Update from Lisa: A Miraculous Day

Hello Everyone!

Today was such a miraculous day.  We had a full house with Tita Lina, Tito Danny, Tita Beth, Tita Sonia, Tita Erly, and Tita Olga all here.  In usual Filipino fashion, we had lots of food, lots of talking, and especially lots of laughing.  She was awake for most the day and everyone sang, read scripture, laughed, and told stories of the past.  They fondly reminisced about their childhood in the Philippines.  She was laughing....I mean truly laughing about certain stories.  She was even cracking jokes about some of the things being said.   

I was keeping a watchful eye to make sure she didn't get too tired. When the fatigue comes, so does the excruciating pain.  Karen and I have been making sure that she does not get into too much pain.  But as the saying goes, laughter is the best medicine.  She did not show any signs of pain all day.  She was sitting in her recliner watching the kitchen with a smile.  She commented on how everyone was going around, that the household is busy....the sounds of her dialect (I can't spell it but you know what I mean..capapan??), the smells of Filipino food cooking, the moving of her sisters in the kitchen.  She was enjoying the moment.   

  

She got her nails trimmed and painted and was so grateful that her family was so attentive to her needs.  She has told Karen and I how sad she is that her family has to take care of her now but we all reassured her that we are happy to do it and that we will always think of her best intentions.  

During dinner that evening, she appeared to be staring off into space and when I asked if she was tired, she said, "No, I'm listening to their story".  Amazingly, it was a story being told on the other side of the table.  She was picking out a story several feet away from her and through all the other conversations around her.  I was very impressed.  She may not see very well, but her hearing is extra sharp.  Tita Donna was talking about the 7 castles of St. Therese of Aviles and my mom was listened very intently.    

This experience was also very special and important to me and Karen.  The smell of sinigan and pan sit cooking, with the sounds of her dialect are things that Karen and I cannot give to our mother.  We do not know the dialect and do not cook Filipino food.  There are pieces of history, that part the is truly Filipino..truly Cristobal, that we cannot offer.  Those are the things that she wants and needs the most right now.  So thank you to our family who were able to visit because you gave her this miraculous day.  I have seen her smile like I have never seen her smile before.  I have seen her cry like I have never seen her before.  She was able to let go and enjoy the moment and for that I am truly grateful.  Thank you for giving her this miraculous day.  

I'm sending more pictures so you will get a few more emails.  I apologize if I miss anyone on these emails.  I did not realize how much others wanted updates also.  Family is very important so please pass along to anyone!    

Love always, 

Lisa 

There's truly nothing like your family

An Update from Lisa: God's Glorious Morning

Greetings Everyone!

More nice things to report.  This past Sunday I was up before anyone else and was outside enjoying the weather.  It was warm but had a wonderful crisp coolness in the air.  The sun was bright and the birds were chirping.  We have been reading my mom's poems lately and I thought I could try my hand at writing a poem like my mom's.  I called it, God's Glorious Morning.  Well, needless to say, I don't have the creativity of my mom and I just kept wanting to share the moment with her.  So, I woke her up (I don't usually wake her up in the mornings and instead I just check on her until she wakes up) and told her what a beautiful morning it was.  She was still so sleepy but was willing to get up anyway.  We got her dressed and into her wheelchair and then I quickly whisked her away bypassing a stop to the toilet in order for her to enjoy her backyard with the roses and the sounds of the birds and other nature.  Her eyes were so wide open and alert.  I did not have her oxygen with her so her voice was quiet and raspy but she was describing the scene is her usual poetic nature.  She spoke of the morning doves (the same ones I called chirping birds) singing a sweet sound, the roses painted in beautiful color.  I asked her if she wanted me to read some more of her poems to complement the moment and for a little while longer I read to her.  We were just enjoying "God's Glorious Morning" when I remembered I needed to record her, which we have been doing these past weeks.  She wrote another poem that morning believe it or not.  It was a letter entitled, "To Lisa and Adam's children, who I will never meet."  And then she started talking about our puppies and how they are always looking out for her and watching her and snuggling in her lap or climbing on her belly.  That was nice to hear because they do stay by her side as much as possible during the days.

