dots of white glue around the holes in the eggshell.
8. Set a small square of tissue paper over the holes to seal the egg.

I bought my dozens this year in support of the war on drugs in Mexico...but next year I think I will use brown eggs filled with bird seed instead of confetti!

I hope you try to make your own cascarones! They are a lot of fun and good party favors for any occasion..

WHY, WHEN and WHERE

Picture completely unrelated to post...just a shot of where I spent my day.

There has been a lot of talk lately in the blogsphere regarding the WHY, WHEN and WHERE bloggers blog. I’ll bite…you should to…run over and take a look at Perfect Sentiment and link up your thoughts on this.

Lemme track way back…to The Julie/Julia Project. Yes, that Julie…from Julie & Julia…the movie…which was based on a book that was based on a blog where Julie Powell blogged about cooking her way through Julia Child’s cookbook. I stumbled upon the actual blog in its infancy. Then, like most everyone worldwide who followed the blog I immediately read the book and subsequently have seen the movie. (I am presently wrestling with whether or not I will read Julie’s second book Cleaving, a whole other blog post). PS Julie Powell swore like a sailor on her blog and in her book...the movie was good...but a slightly disappointing for me...and not because she didn't drop the F-bomb...but because Julie Powell didn't seem and is not a dripping sweet as Amy Adams was in the movie.

SO…it was in the midst of reading Julie Powell’s blog that I first thought about writing my own blog…and what a fascinating and also bizarre idea this blogging was. The thought came and went and in that time… I started noticing that it seemed everyone had a blog. They were as varied as the writers themselves…I followed a handful of blogs, nothing like I do now…and not with near the intensity. But, I was a blog stalker….FOR SURE.

Then, I started thinking...I can do this, I want to do this…still I only thought about doing it, until a girlfriend told me to stop talking about it and start doing it…and so I did. See her at Enough Talk…Time for Action. And for good measure here is an earlier post I wrote about blogging at Blogging for Dummies.

My intent was to chronicle life with my children. At the time, I suspected I would write volumes about the challenges of parenting teenagers…however; I have not shared much about that. I suppose some things are just better left unwritten . I blog about everything else though…and some days nothing at all…I write and I ramble. I like to joke I do this because I ran out of my allotted counseling sessions and I figured why pay Sister Mary Paul out of pocket to sit and listen to me when I don’t even have to leave home to bare my soul.

I said I would write whether people read my thoughts or not…it turns out a lot of people do read my thoughts…and some days I am sure you wish I would stop muttering and say something really profound, do a cool craft, take a decent picture, detail a hobby or at least write consistently about something…but I just come back day after day…doing what I do…and the truly fascinating realization is… so do you…my readers/followers/friends, you come back day after day and are genuinely interested...even in mundane things I find blog worthy.

When I started my blog 6 months ago another blogger said "just keep it authentic"…this advice is paramount and something I tell others when asked. I say what I mean, and mean what I say. If you’re looking for a cool craft…a decent picture…or talent…you have probably long since discovered that I am just an average almost 40 year old Mom…who with a slowing midwifery career, skis as many days a week as she can and who does not quilt, knit, sew, scrapbook, bead, and I don’t know squat about photography (what do you want from my little point and shoot digital camera). What you will find at Second Wind is an honest look into my life (interesting or not). You will see that I am just like you…getting up everyday trying to live well and stay ahead of the rat race. I love my husband, I adore my children. I am opinionated (but realistic and not as idealistic as I was 20 years ago), I cook, clean, taxi and rob Peter to pay Paul so I can work mostly from home. I get tired, crabby and even swear for no good reason because life is not easy…which is not to say its bad…my life is good….some days it is just harder then others. I love to laugh out loud, loudly and spend as much time as possible with my children. I have a slightly serious addiction to espresso with honey and cream…which may also be why I am a bit of an insomniac and write late at night. I have good taste; really good taste just not enough money…which does not bother me at all... I don’t live “green” I do what I can (notice I didn’t say I do the best I can, because I know I could do better). I do my share of cooking but my kids are allowed to eat Fruit Loops for breakfast even though I am fully aware they might as well eat sugar right from the canister….(I understand the value of healthy food but dang it sometimes I want Fruit Loops and in my defense -my microwave is in the garage how many of you can say THAT). We stay up late, get up late and rush around every morning before school like ants on a hill. We entertain a lot and love to have weekly guests at our dinner table. Even though I would like to say that my life is slow and simple…that would be a lie....most would say that we live in complete bedlam and they would be right.

