Friday Afternoon

Photography: Behind the Photographs

2012-01-28T09:46:00.000-05:00

I came across a really cool book the other day. Behind the Photographs, by Tim Mantoani, features over 150 photographs of famous photographers holding their most iconic photograph. Tim uses a large format Polaroid 20x24 Land Camera to take the photos. It is fascinating to see the faces behind some of the most well know photos of the last 50 years.

{all images by Tim Mantoani}

The images are featured in two editions of a book that can be purchased here.

Must See Videos

2012-01-27T20:59:00.000-05:00

As a result of my evolving interest in photography, I've been getting more and more interested in short, home-made videos. I've made a few of my own, mainly for recent vacations, but I love putting together photos, video clips, and just the right music to capture a moment time.

This first video, Made in Ireland, does just that. Beautiful music and video combine to paint of picture of Iceland that will make anyone want to visit.

The second video, Gimmie Shelter, is an amazing cover of the Rolling Stones song played by street musicians around the world, and put together by Playing for Change. Dare I say it's even better than the original?!

What short video's have inspired you lately?

Spotted

2012-01-26T17:50:00.000-05:00

Here are some sites and posts from around the web that have caught my eye this week.

{Photo via Tumblr}

Tara Whitney: catching my breath.

Milk and Bookies: throw a party, donate books!

Skillshare: have a skill? want to learn something?

About One: organize everything! on the web!

Tar Sophia Mohr: find your calling.

Well Grounded Life: acidic vs. alkaline body chemistry.

Beautiful Space: NYC Bedroom

2012-01-25T17:20:00.002-05:00

My jaw dropped when I saw Joanna from Cup of Jo's bedroom makeover. While the "before" was calm and pretty, the "after" is perfect! Cheerful and colorful with pops of yellow and red, I love all the little details. My favorite details are the curtains with the yellow trip, the gallery wall of photos, the red rug, and the black lamp and dresser to ground all the color. I'm thinking my bedroom needs a makeover now too!

{Photos via Cup of Jo}

Head on over to Cup of Jo for the full bedroom tour.

Beautiful Photos

2012-01-24T19:50:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite things to find on the web is a beautiful photo. An amazing photo can capture so many emotions, and often says more then words ever could. As an amateur photographer, I'm always trying to capture that special something in each photo I take. Most of the time the perfect shot is elusive, but every now and then you see a shot on the screen that is even better than you hoped it could be.

These two caught my eye today.

{The Milky Way. Photo by andyspictures via Flickr}

{Magical Sparkles. Photo by Images by John 'K' via Flickr}

Blogs I Love

2012-01-23T19:08:00.000-05:00

I recently discovered two very addictive food blogs that I just can't keep to myself. The food photography is also amazing on both sites.

The first site is Gilt Taste. Gilt Taste is run by Gilt which is a free-membership shopping site. Gilt Taste has sections for recipes, gifts, and sales, but my favorite section is called "Stories". This blog has amazing stories about food and cooking written by some of the best food writers out there, including Ruth Reichl. These stories might make you laugh or cry, and I guarantee they will also make you hungry!

{photo via Gilt Taste}

The second site is Food Gawker. Food Gawker is basically a photo gallery of some of the best recipes around the web. The site gets hundreds of submissions every day from food bloggers around the world, and only the best are chosen. Clicking on a photo takes you directly to the recipe. The site is mouth-wateringly delicious!

{photo via Food Gawker}

Spotted

2012-01-22T18:50:00.000-05:00

A couple things I found this week that I would love to add to my home!

This print, available from The Love Shop on Etsy. What a great family mission statement to hang in your home!

{print via The Love Shop}

This beautiful 100% wool souk rug from West Elm. It would be amazing in my living room!

{photo via West Elm}

Weekly Menu Plan

2012-01-21T18:43:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted our weekly menu plan for a while, but the meals I've planned for the coming week look so good I thought I'd share!

Monday: Goat Cheese and Roasted Corn Quesadillas

{photo by Randy Mayor via My Recipes}

Tuesday: Stuffed Shells and homemade Breadsticks

{photo via Pioneer Woman}

{photo via Clover Lane}

Wednesday: Avocado Grilled Cheese and Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup

{photo via Two Peas and Their Pod}

{photo by Claire Buys via 365 Days of Crockpot}

Thursday: Turkey Chili and Baked Hush Puppies

{photo by Natalie (Perry's Plate) via Tasty Kitchen}

{photo via Dinner: A Love Story}

Beautiful Space: Barcelona Home

2012-01-21T08:49:00.000-05:00

Architect Benedetta Tagliabue's beautiful Barcelona home is featured in this month's Dwell magazine and also on SF Girl by Bay's blog. This home has beautiful architectural details and design and I would love to move in!

