Burkholder Blog

Friday was Jeff’s last day as a Windstream Employee. After working for D&E Communications for 9 years, Windstream gave him the boot. So…

We gave Windstream the boot and replaced them with Google. We said goodbye to our landline and to our Dejazzd/Windsteam email accounts. If you have either of those still in your phone directories or address books, you might wanna take ‘em out. We have a Google Voice number now and we’ll keep our Gmail accounts.

Oh… and as soon as we can get our computers and our new modem to play nice with each other and stop pretending the other doesn’t exist, we’ll be back online. Then you can still find us on this and our other blogs, Facebook, Gtalk, AIM, Twitter, and a couple other online venues.

Until then, we’re on cell phone only communication. Fun. As the kids say, “Text it.” (God, I feel old!)

We used to have a tradition where we’d get together with our college friends every New Year’s Eve. We were the official hosts with the standing invitation that our house was always open from noon on the 31st to noon on the first, meaning we could stay up as late as we wanted and crash as necessary, ensuring the end and the beginning of each year were shared among friends. We ate, we talked, we laughed, we played Mafia, and we reminisced about previous years. It was always a blast and the one time we were guaranteed to connect after we’d gone our separate ways post-college.

Time has a way of changing things, ironically, given that our celebrations were all about the passing of time. Our families grew which made the house shrink, even when less and less of our friends were able to make it each year. With small children and all of us getting older, all nighters started to become out of the question. And, as more and more of us moved further and further away, New Year’s Eve became an increasingly impractical way of holding a reunion. We had to switch our focus from our past adventures to our growing families.

We miss these gatherings, but it also allows us the opportunity to form new traditions. This year, we’ll celebrate in a more quiet fashion (I hope) with some friends from church, while the kids have a special night with Nana & Paw-Paw.

One of our newest traditions, which I’m not exactly happy about, seems to be a sick child. In the past several years, we seem to have either ended the year or begun the year (or both) with severe colds in one or both of the children. We’ve even had a run to the ER a few years ago for a fever over 106. This year appears to be no different, as Zoë is now coughing like a seal and running a fever of 104.

Some traditions are meant to die, and I’m hoping this one goes the way of the college gathering. In the meantime, here’s wishing all of you a safe and happy new year, filled with love, peace, and joy!

So… Last night hubby and I had this “inspiration” to let the kids “wait up for Santa.” I’d like to go on record as saying, “If either of us mention this to you as an option for next year, direct us to this post.” This was a monumentally BAD idea. Here’s a brief rundown of the past 12-24 hours:

• Kids spent the evening “being worn out” by Memaw, Poppy, and “Mac” (as is Uncle Matt’s new name thanks to Zoë) while hubby and I went to work tech for the Christmas Eve service at church.
• Kids opened new pjs and then laid out sleeping bags and got ready to camp out in the living room.
• The consumption of cookies, burnt popcorn (that isn’t some weird tradition, we just weren’t paying attention), and warm milk (in the hopes that the kiddos would fall asleep) happened while we were attempting to put together brunch items for the morning.
• www.noradsanta.org kept us updated on Santa’s whereabouts while watching Charlie Brown Christmas.
• Somewhere around the middle of “Christmas Eve on Sesame Street,” a meltdown required us to take Zoë to her bed, where she fussed off and on for the rest of the night.
• By 10:30 or 11:00, Dante was still wide awake, so we popped in “Elmo’s World: Happy Holidays” at his request, thinking he’d have to fall asleep during that. Mommy did. Dante kept waking her up so she wouldn’t miss Santa.
• About midnight, we finally convinced Dante that Santa wouldn’t come if he wasn’t sleeping, and that we’d wake him if we caught Santa.
• “Santa” finally arrived after midnight, ate the cookies & drank the soy milk we’d set out, fed his reindeer the carrots, filled stockings, left presents under the tree & a note for the sleeping kids, and collapsed for the night.
• Zoë fussed several times through the remainder of the night, allowing us a sum total of an hour or so of uninterrupted sleep at any point through the night.
• Dante woke around 5:30/6:00 a.m. and spent the next hour and a half asking every 10 minutes if it was time to open presents while his sister blissfully slept until 8:00.
• Opening presents with a cranky toddler is not fun. She spent most of her time dissolving into a pool of tears or wandering around the room lost. Poor girl had no clue what was going on.
• “Uncle Mike & Aunt Ami” arrived for brunch, more gifts, and general relaxation.
  Both kids are now resting quietly in their beds, allowing the grown-ups to enjoy some “peace on earth,” naptime, and playing with new toys!

