Would you?

Of course we all know the news by now, Oscar-winning film star, humanitarian and mother of 6 Angelina Jolie has undergone a double masectomy after learning she carried the BRCA1 gene that makes it extremely likely (an 87%) chance that she would get breast cancer or a (50% chance) ovarian cancer. She knew what she was facing if she didn't do it having lost her mother to cancer. To say that Jolie is a bigger person than her stardom is true, this is a woman who loves her children and her soon to be husband to the point that she will do and did do what is necessary for her and their survival. She is hoping that her story will inspire other women who are fighting this life-threatening disease. I am humbled by the fact that Jolie has chosen to share something so intimate with the world in the hope that it might help someone else. Thank you Angelina.

Kale Days!

Greetings Family!

Hope all is well. I have been eagerly awaiting spring....no really. This weather is not cooperating. But before I begin to complain about the heat I wanted to share with you. I your foodie Pookalita have been on a Kale kick! Can't get enough of it, I didn't know! First of all it is the ultimate super food. It is low in calories and high in vitamin C, K and A. Benefits include healthy eyes, heart and lower cholesterol!  It fights fat and is high in fiber.  Sorry spinach!  So before we start using our sunscreen try this recipe for Kale soup. Let  me know what you think!

Sauté Carrots (i like the baby ones cut in half), celery and a bay leaf in olive oil. You can season to taste but always watch your salt! Once veggies start to get tender add about five cups of low or no salt chicken stock.  You can also use veggie. As stock starts to boil you can be creative. Add chopped white or sweet potatoes.  If you need meat you can add pre cooked grilled chicken. I usually make without the meat. Everything should be boiling. Once your potatoes get tender but not mushy add your Kale leaves. I cut big pieces. And that's it! This soup takes a total of about fifteen minutes. You are not boiling the good stuff out of your veggies. Don't cook the Kale like collard greens lol! They shouldn't be crunchy but just tender. Sometimes we will have before our meal  and I will  have the leftover soup for lunch. Family we are talking about an easy good for you bowl of goodness. If soup is not your thing then sauté the Kale with some garlic and onions...yummy!  So the next time you go to the veggie market pick up a huge bunch of Kale. Your body will be glad you did.

50 years of Marriage

Good Morning Pooka Family!  I am just returning from Tucson Arizona where I went to celebrate my Uncle Joe & Aunt Marlene’s 50^th wedding anniversary!  Fifty years of being married to the same person!!!  That is truly a testimony!!  I admire my Aunt and Uncle tremendously; they are true role models for marriage and family.  They never miss a family reunion, they come to everyone’s graduations, and they are world travelers! Last year they went to Corsica and Paris! Oh and they both are Greek (Kappa and Delta) so of course they never miss a convention either.  For those sisters who will be in DC this July for the Delta convention you may run into Aunt Marlene representing for her AZ chapter!  We are truly blessed to have role models like them representing our history and our family!

Take me out to the Ball Game!

My kids play a variety of sports, basketball, soccer, football, and I'm always there cheering them on, but when they decided to play baseball I was like" Boring!" Don't get me wrong I know Baseball is  "American's Pastime" "The All American Game" but it is just sooooooo boring to me! I would rather poke my eyes out! Lol! Growing up we only had one t.v. in our house(at least thats what my parents said until we found out they weren't talking when they went to bed they were watching t.v.!) and every sunday night we had to watch the Yankees, WPIX Channel 11(thanks Dad!) so of course I had to watch  or go to bed. Even though it was boring I was NOT going to bed! So when we went to Wesley first practice  I mentally prepared myself to be really bored,
 I packed a book and some snacks and settled in to read and eat. " Who threw that ball?" I heard the coach yell out. " Me!"  I heard my baby boy yell back. "Oh my goodness, what did that boy do now?" I look up to see the coach looking at Wesley, " Do it again" he says. So Wesley throws the ball again from short stop to first. "Thats great Wes!" So I'm really looking now and I'm thinking "Ok he does that all the time." I then notice the other kids are kind of throwing the ball like the dad teaching his son how to throw the ball in that Volkswagen Passat car commercia....., just all wrong.This might be a little interesting. Next they are at bat, lots of swings and misses, Wesley steps to the plate and he hits it into the outfield! What in the world!!! Did my baby just do that!!!! Is he turning out to be Jackie Robinson Jr.? After practice is over the coach tells me that Wesley has a great arm, (I know I taught him everything he knows!) Now of course I LOVE BASEBALL!  we watch any game we can on t.v., we go to the batting cages, I'm looking up catching techniques on line, obviously it takes one of my kids to be good at something and magically its not boring anymore! Lol! I know, I know.......

Liar, Liar Pooka on fire!!

Well family of course you know, I have a story!! Now I’m sure April is going to KILL me but this story needs to be told, lol!!  I like to call this 5 minutes and 3 days of Will and Wes!  Last week April and the boys came home from NC to visit.  We were all excited to see them and couldn’t wait for a Pookalita fun week!  I was at Pooka and April told me she’d arrived at her moms the night before, so she and the boys were coming by Pooka to see us!  This is how the weekend went minute by minute, lol.....

Minute 1 - In they marched and we all hugged and talked about how tall the boys were and just had a good time seeing each other. 

