Monkey Bread

We eat a lot of monkey bread...which might explain all the "junk in my trunk", if you know what I mean. I thought you might like the recipe. Monkey Bread Prehat oven to 380 1 large can of refrigerated biscuits 1/2 stick of butter 1/2 cup of brown sugar 1/4 cup of white sugar 1-2 tablespoons of cinnamon (depends on how cinnamonny you like it) Cut up the biscuits into quarters or eighths. Then either put them in a ziploc bag or a a bowl a pour the mixture of white sugar and cinnamon over them. Mix well. Place pieces in bundt pan. Then in a small sauce pan, melt the butter and brown sugar until it forms a carmel-like sauce. Pour this over the rolls in the bundt pan. Bake for about 15 minutes...or until they turn a gold brown and appear to be cooked all the way through. You can easily double this recipe for larger group or add nuts to the mix if you like.

Licking the Beaters

I don't know how it happened. It boggles my mind. Even after all the gene therapy experiments we did on the kids.....they still ended up with the sweet-tooth gene (found on the 17th chromosome, gene name: CAV-IT-T). It is just so wierd. I mean really, Josh and I CAN'T STAND SWEET TREATS (GROSS YAK YUCK)....I would much rather eat soy or a veggie or a maybe some flaxseed. Sometimes when I have been forced to eat donuts at work...I just plug my nose and swallow the vile things. And then there was our wedding cake. We wanted to just have a huge tower of tofu cubes...but our parents felt that would be too unconventional. So once again, we listened to the peer pressure and we ate the frosted cake.

So tonight, I felt OBLIGATED to make some cookies. I was in this dilemma....I can't stand sweets, but I don't want my kids to miss out on the opportunity to learn how to bake. So as my parental duty....I let them help me. I figured I should let them lick the beaters since well, they say to do that in the baby books (Ewww...who likes creamed sugar and butter?). Man oh man, did they think that was the greatest thing since, well baby food. And well, the sad conclusion hit me. They got the sweet tooth gene. Josh and I now stand here perplexed how both of our kids could love sweets so much. We are now worried about the fact that we NEVER have sugar in our house and as a result, this could make our kids these crazy, deranged, sugar-seekers. So just to be safe and to look out for the best interest of my children, I will be sure to keep a couple of sweets lying around for emergencies only.

So much hope

It is probably so cliche but I just love the beginning of the new year. This year is already shaping up to be one filled with excitement, optimism and opportunity. The first really cool thing is that I know so many people that have recently had babies or will be having babies this year and there is just something so exciting about birth and life. And then, this week we get a new President. HOW FREAKING FABULOUS IS THAT!!! At this point, all you can have is faith that things will get better. I am already impressed by the communication Obama has been having with the public and his cabinet picks have been smart. I was equally humbled and touched by his letter to his daughters. Here is what I really loved about his letter: I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential-schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill in them a sense of wonder about the world around them. I want them to have the chance to go to college-even if their parents aren't rich. And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and retire with dignity. I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you'll live to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region, gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in each other. I just can't agree with him more. I want these same things for my kids...I want them to be accepting of all people to love the differences and to learn from the interactions and situations they are put in. I want my kids to be inspired, to see their potential and to go as fast as they need to and to learn as much as they can. This year is also filled with lots of opportunities for fun. In February I am off to Vegas for work, but I also get to spend a few extra days with my dear mom and my dear friend Jen. Vegas always offers the potential for many memories. Then if it works out, Josh and I are off to Florida to celebrate our 10th year of being together (and 4 years of marriage). 10 years...I love round numbers.....I can only hope that we have several more decades. Josh is such a great hubby and dad. I feel so blessed to have met him 10 years ago. Then in June we are planning a trip back to Arizona for my Grandma Iona's 90th birthday. Can you imagine....90? And I tell you what, she is sharp as a tack. I hope I get those good genes. Flying or driving I can't wait to see my siblings, cousins and the entire family...... Then in August Josh's family is having a Hesch-side reunion. When the Hesch side gets together, it is always beautiful. Then in September, for the first time in what has to be at least 12 years (i think) I get to see my childhood friends. Now you have your friends you meet throughout your life and they are very important and you learn a lot from them....but it is those first friends that form the basis for who you are. We haven't seen each other for years, but I know the minute we get together, it will be just like we have been together these past few years. I can guarantee there will be raucous laughs, crying, dancing, drinking, sunshine and soooooo much fun!! This is also an exciting year for the kids. This spring Mason will start going to George's with Kendall. They will also starting swimming this spring. Then this fall, Kendall will start preschool....that just blows my mind. I clearly remember being pregnant with her and now she is starting school? How did this happen?(wipe away tear)....I am just scared the year will go by so fast. Well, Cheers to an exciting new year!!! Good vibes going out to all of you...I pray that all of you also have an equally good year. Let's all focus our attention on good thoughts, good times, love for the earth, love for self and the body and love for learning. Peace, Becks PS I have been a bad mom, no new pictures lately. To say that the kids are "on the go" is an under-exaggeration. That will be my other goal for the year, more pictures, more reading and writing and just communicating better.

