You CAN See!

So much fun! Singing The Star-Spangled Banner at the Bulls game Saturday night was a blast. It was not at all scary, and it was over so fast! That was the largest audience I've ever performed for, although I can't say how many of them were actually paying attention. The best news of all: 1) If I did look pasty, the cameras never got close enough to me to show it. 2) I did fall, but not entering or exiting the court -- not until after the game started and I was out hunting for a slice of pizza. 3) I remembered all the words!

(Me = front row, first on the left)

Why I Love Baking

This, my friends, is what I call a loaf of bread.

Can You See?

Tune in to WGN tomorrow night (December 23) around 7:30 Central time to see members of the Chicago Chamber Choir sing the national anthem for the Bulls/Bobcats game. They tell us the national anthem will be televised.

Reasons I'm terrified:

1. We've been warned to wear plenty of make-up so as not to look "pasty." I always look pasty! I live my life looking like I'm about three melanin cells away from being an albino! I'm going to look like the walking dead.

2. I'm going to trip and fall either entering or leaving the court. I just know it.

3. I'm going to forget the words! To The Star-Spangled Banner! On national television! I will die.

Like a Child-of-the-80s-Turned-Overprotective-Mom

As I was driving home from my choir concert last night, "Like a Virgin" came on the radio. Of course, I immediately started belting along with the Material Girl -- I know the song well. I grew up on this stuff. "Like a virgin -- hey! Touched for the very first time!"

And as I sang and recalled those *shocking!* lyrics, I chuckled a bit to myself. Remember how upsetting that song was to so many grown-ups back in the day? What is Madonna teaching our youth? Oh my god, pre-teen girls are singing about being "like" a virgin! They shouldn't even know what that means! Gasp! I was amused and diverted by this memory for a bit. Please -- like we were harmed by listening to this or any other Madonna song. Give me a break!

And then a little voice in my head said, "But I wouldn't want the twins listening to this, of course! I mean, not until they're at least 25."

O Christmas Tree

We finally managed to get our Christmas tree up last weekend. I like to wait a bit longer than most people because I have a fear of the tree getting old and dry and becoming a large piece of highly flammable kindling sitting in my home. (Does that fear help me remember to water it regularly? No.) Realistically, I know that just because I wait to get the tree doesn't mean it hasn't been sitting on that tree lot for weeks and weeks, shriveling into a dry husk. I try not to think about that.

So as has been our tradition for the last several years, we went to Gesthemane, a lovely (overpriced) garden center near our home. This year, our friendly salesman alerted us to the fact that there's a special bargain-price lot full of less-than-perfect trees. So you're wondering why our tree looks a bit lop-sided? I love it just the way it is.

My tree-decorating theme? "Ornaments Kelly Likes." I'm consistent, so they all look good together, but otherwise there isn't much tying things together. Mental note -- I am no longer allowed to buy tons of new ornaments every year, no matter how super cute and awesome Gesthemane's new ornaments are. We barely found room for all the ornaments we already have on this not-small tree. One new ornament per year, max.

The Eagle Has Landed

Thanks, Nanette!!


Now it's time I reciprocate.

Technical Difficulties

A few of you have reported trouble trying to post comments on the blog lately. Sorry, guys. I assume the problem is that I finally gave in to those nagging messages from Blogger.com to "upgrade" to Blogger Beta. I think Blogger Beta needed to undergo a bit more beta testing before they rolled it out and shoved it on us.

I have no idea how long this problem will persist, but know that I feel your pain. Feel free to email your witty comments directly to me so at least someone gets to appreciate them.

Supah Stah

That's me! On TV! (I'm the one on the left.)

Those of you who missed the Chicago Chamber Choir's media blitz this morning, have no fear! Visit the WGN archive and choose "Toy Drive, Chicago Chamber Choir 12/15" to see a (brief) clip of us singing "Carol of the Bells." (We performed several other songs, but that's the only one in the archive.) Here is a lovely shot of us singing for WGN.

And go to the WBEZ archive for Eight-Forty-Eight and choose the December 15 program to hear us sing "Caroling, Caroling," "Angels We Have Heard on High," and "Christmas Time Is Here." (We are about the last 10 minutes of the program, so you can fast-forward straight to the end.)