Head on over to SF Girl by Bay's blog for more photos and details, and to Dwell magazine for the full tour.

New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-13T08:15:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again. Looking back at my resolutions from last year, I didn't do so well. I did work on my photography a bit, but in some ways I think it's gotten worse! I certainly didn't try yoga. Numbers 3, 4, and 5 were a moderate success. Progress was definitely made. #6 and 7 I'm still working on, and #8 will always be on my list!

Perhaps I need more do-able resolutions this year! I'm intrigued by the approach a couple bloggers have taken. Run Lucas Run has a beautiful (free!), downloadable template you can fill in with your answers to nine thoughtful questions. She also includes a template you can fill out with your children.

{photo via Run Lucas Run}

Tsh from Simple Mom has a list of 20 questions to reflect on on New Year's Eve. Once you've reflected on the past year and are ready to think ahead to the new year, Tsh shares a downloadable PDF with a list of questions to help you set goals for the future.

I've printed out both of these PDF's and hope to have some time over the weekend to think about the year ahead and put some goals and plans in place.

Another idea that always inspires me is Ali Edwards One Little Word project. I haven't come up with my word yet, but have a few I'm mulling over.

What are your goals and resolutions for the new year? How do you come up with them?

Just Ask! Life List

2011-10-21T17:25:00.000-04:00

This is my entry in the Just Ask Bucket List Getaway Giveaway. Just Ask offers a breast and ovarian cancer screening and is encouraging people to share 15 things that I want to enjoy in my lifetime as a reminder to be aware of my health. Want to enter? Head over to TodaysMama.com to get the details.

I've been working on my Life List for a while now, updating as new ideas come to me, and crossing off a few things here and there. One dilemma, should I put things on my list that I've already done, but would have made it on my list had I begun it when I was younger? Not sure of that one!

Here are 15 random items from my list, in no particular order:

1. Learn Italian.
{photo via Pinterest}

2. Have a photo make it to "Explore" in Flickr.
{photo via Pinterest}

3. See Machu Pichu.
{photo via Pinterest}

4. Have a totally handmade Christmas.
{photo via Pinterest}

5. Make a family history cookbook.
{photo via Pinterest}

6. Hike the Pilgrim's trail to Camino de Santiago in Spain.
{photo via Pinterest}

7. Eat at Chez Panisse.
{photo via Pinterest}

8. Read all of Shakespeare's plays.
{photo via Pinterest}

9. Raft the Grand Canyon.
{photo via Pinterest}

10. Live in a modern home.
{photo via Pinterest}

11. Learn to grill a perfect steak.
{photo via Pinterest}

12. Set up a rain barrel.
{photo via Pinterest}

13. Visit the tea plantations in India.
{photo via Pinterest}

14. Buy a Coach purse.
{photo via Pinterest}

15. Live in San Francisco.
{photo via Pinterest}

Follow updates to my Life List on Pinterest!

Fujifilm Instax Photo Project

2011-09-07T22:43:00.000-04:00

I recently bought myself a Fujifilm Instax camera and decided that our vacation to the Canadian Rockies was the perfect place to break it in. Although I took hundreds of photos with my DSLR, it was great to have the Instax along for the instant gratification of seeing the photo immediately. Plus I love the mini size and look of the photo! I tried to take one instant photo each day of vacation, in each of the different locations we visited. I loved watching the collection grow over the vacation and flipping through the pile. When we got home though I wanted the photos to do more then just sit in a pile and gather dust!

I came up with the idea of framing them all in one large frame, and also including some vacation memorabilia to add interest and break up the display visually. I laid all the photos out to see what kind of arrangement I could come up with and to measure the dimensions. Luckily the height and width exactly corresponded to a common frame size (11"x14")! I purchased a simple black frame and some double sided tape and got to work.

First I laid out all the photos and made an arrangement that I was happy with.

Next I used double-sided tape to attach the photos to the backing board.

Here, all the photos have been attached!

Looks good to me!

I love these small photos and love the way this art project turned out!

First Day of School (round two)

2011-09-04T12:38:00.000-04:00

Youngest son had his first day of school last week, and now Oldest and Middle sons have both gone back to school as well. We've had a really weird start to the school year, what with an earth quake during the Youngest's first week of school, and a hurricane to start (or rather delay) the first day of school for the other two. And now this week we have a holiday!