I blog anywhere and anytime I can capture a few minutes to myself. Mostly, I blog at my desk/home computer when my children are at school or from my lap top in bed late at night. I’ll sure never make my million blogging…though I spend enough time doing it I know my husband wishes I would.

I love to blog… and as long as I can neglect dinner and dishes I’ll keep at it...ask the kids, tonight we had $1 hot dogs at Costco for dinner... you can’t beat that with a stick. I also follow a large number of blogs....I read various blogs for various reasons and jokingly commented yesterday that I do this purely for motivation...because I am not sure how some of you are actually doing it ALL. Working from or away from home, keeping spotless houses, clean and folded laundry, reading something besides Dr. Seuss and volunteering in each of your children's classrooms, not to mention...cooking organic homemade meals three times a day and preforming your wifely duties on demand. Reading blogs inspires me to be a better person...I often toggle with with idea of taking up tatting or some other handicraft so at the end of the day I at least have something to show for myself and the exhausted look on my face.

Dick's Ditch Banked Slalom

Attention: If you care to get the full effect of any of these pictures just click on the image.

"Hang Loose"

Me, The Hippie & Mamacita

Jackson Hole Mountain's premier ski and snowboard freeride event, the Dick's Ditch Classic, was held March 5-7, 2010. It's a two-day banked slalom competition that runs over man-made and natural terrain in Dick's Ditch, from Lupine Way down to South Pass Traverse.

Dick's Ditch is a terrain trap named after a patrolman Dick Porter who survived a 55-minute avalanche burial there in 1966. A dozen years ago the Jackson Hole management team decided that the ditch would be a perfect do-or-die race course for hardcore skiers and snowboarders.

This sounded like the perfect race for The Hippie. I had a good feeling about the whole weekend. As noted in previous blog posts...its takes A LOT to get me out of town, but for a weekend in one of the most breathtaking places I've seen...I was ready to go.

We packed the car...and set out for our adventure.....The Hippie, Mamacita, Jesse Girl and myself. It was early and still dark...but the kids were to excited to sleep. Then, to our delight an hour out of town it started snowing...and it snowed all the way there...making for some interesting white knuckle driving on 10% grades up and down and around the switchback's until we finally got to the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort...it was amazing. And not just the mountain...at the base is a Swiss-style Village...everything you need is crowded together here...lodges, condominiums, espresso stands, restaurants, gift shops, groceries, ski and snowboard shops, car rentals, a skating pond, a gym and personal trainers if you still needed a workout after a day on the hill, No thanks.

We found the event tent...got The Hippie signed in and received her competition bib...NUMBER 17. We could not believe it...that's HER number. We all looked at each other and we KNEW what that meant. Or, at least I did...in my heart I knew she would own this race. I knew from the minute we signed her up...she was there for a reason...she would win. I knew it.

It was early Friday morning...the course was open for inspection from 11:30am-3pm. Course inspection was not required, but was highly recommended. Racers were able to 'section' portions of the course, but not run the course in its entirety. I got the kids situated to ride and The Hippie set out to take a look at the course she would race the next day.

I did not ski the first day... Looking back, I wish I had skied...because while I was hanging out in the Village listening to folks and the locals talk...I heard things like..."whoa dude...your doing Dick's Ditch they build a course here that will make riders pee their pants." GREAT. Still feeling pretty confident about my girl's ability I let that comment go...then, while sitting with an espresso in hand I hear..."It requires some serious Jedi maneuvering" and "the potential for carnage was high" CRAP. And apparently, this course known to cause tib-fib breaks and make riders cry or puke or both. CRAP...CRAP. My personal anxiety was high.

Meeting up with kids a few hours later... I asked The Hippie..."so, how is it?" She said..."its tough, but I'm good...its like a large scale version of stuff I ride all the time." So...I thought GOOD ENOUGH! It was ON.

We had a fun dinner at Bubba's BBQ, got back to the hotel...a beautiful hotel gifted to us for the weekend by The Hippie's Godfather Fred. (Thanks Freddy, we love you). Tucked in and lights out by 9:30pm.

I will admit the next morning I was anxious...I could not get that "known for tib-fib breaks" comment out of my head... I had broke my fib last season...and our good friend had a serious tib-fib compound fracture out her boot a few years before...so this was swirling in my head, pounding in my heart and churning in my gut.

