Aaron's First Sip of Soda

I never liked soda. Apparently, neither does my son.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Wouldn't it be grand if all your life decisions could be made by one of those nifty Magic 8 Balls? Actually, no. That would be terrible, and lead to some very poor calls of judgment. But sometimes I wish life's choices weren't always so darn complex.

I am in the process of sorting out a few major areas of my life, and trying to make a handful of significant decisions. Some of the decisions have to do with work, some with my personal life. All of them are characterized by exciting, uncharted possibilities.

Whenever I have an important decision to make, I do four things:

1. I become more introspective, prone to longer stretches of silence or writing in my journal.
2. I seek out the counsel and opinions of a handful of trustworthy friends and family.
3. I pray and ask God for direction.
4. I listen to my intuition.

Other people might have different decision-making tools. I have heard of individuals who flip a Bible open to a random page, close their eyes, and point - whatever sentence their finger lands on is their directive. Then there are those who visit fortune tellers or tarot readers to find their path.

Armed with some personal discernment and wise counsel of others, I usually make good decisions.

If that doesn't work, maybe I'll spend the $9.99 on a Magic 8 Ball.

Aaron Moments

 All packed for a trip to the grocery store.

 Peek-a-boo!

 He did this himself, and thought it was the funniest thing ever.

 Fishy face.

 Story time with Dad.

 Simultaneously cooling down during a hot summer day, and working on eliminating that farmer's tan.

Stickers - endless fun for a toddler.

My Life in Verbs

I'm currently...

wishing: I took a business class or two in college
disliking: the plague of ants that has hijacked our kitchen
reading: The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
missing: the perfect beaches of my island home of Maui, Hawaii
wanting: to plant an herb and vegetable garden in our front yard
improving: my Fruit Ninja skills on the iPhone
realizing: I have some of the most fantastic friends in the universe
loving: going to the beautiful Huntington Gardens on my day off
considering: writing children's fiction
watching: no TV this month (Steve and I are on a TV hiatus); but I did see Scott Pilgrim vs. the World  
regretting: allowing the hot LA weather to deter me from my running regimen this week
hoping: that in the midst of work and responsibilities, I can focus on the most important things in my life

What are you currently doing?

Orange Marmalade

Look at this...homemade marmalade! I am officially destined to be a grandma who lives on a farm.

Why would anyone make their own jam these days?

When you walk through a grocery store searching for preserved fruit, you're bound to be overwhelmed with the mind-blowing number of options. Jams, jellies, and marmalades span entire aisles, and you can easily pluck a jar off the shelf and be on your merry way. So very simple!

Well, after having a taste of some homemade orange marmalade on a piece of warm toast, I'll tell you why one might make their own jam. Because homemade jam is absolutely a-m-a-z-i-n-g. Homemade jam is fresh, potent with flavor, and gives you the pleasurable experience of being transported to the good ol' days before Smuckers took over the fruit preserves world, when people made their own jams and jellies.

This orange marmalade was my first foray into the canning world. Since I had never canned anything before, I did my research beforehand. I perused cookbooks, read canning 101 articles on the internet, collected the necessary kitchen tools and canning supplies. Then, with a few hours of free time one night, I went to work on my marmalade.

Along the way, I learned some valuable canning lessons. Such as...

• Producing those tiny orange peel slices is maddeningly tedious work. Seriously, if I could have hired a personal sous chef to do that job, I would have done it in a heartbeat.

• You do NOT want to know how much sugar goes into marmalade. Or if you are privy to that unfortunate bit of knowledge, it is best not to think about it while enjoying your jam.

• After processing your marmalade (i.e. boiling the filled jars in hot water to create an airtight seal), do not even think of touching them for at least 24 hours while they cool and set. My curiosity got the best of me, and I held one jar up at an angle to check how it was setting. That mistake produced a jar of runnier marmalade - still tasty, but missing that good jelled consistency of the untouched jars. 

• Canning is an art that takes focus, time, and experience. The process cannot be rushed, and any cook is going to learn through some trial and error.

That said, the marmalade was delicious. Even after giving a few jars away to friends, we have a couple sitting in our pantry, just waiting to be devoured. Since most of my mornings these days involve orange marmalade on toast, they probably won't last very long.