I think they were both semi-excited to head back to school. Oldest is in the process of switching high schools and has to go to the old high school for two weeks until we can get the paper work straightened out. He's not thrilled about this, but at least he'll be where he wants to be soon. I definitely have mixed feelings about it all. Middle is starting 8th grade so we'll be going through the high school choice process this fall. It will be interesting to see where he ends up!

Hopefully all three will have a great school year, make good friends, and continue to get good grades.

Whole Foods

2011-08-31T23:04:00.000-04:00

I stopped in Whole Foods today to pick up a fillet of salmon for hubby's birthday today and was reminded again how much I love that store! Just walking into the produce section I surrounded by such variety and color. Love, love it! Unfortunately it's not very convenient for me, and I'm all about convenience! And it's also a tad pricey! My usual store of choice is Trader Joe's, but Whole Foods sure is nice as a special treat. I didn't have too much time today, but was able to get some fresh mozzarella, pirate booty for school lunches, fresh pineapple, and some bulk pine nuts to make pesto. I also bought a super yummy chocolate mousse cake to celebrate the birthday. I had to dash through the prepared foods section, but oh how I'd love to go back and browse! I could drop some serious cash there.

{all images from Google images}

Paris With (or without) Kids

2011-08-30T13:30:00.000-04:00

Dinner, A Love Story, just published a fabulous list of 25 things to do in Paris with your kids. After reading over the list, I'd say most of the suggestions would be fun to do even without kids!

We visited Paris in 2004 with our boys who were 4, 6, and 8 at the time. We had the best time with them, and honestly didn't do too many "kid" activities. We went to museums, took a boat ride on the Seine, visited Versailles and rode bicycles, went to the bakery every morning for fresh baguettes and croissants, and went to see most of the major tourist attractions.

My #1 tip for traveling almost anywhere with kids is to rent an apartment instead of staying in a hotel. We did this in Paris and it was the best decision. We had a separate bedroom for the boys, a small kitchen with laundry machines, and room to stretch out and relax after a long day walking. Plus it made us feel like locals!

What are your top tips for traveling with kids?

State Letterpress

2011-08-29T22:28:00.000-04:00

I love these State letterpress posters from Esty seller One Canoe Two.

I don't see one for Maryland or D.C. yet, but hopefully more will be added soon!

Beautiful Home: Portland, OR

2011-08-29T14:14:00.000-04:00

I saw this beautiful home on the Bliss blog the other day and had to post these photos here too. This beautiful home is in northwest Portland, Oregon, and is designed by Jessica Helgersen. I love the neutral color scheme of whites, grays, blacks, and browns, punctuated by pops of color here and there. I'm thinking I need to repaint my home! I also love how they have used very modern lighting fixtures in their mostly traditional home. The contrast between modern and traditional is so beautiful here!

There are so many things I love in this family room, including the amazing modern coffee table and traditional armoire. The sofa is beautiful as well.

I love the red chair and ottoman here and the texture of the poufs. And the floor light is to die for!

The entry way leaves me speechless! There is so much amazing going on here, but again it's the contrast between modern and traditional that I love. The mirrors on the wall are crazy cool and I love the hanging light!

This is the kitchen of my dreams. This is a kitchen I would cook dinner in every night and not even be tempted to order carry-out! I love the clean whiteness, the beautiful counter tops, and the glass globe lights.

Again the contrast with traditional and modern: the beautiful round table paired with the modern chairs. And how amazing is the light mobile over the table! Definitely a house I could move right into.

For more photos and links, see the Bliss blog.

{photos via Bliss}

Lists: Snacks, Breakfasts, Lunches

2011-08-28T11:47:00.000-04:00

I know I posted some breakfast and snack ideas the other days, but today I'm posting a breakfast and lunch rotation schedule I've come up with for our family. As I've mentioned before, if it's not on the grocery list, it doesn't get purchased. Not that I don't make impulse buys, I just can't remember what I need if I don't write it down! If I pair my breakfast and lunch rotations with my dinner menu plan and check the snack list, I think we'll be set each week.

