Selamat Natal!

Selamat Natal! {Merry Christmas} from Indonesia!

We love you all!

The reason for our celebration:

"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!"

Luke 2: 10-11

Thanks for all the Christmas love from afar!

This is my {katie} fam from Roseburg. . . my typical Christmas location. We got to skype with all of them on our Christmas Eve, and it completely MADE MY DAY :) 

I really wish I could be dressed like them in their cold weather get-up! Thanks for sharing the Christmas spirit with us! We also got to skype with Chris's family, but I wasn't savvy enough yet with screen capture to get a picture :( 

Annnnnd congratulations to my cousin Spencer and wife Sarah on their new baby boy!

Reed Thomas Heard! What a beautiful Christmas blessing!

We are feeling truly blessed by all the love from family and friends. 

Distance aint got nothin' on us! 

We look forward to the days when we can celebrate with you all again, but we're also thanking God for the chance to make new memories and traditions on our first Christmas together. 

Selamat Natal!

Christmas Baking

Here's a little picture recap of our baking the past two days. 

Boy am I thankful we got that oven when we did! I would have been a little depressed if I didn't get to do any Christmas baking.

I remember making these every year with my mom.

I can't remember if we used corn flakes or rice krispies, but I do remember that they were just as hot on my little ten year-old fingers as they were last night. I'm sure my mom probably ended up doing most of the wreath molding then. 

I think I miss her most during these holiday times -- times that are filled with so many memories. I am so thankful though, for all the other "moms" that have come into my life and for the new memories and traditions. Although we're far away, I treasure all of the memories of new and old.

I made these fun candy canes for the first time last year with Chris's (and my :) Aunt Sandy! They take more prep than most, but are so much fun! Chris and I had a great time making them, along with some other creations as you can see below. . .

Santa's little helper was so chubby that he got stuck in the chimney. . .therefore he got a bit burnt ;]

And I think our melted friends might work their way into becoming a tradition as well! 

I'll better prepare for these guys next year with more decorating materials!

Merry Christmas Eve Eve to all of you back in the states! 

Don't be too jealous that we get Christmas one day earlier than you ;]

Experiencing Tidung

Chris and I went with two of our teacher friends to one of the "Pulau Seribu" [thousand islands] off the northern coast of Jakarta called Tidung. It was a two day/one night trip, and we were glad it wasn't much longer. We don't regret going, but wouldn't choose to go again. I'll do a little recap of our two days there. . .

Gabi, Maribelle, Me, Chris

Some shameless advertising for Experiencing Tidung from our "tour guide"  

[we were gonna hold that sign wether we wanted to or not!]

The thing about this trip, is that I could totally fool you based on the pictures I show. 

Exhibit 1:

Perfect vacation spot right?!

Now take a look at these. . .

Exhibit 2:

These pictures show the reality of the island. Pretty sad :[

The people of the village haven't been educated about cleanliness, and trash manages to float miles and miles of ocean from Jakarta and end up on their shores. All of our "nice" pictures are taken to the right or left of the trash. . .it was literally everywhere! 

The cool part of this island is that it's not made to look "islandish". The island life and scenery are completely unaltered by tourism.  The island has one main road that is about 8ft wide of hand-laid brick that sometimes stops and turns into a 3ft wide dirt path. There are no cars on the island -- just bicycles and small motorbikes. The island business is fishing. The whole island is about 3 miles long and 360 yards at it's widest part 

[I google mapped it --check out the red line]

The island is "famous" for Jembatan Cinta [Bridge of Love] which connects Tidung to "Small Tidung". It's a 2 kilometer wooden bridge that allows the islanders to access the other island for farming. Below, you can see [from google maps again] an aerial shot of the bridge. I also labeled the spot where we went snorkeling.

We rode bikes at 5:00 to watch the sunrise at the bridge. 

Sleepy eyes, and cloudy skies, but still a good time.

This is the main road I told you about. . .

Towards the end of our ride after the sun was up.

Chris and I went on another bike ride to explore. It was a great way to get around the island except for the fact that the bikes didn't fit us at all, and our butts are still bruised pretty bad. Even worse than after group ride at the Courthouse if you know what I mean! 

 On our ride, we caught a glimpse of this guy!

Nat. Geo material right before our eyes! He was originally on the ground but Chris went after him with the video camera and he ended up in this tree. Not sure what kind of lizard he was. . .but he was BIG!

In our search for a nice part of the beach to swim in [really hard to find a place with no trash] we stopped for some freshly cut coconuts! Look how many I polished off! 

Just kidding. . .

I was stuffed after one!

Dreaming of a White [sand] Christmas!

SNORKELING!

Still loving our waterproof camera! Chris took some INCREDIBLE pictures!

We experienced a lot on that tiny little island! I forgot to mention that the food was less than desirable. . .we were functioning on lots of white rice. However, we did get to try some excellent freshly caught fish. Wish I had a picture to show [it still had the head]. Chris and I both enjoyed it. 

We definitely didn't go expecting resort accommodations, but we were disappointed by the upkeep of the island. . not to mention all the damage that was done to the coral. . .simply due to being uneducated about the harmful affects humans can have on it [stepping on it, throwing down anchors, etc]. 

We wanted to experience true island culture that wasn't hampered by tourism, and we did just that! Therefore, we do not regret our decision to go on this trip, a trip lined with some amazing take aways that we will not forget.  However, beneath that lining were some aspects that we would not wish to experience again.  In the final hours of our last day, we found a good swimming place that was untainted by the trash that circled the island.  As we floated above the white sand dotted with small clumps of coral and fish, it was extremely peaceful, and a reminder to us of what God intended these islands to be.  There was no trash, no sound or sign of man.  Just beauty. The sea breeze played with the palm leaves and harmonized with the lapping waves to create a symphony that could only have been directed by the same hands that lifted the island out of the sea.  It seemed to be played just for us, and knowing the intimacy our Creator desires with each one of us, we have no doubt that it was.  

