Kristie's Craziness

All the random things in life that I think we should talk about.

Recent Posts

  • The Autobiography of Malcolm X: Essential Reading for Black History Month

    The Autobiography of Malcolm X: Essential Reading for Black History Month

    I want to start this post with some brutally honest facts. I am probably the whitest white girl you could ever meet. There is no way that I could understand the struggles black people face on a daily basis. I can sympathize. I can make choices to be a better human. I listen and acknowledge.

    For all of those reasons, I am making my first February post in honor of Black History Month. I have a list of books by black authors that I would like to read at some point, but I felt compelled to put The Autobiography of Malcolm X at the top of my list. He was a leader from my home state of Michigan who fought for change for his fellow African Americans and who tragically lost his life because of his beliefs. This book highlights his journey and the many phases of his existence until he became the man so many admire today.

    Amazon Description :

    In the searing pages of this classic autobiography, originally published in 1964, Malcolm X, the Muslim leader, firebrand, and anti-integrationist, tells the extraordinary story of his life and the growth of the Black Muslim movement. His fascinating perspective on the lies and limitations of the American Dream, and the inherent racism in a society that denies its nonwhite citizens the opportunity to dream, gives extraordinary insight into the most urgent issues of our own time. The Autobiography of Malcolm X stands as the definitive statement of a movement and a man whose work was never completed but whose message is timeless. It is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand America.

    My Opinion

    I knew very little about who Malcolm X really was before I read this book. I had a vague image in my head of a scary, black man yelling about the evils of white men. I associated him with anger and violence.

    But from reading his book I get a more well rounded picture. I get an understanding of how society limited him and pushed him into a place where committing crimes was the only way to survive without being consumed by poverty or feeling like a slave looked down upon by random white people. The expectation of failure, of being less than, or unworthy will eat away at any person. The fact that some people in our society still think that way about people who are different than themselves is disgusting and sad.

    Malcom X was a gifted public speaker, but some of the things he said could be off putting to the general public. He didn’t care. He wasn’t speaking in order to become famous or make a name for himself. He was speaking because he wanted to reach his people. He wanted them to stand up for themselves, for the rights they deserved as humans and the potential they were squandering in the ghettos.

    Over the last year of his life, Malcolm X began trying to change his image. He didn’t regret the things he had previously said, but as he had learned about true Islam, his perspective had changed. He knew that he was a target though. He was gunned down in front of his family at the Audubon Ballroom. He didn’t get the chance to change people’s minds about him.

    This book was a good reminder to not trust the headlines and dig deeper into the issues and people they are about. The media is in the business of selling a story, but every story has 2 sides. Are you finding the truth?

    Just something to think about.

    Have a good day.

    Kristie

  • Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

    Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

    How is it already the end of January?!? I feel like the last time I blinked it was New Year and I had HUGE blogging goals about posting every day. Instead I managed to post about once a week. Life happens, right?

    I thought we would end the month with some healthy comfort food. One of my favorite meals is soup, because they come together easy and can be packed full of veggies. My Thai Chicken Soup has mushrooms, red pepper and carrots to help fight all the germs going around right now.

    Since I made this after work, I used store bought broth and a rotisserie chicken. I know making everything from scratch usually tastes better, but sometimes convenience is necessary. Just watch your salt content.

    This recipe finishes with full fat coconut milk and lime juice. The coconut milk gives the soup a silky texture and the lime juice helps make the curry pop.

    My husband never thinks “just soup” is hearty enough for dinner, so I steam dumplings to complete this meal.

    Thai Chicken Soup

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup Shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
    • 2 TBSP olive oil
    • 1 Red bell pepper, thinly sliced
    • 1 cup matchstick Carrots
    • 3 tablespoon red curry paste
    • ½ tablespoon Lemongrass paste
    • 3 cups chicken broth
    • 2 cups shredded rotisserie Chicken
    • 1 (13.5 oz) can Coconut milk, unsweetened, full fat
    • 2 teaspoon soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugaR
    • 1 TBSP Lime juice
    • 2 tablespoon Corn starch
    • 2 tablespoon Cold water
    • 2 cups Rice noodle sticks cooked according to package instructions

    Directions

    1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the shiitake mushrooms to the pot, and saute for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened and wilted.
    2. Add the sliced bell pepper and carrots to the mushrooms, and saute until the peppers are slightly soft.
    3. Add the curry and lemongrass paste to the centre, and let it cook through until it starts to release some of its oils – this should take about 2-3 minutes.
    4. Pour in the chicken broth, and add the shredded chicken to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the soup simmer for 7-10 minutes.
    5. While the soup is simmering, mix together the corn starch and water to make a slurry and set aside.
    6. Once the soup has simmered, add the coconut milk to the pot. Season with brown sugar, soy sauce, and lime juice and stir. Stir in the corn starch slurry, and let the soup thicken and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
    7. Serve this soup with rice noodles portioned into bowls before pouring soup over the top.

    That’s it. A super simple and quick comfort meal you can whip up for your family.

    Have a great day.

    Kristie

  • Boho Winter Style

    Boho Winter Style

    I’m unpacking boxes and finding clothes that I haven’t seen for months. I can no longer complain that I have no work clothes. Of course that doesn’t stop me from buying more. 😂😂

    I don’t know if it’s a “dressing my age thing,” or an “I just want to be comfortable” thing, but I’ve developed a boho style for winter.

    I started with this Sweater shell top. It’s a great neutral color that is easy to layer over. It’s also incredibly soft and comfortable.

    Then I bought this Green corduroy prairie skirt. Seriously, look at the pockets. All skirts should have deep, functional pockets like these. I’m short, so the skirt reaches my ankles and makes me feel like I’m from Little House on the Prairie, which isn’t too far off from my 10 wooded acre home.