Breakfast Rotation:
Monday: oatmeal with toppings (this may be stove-top or baked oatmeal)
Tuesday: waffles (either homemade and frozen or store bought)
Wednesday: breakfast burritos (egg & vege-meat scrambled in a cheesy tortilla with salsa)
Thursday: scrambled eggs, toast, stripples
Friday: dirty rice (vege hot dogs, corn, seasonings, and rice, stir fried)

Other breakfasts we may add in as we like:
Bicher Muesli (a concoction of yogurt, oats, grated apple, strawberries, and ground walnuts)
cold cereal or granola
bagels & cream cheese
Egg McMuffins

Four-Week Lunch Rotation:
Monday: chicken quesadillas
Tuesday: baguette turkey sandwiches
Wednesday: bean burrito
Thursday: pasta shells with parmesan and peas
Friday: hot dogs

Monday: grilled cheese
Tuesday: turkey & cheese roll-up
Wednesday: refried beans & cheese with chips
Thursday: macaroni & cheese
Friday: chicken salad wrap w/ cranberries

Monday:chicken quesadillas
Tuesday: baguette turkey sandwhiches
Wednesday: taco roll-up
Thursday: pasta shells with parmesan and peas
Friday: falaffel in pita

Monday: grilled cheese
Tuesday: turkey & cheese roll-up
Wednesday: refried beans & cheese with chips
Thursday: macaroni & cheese
Friday: chicken salad wrap w/ cranberries

In the boys' lunch each day I also include: chips or snack item, yogurt, fruit or veggie, a sweet treat.

{photo credits: my own photo, tumbler, tumbler, family fun}

Hurricane Irene

2011-08-27T13:10:00.001-04:00

{photo via Nasa.gov}

We are staying inside today, nice and cozy, riding out the effects of Hurricane Irene. We're not directly in it's path, but are close enough that the rain and winds will definitely hit us hard. We spent yesterday and this morning preparing: cleaning the gutters, putting away things on the patio, filling the cars up with gas. In addition, I've been preparing for the distinct possibility that we will loose power for a couple days. I've done all the laundry, ran the dishwasher, and bought a couple bags of ice which we threw in a cooler in case we need to move items out of the fridge. Tonight we plan to sleep in the basement. The worst of the storm should hit us during the night and with several big trees around the house, we aren't taking any chances!

We seem to loose power a couple times every year, either due to snow/ice or a bad summer storm, so I'm already resigned to the fact that it might happen again. Our phones and iPad are staying plugged in as long as possible so they're fully charged! It has already started to rain outside and we've spent the morning with the T.V. on, wandering in and out of the bedroom to see weather updates.

Now that we're prepared, we plan to spend the rest of the day playing games, maybe baking, and watching non-stop coverage on the Weather channel. Nine years ago Hurricane Isabel blew through. That was a big storm for us with lots of limbs and debris down in the yard, and we lost power for five days. Hopefully this one won't be quite so bad!

Back to School Food Ideas

2011-08-26T13:04:00.001-04:00

I've been scouring the web looking for great ideas for Back to School breakfasts, snacks, and lunches. I have discovered that if I don't have a plan, food items don't get purchased, and as a result healthy options are not available when the boys get hungry. So often I resort to bagels, trail mix, or a quesadilla for after school snacks, when with a little preparation I could offer a bigger variety of healthier foods.

So my plan for the year is to have a rotating list of snacks, lunches, and breakfast foods each week. I can even write up a grocery list ahead of time. That is usually my biggest stumbling block 'cause if it's not on the list it doesn't get purchased! Here are some great snack ideas I've found:

fruit, granola and yogurt parfait
fruit kabobs with yogurt dip

{photo via Good Life Eats}

cut-up veggies with dip (hummus, guacamore, ranch)

{photo via Good Life Eats}

Smoothies

Zucchini or Banana Bread

Popcorn

Homemade Granola Bars

And I have to include this link for baked oatmeal as I think this may be my go-to breakfast this school year.

{photo via Simple Bites}

Egg McMuffins are a huge hit in our house. With or without bacon and cheese, and use a whole wheat muffin for extra nutrition.

{photo via Simple Bites}

Scones. Delicious and hearty. This recipe has oats for fiber and heart-health.

{photo via Simple Bites}

Fruit and yogurt parfaits, with or without granola sprinkled on top. These make great after school snacks as well.

{photo via Simple Bites}

What are your go-to ideas for Back to School snacks, lunches, or breakfasts?

Beautiful Space: Dining Room

2011-08-24T22:42:00.000-04:00

I love, love this dining room! I have a bay window just like this and am wondering how I can make my breakfast room look like this. I love the chairs and shades too. What a perfect space!