~ Chris and Katie ~

New Healthy Options

I've realized that it's really easy to eat unhealthy here. 

Food for lunch at school is cheap, but it's most likely fried (chicken, rice, noodles, etc). 

It's great for Chris because they pile it up high and he can get his fill of carbs and meat. I on the other hand can't really afford to eat like that everyday  [especially since I'm not playing soccer five days a week like I did for the past eight years of my life].  So while I definitely enjoy all those foods that aren't the most healthy [and LOVE dessert], I'm trying to find some new healthier options that I can at least make for dinner or lunch on the weekends. I've made these three things within the last week. . .

Veggie Fritters

Made these tonight! They are awesome for using up whatever you have in your fridge. I used zucchini, potato, onion, and carrot. You grate the veggies, and then mix them in a bowl with an egg, bread crumbs, garlic, a little shredded cheese, and any spices you want. I even added a little lemon zest. They were yummy, and Chris even ate a whole HALF of one. This is PROGRESS! He said he'd even eat a couple if there was a good dipping sauce. . .guess that's next on the list! I'd seen this all over pinterest and wanted to try them. I ended up using this recipe from my friend's blog. Give 'em a try! 

[not my picture]

Zucchini Boats

Okay, more zucchini! This was the first summer I haven't been home to help my dad eat all the zucchini from our garden. I've eaten it quite a bit since I thought about missing it. Maybe it's a little nostalgic, but I really do love the stuff! The boats were pretty easy, and doable now that we have an oven. I just hollowed out the middle of them a bit and brushed them with a mixture of olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Then I put slices of tomato in the grooves and sprinkled with bread crumbs. I know this has a lot of simliar ingredients as the previous recipe, but it comes out with a different taste and texture. I broiled it at 350 for about 30 minutes and then added a little bit of shredded cheese to melt on top. Mozzarella cheese from Winco now sounds really cheap compared to what it is here, so I settled for something less tasty, but much more affordable. 

  

Healthy Cookie Dough Dip

[made with chickpeas!?]
This stuff sounds like a bit of a stretch. It definitely doesn't taste quite like regular chocolate chip cookie dough, but it's still good enough to eat by the spoonful! I made the mistake of telling Chris is was healthy,  so his portion is still waiting in the fridge to be tried. Erik and Amanda downed the bowl I gave them though! As long as I know I'm not the ONLY one who likes it, I'll feel better :] Give it a try if you want! I dipped Indo's version of graham crackers in it [and also ate it by the spoonful]. Told you I liked dessert!

[recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie. great blog name right?!]

Not only does trying these recipes help me to eat healthier, but it also helps satisfy my creatie urge. Ever since I was able to decorate until my heart was content for our wedding, and pinterest coming along, I have had a MUCH bigger urge to be crafty and decorate. It's a little harder here to do those things because there's no such thing as Goodwill, or a quick trip to the craft store. Even if I was able to, I wouldn't have much space or a place at all to put whatever I made. So, as I patiently anticipate living in the states again [for more reasons than crating of course] I will try to be crafty and try new things with my cooking instead!

Let me know if you try any of these things or have any creative/healthy recipes for me to try!

"Casserole Seduction"

Yay for getting an oven!
Although I've only used it several times (due to business), I already know how much I will continue to appreciate it. Chris and I have enjoyed toast for breakfast several days in a row now, and feasted on this beast below for three days :] 

I love dishes like that.

Extra meals = less work when I get home from work

Chicken and Rice Bake Casserole

recipe here

 This was pretty easy and didn't take all that long to make [but more than the 15 minutes that the recipe heading said. . .they always lie. . .or maybe it's just my lack of skills]

It only had to bake for 25 minutes though, so we didn't have to eat a late dinner. Add some sour cream, salsa, and tortilla chips, and you've got a yummy dinner!

I've been reading [when I find the time] the second book in the Mitford Series,  A Light in the Window, and every time I hear the word 'casserole' I think of Edith Mallory trying to woo Father Tim with her casseroles. If you don't have time I understand, but here's a snippet.
It's what I think of every time I hear the word casserole, haha.

"Casseroles! Their seduction had long been used on men of the cloth, often with rewarding results for the cook. 

Casseroles, after all, were a gesture that on the surface could not be mistaken for anything other than righteous goodwill. And, once one had consumed and exclaimed over the initial offering, along would come another on its very heels, until the bachelor curate ended up a married curate or the divorced deacon a fellow so skillfully ensnared that he never knew what hit him. 

In the language of food, there were casseroles, and there were casseroles. Most were used to comfort the sick or inspire the downhearted. But certain others, in his long experience, were so filled with allure and innuendo that they ceased to be Broccoli Cheese Delight intended for the stomach and became arrows aimed straight for the heart. 

In any case, there was always the problem of what to do with the dish. Decent people returned it full of something else. Which meant that the person to whom you returned it would be required, at some point, to give you another food item, all of which produced a cycle that was unimaginably tedious. 

Clergy, of course, were never required to fill the dish before returning it, but either way, it had to be returned. And there, clearly, was the rub. . .


Where casseroles were concerned, one must constantly be on guard."

Luckily, I don't have to use casseroles for finding a husband. Mine will be used for seduction of the stomach only.


My next oven endeavor will definitely be a dessert. 

I would be breaking my own katie-code if it was not.

P.S. Dear crock pot, I still love you and will not forget how you fed us for four months. 

I promise I won't let you get dusty :]

P.P.S. Christmas break is only two weeks away. So thankful.