OHHH I am soo excited

It was set today....me and my old pals are doing a girl's weekend. These are the girls I have known from first grade on until now. Over 25 years...that is amazing...and thanks to Facebook we can still stay in touch. Life is good. Shout out for Josh: National Geographic is airing the 35W Bridge project show on Thursday the 15th at 7:00 pm....check it out. And since I still can't post pictures, here is a link that has some new ones.

Round round baby round round, like a record baby...

Hi all, Well, I am sorry for the long delay. I have been having technical difficulties...everytime I try and upload pictures to the blog, it sort of quits working. So meanless to say, it has been a tad frustrating and discouraging....I mean really, who wants to read my blog without pictures? I wouldn't. I had this whole blog out about how Kendall is on the verge of being a fashionista, based on some recent clothing choices she has made....but the blog isn't any good without the pictures. So I just have this wierd belief in circles. Karma is one of the biggest, in that what comes around, goes around. (I won't even get into the political implications of that kind of thinking..) But I also have these wierd instances in my life that things I have said or done, have come back around years later. Many many years ago, I wrote something about wanting to be an HIV researcher. I had no idea or memory of writing it, but a couple of years ago my mom found it. Well, yes, I did do HIV research. Well, the same thing happened the other day. I was checking out one of my favorite mags, The Scientist and there was an article about Niemann-Pick Type C. (SIDE NOTE--I would link the article but now it says you have to be registered to look at it...damn technology).... NPC is a disease where your cells cannot regulate the amount of fat going in and out of the cells. It is more complex then that...but neurologically it is very devastating. ANYWAYS, the article was discussing how NPC is being looked at because it shares very similiar characteristics to Alzheimers. So the wierd thing is that I worked on NPC when I was in college. I was a volunteer in Dr. Erickson's lab and we were trying to find the gene for NPC1. Ara Paraseghian the famous Notre Dame football coach, had three grandchildren with the illness and that eventually passed it away because of it. They lived in Tucson when I was in college. So the article was about two little girls (sisters), that have NPC1 and how they are using the data from them to look at NPC1 and Alzheimers. What is so inspiring is how much their mother(Chris Hempel) has done to get researchers to focus on this disease. She threw a fundraiser that raised over $500,000. She got together with other parents to start a collaborative study looking for NPC biomarkers--which could be done because they were able to provide samples from the children that have the illness. The other cool thing in this is article is who the NPC research is being helped by a new company called Collabrx. Collabrx is a "virtual biotech" company (as quoted from the article)...they help connect researchers with funding sources, as well illness populations that might normally be left out of the NIH big money funding. This allows for research to move quicker, and the hope is to find therapies faster. It helps to cut away all the extra crap that gets in the way. How cool is that....... It's just interesting how things come back around because the other part of this circle is that I have had relatives that have had Alzheimers. Let's all hope that something works out in favor of both illnesses. I will try and post some pictures soon. Sorry!

Just being grateful.....

Josh and I kind of joke that I have bad luck. I never win on scratch tickets or pull tabs, I constantly enter sweepstakes and never win. BUT then we remind ourselves that both of our kids are healthy and neither had myotonic dystrophy (there was a 50% chance)---and have since decided we are the luckiest people on the planet.