{image via Stephmodo}

Backyard Idea

2011-08-24T10:54:00.000-04:00

We are big Scrabble lovers in our family and this giant size game board would be perfect in our backyard! Sunset magazine has instructions here on how to make a set for your own backyard.

{via Stephmodo}

First Day of School

2011-08-23T13:55:00.000-04:00

Youngest boy started school today, a full week earlier than his brothers, but a full week later than he usually starts! Because of the new school and teachers needing more time to move in and set things up, the start of school was delayed a week this year. We couldn't have been happier about that as it stretched our summer out a little longer and made our return from vacation a week ago a little easier.

He's still not thrilled about having to go to school while his brother's don't, but he'll sure be happy come the end of May when he's done and they still have three more weeks of school!

We had to upgrade his uniform to brand-specific shorts and pants this year, and of course had to pick out cool new shoes. He loves these shoes, and I like them better than the first few pairs he wanted!

He had a great first day, learning the ropes of middle school. I can't wait to see what the year holds for him!

Brand New School

2011-08-22T21:51:00.001-04:00

The school my youngest boy has attended since Kindergarten (and his brother's also attended) finally completed the new building this summer. The school was founded over 50 years ago, and they have been meeting in the original building this whole time. Over the years grades have been added and the student body has grown, but we still met in the same (overcrowded) building. It's taken years of negotiations with the county and lots of fund raising, but finally we have a new building!!

We were on vacation when the open house was held, but as soon as we returned we headed over to the new building for a tour. The new building is three times as big as the old school and has so many more rooms: a beautiful auditorium, a huge gymnasium, and a multi-purpose room, whereas the old school only had one small gym for all three purposes. Youngest son is beside himself with excitement over the new school, and what makes it even more exciting is he is now a middle schooler.

I took a few photos to share:

this will be the new library once shelves and books are unpacked:

one of the beautiful, new, wide hallways:

the stage in the new auditorium:

the multi-purpose room, which will be used for lunch time (kitchen in the back) and sports practice:

another beautiful hallway (locker rooms to the left):

the gymnasium! with bleachers that pull out:

the courtyard (high school to the left, elementary to the right):

the atrium at the high school entrance:

view of the courtyard from the second level:

one of two computer labs:

the high school science lab:

the high school entrance atrium, from the second floor:

The entire building is so beautiful and spacious. What a difference after spending so many years in the old school! We are looking forward to a great middle school and high school experience in this building.

Best Ever Meat Sauce and a Few Other Things

2011-08-22T20:43:00.000-04:00

{photo from Pioneer Woman}

So today was youngest boy's first day of middle school. His brother's don't start until next week, so he got to pick his favorite breakfast and dinner all by himself. For breakfast he picked his favorite, dirty rice, and for dinner he asked for spaghetti with meat sauce. That is actually a big step as up till now he's preferred his spaghetti plain with cheese. No. Tomatoes. Allowed. He had spaghetti with meat sauce at the Spaghetti Factory on our vacation though (twice), and loved it! So that was his choice for tonight.

I have made this sauce before, so I knew it was good, but what made it spectacular tonight, and helped youngest boy gobble up every bite, was my pureeing the sauce before adding the cooked ground beef. You see, apparently the problem with spaghetti sauce has been the chunks of tomatoes! Pureed sauce=no problem! Especially with lots of yummy chunks of meat.

This recipe makes a lot. Enough for dinner, and plenty left over to freeze for another 2-3 meals. The original recipe is from Pioneer Woman, but I've changed or tweaked a few things.

Best Ever Meat Sauce

1/2 cup Olive Oil
1-1/2 cup Grated Carrots
1 whole Large Onion, Diced
2 pounds Ground Beef
2 Tablespoons Dried Oregano
2 Tablespoons Dried Basil Flakes
1 can (6 Ounce) Tomato Paste
5 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 1/2 cup Red Wine
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire
2 cans (28 Ounce) diced Tomatoes
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Fresh Parmesan Cheese

Preparation Instructions

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium heat. Add grated carrots and onions and cook for a few minutes. Throw in oregano and basil. Use fresh if you have it; if you don’t, it’s fine. Add both cans of diced tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, red wine, and Worcestershire. Stir. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and using an immersion blender, puree sauce to your liking (can make as smooth or chunky as you like).

Meanwhile, in a separate pan, brown the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Cook a few more minutes to make sure beef is cooked through. When beef is thoroughly cooked, drain off fat and add meat to sauce. Stir, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes to 2 hours—however long you need.

Serve with pasta and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

The original recipe called for adding a cup of milk to the sauce. I forgot this step, but loved the sauce without it.

