Better Late than Never?

This is seems to be the mantra of my life. I'm a procrastinator, what can I say? I know my weakness, now I have the challenge of overcoming it! It's too overwhelming to try to recap the past 10 months in one post - so I won't. Little by little. One day at a time. So, for today, I choose to post about what occupies most of my brain's thoughts as of late. HOMES! For the sake of journal keeping - a little history: It has long been a dream of Brian's & mine to build a home. (Not physically, managerially!) We transformed our previous homes through remodeling and spent much time and money on plans to re-transform one of those homes when I decided it just wouldn't be worth it; and we moved instead!When we moved (into our current home) our intention was to live here "temporarily" until that Golden Opportunity presented itself for us to fulfill our dream of building - while staying put in our current neighborhood. That opportunity presented itself this past summer. We purchased a home, on a good sized lot, that had all the potential of being torn down & hauled away! And the lot had all the potential to fulfill our fantasy home & yard. Now we are facing reality... It's gonna be expensive! duh. So while we plan and save... I dream. More. Here are some of my faves:

Sorry this is crooked! I took this picture through my car window! This home makes my heart stop. LOVE it.

Are we sensing a style theme? I love this home too. (only, I do not love a carport!)

This is an historic home near the school where my mother-in-law taught for years. Brian has long loved this home:

Garrett & Chelsea's Wedding

I just marched right in there & declared that I was on a mission to get pictures for Aunt Fran. Everyone was quite cooperative & very interested in the latest updates from Jamaica.

First we happened upon Brock (aka: mini Bruce):

Then he introduced us to his new bride, Becky (aka: mini Deb):

Then we saw the original Bruce & Deb:

Then "smelliott" gave my girls a warm welcome:

(he so reminds me of Josh)

We caught up with Taylor & Kerri:

and poor Cody, I made him sit down next to me and tell me all about his life. He was such a good sport, considering he had no idea who I was.

All I had to do was throw out "Aunt Fran" and you get two thumbs up!

Sweet, beautiful Bethany welcomed me with a hug & was so gracious to catch me up on her life while she was on refreshments duty! Good Luck Beth finishing your senior year on-line!

Then there was this kid:

I scared Tanner a little when I chased him down & demanded to take his picture. "May I ask 'WHY'?" he said. "No." I said.

& the last of this clan - this little sweetheart who was not afraid of me at all, Dylan:

Then there were these two:

just beaming!

Chelsea greeting guests - looking gorgeous in her wedding gown:

When I mentioned to Chelsea that she had quite the crowd show up she said, in her cute way, "they're all coming to see this" - see below:

What a cute couple!

As we were chatting with Bruce & Deb, Eliza mentioned how hungry she was, so we proceeded to step into the refreshments line when Bruce took her hand & said "come with me". We cheated the line and went straight for the goods:

A close-up on those treats:

And the table decor: (see flowers, not purses!)

The cake - after it was taken apart:

And Brian made sure to have Eliza take a picture of the view out the window for Nana & Pop:

It was a lovely evening... You would have enjoyed it Aunt Fran :)

Before there was Martha...

Martha Stewart that is...there was MY mom.

(this is a belated Mother's Day post for my mother) A few weeks ago, around Mother's Day, I was thinking about how much my mom did for us growing up. And how amazing it seems to me now, that we sat down to dinner together most nights of my early childhood. Sunday dinners were especially fancy. We always drank ginger ale with a lime & maraschino cherry in goblets (even as little, little kids) and the table was always set with coordinating CLOTH tablecloths & CLOTH napkins or lovely placemats & napkins. In our ever-increasingly-fast-paced-instant-gratification world I hope to be the kind of mother to my three kids that my mom was to me & my four siblings. A cloth-napkin mom!

Photos from the "last supper" - final meal together as a family before my parents left for Jamaica for 18 months...

Goblets:

Cloth Napkins:

and coordinating tablecloth!

Love ya Frannie!

Lemonade Layer Cake

This one is for my sis... She needs a cake recipe for a fund-raiser... Lemonade Layer Cake is a great one, because it's not very often that you get several Lemon Cake options at a Cake Walk... And it's SPRING! And Lemonade Layer Cake is PERFECT for Spring!