    But my absolute favorite part of my new outfit is this Boho Grandpa sweater. I feel like an updated version of Mr Roger’s snuggled up in this sweater. Hannah keeps trying to steal it, but so far she’s been losing the battle.

    Isn’t it all cute together? I didn’t order new boots for this look. Eventually I’ll find my brown, knee high boots, but until then, I just wear my furry winter boots.

    So what is your winter style? I’d love to see photos.

    Stay warm and cozy.

    Kristie

  • Museum Virtual Tour: Smithsonian Air & Space Museum

    Museum Virtual Tour: Smithsonian Air & Space Museum

    I am not made for the cold, and Michigan is freezing. Museum tours provide a fun escape without having to brave the elements.

    Today we are visiting the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum in Washington D.C. Their website offers tours of multiple exhibits, starting with The Wright Brothers.

    The Wright Brothers & the Invention of the Aerial Age

    I thought I had a learned everything about the Wright brothers from all my trips to Greenfield Village, but I was wrong.

    I learned that the Wright brothers marketed their plane to the military. In 1908 in Fort Meyer, Virginia, Orville Wright flew into the air with Lt. Thomas Selfridge. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned and they crashed. Orville suffered major injuries and was hospitalized for 7 weeks. Lt Selfridge fractured his skull and died 3 hours later. Selfridge Air National Guard Base is named after him.

    I also learned that a piece of the Wright Flyer went to the moon. It was placed in the Lunar Module of Apollo 11 to symbolically link the first flight with the first trip into space.

    Homeschool Tie-In

    My favorite Wright Brothers homeschool assignment asks children to read 3 different accounts of the Wright Brothers 1st flight at Kitty Hawk and chart the differences. I like this because it forces children to question the accuracy of what they read. My dad used to say that there are 3 sides to every story, A, B & the truth, and this assignment illustrates how perspective and bias can change a story. It’s designed for kids in 3rd-5th grade but could be modified for higher grade levels.

    Destination Moon

    The next exhibit in our Virtual Tour is Destination Moon. It’s a great place to learn about the space race between the U.S. and Russia, along with a lot of other fun information about our explorations in space.

    I was very aware of the U.S. sending Ham the Chimpanzee into space before human astronauts. You can see them in a bunch of older cartoons. I was less aware of the adorable Russian space dogs, Belka & Strelka. I totally want to read the Book with Hannah now.

    Homeschool Tie-In

    You can do an entire unit on the moon landing and get your kids excited about our space program. After all, we are expected to have humans on the moon again in September of 2026.

    We All Fly

    We All Fly is an exhibit that illustrates all the areas of our lives where flight plays a part. When I think of planes, I think of big commercial flights taking me somewhere fun. I forget about crop dusters, medical helicopters and delivery drones. In such a short time, human flight has become an everyday part of our lives.

    Homeschool Tie-In

    The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis put out a 68 page download on Flight Adventures . Kids will get a hands on lesson in model building, be able to test the controls and learn the importance of mathematics in computing weight and lift.

    Nation of Speed

    From boat races, to NASCAR, to Nukes. The Nation of Speed tour has a little bit of everything.

    Homeschool Tie-In

    Explore a lesson in physics and learn how to calculate Speed. Great high school resource.

    One World Connected

    In the One World Connected exhibit, we learn how satellites and technology keep us connected. I’m most curious about the Long-Now clock that is supposed to chime every 100 years with a different melody. What are the songs? Who picked them? I have questions.

    Exploring the Planets

    The Exploring the Planets gallery takes you on a tour of our solar system and beyond. Learn about Goldilocks planets that may have water like Earth. Or discover rings of not only Saturn, but Uranus, Neptune and Jupiter as well.

    Homeschool Tie-In

    You can teach the Solar system as you take this virtual tour. The above lesson also goes into phases of the moon and space exploration.

    Early Flight

    I went through the exhibits in order on the website, although they don’t make sense to my brain. I think I should have done them in chronological order. That would have put Early Flight as the very first exhibit.

    I enjoyed learning about the gliders and balloons. I’m so used to planes being in the air, that I’d forgotten how many lives were lost in the development of that technology.

    Homeschool Tie-In

    The Glorious Flight is an informative lesson for early elementary schoolers about Louis Bleriot’s flight across the English Channel. It adds a fun paper airplane activity to help keep kids engaged.

    America by Air

    This is the last exhibit in our virtual tour. In America by Air we see how our current airline industry developed from small planes that carried less than a dozen wealthy people to the huge jets we use today. We also learn about flight safety and airports.

    Homeschool Tie-In

    If your high schoolers are considering a career in aviation you should check out the You Can Fly lesson from AOPA.

    Thank you so much for exploring and learning with me today. I hope you had fun.

    Kristie

  • Book Review: If I Die Tonight by Alison Gaylin

    Book Review: If I Die Tonight by Alison Gaylin

    I spend 8 hours a day, 5 days a week with earbuds in my ears. Most days I listen to podcasts or something from Pandora’s box of music, but our library also does digital audiobooks, so I thought I’d give one a try.

    On a dark, rainy night, a washed up pop singer is carjacked. A football player rushes to the scene and is run over by the car. The entire town is devastated and everyone wants answers, but are they as obvious as they seem?

    Wade is a quiet, lonely teen. He doesn’t seem to have many friends. He definitely doesn’t talk to his mother about what’s going on in his life, but is it possible that the town is right when they start blaming the accident on him?

    This book kept me guessing almost to very end. I love books with a mystery twist and when they stir an emotional response, that makes it even better.

    I definitely recommend giving it a listen or a read.

    Kristie