So apparently ya'all don't care for the teratomas....

I did have one person that was interested....but all in all the concensus was---NO MORE TUMORS. As an apology, I will post some pictures of the Tatorator and the Masonator. Lately, the two of them have really enjoyed the ever-important laundry basket. Who needs LeapFrogs and doll houses when you can just give them a laundry basket?

Who says you can't wear a shirt as a hat? I think Kendall is a fashionista at heart.....she is unconventional (upside down vest over footy pajamas) and she thinks outside of the box.

Here is the awesome cupcake hat I ordered on etsy....some other children I know may be getting this for christmas. My cupcake looks pretty cute in her cupcake hat.

So disturbing and yet soooo interesting and still soo

GROSS!!!!! WARNING THIS IS A GROSS POST AND YET SCIENTIFICALLY/MEDICALLY STIMULATING!!!! I heard about this article while driving in my car....so when I had the chance, I went over to it. The NY Times has this article about teratomas. A teratoma is a type of cyst. (Read on...this is going to get crazy!) So this true story is about this young woman who goes in to the hospital with migraines and ends up in a coma and they can't figure out what is wrong with her. So they do a bunch of tests and "The only thing that showed up was a tiny cyst on her left ovary. One resident suggested that this tiny cyst, known as a teratoma, could be the cause of her coma. Clark had seen teratomas. They were common in the reproductive tract, often found accidentally in the course of an operation or on a scan done for some other reason. These strange cysts have been a source of fascination since their discovery in the 19th century because, although smooth and normal-appearing on the outside, on the inside they often contain hair and teeth and other tissues not normally seen in the reproductive system. " COME TO FIND OUT--teratomas can make brain cells (and some reports show rudimentary hearts..)--"Somehow the immune system mistakenly identifies these cells as “foreign” and makes antibodies to destroy them. These antibodies go on to attack the same kind of cells in the brain. " So as a result, that is why they think she was having migraines and went into a coma. CONCLUSION: they removed the hair and teeth containing teratoma and she was fine....all was good in the world. IS THAT JUST EWEY GOOEY????? WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING....I am about to show you a picture of a teratoma. It is gross, don't look if you will be sick.

Plastic Sux

From Yahoo--this was a good resource When it says CODE down below, that is the little recycling symbol on the bottom of your bottle with a number on it. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) can leach phthalates, known male reproductive toxicants. It can be identified by code 3. One way to avoid it in the kitchen is by choosing plastic wrap made from polyethylene rather than PVC. If a box is not labeled, find a brand that is or call the manufacturer. Polystyrene is used in Styrofoam products. It may leach styrene (a neurotoxin) when it comes into contact with hot, acidic, or fatty foods. It's marked with recycling code 6. Polycarbonate can leach bisphenol-A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor associated with a long list of health concerns. Baby bottles, "sippy" cups, 5-gallon water jugs, and reusable beverage bottles are typically made out of this plastic. Products may be marked with recycling code 7 (also includes any plastic that doesn't fit into the 1 to 6 recycling code categories) and/or the letters "PC." In response to the widespread concerns about BPA, baby bottles and other items made from alternative materials are springing up. Experts say stainless steel is your best bet for reusable water bottles right now. ThinkSport and Klean Kanteen are two widely available brands. The following plastics are considered safest for food storage. Glass and stainless steel are also good options. Polyethylene terephthalate ethylene (PETE), code 1. High-density polyethylene (HDPE), code 2. Low-density polyethylene (LDPE), code 4. Polypropylene (PP), code 5.

There is this certain store....

which we will call PBK. This store/catalog has really cute things, some affordable, many not. I have bought a few things there (on sale.) But what cracks me up is in the new christmas catalog--they have this kitchen, THE GOURMET KITCHEN:

It is super cute, right? Except for the friggin price tag.....you can buy the set for a bargain price of $897....but if you buy each thing individually, the frig, the stove, the sink---they are each $299.00 Yes, you heard me right, $299 each

So I truck it on over to sears.com and they have this:

Together you can get a real fridge and a real range for $800, which is till less then the play kitchen from PBK....and you can make real cookies, not those fake plastic cookies.