Cut to the chase... it was her turn to ride... I could hardly watch...I was so proud of her. The Hippie is an amazing snowboarder...I've always known this...but when she passed me...I wanted to yell...I know her... I know that kid...I am her Mom. Then, the big joke...the tears, I didn't expect the tears...I think I was just so proud of her that I could not help it.

The rest is history and captured in the following pictures. Watch for this kid in the future and remember when she's famous that you saw her first here on my blog.

Catching #17 on her way up to the race.

Still can't believe this is the bib she drew.

Saying good luck and sending her down to the ditch, the starting point of the race.

Dropping in.

The following pictures are only one section of the race.
Great shots of her coming through some of the gates.

Mamacita rushing down to congratulate her sister
and also to inform her that I was hysterical and crying.

I got to her as fast as I could.

She was telling me that she had 'no legs left' .
The rumors were true.

After the race...moving out for a fast run down so we could
get back up and watch some of the other competitors.

Jesse Girl got some awesome shots.

Always in the air.

The Hippie, Jesse Girl & Mamacita.

Thanks HEAD Snowboard.

Smith Optical & Scott's we appreciate
your continued support and interest in
The Hippie's boarding future.

Waiting for the awards ceremony.

SHE WON!
Taking her place on top!

Getting a thumbs up and congrats from Matt, one of our home town locals.

She said this was "worth buying a belt for."

The Hippie and Jesse Girl, photographer extraordinaire.

Stopping to say Goodbye to Wyoming!
This was a weekend we will never forget.
See you next year!

Fallen Soldiers

This morning I heard from a friend of ours....she was heart broke and grieving. She and her husband had just gotten world that Adam, a good friend of theirs died in Afghanistan, from injuries suffered during combat operations.

I did not know Adam. It didn't matter, I told her there is something powerful that should come over a person when you hear about a fallen soldier. I was sorry for his family's loss....their loss....the world's loss. This man was a true American hero.

Hearing how Adam drew fire away from his pinned down comrades in an effort to save their lives...set a lump in my throat I could not swallow....it gave me pause....and and filled me with a reverent pride that I can not wrap words around.

This news, also took me back a few years to the day my husband learned a fellow soldier he had served with, Army Special Forces soldier Scott Dyer had died October 11th 2006 in a helicopter above the mountains of southern Afghanistan from injuries he sustained in support of combat operations.

As for me, and my little Army family.... we have not forgotten there are soldiers stationed halfway across the world in harms way. No matter what we see or hear in the media about war... or how each of us feel about conflict and war....without hesitation, when asked these men and women leave all that they know to go...and for that, I am humbled to support them and I will always honor those serving and especially those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006, Army soldiers assigned to an honor guard platoon prepare for the funeral of Army Chief Warrant Officer Scott William Dyer during funeral services at Arlington National Cemetery.

Brigadier General Joseph B. Dibartolomeo
presents the U.S. flag
from CWO Dyer's coffin to
his widow, Jodi Dyer,
and their children, Sidney, 6, and Casey, 10.

Post It Notes or Bust

Its true, after I said last week that I am NEVER, EVER...EVER... at a loss for words...I've had bloggers block. Either that or my life has just been to freaking lame to write about. One...the other...or both.

Not much to report ova here...I am moving at verrrry slow pace, watching my beloved winter melt in to spring (Yes, we can still be friends Katie). Trying not to get despondent.

First, the snow was late getting here (Who is in charge of that? I wanna speak to your boss).

Next, it took me weeks to find my groove (Move over Stella, next blockbuster: How Tina Got Her Groove Back).

Then, we had a streak of warm weather which melted everything in town, causing people to publicly rejoice so I can't even go to Winco w/o getting indignant (I pity the sun seeker who cross my path... she says like Mr. T from The A-Team.

NOW....winter truly IS almost over and I can feel the mourning ritual starting up (Please no advice about the wide range of pharmaceuticals available b/c unless I completely lose my neurotransmitters... miserable only lasts until I can get on my dirt bike).

So, blogging has been at the back of my brain. I have been chasing snow like a little kid with two quarters following the ice cream buggy screaming with my best George Lopez impersonation, Wait fer ME...Wait fer ME.

None the less...here I am! IF Supah can do it day in and day out in one piece, so can I. Because I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!