Beat until well blended:

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

3 tablespoons thawed lemonade concentrate

2 teaspoons vanilla

Add (one @ a time, beating well after each addition)

2 large eggs

2 large egg whites

(mixture will look curdled)

Sift together in a separate bowl:

2 cups flour (lightly spoon flour into measuring cup, level with knife)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Add flour mixture alternately with 1 1/4 cups buttermilk to the sugar mixture, beat well after each addition. Preheat oven to 350. Pour batter into two greased and floured 9" round cake pans. Bake 20 minutes or until done. (passes toothpick test)

Frosting:

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

2 teaspoons thawed lemonade concentrate

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

8 oz. light cream cheese (not softened)

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Place first five ingredients in mixing bowl and beat on high speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat at low speed just until blended. (Do not overbeat.) Chill one hour. Frost cooled cake.

Store frosted cake loosely covered in fridge.

Enjoy!

Favorite Salad

My favorite salad (this week) is PERFECT for spring! I am very much a weather-oriented eater. For example, I cannot make chicken pot pie - much to my children's chagrin - in the Spring or Summer, it just isn't right.

Last night my kids wanted meatball subs for dinner. I do not like meat. I also do not like playing "short order cook"... So I scanned my recipe files & was so pleased to come across this recipe I picked up last Spring. It's a great accompaniment to Italian food so I whipped up these dressings - threw together the ingredients & PRESTO! I had a great dinner too!

Yes - I said dressing"S"... as in plural... as in... you make 2 different salad dressings - both delicious on their own - and mix them together on your salad and BAM! - I mean... YUM!

Ingredients for Bleu Cheese Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

1/4 cup vinegar (I use red wine)

1/4 cup (2 oz) Bleu Cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup sour cream

2 T green onions, chopped

1 T fresh lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Whisk ingredients together & refrigerate before serving.

Ingredients for Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing:

3 T Red Wine vinegar

1 T fresh lemon juice

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 small garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp kosher salt (sorry - not pictured)

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Whisk ingredients together & refrigerate before serving.

I've experimented with 2 versions of this salad, but really, the possibilities are endless.

Italian Salad version (inspired by local restaurant Canella's)

Crisp Iceberg lettuce +

Red Leaf or Romaine Lettuce

Red Kidney Beans

Garbanzo Beans

shredded Mozzarella Cheese

diced Beets

croutons

Spring Salad version (inspired by neighbors - who served this "salad bar" style for a church function)

Romaine Lettuce +

Red Leaf Lettuce +

Spring Mix

Grilled Chicken - sliced or diced

Bacon Bits

Chives or Green Onions

Tomato, chopped

Bleu Cheese, crumbled

Hard Boiled Egg, chopped

Avocado, diced

Both of these versions with a mix of the 2 dressings are super tasty! Try it - you'll like it.

Happy New Year!

WOW - it's 2010... start of a new year... start of a new decade! So much potential in new beginnings. I've recently come to the realization that I am not a resolution-maker or a resolution-keeper. It's not that I can't make and/or keep goals. I just like to do it on my own time frame, not follow the calendar. It's so liberating admitting this! Here's to following our own timelines... Happy 2010!

Precious Moments...

They are so few and far between: these precious moments when siblings are playing joyfully together.

But it DOES happen... from time to time...

And who was fortunate enough to be there with a camera? Me. That's who.

"Like...okay...like...what are the rules here?"

Run, girl, Run!

Set it up...

Don't be too aggressive there, Em...

Cuz that's what happens...

And he makes a break for it...

But this little goalie is ready...

And now she wants "in" on the action...

But doesn't get too far before big brother is there to stop her...

And he makes the play...

Nice block goalie!!!

And by the way... this is for YOU!

This was the kick that stopped the game. Notice the foot in action. Notice the ball. Not in action. Notice the 2 kids falling over each other in laughter, in the bottom right corner of the shot. We had to retire after this - too many giggles to continue.

It was fun while it lasted!

Crazy Hat/Hair Day @ School

Need I say more?

Girl's Night...

I love a good girl's night! We are fortunate enough to have own a get-away home with our extended family. This was the spot for the girly-sleepover party I hosted this fall.

One of my FAVORITE salad recipes is the BBQ Chicken Ranch Salad from California Pizza Kitchen. Yum. I decided to serve salad bar buffet style, since I am all too sympathetic to the picky eater.

Look at this beauty! (& Allison doesn't look too shabby either)

We tried...well, I tried to play a game involving candy & remembering who has what candy & stealing candy... but it didn't quite go according to plan. I think the girls had fun anyway!

The Mom's cheering on the candy thieves... good times. Good times.