Next year, we’ll rethink the Christmas Eve plan. It was a fun experiment, but I think it was a bit much for kids as young as ours. The good thing is, our son still believes in Santa and the magic of the holiday!

Here’s wishing all of you a day of rest and relaxation!

2009 has come to an end (or nearly so), and it’s been a rough and busy year for the Burkholder family. We’ve learned a lot about ourselves and grown stronger as a family. We’ve also come to appreciate the many blessings that God showers on us in the way of friends and family. Here’s what we’ve been up to:

Jeff’s job at D&E Communications (henceforth known as Windstream) is ending as of January 8, so he will be looking for a new job. He will continue working as tech guy at Hosanna! part-time, but welcomes any suggestions or job leads you may have in the “full-time” realm. He’s also greatly enjoying his online creative outlets and publishing pursuits in the areas of short story collaborations (www.gloaminggap.com) and his comic strips (www.zoidland.com).

Nean’s got her hands full being a full-time mommy. She’s had a rough year emotionally, but is on the upswing thanks to new medication and the incredible support of family and friends. She spends a lot of time making jewelry and writing stories and poetry (http://nean-laughingatthemoon.blogspot.com).

Dante has started Kindergarten and continues to amaze us with the things he learns both in school and from reading every book he can get his hands on. He’s recently gotten into Peanuts comic strips and even went trick-or-treating as Linus this year. He has decided that he wants to be an eye-doctor or an artist, or possibly both when he grows up.

Zoë has flung herself fully from baby-hood to toddler-hood. She’s developing quite a personality, as well as the vocabulary to match it. She’s a strong-willed little girl who has no fear and keeps us on our toes! She’s busy making everyone laugh or smile in addition to picking on her older brother whom she idolizes.

This is the time of year to send cards to the people you love, but we stopped doing that a few years ago for several reasons:

1. As environmentally conscious people, we can’t justify sending out a bunch of cards and pictures that most people will just throw away after the holidays are over.
2. Postage is so expensive and money is tight.
3. Most of the people we’d send cards to, we either see or talk to regularly already, or they have access to our fairly extensive online presence anyway.
4. We honestly don’t have the time or energy to do justice to the extent of our love and appreciation for the vast number of people who have become a vital part of our lives.

All that being said (and even though we realize we’re late for some of them), we wish each and every person that we trust, love and cherish in our lives joy and love for your Christmas, Hanukkah, Solstice, Kwanzaa, Bodhi, Diwali, Eid al-Adha, Decemberween, Festivus, or whatever other holiday you celebrate. We also wish you a year full of hope and beauty in 2010.

Today, we are experimenting. We started with a recipe I found online for Easy, Cheesy Pumpkin Lasagna, added chicken & apple sausage to the pumpkin mixture, and used pumpkin spice noodles that we had purchased a while ago and didn’t know how to use. It’s in the oven at the moment and we’ll let you know how it turns out.

Jeff’s also got a pot of spiced cider in the crock pot:
~1 gallon apple cider
~cranberry juice to taste (usually 1-3 cups)
~two thick slices each of lemon and orange with rind
~four cinnamon sticks
~16 cloves & 16 allspice (he uses a tea ball for easy extraction)

The weather may have decided to turn up the heat, but we’re fighting back. FALL is HERE!

