My Grandpa & Spaghetti Squash

My Grandpa Heitfeld died last night.

I've gotten to know him so much better over these past few years. He has been really supportive, interested, and loving. We got to share a fun secret and he got to be a part of my wedding. Before Joshua and I left for Seattle we went to visit my grandparents to say bye. It was really nice and sweet but I didn't know it was the last time I'd see him. I really thought I'd see him at Christmas. I've known his cancer was getting worse but I've never had anyone in my family die and I don't think it gets easier anyway.

He's the grandpa that enacted the no "why" zone when we visited

shot squirrels in his backyard because they got to his tomatoes

kept count of the squirrels he hit on his fridge

brought his own whiskey to our wedding

remembered I like old cigar boxes and saved them for me

handed out the Christmas gifts

snuck us candy down at his camp

watched golf in the basement on Thanksgiving

always hugged me bye and said I love you

he was the only one that called me Mack- he'd say HEY MACK evertime I called and it felt special

and loved all of us- & there are a lot of us and there is a lot to love

I will truly miss him and it is so hard to be so so far away from home. I'm the oldest of 4 children, I've always been there and I hate that I can't and that I can't help with anything.

Please keep us in your prayers. I'm going home to Cincy for the funeral my Grandma said she wanted me there and that my Grandpa had too. I'd be the only one in my family not there. And I don't think I could handle that either. But the tickets are so expensive Joshua can't come so please also pray for me on the 8 hour flight home because I don't think I'm really going to want to be by myself.

Thanks!

I'll miss you Grandpa!

 

I'm not sure why these are together but I had the recipe one written and then this happened so I just continued on the top. Sorry for the randomness but I feel pretty scattered right now so I guess it's fitting.

Joshua and I bought this on accident. We wanted a yellow winter squash and it looked yellow so we bought it. Then after the farmer's market we went to the grocery store and saw what a really yellow squash was- for the ratatouille.

So then we had a spaghetti squash. I searched recipes and found a simple one that I then embellished with veggies and spices. The hubs and I were delightfully suprised! It is an extremely healthy dish and really basic. I recommend this highly!

Spaghetti Squash and Vegggies Recipe:

1 spaghetti squash; cut in half- you will need a pretty large on to feed4 so you may want 2

1 zucchini; sliced and diced :)

2 roma tomatoes; diced

1 cup onion; diced

1 clove garlic; minced

pinches of thyme, red chili pepper flakes, & parsley

S&P

feta cheese

(that's right no noodles- So cool!)

preheat oven to 350 degrees F

1   take halves of squash and coat cut sides with oilve oil and place on baking dish

2   bake for 30 minutes- should be tender enough to scrape insides out

3   while squash is baking saute onions, zucchini, and garlic in saucepan until tender

4   throw in the tomatoes and cook until just warm

5   take the squash out and scrape it into the saucepan- it will be stringy like spaghetti, you may need to pull

     some chunks apart

6   toss in the herbs and serve with feta cheese on top

The "noodles"/ squash will be a bit crunchier than regular noodles but overall it is really yummy and reminisent of spaghetti.