After several hours, she started to look uncomfortable and I asked, "What's wrong, Mom. Are you in pain?"  She said, "No, Lisa.  We did not stop at the bathroom this morning and I really have to go now."  Point taken....Nature calls in more ways than one.  

She is still waking up everyday and eating food.  Tonight she had dinuguan that her friend brought over so her appetite is still strong, especially for Filipino food.  She is starting to have pain and we have been giving her small bits of morphine.  She moves around as much as she can and will still walk to her room with a walker.  

Karen and Cristian are doing well and making lots of crafts for Lola.  Adam is still in Wisconsin but Tita Lina and Tito Danny will be here tomorrow.  Hopefully my mom can call tomorrow.  I will ask her when she is awake.  I hope all is well with everyone. 

Take care, 

Lisa 

"Aren't I supposed to be dying?"

Hello Everyone!

Here's a picture of my mom and her beloved group the Mad Hatters.  They have known each other for so long.  They all came to visit for a few hours and my mom was really cheered up.  She was smiling and was very alert with all the conversations.  Included in the picture on the lower right side is a newspaper clipping from 1984 I think about the Mad Hatters.  I thought it would be great to display that.  Everyone loved it and was talking about it.  

Sr. Mary Elizabeth from our church came today and gave my mom communion.  That was nice also and very comforting.  We prayed and it was nice.

We also had the nursing aide from the hospice company come in this week to do some bathing with her.  She is Filipina and was able to speak in Tagalog to her.  I think she really liked that.  She will be coming in every week for bathing.  She is very nice and I think my Mom will be happy to be able to speak Tagalog more.  

Also this week, two of our long time Filipino friends came and really brightened my mom's spirits.  My mom has been getting stronger and has a good appetite, especially for Filipino food.  She is confused by this because she keeps thinking she is supposed to get weaker and weaker.  Well, these Filipino friends were saying that maybe mom's mission on this life is not finished and she is not supposed to leave yet.  They encouraged her to keep on going everyday with all activities because we don't know what God's plan is for her but at this time she must continue living everyday.  Even I was uplifted by them.  They brought over some holy water also.  

I think her hope is coming back.  Each morning when I go into her room, she says, "I'm still here.  Aren't I supposed to be dying?"  I tell her that many people are praying for her, then she says, "That's the problem....all the prayers are being answered.  And I'm still here."  Isn't that funny?  Please tell all who are praying for her that the prayers are being answered because as she says, "I am still here."  

Everyday I am so amazed by her.  I truly see her strength; strength in mind, strength in faith, and now strength in body.  She still sleeps alot but during the times she is awake, she is much more alert and interactive with her surroundings.  We are so excited to have Tita Lina and Tito Danny and Tita Beth and Tita Donna come visit next week.  And then Elena and her family will be out the following week after that. We don't know what the next day brings so we are just taking it day by day!  

Take care and enjoy the picture! 

Love love love, 

Lisa 

Still beaming that beautiful smile

This is How it Happens.

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other. 

Then someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!"

"Gone where?"

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and she is just as able to bear the load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!" There are other eyes watching her coming, and the other voices ready to take up the glad shout: "Here she comes!"

And that is dying.

~Henry Van Dyke~

One Homecoming and One Coming Home

After ten days of being back home in AZ, it's time for me to go home to FL. Back to my family and to finish up the last of the school year. The transition has been rough, but my mom has received wonderful treatment at the hospital. But there isn't much more they can do about her cancer. It is affecting other parts of her body and because of her compromised condition there are no other options.

The end result now is hospice care.

