December 19, 2007

Dayton's (Macys) Annual 8th Floor Holiday Display

(Every November for the last four decades, the downtown Minneapolis store on Nicollet between 7th and 8th Streets that was long known as Dayton's, and is now Macy's, has put up an animated exhibit/mechanical holiday display in its eighth floor auditorium. Each year the exhibit features scenes from a popular children's story: The Wind in the Willows was one year; Santa Bear another; Harry Potter another. Some stories repeat for a new generation of children. The displays are designed to delight and entertain young children, from those in strollers to those learning to puzzle out the words on the panels for themselves.)

December 18, 2007

Merry Christmas Wreath

INFP, Me, Mary mother of our Saviour and E.T.

INFP

you can see what you are at http://similarminds.com/jung.html

Profile by David Keirsey
INFPs present a calm, pleasant face to the world and are seen as reticent and even shy. Although they demonstrate a cool reserve toward others, inside they are anything but distant. They have a capacity for caring which is not always found in other types. They care deeply-indeed, passionately-about a few special persons or a cause. One word that captures this type is idealistic. At times, this characteristic leaves them feeling isolated, especially since INFPs are found in only 1 percent of the general population. INFPs seek unity in their lives, unity of body and mind, emotions and intellect. They often have a subtle tragic motif running through their lives, but others seldom detect this inner minor key. The deep commitment of INFPs to the positive and the good causes them to be alert to the negative and the evil, which can take the form of a fascination with the profane. Thus INFPs may live a paradox, drawn toward purity and unity but looking over the shoulder toward the sullied and desecrated. When INFPs believe that they have yielded to an impure temptation, they may be given to acts of self-sacrifice in atonement. The atonement, however, is within the INFP, who does not feel compelled to make public the issue.
INFPs prefer the valuing process over the purely logical. They respond to the beautiful versus the ugly, the good versus the bad, and the moral versus the immoral. Impressions are gained in a fluid, global, diffused way. Metaphors and similes come naturally but may be strained. INFPs have a gift for interpreting symbols, as well as creating them, and thus often write in lyric fashion. They may demonstrate a tendency to take deliberate liberties with logic. Unlike the NT, they see logic as something optional. INFPs also may, at times, assume an unwarranted familiarity with a domain, because their global, impressionistic way of dealing with reality may have failed to register a sufficient number of details for mastery. INFPs may have difficulty thinking in terms of a conditional framework; they see things as either real or fancied, and are impatient with the hypothetical.

INFP Strengths
Most INFPs will exhibit the following strengths with regards to relationship issues:
Warmly concerned and caring towards others
Sensitive and perceptive about what others are feeling
Loyal and committed - they want lifelong relationships
Deep capacity for love and caring
Driven to meet other's needs
Strive for "win-win" situations
Nurturing, supportive and encouraging
Likely to recognize and appreciate other's need for space
Able to express themselves well
Flexible and diverse

INFP Weaknesses
Most INFPs will exhibit the following weaknesses with regards to relationship issues:
May tend to be shy and reserved
Don't like to have their "space" invaded
Extreme dislike of conflict
Extreme dislike of criticism
Strong need to receive praise and positive affirmation
May react very emotionally to stressful situations
Have difficulty leaving a bad relationship
Have difficulty scolding or punishing others
Tend to be reserved about expressing their feelings
Perfectionistic tendancies may cause them to not give themselves enough credit
Tendency to blame themselves for problems, and hold everything on their own shoulders

December 17, 2007

Presents under the tree...

Finally!

I have been wanting to post something I have been working on for the past 5 days! But I had to keep it a secret until everything was finished and given away. I had this idea back in September to make a gift for my different groups of friends. I have the Monday night group, the Thursday night group, the high school friend group... just lots of groups. So I thought, what would be something simple to make for my friends, that would be fun, but sweet. Enter: CUPCAKES! I found these great Martha Stewart cupcake holders on clearance at Micheal's, so all i needed to do now was make the cupcakes. I decided on Butter Cake with Fudge Frosting, Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Frosting and Chocolate cake with Cream Cheese frosting. Everyone got two of each flavor... fun and easy and sweet!

Also tonight, my Monday night ladies got together for a Christmas dinner. Megan got out her fun Christmas dishes and we all shared a perfect meal of Hoisin Pork Loin, Green Beans, Orzo and French Bread. Along with yummy appetizers and delicious brownies. Megan graciously let me use her fancy crock-pot for the pork. My crock pot only sets high or low, while hers you can set to different cooking times, and then it turns to warm all on its own when the allotted time is up. I used a Rachael Ray recipe for the pork... so simple and easy. The meal was wonderful and it was great to sit and chat with some of my favorite girls! Merry Christmas!

Hoisin Pork Loin

serves 6
Ingredients:
3lbs pork loin boneless
1 jar hoisin sauce (3/4 cup )
3 clove garlic smashed
2 tablespoons ginger -- grated fresh
1 tablespoons chili paste
1 tablespoons rice wine or rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 scallions -- white and green parts only sliced on an angle
1/3 cup cilantro -- chopped *(i didn't use these in my meal)

Put the pork loin in the slow cooker. Mix hoisin sauce, garlic cloves, ginger, rice wine, soy sauce and sesame oil. Whisk in corn starch then pour over pork. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove pork and let rest for 10 minutes. Pour cooking liquid into a bowl and let stand for 10 minutes. Skim any fat from the sauce.Slice the pork and arrange on a platter. Sprinkle the scallions and cilantro on top. Serve the Asian sauce on the side.

Santa's Workshop

Today my cousin Kelly hosted a Santa's Workshop Wrapping and Cookie Exchange Party! Kelly went all out with treats and wrapping paper for everyone.

There was a great mix of women there, and we had fun chatting and eyeing each other's gifts! We also did a cookie exchange where everyone brought 2 dozen cookies to swap. Everyone brought great cookies to share, now i have a super great variety!

I made one of my favorite childhood cookies, Melting Moments, with pink and green frosting. Melting Moments are exactly what their name is, they melt in your mouth in a moment.

As a joke I also made Kelly mini bundt cakes. We were talking the other day, while I was making cupcakes, and she said, "are you making a dozen cupcakes for the party?" Of course I wasn't, but we joked about someone bringing 2 dozen bundt cakes to pass around! I had so much fun laughing and joking around with the ladies at the party, including Kelly's pastor of her church, Pastor Anne. I think if more churches had pastors like Anne, more people would probably go! She is a wonderful lady, with a great sense of humor. Kelly's BFF Sarah was also there, and that girl is a hoot! She has forever and always cracked me up! Today was no different! I can't wait to see what shenanigans she has planned for the following week... rumor has it that there is some sort of "game night" in the works, with lots of mixing and mingling! Good Times!

Melting Moments
makes 2 dozen
INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup butter

FROSTING
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup butter
4 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

COOKIE DIRECTIONS
Combine dry ingredients. Cream butter until fluffy. Add to flour mixture and beat thoroughly.
Refrigerate 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place about 1 1/2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten with lightly floured fork. Bake for about 20 minutes or until edges are just lightly browned. Don't overbake.

FROSTING DIRECTIONS
In a bowl beat butter or margarine until fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of the confectioners' sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in the 1/4 milk and vanilla. Slowly beat in remaining sugar. Beat in additional milk, if needed, to make of spreading consistency. Tint with food color, if desired.

(are you happy heather! blog slack! whatevs!) :)

December 16, 2007

Christmas Cookie Exchange!