I haven't been much of a cook this summer. Just haven't been in the mood, and haven't had a menu plan, so we kind of flew by the seat of our pants when it came to meal time. So tonight I was pretty proud of myself in making this dinner. Home cooked! From scratch! With a vegetable! How could I loose?! Well apparently I didn't need to make dinner tonight. Just as we were getting ready to eat, middle and youngest boy discovered that the sleepover they were going to tonight involved pizza. They ate a small dinner anyways, but didn't need to. Well at least oldest boy will love it, I thought. Except when I went to pick him up at the pool, he had a plate of hamburgers in his hand from the girls' field hockey team party going on at the pool. Humph. And of course, hubby being a vegetarian won't eat it anyways. On the bright side, I enjoyed it, and there's enough to freeze for several more dinners. Yay!

We are Home!

2011-08-13T15:32:00.000-04:00

Back from vacation that is. We spent two weeks in the Canadian Rockies, visiting Banff and Jasper National Parks and Lake Louise. We got home late last night and are spending the day unpacking, doing laundry, straightening the house, and grocery shopping. I will have lots more photos to share soon!

Shooting Stars

2011-07-28T09:02:00.000-04:00

{photo by Mila via Wikimedia Commons}

I am fascinated with astronomy and outer space. I love star watching, shooting stars, and imagining the possibilities out there. The time, space, and distance of the universe utterly enthralls me and boggles my mind at the same time. On vacation in Yosemite last summer, one of my favorite activities we did was an evening star gazing "tour" where we went out into a field and were "led" on a tour of the stars. Just beautiful!

Every year in August, the Perseid meteor shower peaks. Around August 12-13, up to 60 meteor's an hour can be seen! You need to be somewhere dark, far away from city lights for best viewing. I'm hoping to see lots of shooting stars this year!

Mid-Summer Check In

2011-07-24T17:44:00.000-04:00

Wow. It's been a month since I've posted. Who would have thought I'd be busier in the summer than during the school year! This is what I've been up to:

Between the boys' year-round swim team practices and meets and our summer pool swim team I've spent a lot of time driving to and from pools, sitting at meets, and helping manage our summer swim team. We've had qualifiers, State championships, weekly summer meets, a distance meet, and finally Divisionals and end of summer Age Group championships. One more meet next weekend (Relay All Stars) and all swimming will end for us . . . for one month. We get the month of August off. And boy do I plan to enjoy that month!

What else have we been up to this summer?

We cried through the final Harry Potter movie, watched the garden shrivel in the heat, tried to avoid cooking as much as possible, spent 30-40 hours making the swim team video, read the Dragon Tattoo trilogy, and spent time with good friends.

The boys have obviously spent a great deal of time swimming. They also (individually) battled a swimmer's ear infection, got a driver's permit and took driver's ed, had sleepovers, tried to avoid summer work, and spent lots of time with friends.

I got the best news the other day; Kieran's school is moving into a brand new school and due to permitting issues, the start date of school has been pushed back a week! He was due to start school two full weeks before his brothers, effectively ending our summer vacation mid-August. Having that extra week is an amazing gift!

So what do we still want to do with the rest of the summer?

1. Go on vacation! We leave soon and can't wait!

2. Calder exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery.

3. Have a cocktail party.

4. Watch for shooting stars.

5. Make milkshakes.

6. Watch a TV series.

7. Play games.

Other things not on our original list I'd like to do:

1. Plan an amazing 40th birthday party for my husband.

2. Back to school shopping.

3. Go to a couple summer concerts.

4. Sleep in.

And a few housekeeping things that need to be done:

1. Organize the basement.

2. Sell a few things on Craig's List.

3. Menu planning for the fall.

As of today we have four weeks of summer left before the youngest goes back to school, with one additional week for his older brothers. That time will fly by.

New Recipe

2011-06-24T09:39:00.000-04:00

These BBQ Chicken, Brie and Plantain wraps were featured today on the Tasty Kitchen blog. I plan to try making them as soon as is humanly possible! For the complete recipe, clink on over to Tasty Kitchen.

{image via Tasty Kitchen}

Summer Trip

2011-06-22T22:14:00.000-04:00

My baby left today on his trip to France and Spain. Well, he's not really my baby anymore, he's almost 16, but he'll always be my baby! He's off for 10 days of fun in Paris, Barcelona, and Madrid. I can't wait to hear his stories and see his photos when he returns!