The most important thing to remember is that my mom is comfortable. I'm not ready for this path and either is my mom, I'm sure. The medical jargon confuses me and that is probably the most intimidating thing about it. Pam, my mom's hospice nurse is a Godsend and is very patient when we have too many questions. The problem I have run into is stepping into the unknown. You'd think that after 10+ years as a military spouse that I'd be used to the unknown and having to wait around for answers. The truth of the matter is that there is no timeline. My mom could go on for years on hospice or she could go on for weeks.

One thing for sure is that my children miss me and I need to be home now. I am worried about being away for two weeks because things seem to change at the drop of a hat. My mom reassures me that I need to be with my husband and kids and that she promises not to die without me there. This is a signal to me that she knows that her time is almost up here on Earth. Apparently God needs her up in heaven and my dad is patiently waiting.

She reminds me that she had to do the very same thing when she was caring for Mama and Papa when they were sick. She was in Arizona and her parents were in California. On two separate occasions years apart, she had to split her time between her job and family in AZ and her dying parents in CA. I am thankful that my mom understands my situation and I am excited to see my family again, but I am worried beyond words.

So I get to go home and my sister assures me that she will call, email or text anytime anything changes. Lisa carries the weight of the world on her shoulders. The doctor in her knows how to direct the comfort care for my mom, but it also leaves her with little time to be a daughter. She seems to be handling the title well, but I still worry. She is my sister and I care so much about her thoughts and feelings. She is probably the closest of us three sisters to my mom and she needs time to be a daughter, not a doctor.

The time will go by fast for my mom since she will have many visits from her brother and sisters from California. They will have many late nights reminiscing of their childhood and adult lives. Catching up on so may things and also praying. Saying their long goodbyes.

Just a few of Lola's sisters and brother-in-law

My mom is also preparing. She is preparing internally... Something we will not experience until it is our time to go. I am not ready for this. I am not ready to see my mom do this.

Ready or not. It's time to go home.

Cancer Sucks! and One Very Happy Mother's Day

There's nothing like getting a phone call from your sister telling you that your mom is back in the hospital. That horrible sinking feeling followed by optimism and comforting words of strength.

"Hey, Len, I had to take mom to the emergency room last night. Don't worry too much, but you should probably come home to see her..."

Of course I flew home right away.

Lola and her Three Little Girls

I booked a one-way ticket back to AZ because I was going to see this whole thing through. Years and years of missing out on major events in my mom's life brought me to this decision. I wanted to stay because I wanted to bring my mom home from the hospital. It's important to see her at home and comfortable.

The day after I arrived was Mother's Day and on that day our oldest sister and her son flew into town. You could imagine my mom's surprise to see her three little girls home and with her. It was a blessing and also a sign. It is very rare that all three of us sisters are able to be home at the same time and for one reason or another we were all here with no time limitations or need to rush back.

On this day, the room was filled with happiness. We decorate my mom's hospital room with cards and drawings the grandchildren have made. Flowers are arranged around her and we share stories to catch up with one another. My mom tires quickly and we let her rest... A visit to the cafeteria for some coffee and back up to the room. 

My mom does not want us to tell her friends and old co-workers that she is in the hospital. However, word travels quickly when you are admitted into the very hospital you used to work at for 35 years! Of course with it being Mother's Day, she received many visits and quick check in's. All of her friends and family worry about her. I'm worried about her too.

There is something different about my mom. Something final and that scares me. My mom seems to be at peace, although we cannot see her true internal struggle. Her strong Catholic faith inspires me and I can see that it helps her to stay focused. And so my many years of Catholic upbringing brings me to to stay focused on my mom. Keeping a silent vigil with songs of faith and prayer. My mom can still teach me these things and for that I am grateful. I will always be my mother's daughter.

Cinco de Mayo is My Father's Day

My Mom Walks Alone

Two years.
It's been two years since my dad has passed.