Next week, we're singing the national anthem at a Bulls game -- more details to come.

Reminder: Tune In Tomorrow!

Don't forget! Tune in to WBEZ tomorrow morning, December 15, between 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM Central time (you can listen online at wbez.org). On Eight-Forty-Eight with Steve Edwards, the Chicago Chamber Choir gives a sneak peek at our upcoming holiday concert, and director Timm Adams chats a bit about the choir. Our segment is about 10 minutes long -- I'm not sure where we fall in the 9:00 to 10:00 block, so you'll just have to listen to the whole thing. If you miss the broadcast, you can go to the site later and listen to the archive.

Also, CCC will be appearing on the WGN morning news program tommorow, December 15, between 6:30 AM and 7:30 AM Central time to sing Christmas carols as locals drop off presents for WGN's holiday gift drive. If you're awake that early and receive WGN broadcasts (I understand it's in some satellite TV packages, for those of you who aren't in Chicago or its surroundings), be sure to tune in!

If you're planning to join us for our Carols By Candlelight concert, reserve your tickets now! The December 17th concert is in serious danger of selling out.

Is it me you're looking for?

These days, this is how a typical conversation with me goes:

You: Hey, Kelly!

Me: Hi! How are you?

You: I'm great, thanks for asking! How are you?

Me: Oh, we're fantastic. The girls are doing just great. Sophia's standing now, did you hear? And Evelyn is mastering two-word phrases. I mean, they're just so advanced. It's incredible. And did I tell you about Sophia's adorable obsession with penguins? So cute! She calls them "beedee" -- isn't that the cutest thing ever?

You: Well, that's great. So how are you doing?

Me: Oh, great. You know. The girls keep me busy. Yesterday, they had physical therapy, which is just so much fun, and of course they have their 18-month check-up coming up, and then there's their holiday photo shoot. Our schedule is pretty full!

You: [exhibiting great patience] That sounds like a handful! I've had a lot going on lately, too.

Me: Really? That's great. Did I tell you about Sophia's newest word? Window! Isn't that great? That brings her total word count to 47 -- mama, dada, bubble, baby, puppy ... [etc.]

As you can see, I've completely lost my ability to talk about anything other than my kids. In every conversation, I talk about them every chance I get. I'm constantly thinking about more interesting things I could be telling you about them, if only I could find a way to fit it into the conversation. Because you're dying to know, right? Everyone is. I'm sure of it.

So, fine. I'm obsessed with my kids. Most parents of young children are, right? Seems perfectly normal to me. However, it's been occurring to me lately that not only do I love to talk about my kids -- I now have no desire to talk about myself. Because I don't really have any interest in myself. I am secondary. When I take the girls out and people ooo and ahh over them but don't even say hello to me, I'm not offended. I'm pleased. When people ask what's going on in my life that isn't kid-related, I have nothing to say. Sure, I have lots going on. I could talk about choir or my freelance work or my gripping addiction to World of Warcraft. But who wants to talk about me? The Girls! Are! So Cute!

Is it bad that I've lost most of my own identity in them? Should I be fighting to maintain some sense of individuality, some Kelly-ness? A tiny shred of interest in anything other than them? A little voice in the back of my head wonders about this, but I'm too busy dressing the girls up in cute outfits and taking pictures of them to pay it any mind.

More Cooking with Kelly

I promise this is not going to turn into a cooking blog. I swear. (I'm not a good enough cook to pull that off.) It's just that I've been trying out some new recipes lately, and wanted to share the results with you.

So yesterday's dinner was also from Rachael Ray's Express Lane Meals (I know, I know, but what can I say? The woman has about a bajillion books with easy recipes, and I don't cook if it ain't easy. Baking -- that's another matter. I love a baking challenge.)

I made Rachael's Smoky Sweet-Potato Chicken Stoup. (Seriously, Rachael, stoup? And EVOO? Can you quit trying to cutsey up the English language?) Loved it! Very flavorful, a little spicy, and easy. This "30 minute" meal took me about an hour and a half to make, but I did have distractions and I'm not a terribly efficient cook. Your mileage may vary.