I know I haven’t updated here in… well… ages. I’ve been focused on a lot of other things. The family is doing well for the most part but it’s been a taxing year for us. Promise to try to get pics of the kids up here soon, but with Facebook (and how much easier it normally is to post photos there) I don’t even think about posting here.

Tonight, however, I’m posting here because I’ve had several requests for the recipe for “my” Gingersnap Pot Roast (and frankly, Facebook is incredibly temperamental today and I don’t have the patience to deal with it). Technically, this recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens, but I’ve adapted it enough that I can call it mine.

Gingersnap Pot Roast
(A.K.A. Sauerbraten Made Easy)

Layer in crock pot:

• 3 medium sweet potatoes or yams (peeled and cut)
• one bag of “baby” carrots prepared
• 4 small or medium apples, cut into wedges
• 2-3 lb chuck roast

Mix together to make gravy and pour over roast:

• 1 cup water
• 8 gingersnaps crumbled
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Cover and cook on low 10-12 hours or on high 5-6 hours.

Enjoy.

So.

Monday morning, Dante “gets” to have his tonsils and adenoids taken out. (What the heck is an “adenoid” anyway? It sounds like some sort of curiously strong-flavoured mint…) In addition, the surgeons-that-be are going to putting tubes in his ears. I’m assured that this will not allow him to shoot nerf darts out of his ears if he blows his nose, but I think I shall try it anyway, for the sake of SCIENCE!

Originally, we were told that it would be about 3 or 4 weeks before they would be able to schedule it, but due to a last-minute cancellation: Monday morn, it is.

Wish us (all) luck…

Our blog has been the recent recipient of a flood of attacks… again. So, until Jeff gets a chance to look at it and fix it… It’s been reset to require moderation and registered users. Sorry for the inconvenience. It’s not like we post here a whole lot anymore anyway.

Dear Friends & Family~

It’s Christmas Eve and it’s been an interesting year in the Burkholder home. We’ve grown in a lot of ways, the most obvious of which is, of course, the fact that Zoë is 13 months old now and Dante is five (although we’re not sure if that’s his age or his grade level)!

Zoë’s adoption was finalized in May and was a huge celebration for all of us! She is not quite walking, but is pulling herself up and cruising around furniture and it won’t be long until we will be chasing after a tiny child on two legs. She’s beautiful, with adorable little brown curls developing (with occasional red highlights that make me smile) and bright blue eyes. She’s highly vocal and expressive and loves to entertain anyone around her. She’s starting to learn many words and I’m sure that the walking will be followed by conversation as well. She adores her daddy and gets VERY upset when he leaves the room without her. She’s also highly adventurous and takes risks like Dante never really did (either when he was her age, or … well, now, for that matter). I’m sure that our first trip to the ER with her will more likely be due to injury than illness, since she has no fear.

Dante is in Pre-K this year since his birthday didn’t fall early enough in the year for kindergarten. He is reading at a 2nd grade level already, though, and loves language. He delights in learning words and phrases in many languages including Spanish, French, Chinese, and American Sign Language. He holds entire conversations with adults regularly that shock them, because he usually knows what he’s talking about. He has also recently discovered jokes and riddles, his favorite being “knock-knock” jokes. They’re usually not funny, but he has the structure down (and it’s funny enough that he’s trying).

Jeff is still working for the phone company as the “stat man”, analyzing productivity and making recommendations to the company to improve performance. He’s also still employed at the church, but his job took a turn toward Technical Director (from Artistic Director) this summer, which puts him firmly in the technical “geek” category! (To be fair, he always was in that category; he just now can be considered a “professional geek”, since he gets paid for it!) He continues his online cartoon, Zoidland, and tried his hand (successfully) at a continuing theme and story line for the year.

Nean stepped down from her position at the church in July, and is now stay-at-home Neaner. She is frequently entertained and often frustrated by both her own two little ones, but also Micah, who is the child of a family friend that she watches. Along with playing with the kids all day, she also spends a lot of time online and writing. In October, she started her own blog (Laughing at the Moon); in November, she participated in National Novel Writing Month and finished a draft of a story to be expanded to novel length… hopefully in the new year; in December she rediscovered her inner poet.