While many are out celebrating Cinco de Mayo festivities, our family mourns a little bit before the celebration. Yes, we do celebrate. We celebrate a life lived and a passing that has a bit of humor in it. If you knew my dad, you would have known that he loved to be around good people. People who liked to laugh because my dad liked to laugh. People who liked to smile because my dad liked to smile. People who were living in the moment because he did the same. So as you'd see, the humor in my dad's passing comes with the date: May 5th. Cinco de Mayo. A popular day of celebration in the Southwest. It's just like my dad to pass away on a day where we should have a party to celebrate both Cinco de Mayo as well as his passing.

There are no words to describe the loss of a parent. My mom suffered a great loss when her beloved husband passed. My dad took very good care of my mom, almost to a fault. But my mom got through it by going to church, journaling and taking each day as they came. It was a great relief when my sister and her husband left FL for a new life as newlyweds in AZ. My mom lovingly calls them her roommates.

People sometimes say that they see their loved ones who have passed in everyday things. For me, my dad visits me in the form of butterflies. It seems as though when I absolutely need him the most is when I happen to see or notice a butterfly. It's a comforting feeling especially when the butterfly catches me off guard. I could be sitting in the carpool line waiting to pick up the kids from school and I'll look up and spot a butterfly. It's my dad looking back at me and I know he is watching over me.

Rest in Peace Dad

Spring Flings and Easter Things

Spring Break has come and gone and Easter snuck up on us way too quickly! Is it me or was Easter really early this year?

Chapter 1: Spring Break

 It was filled with beach days, sleeping in, playing in the park and enjoying this gorgeous weather.

A ridiculously windy day in Pensacola Beach

PINK! sunglasses

Making a sandcastle

I got to have some quality time in the garden and on the sewing machine. What can I say? Spring Break was da bomb!

Leeks!

 I cooked and ate my very first leek this year and after seeing all of the amazing uses for it, I decided that I wanted to plant some. I was happy to see that they successfully grew in our crowded little garden! 

Colorful carrots!

 The kids pulled up all of the carrots to make room for our sunflowers and we yielded an insane amount! I was so pleased to see that the white, purple and yellow ones came out just fine. We roasted the carrots with the leeks for Easter dinner. It turned out delicious!

Eggplants!

Our Japanese eggplant that we planted last year survived and has started blooming again. I had Matt buy me another one just in case it didn't seem like it was going to make it, but it did. Looks like we're going to have a ton of eggplant again this year! Lucky for us we love eggplant.

Tomatos!

So my failed attempt at planting and harvesting tomatoes last year made me more determined to be successful this year. I am pleased to say that our first tomato of the season has made an appearance! There are also several flowers on our other tomato plants, so I'm hoping we will have plenty! 

Chapter 2: Easter

Easter, oh Easter... How is it that the Easter Bunny procrastinated this year? I prayed one Lenten prayer everyday hoping that the Easter Bunny would plan ahead and come to our house on time. By golly! He made it! 

Lily's Basket

Sunflower seeds, Chinese Lantern seeds and Doughnut seeds

Generally speaking, I don't like the commercialization of Easter. I wasn't raised on the belief that you get all sorts of presents and stuff like that. I don't even remember a time when I was young where my sisters and I were given actual Easter baskets except for Easter egg hunts. I mostly remember getting to pick out a beautiful Easter dress with a matching hat and going to church for what seemed like 3 hours. Now you walk into Target and you're overwhelmed with giant pre-made Easter baskets stuffed with a bunch of junk that will end up broken or in the trash. 

I love the concept of welcoming Spring during Easter and we thought it would be a good idea to put that thought into the girls' Easter baskets. We put packets of flower seeds into each basket, including a little joke: Doughnut Seeds. The kids got a good laugh out of that one! They also each got a kite, a jump rope, a magnifying glass and a chocolate bunny to eat. One kite has already been destroyed because of an unfortunate run-in with a tree and all of the chocolate bunnies have been consumed. One packet of seeds are germinating and the others are waiting their turn. 

Sophie's Basket

A cool magnifying glass, sunflower seeds and those crazy doughnut seeds again!

As always I really wanted to do something special for the kindergarten kids. They're only one step away from being big First Graders! I indulged them in making white chocolate dipped Peeps!