Orange Marmalade (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook) 

4 medium oranges

1 medium lemon

1 1/2 cups water

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

5 cups sugar

1/2 of a 6-ounce package liquid fruit pectin

Peel oranges and lemon. Scrape off the bitter white portions of peels with a sharp knife and discard. Cut peels into thin strips. Bring peels, water, and baking soda to a boil. Cover; simmer for 20 minutes. Do not drain. Section fruits, reserving juices; discard seeds. Cut fruit into 1-inch pieces. Add fruit and juices to peel mixture; return to boiling. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Measure 3 cups of the mixture. In an 8- to 10-quart heavy kettle combine fruit mixture and sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Quickly stir in pectin. Return to a full rolling boil; boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; skim off foam with a metal spoon. Ladle into hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims with a clean towel, and adjust lids. Process in a boiling-water canner for 5 minutes. Remove jars; cool on racks for 24 hours. Use within 6 months. Makes 6 half pints. 

Why This Will Never Be a Wildly Popular Blog

I recently came across Copyblogger's post titled The 7 Secrets of Running a Wildly Popular Blog. As I read it, I had to laugh to myself while this thought ran through my mind, "Wow, I will never be a popular blogger." Not that I haven't developed relationships with some loyal readers (hi, mom!), but this blog is simply not destined to have hundreds of comments and thousands of hits. I just don't have it in me to build a Dooce-like empire of a blog. Here are a few reasons why...

• I don't spend every waking moment blogging. While I love blogging, my life is full of non-blog activities. I am a wife, mom, friend and campus minister. I also have some new business ventures, not to mention a ridiculously long list of hobbies and pastimes. That reality results in one or two blog posts per week, which is too few and far between, according to most blog analysts. Some people can afford to blog full-time, and develop hundreds of connections with readers and fellow bloggers. If I'm lucky, I spend a few hours a week on blog-related activities.

• I am not a savvy blog networker. Before my son was born, I spent more time reading and commenting on other blogs. In my current life stage however, I find it challenging enough to maintain real life relationships. Even though I read a considerable amount of blogs, I very rarely comment on them, join in blogger meet-ups, or attend blog conferences. I have met some very intriguing people though blogging, but don't really have the time or social energy to invest a lot into those relationships.

• My blog is sometimes witty and insightful, but mostly genuine and heartfelt. People (myself included) generally gravitate toward blogs that are funny, snarky, clever, or controversial, like FAIL Blog or Perez Hilton. Aside from the rare interesting moment in my life (anyone remember the interracial marriage blog confrontation?), I mostly write about real life things. Such as my son, food I love, and life lessons being learned by this 29-year-old lass. Some people (I hope) find my offerings worth reading, but many will probably move on after a quick glance and the realization that I lead a relatively simple, unglamorous life.

I started this blog about 3 1/2 years ago. Its genesis came from a moment of spontaneity, and the thought, "I think I want to try this blogging thing." For a while, I was intrigued with the notion of becoming a notorious blogger surrounded by lots of hype and fans. But I soon came to the conclusion that simply isn't who I am as a blogger. I blog as an outlet of creative expression. I blog because I enjoy inviting others into my life. I blog to share simple joys with anyone who might come across my little nook of the internet.

A warm, wholehearted thanks to all of you who read The Larissa Monologues, despite its humble status. Thanks for allowing me to be myself, and joining me in the journey. I promise to stay true to my authentic self and voice on this blog.

Frayed Apron Update

Hi there, friends! How are you on this lovely August day?

It has been a busy week of hosting out-of-town family (including one of my Top Five Favorite People, my mother), preparing for another school year at the university I work at, and working on various Frayed Apron things.

Running a new business while simultaneously being a mom of a toddler and part-time campus minister can be tricky at times. But with the help and support of friends and family, Frayed Apron is continuing to grow. I get so much joy and life from creating things for others, and am loving the process of developing Frayed Apron.

Here are a few new things on the Frayed Apron line...

Knotted Silver Wire Pendant

Teal & White Vintage Button Magnets

Silver Knotted Wire Ring

And for you foodies out there, my newest granola blend, Almond & Cranberry Granola

Check out more Frayed Apron jewelry, accessories, art and other items at my online Etsy shop and granola shop.