{image via tumblr}

School's Out!

2011-06-17T11:59:00.000-04:00

{image from Scout's Honor}

Spring Garden

2011-06-15T22:34:00.000-04:00

I grew up in a family that gardened. We had a plot of land behind our home in Washington state where we grew all kinds of vegetables, and for a few years, a neighbor even allowed us use of their one-acre plot behind our garden to plant with even more veggies. We had corn, green beans, squash, tomatoes, carrots and many more kinds of vegetables. I remember hours spent with my sister weeding and tending the garden. Our parents would pay us a quarter and we'd ride our bikes to the corner store to buy popsicles.

Not only did my parents garden, but my mother also canned. We had a pantry room filled to the brim with canned jars of green beans, peaches, cherries, tomatoes, and other foods, as well as a freezer filled with frozen vegetables. So when my boys kept asking to plant a garden, at least it wasn't a foreign concept to me.

Finally this year I gave in, cleared a space by moving a bunch of perennials, and bought seeds and starter plants. We turned the dirt, sprinkled in some organic fertilizer, planted a few seeds and plants and sat back to see what would happen. We planted carrots, radishes, beets, green beans, and onions from seed, and broccoli, cauliflower, chard, peppers, tomatoes, herbs, lettuce, arugula, eggplant, cucumbers, and squash starter plants.

All in all, we've had a pretty good garden sprout up. The root vegetables don't seem to fare too well. We got a few radishes, but the carrots aren't doing well, and we'll have to wait and see with the beets. The green beans were doing great until we were gone for the weekend and the rabbits ate all the leaves off the plants. The lettuce, arugula, and herbs (basil, cilantro, parsley) have done well, but by far our best growers are the chard, broccoli, tomato, pepper, and squash plants. They have grown huge almost overnight. We've been eating chard for a while now, and picked our first cucumber yesterday. After a battle with cabbage worms, the broccoli is doing great and the heads have appeared and are growing bigger every day.

It's been a great experience for the boys. Kieran helps water the garden almost every day, and they have enjoyed eating some of the veggies from the garden. We definitely have learned what works well in our garden, and what we will skip next year.

Here are photos from the garden, both from April when we started the garden, then May when the plants were starting to grow, and more recently, the beginning of June when things were really thriving. Of course it's now been three more weeks and the plants are even bigger, so I will post an update soon.

{the garden center, picking out lettuces}

{this was a romaine-like lettuce}

{supplies: tomato plants, seeds, herbs, broccoli, and raspberry bushes}

{the garden, early april}

{the garden, early May}

{the garden, early June}

{broccoli, early April}

{broccoli, early May}

{broccoli, early June}

{chard, early April}

{chard, early May}

{chard, early June}

{eggplant, on right, early May}

{eggplant, in middle, early June}

{peppers, in pots on right, early May}

{peppers, early June}

{squash, early May}

{squash, early June}

{tomato plot, early April}

{tomatoes and basil, early May}

{tomatoes and basil, early June}

{tomatoes in pots, early May}

{tomatoes in pots, early June}

{tomato pot, early May}

{tomato pot, early June}

{tomatoes!}

{perennial area, early April}

{perennial area, early May}

{some of our early harvest: lettuce, chard, radishes, arugula}

Assateague Island Camping

2011-06-13T11:21:00.000-04:00

Every Memorial Day for the past five years, we have camped on Assateague Island. It's a beautiful seashore, just south of Ocean City, MD, and wild horses live all over the island. We love to camp at the National Park campground because pets are allowed and you can build bonfires on the beach. Plus, the beach along the campground is never crowded!

We have usually lucked out with beautiful weather and no bugs. This year was a little different for a few reasons. First off, we were late making our reservations so had to settle for a walk-in site that was a few hundred yards from the parking lot. We had to lug all our gear over the boardwalk and sand to our spot. Not fun. Second, it was warmer than usual this year, and the lugging of the gear didn't help! And finally, for whatever reason, there were tons of mosquitoes. As soon as we stepped out of the car our arms and legs were covered with them! A lot of bug spray helped with that problem. And on the upside, the walk-in sites have much nicer outhouses than the car camping sites.

In spite of much complaining (by me!) we did have a nice time. Kaden brought his best friend along, and my parents also camped with us. We had our usual fire on the beach and cooked dinner over it. There were lots of s'mores and gazing at the stars (we even saw a few shooting stars!). I'm thinking I'd like to try and rent a beach house next year though!

