Stand up and cheer! version 2.0

Stand up and cheer!, originally uploaded by MrsBinParis.

Just like her big sister, she's got green in her genes.

Fight on, Sioux!

My girl

...on a rainy day..., originally uploaded by MrsBinParis.

She looks like me.

She loves things I love. Music. Art. Dancing. Good stories.

She's stubborn.

She's got a lot of fears. Heights. Zombies (even though she doesn't really know what they are.) Changing tables. Being alone.

But she's really brave, too. And she keeps trying. She works to conquer her fears.

She loves people. She wants to be everyone's friend. She believes everyone is her friend, even when they don't know who she is. She wants the whole world to love each other. She doesn't understand why some people do mean things. But she forgives them, right away. Because they are her friends.

She gets bored easily, so she sings songs she makes up, paints a new picture, dances to some music, explores and comes back with a handful of flowers, for me.

She says, "I love you!" Often. And she smiles. It warms your heart. She giggles, and everyone around her smiles, too.

I watch her, and I wish I could know more. I wish I knew what I was like at her age. I wish I knew what worked, and what didn't. How to solve the problems I can't figure out. I wish I knew what my mom felt when I was the four year old, and she was the one struggling and enjoying every minute.

Then, she does this. As I'm snapping away, she sticks her tongue out, and I see it. She's got something of her, too. Her grandma's sense of humor, apparently, is in the genes.

And I know, I'm blessed.

Cowboy Caviar Bean Dip

I made this for church coffee hour today, so thought I'd share the recipe here, too. This is one of my favorites, and I've just started tinkering with the recipe to make it a bit zippier, with not so much sugar or oil. Today's result was a hit, so I'm putting it here to make it easy for me to reference again.

My original recipe is from my Aunt Carol, but I made a few changes to suit our preferences, and it's easily adaptable. This is kind of a family tradition at the holidays, and it is always a big hit at parties. It makes a lot but keeps well in the fridge since it's in a vinegar/sugar dressing. I mix it up in an ice cream bucket. Serve with a slotted spoon.

• 2 cans black eyed peas  (rinse & drain)
• 2 cans pinto beans  (rinse & drain)
• 2 cans black beans   (rinse & drain)
• 2 cans shoe peg corn  (drained)
• 1 small can chopped green chiles (drained)
• 1 can sliced jalapenos, drained and chopped fine
• 1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped fine
• 1 med. diced onion (chop fine)
• 1 c. chopped celery (chop fine)
• 1 c. chopped sweet peppers (I used a mix of red, orange and yellow.)

Bring to boil:

• 3/4 c. cider vinegar
• 1/4 c. oil
• 1/2 c. sugar
• juice of one lime
• 2 T. Penzey's Bold Taco seasoning (or any taco seasoning)
• 1 T. Creole Seasoning (Tony Chachere's, or any other all-purpose season salt--to taste.)
• 1 T. Crystal Sauce (or Tabasco)

Bring to boil----cool and pour over ingredients. I do the dressing first, and by the time the veggies are chopped, it is cool enough to pour over. Allow to marinate several hours in the refrigerator. Serve with a slotted spoon and tortilla chips (scoops are perfect).  Keeps a long time in fridge. This can easily be cut in half, but this size serves a crowd!