Today's post it notes are dedicated to my children...
but then aren't they always in one way shape or form dedicated to, written about or some how inspired by the four people I love the most
right behind their Dad...come on guys, he came first.

Didn't you see the way Ani eyeballed and drooled over Grandma's cat this weekend. She wanted to eat Shasha. No.Cat.No.Way.No.How.

OK...come on kid, your making me look bad. Your face is so tan below your goggles it looks like you have a beard. The attendance lady does not have to read my blog to know there is something fishy going on.

Fact of the matter is I can appreciate you never making the bed... I got the memo, you're just getting back into it...but every single article of clothing you own is on the floor....I know your a bit of a risk taker...but you are no match for a spider.
Clean that place up.

I have seen you every single day of your life give or take a few sleepovers...you moving out was a complete shock to my system...and the snow is melting...I'm about done for kid. Give me some time to make the corner I am still trying to catch up with you.
PS Next time skip the surprise and call me!
Receiving the text picture of you actually getting the tattoo
nearly landed me in the ER with a pain in the shest.

Captain's Log, Stardate 2010.03.16. The damage to the Mothership was extreme. Both sides have taken heavy casualties and it's clear that no one is going to win this conflict. Thankfully the fighting has reached a standstill we have agreed to negotiate a truce.

Captain's Log, supplemental. With most of our damage repaired, I keep thinking we're almost home. Yet I feel uneasy, and I wonder why. Perhaps it is the emptiness of this vessel...how could that be with the Mothership only missing a single member of her crew. Quarters are no longer close, but nerves are frayed, and I'm not sure what's more difficult to maintain... normalcy or the crew's morale. What's important is that we are together working toward a single goal. Survival. This is Tina... signing out.

From the desk of my Sonny Boy

So... its Wordless Wednesday. Fact of the matter...I could not have a wordless ANY-day if my life depended on it. No way, no how... why do you think I write this blog... its to give my husband and friends a break from my constant chatter. But, apparently my son does not take after me on this one. Why? This morning, he and I had one of those moments... you know the kind...Mom and child deadlocked... at a complete impasse. I loved his solution. A little note, short and sweet.... I don't want to talk. Perfect! Don't, and don't complain about the waffles I made you for breakfast either!! I don't know many people who get up and make a full on Sunday morning breakfast...NOT on Sunday, well on Sunday too...but even on a rushed weekday morning before school. Yep, that's me...waffles, french toast, pancakes, muffins, biscuits, bacon...anything you want....the whole works! Not everyday, but I am known to make a breakfast before school that most kids have to order off the menu at Denny's, I-hop, Waffle House or the likes. So, this morning when I got flack about the waffles not being edible...what do you mean NOT EDIBLE?? I got a little indignant. Then, my son tells me how terrible it is that he can't have an opinion...I lovingly told him, he most certainly can have an opinion...and as he eats his waffle, he is welcome think anything he wants...but with a smile and glad heart tell me "thanks mom, for taking the time to make me breakfast." Skip to the end, he didn't eat the waffle and he didn't talk... at all, the rest of the morning... Wow...how did he do that? I am just not wired like that...but can respect his need to contemplate, ponder and even pout in peace. Oh to be 9... wherein the day can come to a compete and screeching halt over a waffle. When I dropped him at school...I told him goodbye, have a great day and to always remember his mamma loves him most. I am glad I had already packed him strawberries and grapes for snack... he'll be glad too.

What a Weekend

Three days and two nights in one of the most beautiful destination ski/snowboard resorts in the US. I've got a great story...and a lot of fan-tas-tic pictures...but I also have a laundry pile that is sky high, and work to catch up on...so it might be a day or so before I get back here. Though I'll leave you with a little fact...this girl, The Hippie...she was in a two-day banked slalom competition and she brought home the WIN. We are so proud of her!

Say Hello to Alicia DiFabio

I am thrilled to have Alicia DiFabio from Welcome To My Planet.