All in a row and in their little "nests"

Stop looking at me like that little Peep!

Ready for Kindergarten consumption

It wouldn't be Easter without dying Easter eggs! After reading an article about dying your own Easter eggs naturally, I decided that I had to try it. Even though the kids still wanted to go the Paas route, they were still excited to see how my little experiment would turn out.

What I liked most about dying eggs in this manner was that you didn't know what you would end up with. For instance, who knew that stewing you Easter eggs in red cabbage would yield a blue egg? Or that soaking your Easter egg in red wine would give your eggs a rough texture? The end result were varying shades of green and brown and the amazing blues!

Red cabbage was my favorite by far!

Children and their Paas kits have been a long winded tradition in many American households and ours was no different! Only now they offer cool little cups to hold and contain the dye and eggs. How easy is that?!

Big smiles for a Happy Easter!

They turned out beautifully and it was loads of fun! Talk about bringing back childhood memories... One of the many fun things about being a parent is showing your children the things you used to do when you were a child and then showing them how to do it themselves.

All the colors you'd find in nature!

Happy Easter!

Time is of Your Own Making

Time spent with family is time well spent.

I have to admit, the past four weeks have been a little rough. Emotionally and physically; although the former provoked the latter. So what happens when things get a little turbulent and you're not really sure what to do? You look at your challenges head on and make some changes one step at a time.

It all started when my friend Insomnia came to visit. Insomnia likes to show up uninvited during stressful times and oddly enough she helps me sort through my thoughts. She made me think about the things that made me happy. My list consisted of my family: my husband, my kids, my mom and sisters. Followed by sewing, crafting, running and bike rides. Reading, sitting in bookstores for no reason, drinking coffee, baking, quiet times. Driveway drinks with our neighbors, gardening, listening to music, listening to children play, volunteering. Good things, happy things.

The following nights of her visit consisted of the hard stuff. What am I stressed out about? Why? How can I change it? After a lot of praying and talking to Insomnia in my head, I decided that I just needed to give my burdens up to God. I didn't want them anymore. And that was when my dad decided to chime in and put my mind at ease. My dad asked me what I wanted out of life right at this moment and my immediate answer was: TIME. I want time. Time to live. Time to enjoy life. Time with my family. It seems like a reasonable request. So my dad granted it to me. He told me that maybe I should take a break from teaching Zumba, take a step back and refocus. This was the one thing I could change right away that could give me more time.

My decision to take a break from teaching couldn't have come at a better time. I guess timing really is everything. It wasn't a week into my decision that my mom learned that a lesion in her brain was causing her light-headedness and forgetfulness. It was apparent that her cancer is trying to make its way to her brain. More radiation treatments are in order and that makes me very concerned. I want more time with my mom...

I feel like I've always lived on borrowed time. Being a Navy spouse will do that to you. You do certain things because you never know when you'll move again. You wait to do things because you want to do them when your husband comes home from deployment. It is a constant struggle to live in the now, but when you come out of the past and into the present it feels good. You feel strong and that's a good feeling.

I am thankful that at least we are in a decent financial state in which I can give up a paying job that used to bring me joy. First and foremost, I am a mother and a wife and I have never grown tired of that job. In fact that is the job in which my time is most precious. Children grow up. We grow old. Our parents pass away. It's the circle of life. Time is precious and it is not to be wasted on things that bring us unhappy thoughts or experiences. There will always be bad days, bad weeks, bad months, and even bad years. But the little things that give us joy, even for just a short amount of time, are the things that matter most. Happy times are not a waste, they make our lives more meaningful.

"Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it, you can never get it back."

-Harvey MacKay-

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

Happy St. Patrick's Day from the Russell Family!

It's another gorgeous day here in Pensacola and with it being St. Patrick's Day we made sure to wear our green!

Little leprechaun feet!

