Visiting the Johannsens in Altoona

Kara's (Brad's sister) coffee house, Being There, in Altoona, IA

Atticus, Grandpa Tom, & Brad

Dietrich with Great-Grandma Trellis

Cousins together -- Our nephew Max with Atticus

Grandma Nancy with Max

Brian, Kara, Max, Me, Dietrich, Atticus & Brad

Grandma Nancy & Atticus have so much fun making (and eating) brownies

Atticus 21 Months

Sunny Winter Afternoon

Go Team!

Leah can still Russian Jump from her cheerleading youth --
impressive especially for a grown-up, eh?

Captain Underpants

I picked up some underwear for Atticus for when we start potty training.
Atticus decided he wanted to wear all of them at once...

Here's lookin' at you, Kid...

So here is a photo of me as a newborn -- I think Dietrich looks quite a bit like I did though I don't see much of myself now in my baby face.

Best Cookies I Have Ever Eaten

Over the week of Christmas Celebration and Dietrich's Birth I made these cookies from my Cook's Illustrated Mega-Schmancy cookbook. They were the best cookies I have ever ever eaten -- better, even, than Monster Cookies -- which are my all-time favorite. So to celebrate the mastermind of a genius who gave this recipe as a gift to mankind and also to hopefully give you a chance at such divinely provided pleasure, I will give you the recipe here -- and also follow with the Monster Cookie recipe (originally from my cousin Judy Friday, I think).



Thick & Chewy Triple Chocolate Cookies
(Makes about 42)

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dutch processed cocoa (which I couldn't find anywhere I usually shop, so I used regular Hershey's baking cocoa)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 bags of 16 oz. Ghiradeli Dark Chocolate Chips
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. instant coffee or espresso powder
10 tbs. (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar

1. Sift (I don't have a sifter so I whisked these things in a separate bowl) together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside
2. Melt the chocolate (I don't have a double boiler, so I set a smaller pan inside a larger pan with water -- but you can do this in the microwave too -- you just need to be careful not to burn the chocolate). In a small bowl beat the eggs and vanilla lightly with a fork, sprinkle the coffee powder over to dissolve, and set aside.
3. Beat the butter (with a mixer if you have it) at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 45 seconds; the mixture will look granular. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in egg mixture, about 45 seconds. Add the chocolate in a steady stream and beat until combined, about 40 seconds. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, about 40 seconds. Add 2 cups of the chocolate chips. [I also added chopped walnuts.] Do not overbeat. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until the consistency is scoopable and fudge-like, about 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease (I used spray-on stuff) or parchment paper the baking sheets. Scoop the dough onto the sheets [in a regular formation -- I used a pampered chef cookie dough scoop].
5. Bake until the edges of the cookies have just begun to set but the centers are still very soft, about 10 minutes...Cool the cookies on the sheets about 10 minutes before transferring onto a rack to cool to room temperature.

Monster Cookies
3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup of butter
4 1/2 cups old fashioned slow-cook oatmeal
1 pkg. chocolate chips
1 pkg. m&ms

Mix ingredients together.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes per batch.

Love You Guys!

One Saturday morning back a few weeks ago, Cody and Melody Oaks came for breakfast. It was so good to see them both -- Melody and I try to get together once a month for our intense Saturday morning coffee and talking. The boys don't see much of each other despite their mutual enjoyment in each other's company. So this was a nice treat for us all. They are busy busy -- and we are so thankful for them giving us an entire morning with them!!

Dietrich's Announcements

Dietrich at 4 weeks (about a week and a half ago)

I finally finished Dietrich's announcements. Some of you received just photos or an e-announcement. But I was able to finish 49 handmade cards the week before he was born. They were all different, but I saved one for his first-year scrapbook. I scanned it in below.

Treasure Hunt

Josh Ritter


Over the Rhine

K.T. Tunstall

Glen Hansard

Brad and I collaborated on our 2007 Favorite New Artists and New Albums Mix List. Here it is for you to hopefully explore and discover someone new for 2008. We have both fallen hard for Josh Ritter who is an intelligent and beautiful lyricist as well as folk-rock composer. The happiness shining from him as he plays is fantastic and fascinating. Brad has had fun memorizing the lyrics and learning to play half of his newest album and some of my favorite from his older ones. Over the Rhine put out an excellent new album this year -- as good as Drunkard's Prayer, and different once again. Their consistency and variety continue to pull me in -- and I am always happily surprised to see growth in themes and musical composition with each new offering. Some of these songs are just pure pop ear-candy but all of them feed our hunger to understand life in all its complexity and color and grittiness. And we must confess sometimes the rock-out sexiness of the artists make us a little giddy -- like KT Tunstall (for Brad) or Glen Hansard (for me). If you go to the website below you can play the entire list for free from Rhapsody.

http://rhaplinks.real.com/rhaplink?rhapid=4307867&type=playlist&title=Playlist&from=real

Sea Lion -- Feist
Be Easy -- Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
Rumors -- Josh Ritter
You Are My Face -- Wilco
If You Want Me -- Glen Hansard
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues -- Ramblin' Jack Elliot
If a Song Could Be President -- Over the Rhine
Despite What You've Been Told -- Two Gallants
You Don't Know Love Is -- White Stripes
Mind's Eye -- Josh Ritter
The Wicked Messenger -- The Black Keys
Side with the Seeds -- Wilco
The Temptation of Adam -- Josh Ritter
Falling Slowly -- Glen Hansard
Let's Spend the Day in Bed -- Over the Rhine
Hate it Here -- Wilco
300 MPH Torrential Outpour Blues -- White Stripes
Sunshine -- Atmosphere
Don't Wait for Tom -- Over the Rhine
Humble Me -- Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
Ring Them Bells -- Sufjan Stevens
You Don't Make it Easy Babe -- Josh Ritter
Black Horse & the Cherry Tree -- KT Tunstall
The Winds -- Danny Schmidt
He's my Rock, He's my Sword, He's my Shield -- Randy Travis
Kathleen -- Josh Ritter