Sneak Peek : Nick & Stacy eventually

You sure can't count on on anything in life. Life is the most fragile, unstable, unpredictable thing there is. In fact there is only one thing in life you can be sure of... it ain't over 'til it's over.
-Meredith Grey (Grey's Anatomy)

This past week has been amazing. This past week has forever changed the history of The United States of America and me. This past week I saw the most amazing thing take place that I have seen to date (minus the first time I locked eyes with my love... David (duh)).

You may think that I am over reacting, but for me our country's President Elect Barack Obama means more than we have a black President. For me this is something that as a child, I dreamed that I would see. Seriously though, I never thought that I would live see it see this in my lifetime. In less than 90 days I will be able to sit with my curly hair, light skin and memories of being inferior for as long as I can remember. Sitting next to my white husband and mother, mocha colored sister, dark chocolate hued brother, blue eyed nephew and black father when our first biracial President will be inaugurated.

To think that three generations ago my great grandmother was picking cotton along side others just like herself, black. To think that four generations ago my family didn't know their real names because they were property that dawned the names of their masters. To think that my paternal grandmother, Macie, will live to see that our struggle has paid off.

I was trying to relate to a friend of mine this past week that there is no way that someone not of color could relate to this feeling. Those who have never been called the N-word, in the third grade, by who a girl they thought was their friend, amidst playing on the elementary school playground could never understand. Just as Dr. Meredith Grey said, life is unpredictable.

On a lighter note...

I had an awesome just because session on Saturday. David and my friends Nick and Stacy were the best models a photographer could ask for. Put aside the fact that we were FREEZING (except for my human heater, David) the four of us could not have had more fun! Especially all of our jokes and hot chocolate from Mildred's coffee shop(Mmmmm). We are not sure what they put in that stuff, but man is it tasty.



Since Nick can work magic with a computer, no, really, he was one of the visual artists behind the smoke monster on the popular television show, Lost. I was really excited for this shot. This couple was game for all of my crazy ideas for their session.



I am in love with this shot! I have wanted it for so long. What great friends I have!





Tonight David and I wanted Chipotle SO badly, but we fought the urge. Instead we made paella. Since I lived in Spain I know real paella, but this was pretty dang close. I have to go now... my DVR is telling us that True Blood is on. Have a great Monday!

P.S. Sorry for those of you without a Mac. The photos show up SO much better on Mac screens. PCs make me sad!

Here is the recipe we use for our paella (minus the ocean creatures of course):

10 small to medium chicken drumsticks
1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil
2 c. medium shrimp, enough for about 5 per person
1 medium Spanish onion, diced (We used about 1/3 of a white onion)
1/2 c. pureed tomatoes
1 tsp. course salt, or to taste
1 tsp. saffron threads (You do NOT need this many, really just a pinch. About 7-9 threads)
2 Tbsp. sweet pimenton (Spanish smoked paprika. You can really only find this spice along with the saffron threads at a specialty spice store like Penszey. In Kansas there is one in Downtown Overland Park.)
4 quarts chicken stock (We used on of those really big cans.)
2 cups Bomba or other short grain rice
1 lb. clams, scrubbed
1 c. peas (Frozen worked fine)
10 spears pencil asparagus (We omitted this.)
1 in. pieces of sausage (We also omitted this.)
I add red and yellow peppers too.

(Hard to believe that I actually had ALL of this stuff in my kitchen. That is a good Mormon wife for ya.)

Preheat your oven to 400. Place the drumsticks on a backing sheet and season all over with salt and extra-virgin olive oil. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes and set aside.

In the meantime heat a 14 to 18 inch paella pan (or iron skillet) over medium-high head. Add the oil and heat. When the pan and oil is hot add the shrimp and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add the onion to the pan and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Push the onions into the center of the pan and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the salt around the edges of the pan.

Add the tomato puree, stirring it into the onions, and cook for 3 minutes. Add the remaining salt, the saffron, pimenton and cool, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add chicken stock, bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir well to distribute it evenly. Add clams, drumsticks, arranging them nicely throughout the pan. Then add the peas and asparagus and bring the stock to a boil, and cook, WITHOUT stirring, for 10 minutes. Taste for salt and add it if more is needed, then cook, again WITHOUT stirring, for 10 more minutes, or until the liquid is almost completely absorbed and the pan starts to make a crackling noise (this is normal when cooking paella, but doesn't happen to us when we cook it in our iron skillet).

Remove from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes for serving.

FYI: When we used 2 tsp. of the smoked Spanish paprika it was WAY to much. 1 tsp for us was perfect. You can always add more later. Also, watch out for the size pan. The bigger the better. You have to fit a lot of stuff in it. You can modify the amount of chicken stock.