Smoky Sweet Potato Chicken Stoup

Serves 4 (according to RR, but those are some big portions -- serves more like 6 around my house)

2 T EVOO
2 medium carrots, peeled
2 celery ribs
1 large onion
1 large sweet potato
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 chipotle chili in adobo, finely chopped
salt and black pepper
1/2 t dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine
1 quart plus 1 cup chicken stock
1 package chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves (I skipped this, seeing as I have that cilantro intolerance)
1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish (optional)

Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat with the EVOO. While the oil heats, cut the carrots in half lengthwise, then slice into thin half moons. Add the carrots to the pot, stirring to coat the carrots in the oil. Chop and drop in the celery and onion, chopping them as small as you can, but don't make yourself crazy.

Peel and then cut the sweet potato into quarters lengthwise, then thinly slice them into bite-size pieces. Add the sweet potato, garlic, and chipotle and stir to combine. Season the veggies with salt and pepper, the thyme, and the bay leaf. Cook the veggies together for 1 minute. Add the wine to the vegetables and reduce for a minute. Add the stock to the pot, cover the pot, and raise the heat to high.

When the stoup boils, remove the cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the cut-up chicken and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through. Turn the heat off, discard the bay leaf, and stir in the scallions and cilantro. Serve each portion of stoup with a dollop of sour cream on top.

Yummy.

I did have some serious tendinitis after chopping up that large sweet potato -- ouch! Add a fancy mandolin slicer to my Christmas wish list.

On the topic of cilantro: I have to express my absolute shock at being unable to find much info online to share with you about cilantro intolerances/allergies. (In case you're not familiar with the affliction -- for those of us with the cilantro intolerance, cilantro tastes like soap. Gross. Fortunately for me, my intolerance is fairly mild, so I can handle it in small doses. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to eat at Chipotle.) When I did a search on "cilantro intolerance" (in quotes) using Google, I got only one hit! What's up with that? At least a quarter of the people I know, maybe more, share the cilantro intolerance with me. They say Julia Child had the cilantro intolerance. Why on earth can't I find more information about it?

Got God?

As a non-believer, I find these ads (parodies of the Mac vs. PC ads) to be very interesting. I think I approve of their message, if I understand it correctly. Worry more about doing/being good than looking/seeming good -- I can get on board with that. (Not so much the following Jesus part, but you know me.)

Discuss.

Last Night's Leek-tastic Dinner

I don't want to encroach on Rug's Bug's territory, but I thought I'd share with y'all the recipe I used for last night's dinner. Not too shabby. (I have lots of leeks leftover -- let me know if you want some!)

Rachael Ray's Leek-y Chicken and Couscous (from Express Lane Meals)

Serves 4

1-1/2 cups chicken stock
2 T unsalted butter
1/4 cup golden raisins, chopped
1-1/2 cups plain couscous
2 T EVOO
1-1/2 pounds chicken tenders, cut into large bite-size pieces
salt and black pepper
2 medium or 1 large leek(s)
1 cup dry white wine
handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Heat the chicken stock and 1 T of the butter in a medium pot with a tight-fitting lid. When the liquid boils, add the raisins and couscous. Take the pan off the heat. Stir the couscous and place the lid on the pot. Let it stand.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the EVOO. Add the chicken in a single layer and season it with salt and pepper. While the chicken browns on all sides, trim the rough tops and the root ends off the leeks.

Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, then cute them into 1-inch half moons. Place the leeks in a colander and run them under cold water. Separate the layers to release the dirt and grit. Rinse well, then drain well.

Add the leeks to the chicken and wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine and let it cook down by half, 3 to 4 minutes. The leeks should still have some color but should be tender and the chicken should be cooked through. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and swirl into the sauce.

Fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the parsley. Place a bed of couscous on each dinner plate and top it with the chicken and leeks.

(Interesting how typing out the recipe showed me the many steps I neglected or didn't exactly follow. Hmm. Well, it turned out just fine, despite my poor comprehension skills.)