We decided to try out slow cooking our corned beef in the Egg instead of the Crock Pot and it smells delicious. I dropped the ball on buying some cabbage, but I wouldn't really know what to do with it since we usually put it in the Crock Pot with the corned beef. I did remember to buy potatoes, though, so I'll probably mash them up with some carrots. Mashed potatoes are the preferred method in this here household!

Mmmm... Can you smell what the Egg is smokin'??

Our wonderful neighbors came for a visit and brought us some tasty cupcakes from our local cupcakery, Oh Snap! A wonderful dessert to end the evening. 

No green beer here... Only cupcakes.

Spring Break is upon us and we expect to make the most of it with this beautiful weather. A beach day is definitely in order and hopefully we'll get to head out of town for a day. It's wonderful to have some time off and enjoy the family. Now it's time to kick back and celebrate! Enjoy!

An Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.


...............................................................................


Epilogue...

Our St Patrick's Day dinner turned out wonderful! The corned beef smoked in the Egg provided a nice, moist piece of meat. I mashed up some potatoes with lots of butter and sour cream and roasted the colorful carrots we picked from our garden. The carrots were  drizzled in olive oil with an onion and some rosemary (also from our garden). We all shared a cupcake and boy, are we stuffed! A perfect ending to a beautiful day!

Don't Take Punxsutawney Phil Too Seriously

Up here in North Florida, we have been blessed with a mild Winter and an early Spring. This is a wonderful departure from the extreme cold we experienced last year. We were bracing ourselves because good 'ole Punxsutawney Phil advised us that there would be 6 more weeks of Winter. Boy was he wrong! Not that we closely follow the predictions of a ground hog, but it's fun for the kids! We have had a ton of rain lately, but the temperatures have been mild and you really can't complain with that! 

Sophie spacing out the tomato plants

It finally cleared up this afternoon and we decided to clean out our garden beds and put some tomatoes into the ground. I pulled our spinach because something crazy was eating the heck out of it and tomorrow I hope to pull up the broccoli. I am pleased that the mild Winter kept our eggplant alive through the season and I am hoping that it will produce again for us this year. The cucumbers and zucchini didn't work out so well for us last year, but our sweet potatoes did awesome. I'd also like to try planting some sweet peppers. Our last pepper plant only managed to produce one green bell and I think it will be worth it to plant them again!

Digging up earthworms

Of course the kids love to dig in the dirt. I have been trying my best to be less controlling about garden stuff. These experiences are supposed to be fun for the kids and the last thing I want to do is to make gardening a negative thing for them. I think I was too controlling last year because I was just a beginner myself and I really wanted everything to be perfect and successful. Well now that I sort of know what I am doing and have had some success and failure, I think it is important for the kids to experience the joy and reap the benefits of eating food that they grow. For the things that I think need to be controlled, I can control while teaching them why things need to be that way. For instance why certain plants need to be planted in sunny areas or why we need to properly space plants away from each other. The kids were more receptive to learning this way and I felt better about teaching them in a more effective way.

Past failures in gardening has taught me to value patience. Just like our own children, we need to be patient and teach them properly. Sometimes we try our hardest only to have failed, but the most important part is getting back up and trying again. I am looking forward to learning more about gardening and teaching the kids about it too!

Thank goodness that groundhog was wrong about 6 more weeks of Winter. Now I get more time to garden!

"Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food, and medicine to the soul."
-Luther Burbank-

A Pensacola Tradition: The McGuire's 5K

Bagpipes and Kilts, Oh My!

Every year, the weekend before St Patrick's Day, a local restaurant and pub holds one of the largest prediction runs in the nation. The McGuire's 5K is one of those events that closes down the city for the morning because just about everyone is there. Most of the participants are there to party and some are there to actually run the race. It's a huge St Patrick's celebration and it is loads of fun!

McGuire's is a world famous restaurant and Irish pub that has literally thousands of $1 bills signed and stapled onto various parts of the building. It's a tourist trap of sorts but the food is so good, even the locals eat there on a regular basis. They have been hosting their prediction runs for 35 years!