Minute 2-3 - Will, “Auntie Dawn, I’m hungry, do you have any food here?”

Me, “I don’t think so Will”.   But you know how kids are, he found a bag of microwave popcorn buried behind the microwave and asked if he could have it.  Sure, I said and he popped it in.  Now the microwave is in the spare room, next to the office, so he put it in and shut the door to the room.

Minute 5 or 10?  What’s that smell?  As I open the door and watch the smoke pour out of the room, suddenly the blaring fire alarms go off in the entire building!  Pooka is a commercial space so there were lights and alarms all over and I didn’t realize it set off the entire building including the 2 tenants upstairs!  At this point we’re all running around like crazy people, screaming trying to figure out how to shut it off.  So that’s then I called the fire department and let them know that it wasn’t an emergency, just needed to know how to shut off the alarm......

Minute 12.....Woooooooooo, wooooooooo(my fire engine sounds)  Now I told the fire operator that it wasn’t an emergency but guess what showed up at Pooka?  The fire chief and 2 huge, shiny, blaring fire engines!  As they entered, we told them that it was just burnt popcorn, but they went through place with a fine tooth comb. Unfortunately the main fire panel was in the landlords basement, which I didn’t have a key for so...you guessed it the firemen had to get equipment and bust in the door!!!  So now that they are at the panel, they can’t turn the alarm off and put it on silence.  They told me to call the alarm company and have them send someone over to fix the alarm, unfortunately its 4 oclock on easter weekend!  They also said that we couldnt leave the alarm on silent that we had to get it fixed or it would go off again.  Before they left the told me to try to reset the alarm again before I left for the night.  

Minute 40  Well now April and the boys are hungry and go for pizza!  really?!

6:00pm  Before going home, I tried to reset the alarm, of course it didn’t work, so I shut it right off again and called the fire department to let them know that it didn’t work.  The operator said, okay ma’m we’ll send units over!  No!  I screamed, you told me to call If I couldn’t reset it and I’m telling you it didn’t work no need to send out units.  “Ma’m by law we have to come!!”

I have no idea what Minute ....Wooooooooooooo Wooooooooo(my fire engine sounds again)  Guess who arrived at Pooka again!  Yup 2 more fire trucks, at this point I’m totally frustrated and embaressed.  I can’t believe they sent more firemen, who came in and even after we told them the story asked to see the microwave again!  THERE IS NO FIRE!  So after they left I just went home.

Day 2:  Saturday at the Pooka boutique was great but at around 5:00 guess what happened, that darn alarm went off again!  I quickly put it on silence again and held my breath,  thank GOD no firemen.  So now, I’m totally stressed because If this thing goes off again the tenants upstairs are going to kill me.  Thank God it didn’t go off again.

Day 3:  Happy Easter!!  Enjoying a wonderful family easter dinner.  Our cleaning service was at Pooka cleaning the place when in the middle of my smoked salmon, I get a panicked phone call, “DAWN THE ALARM IS GOING OFF”  So Easter dinner is cut short, out the door I go to Pooka!  By the time I get there the cleaner is standing there pressing the reset button, every 5 minutes so the alarm doesn’t come on again.  I put it on silence and went home.

Day 4 MONDAY.  My landlord is back and fixes the alarm!!!  Wow, I can’t wait til those kids visit again!   >:(

Mommy Woods

Pooka family, it is with the deepest sadness that I write this blog as a remembrance to one of our Pooka Moms, Mommy Woods.  The Lord called her home last week after a fierce battle with cancer.  Mommy Woods was such a huge part of so many peoples’ lives. Although she gave birth to five beautiful daughters, between church, family and friends she had over 100 more daughters!!!  Our hearts are sooo heavy and words can’t express how difficult it is in dealing with her passing.  But we know one thing for sure….Mommy Wood was a true soldier for the Lord!  She instilled in all of us the love he has for us.  We take solace in knowing that she is free from pain and with our Lord and Saviour!  We love you Mommy Woods!!!!

Pizza! Pizza!

I do my best to keep it healthy, I exercise, (somewhat) I eat right (most of the time, ok ok half of the time!) And I try to get plenty of rest (emphasis on TRY) I've given up red meat, pork and various other food items that are deemed unhealthy. Recently I was told that one of my sons needed to give up processed sugar, artificial flavoring and colorants, foods that are dairy based and foods that contain gluten. What's left huh? Bread and water? Oh no, can't have bread. Now I'm not one to lay down on a challenge so I go to my friendly neighborhood library and take out about 50 cookbooks on everything free food. I knew this was about to change all of our lives, so I had to get it right. Well I found a recipe for the one thing that my kids would never say no to: PIZZA! I ran to the store and brought everything I needed to make the best gluten,dairy free pizza ever! I raced home and put it all together it looked beautiful, the boys were so excited when I told them I had Made a special pizza for them! We all sat down and I cut the pizza giving everyone a healthy slice, we said our prayers and started eating.......it was disgusting! I tried not to let it show on my face, Will was like" Uh Mom, this doesn't taste like the pizza we usually have," Wes then said "This is nasty!" Its a good thing I have 49 other cookbooks, there has got to be a good pizza recipe in one of them! If anyone knows of a good Gluten free please let me know!