Alicia writes a powerful blog about Parenting, Autism and Life with her husband and 4 daughters. While she was earning her doctorate degree in psychology she worked as a psychotherapist, school psychologist, researcher, adjunct professor, and in-home behavioral therapist. I must admit... I immediately thought I can't read a parenting blog written by an expert.....I could already feel the guilt creep in...but before I had an attack of parental inadequacy...I read on and she said none that prepared her for motherhood. Today, you will find Alicia putting her "well-honed skills to use on her kids using advanced bribery and reverse psychology 101." This mother has the patience of a saint for which I know there is a special place in Heaven waiting just for her. Take a run around her blog and you will find that in one post she writes regarding the challenges of taking care of her 14 year old daughter who is severely autistic and non-verbal backed right up with thoughts on the lighter side of life. When you go be prepared for strong dose of reality and a full shot of humor.

Thanks for coming my way today Alicia and giving my readers a little break from my hum-o-n-around about this-and-that.




6-Word Memoirs
~by Alicia


Ernest Hemingway was challenged (likely a bar bet) to write a short story in exactly 6 words.

He came up with this:

For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn.

How brilliant is this man?!?!

Apparently, Hemingway's "6-word story" inspired the editors of Smith Magazine to compile the 6-word memoirs of many writing talents.

A story was aired about this memoir project on National Public Radio. The compiled 6-word memoirs can be found in the new book entitled: Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs By Famous and Obscure Writers. They are really interesting to read!

Since I love a challenge, particularly a writing challenge... I HAD to come up with my own 6-word memoir. The key is, you're not supposed to over-think it... it loses some sincerity. But, as usual, I had to go through several drafts...

So, what could I write that would summarize who I am in this world... the totality of my short, but full life?

I came up with a few renditions:

First came my smart-ass responses:

Without humor, it all basically blows.

What the F* is this sh*?

Seriously, don't know what I'm doing.

Then I go for the literal, especially after these past 3 days:

I'm knee deep in pooh, literally.

Then the loopy:

I don't send bad food back.

One big experiment on sleep deprivation.

She didn't drink the Kool Aid.

Then my brooding self surfaced:

Dreaming the dreams, but never delivering.

Life devoted to correcting past mistakes.

Heart always there, soul sometimes lost.

Then it started to get more 'genuine' to me:

Different than I imagined, but better.

Deserving of nothing, grateful for all.

And, after much silly brainstorming , I finally decided that this one probably says it all.

My life... my memoir... in a 6 word nutshell.

Plan B was better than expected.

Want to take a stab at it too?

Give a Warm Welcome to....

Under The BIG blue Sky

I've been staking reading this blog for quite a while. I love it....I am captivated by the writing....the layout is organized and easy to follow...and I thoroughly enjoy the photography. It's the real life happenings of a family who could live next door to me, I wish she did...I'd be sneaking into her garden!!

Jen (Under The BIG blue Sky) is the dedicated single mother of two little ladies. She works hard and lives well. I've been impressed with her on so many levels. She's honest and authentic...which is what keeps me coming back to see what's on her mind from post to post.

Dear Girls
by Jen

I promise you that at some point:

1. I am going to look at you and not know what you are thinking.

2. you are going to hurt each other’s feelings and not value each other.

3. you are going to feel that I “DO NOT UNDERSTAND YOU ONE BIT”.

4. you are going to think I am, weird, crazy, wacko, out of touch, a freak of nature, over the top, ridiculous.

5. someone you thought was a friend is going to say something about you to someone else that will hurt you.

6. someone you thought was a friend will just disappear from your life.

7. a boy you really, really, really like, is not going to know you exist.

8. a boy is going to really, really, break your heart.

9. school is going to seem too hard and too time consuming.

10. you will think you are ready for a relationship that I know you are not ready for.

11. you will think that you got away with something that I will know about but never tell you.

12. you will struggle with your body image.

13. you will care about what other people think about you.

14. you will think every year that this is the only time there is and how important it is.

15. you are going to question the existence of God.

16. you will ask me questions about your father that I may still not feel ready to tell you about.

17. you will be embarrassed when I talk to you about sex.

18. you will no longer think the music I listen to is “cool”.

19. you will shy away from my hugs and my kisses.

20. you will be afraid to tell me how you are really feeling.

I already know this,

–mama.

She recently wrote this letter to her girls and I wanted to share it here because it rang so true and loudly for me and depicted things that I never saw coming, I wish I had, because with the exception of a couple my daughter's have seen these realities on one level or another. This is one of those times I thought "I could have said that." Dear Girls, is part one of two...so make sure to jump over to her blog so you can read the second half. Dear Girls Part Two

Thanks Jen, you're an inspiration and you really are brilliant.
Keep on...keeping on!

Saying it Supah Style