Tune In

I spent this afternoon at WBEZ's studio on Chicago's Navy Pier. My choir recorded a selection of songs from our upcoming holiday concert, to be broadcast Friday, December 15, between 9:00 am and 10:00 am Central time (on Eight-Forty-Eight with Steve Edwards, who so doesn't look like what I thought he'd look like).

If you live in WBEZ's broadcast area, you have no excuse not to listen (it's 91.5 on your FM dial). And those of you who live outside the area -- you also have no excuse. You can listen to a live streaming broadcast by visiting wbez.org and choosing "Listen Now."

Don't worry, I'll remind you.

Holiday Gift Guide

I've seen lots of holiday gift guides on the web lately. I think I'm uniquely qualified to put together a list that should be useful to most (if not all!) of you, a compilation of gift suggestions for a very special person with specific tastes and preferences. You guessed it: This is My Guide to Buying Gifts for Me! I hope you all put it to good use.

Gifts to Buy Me for Less than $10

Seriously, you can't shell out any more than that for me? Fine. This will do nicely, thank you very much. (Baby, it's cold outside. But hopefully it's at least 170 degrees F inside that pork roast!)

Less than $20

Doesn't every editor need this shirt? And every blogger needs this one.

And the ultimate in fromage -- my mouth waters just thinking about it.

Less than $30

Chocolate. What more do I have to say?

Less than $40

If you're at all interested in strategy board games, you'll pick this one up for yourself, too.

Less than $50

I need layers to make it through a Chicago winter.

Less than $70

Don't these look cozy?

Less than $90

These should look fab on my curvy hips. Size 8, please.

Less than $200

I have a family to feed, people!

And every girl needs some bling.

$25,000 or more

It's not for me -- it's for the kids! The old Focus wagon just doesn't have the cargo space I need.

Okay, that should be enough to get you started. Happy shopping!

(Unbeknownst to me when writing this post, Shannon tagged me with a Dear Santa meme. I'm thrilled to note that I fulfilled the requirements of the meme without even knowing I was doing it! That's efficiency for you.)

Shovel This

Dear people in Chicagoland (and elsewhere) who don't shovel your sidewalks (specifically, the next-door-neighbors -- damn pigeon lovers! -- and assorted homeowners in Lincoln Park):

I hate you! I hate you! Get off your lazy bum and shovel your sidewalk! Or pay someone to do it for you! Do you have any idea how hard it is to push a fully loaded twin stroller through the icy, slushy obstacle course you've created? Do you? How do you think people in wheelchairs navigate that mess? Huh? Well? What do you have to say for yourself? No -- I don't want to hear it. Just take this shovel and get to work. Yes, I know it's much harder to shovel now that the snow has melted and refrozen into a rock-solid mass. You should have thought of that last week when you were too lazy to shovel the fresh, fluffy, newly fallen snow, all two inches of it.

Did I mention that I hate you?

Movie Review: Happy Feet

(What? What's that you say? You think I should have to see more than 20 minutes of a movie before writing a review? Well, if you feel so strongly about it, you might as well just skip this post.)

We took Evelyn and Sophia to see Happy Feet this weekend because Sophie is obsessed with penguins (or "bee-dees," as she calls them). We knew going in that it was highly unlikely we'd be staying for the whole movie. The girls did astonishingly well -- if there hadn't been 20 minutes of freakin' previews, we could have stayed for most of the movie. Sophie had a lovely time and seemed to be just about ready to nod off right before we left. Evie, however, became bored with the show and decided she'd rather play peek-a-boo with mommy, flirt with the people sitting behind us, and grumble and groan about not being able to crawl around. We decided it was best to head out before things got ugly.

I loved the first 20 minutes! The music, the characters, the animation -- so much fun. I loved the way they used pop songs for the penguins' heart songs. It reminded me a lot of the use of popular music in Moulin Rouge, except that I liked it in Happy Feet (not so much in Moulin Rouge). And you gotta give mad props to a kids' movie that so prominently features a Prince song.

Someday, I hope to see the rest of Happy Feet. For now, please don't tell me how it ends.