The Famous McGuire's Double Decker Bus

Last year, there were over 10,000 in attendance. This year there were over 15,000!

With our limited time left here in Pensacola, I decided that we just had to run it. If not for the race, we had to run it for the people watching! The best part of this event are the consumes that people come up with for the costume contest. Just about everyone is dressed in shades of green, but there are those who really dress for the occasion. 

We had a team of guys wearing Hooters uniforms... Classy!

Definitely my favorite! Star Wars Storm Troopers. Yes, they ran the race like that!

The race itself starts and ends at McGuire's. Fortunately McGuire's is downtown so the run itself is very scenic and enjoyable. It was a gorgeous, sunny day. The air was crisp and the temperature was in the mid 60's. That's perfect running weather for me! Warm, but chilly enough to cool the body while running. Hannah, one of our dear friends decided to run with us. It was great to have her with us because although she is not a runner on a regular basis, we kept her motivated enough to run just about the whole thing. I was really proud of her for hanging in there because I absolutely know how it feels to hate running! 

We're so proud of you Hannah!

Me and Matt celebrating our 5K finish!

It makes me a little sad to know that this was the first and most likely the last time we will be able to run this. I don't like to think about doing special things around town just because it may be the only time we get to do or experience these events. I like to think that we are here to live life to the fullest. To enjoy the people around us and cherish the memories we make. I see this clearly now that we are no longer living the life of a military family. We are experiencing things in a different way in that we are not rushing to live life because we have to move to a new duty station, but living life to plant roots. If for some reason we end up planting our roots here in Pensacola (even for just one more year), then rest assured, you will see us running the McGuire's again next year! Making more memories and loving it!

How The Banana Saved Breakfast!

Making Swedish pancakes has been a Russell tradition ever since our wonderful friend Kevin introduced us to his family recipe. In Kevin's family, they like to call them "skinny pancakes." Basically, they are a thin pancake similar to a French crepe. The main difference between a Swedish pancake and a French crepe is the addition of sugar in the batter of the former; while French crepes rely on the filling to add to the sweetness. We've been making Kevin's family recipe for almost 10 years while perfecting our own orange sauce to go along with it. 

Last Sunday the girls really wanted to have some skinny pancakes and since it had been a while since we made them we decided to indulge. The problem was that I had been too lazy to go to the grocery store because of the torrential rain we'd had all week. We had all of the ingredients to make the skinny pancakes, except we were missing one egg. Just ONE! The unfortunate thing was that our neighbors had just left for church so we couldn't sneak into their chicken coop for an egg. 

I had no idea what to substitute an egg for. When Matt did a little research I was pleasantly surprised to learn that you could use a banana in place of an egg in baked goods such as cookies, cakes, waffles and pancakes. As it turned out, I had ONE banana left in the fruit bowl! 

We were very curious to see if the banana would leave a slight banana taste in the pancakes, but no! There was no banana taste at all! We wouldn't have been disappointed either way but what we were most impressed with was the fact that the banana didn't change the texture of the pancake. They were still nice and thin and exactly the way they should be! The only thing Matt would suggest when substituting banana in baked goods would be to mash it up before adding it to the batter. It isn't necessary, but it will cut down on the time you spend mashing/mixing the batter together. 

I won't be posting Kevin's family recipe for Swedish Skinny Pancakes, but here is an Allrecipes.com recipe that is fairly close to it! We do use a well seasoned crepe pan to make these. I don't know how they would turn out without one, but it's worth a try. Substitute the eggs with a couple of bananas if you wish! Enjoy!

Easy Swedish Pancakes

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat eggs with a wire whisk. Mix in milk, flour, sugar, salt, and melted butter.
2. Preheat a non-stick electric skillet to medium heat. Pour a thin layer of batter on skillet, and spread to edges. Cook until top surface appears dry. Cut into 2 or 4 sections, and flip with a spatula. Cook for another 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Roll each pancake up, and serve.

"All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast."

~ John Gunther ~