One highlight from the past year was our very first family vacation. We’ve been camping several times and up to Nean’s aunt and uncle’s cabin, both for extended weekends, but this summer we went on our very first week-long-stay-in-a-hotel-go-site-seeing vacation. We had a blast and Dante’s favorite part was Sesame Place!

This year has been a year of change and grace as we learn to love one another through the changing family situations that sometimes shake the foundations of who we think we are. So, we wish you grace this holiday season… particularly with us when you don’t receive an actual card. I decided not to send them this year due to the “failing economy”, busy schedules, and (let’s face it) my own laziness. However, know that we think of our dear friends and family often (or at least every time we write your email address in the “to” box or look up your profile on Facebook) and we wish you the most grace-filled holiday and coming year possible.

Love from all four Burkholders!

P.S. from Jeff: We’d wish you love from Sabine, our cat, too. Except you all know that’s just…well, nevermind.

Forget shopping on Black Friday! You couldn’t drag me to the mall today. The amount of people and chaos can never make up for any fabulous deals the stores may try to entice me with.

For years, the day after Thanksgiving has been Annual Cookie Baking Day for my family. This continued after I got married. Here are four of our favorite recipes that we tend to make year after year. It doesn’t feel like Christmas without them:

Lemon Kiss Cookies
(Nean’s ultimate FAVORITE!; recipe from a friend)

• 1+1/2 cup butter (softened)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp lemon extract
• 2+3/4 cup flour
• 1+1/2 cup almonds (finely chopped)
• 14 oz bag chocolate kisses
• powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 Tbsp shortening

1. Beat butter, sugar, and lemon extract until light and fluffy.
2. Add flour and almonds and beat at low speed until well blended.
3. Cover, refrigerate at least an hour for easier handling.
4. Shape scant Tbsp chilled dough around each kiss, covering completely. Roll into ball.
5. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 8-12 minutes or until bottom edges are light golden brown.
6. Cool 1 minute; remove from sheets; cool completely.
7. Lightly sprinkle cooled cookies with powdered sugar.
8. In small saucepan over low heat, melt choc. chips & shortening, stirring to smooth. Drizzle over cookies.

(Makes aprox. 6 dozen)

Soft Ginger Cookies
(So much better than hard ginger snaps; from “Taste of Home” Magazine)

• 1+1/2 cup shortening
• 2+1/2 cup sugar (divided)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 cup flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cloves

1. Cream shortening and 2 cups of sugar. Add egg, molasses and vanilla; mix well.
2. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture and mix well.
3. Chill for about an hour for easier handling.
4. Roll into 1 inch balls and roll in remaining sugar.
5. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
6. Cool on wire racks.

(Makes aprox. 8 dozen)

Eggnog Snickerdoodles
(Mmmmm… a festive twist to an old PA favorite; from “Country Woman Christmas”)

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1+1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4-1/2 tsp rum extract
• 2+3/4 cup flour
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

1. Cream first five ingredients
2. Mix last four ingredients and gradually add to creamed mixture
3. Chill for about an hour for easier handling.
4. Roll into 1 inch balls and into a mixture of 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tsp nutmeg
5. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

(Makes aprox. 6-7 dozen)

Cranberry-Orange Oatmeal Cookies
(Holiday twist to my dad’s & hubby’s favorite cookies; adapted from an Oregon Extension recipe)

• 1+1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tsp orange extract
• 6 cups oatmeal (uncooked)
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3 cups crasins
• zest of one orange

1. Cream wet ingredients
2. Gradually add dry ingredients
3. Drop by rounded tsp on cookie sheet.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

(Makes 9 dozen)

We’ll make others from time to time (like Peanut Butter, Pumpkin, or whatever other nifty new recipe we come across), but these are the tried and true!

Happy Holidays! May your holiday be sweet!