{we played soccer on the beach}

{and flew kites}

{the boys love to set and light the fire}

{beach volleyball is always a favorite activity}

{the water is too cold for me, but not the boys!}

{they could do this for hours}

{my parents had a great time camping with us too}

{love this photo of Kohler!}

{family photo on the beach}

Summer Foods

2011-06-09T15:31:00.000-04:00

So many delicious summer-friendly recipes popping up on the web that I want to try! Frozen treats, cool drinks, hot weather dinners. Here's a run-down of recipes that are catching my eye.

Lemon Curd Shots with Raspberries and Pistachios

{image via Stephmodo}

Raspberry Margaritas

{image via Pink Basil}

Watermelon Mojito Popsicles

{image via Endless Simmer}

Yogurt Kabobs

{image via Mom Filter}

Ginger Limeade

{image via A Cozy Kitchen}

Pizza Skewers

{image via Baked Bree}

21 Things to Do This Summer

2011-06-08T23:27:00.000-04:00

Every summer I like to get organized and plan various activities, both small and large, for our family. I am definitely a type-A, get-it-organized kind of girl, and even our down time is no exception! I do find that summers, like weekends and vacations, are best when there is some planning involved, otherwise time seems to fly by and at the end of the summer we look back and realize there were many things we had wanted to do that never got done. Plus, honestly, it's fun! I like planning out activities for us to do.

Here, then, is my list of 21 things we want to do this summer.

1. Go camping. There is nothing like a warm summer night spent in a tent.

{image from here}

2. Field trip to South Mountain Creamery. My husband is a huge ice-cream fan and would love a day trip to visit this working farm and sample some of the wares.

{image from here}

3. Game nights. Finally no homework or evening activities. Let's play some games!

4. S'mores in the firepit. Why wait to go camping to enjoy this treat?!

{image from here}

5. Build a fort. The boys have wanted a tree house for years. I'd like to buy a bunch of supplies and let them see what they can come up with (on the ground, not in a tree!).

{image from here}

6. Visit the Calder exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery. Let's add some culture to our summer!

{image from here}

7. Hang out in the hammock reading lots of books. Enough said.

{image via Simple Lovely}

8. Plant and tend a garden. The boys have asked to do this for years.

9. Try out lots of Popsicle recipes. Haven't you heard? They're the new cupcake!

{image via Simple Lovely}

10. Watch movies outdoors. Drive-in theater, outdoor venues, and by the neighborhood pool. Fun!

{image from here}

11. Learn to make a great cocktail. Got to use up all that mint growing in my garden.

{image via Everything Fab}

12. Lay in the front yard and look for shooting stars and fireflys.

{image from here}

13. Watch at least one season of a TV series from start to finish. Some possibilities: Curb Your Enthusiasm, True Blood, Burn Notice, Brothers and Sisters, The Killing, Walking Dead.

{image from here}

14. Take a family vacation!

{image via Flickr}

15. Practice making lots and lots of milkshakes.

{image from here}

16. Harry Potter movie marathon before the final movie comes out.

{image from here}

17. Go on a gelato tasting bender.

{image from here}

18. Check out Truckeroo. Food trucks in DC. Yum!

{image from here}

19. Jazz in the Garden at the National Gallery. At least one time. With a picnic dinner.

{image via Flickr}

20. Go to the Gaithersburg water park. With friends.

{image from here}

21. Enjoy a cool theater on a hot day. Summer movies!

{image from here}

What's on your summer list?

Outdoor Movies

2011-06-07T09:57:00.000-04:00

At the top of my summer "must" list is watching movies outdoors. How awesome is this set up architect Hagy Belzberg has on the side of his house?! And the view of LA is just as amazing!

{via Pretty Mommy}

Camping

2011-06-06T23:26:00.000-04:00

We went camping last weekend. It was our fifth annual camping trip to Assateague Island. Our family started camping when our youngest, who's now 11, was a baby. We've camped in a variety of places, both on our own and with friends. We now have it down to about three camping trips a year: every Memorial Day we go to Assateague Island; in September we go on a neighborhood camping trip to Cunningham Falls, and later, in October, we camp in Big Meadows in Shenandoah National Park.

The boys love it, and that's why we do it. I camped as a kid, growing up in the Northwest, but it wasn't until I did it as an adult that I realized how much work it is! After ten years of camping with the kids we pretty much have it down to a science now, although I'm always looking for tips, shortcuts, and great ideas I can use on our next trip.

Here are my top ten tips:

1. Invest in good quality, basic equipment. We bought our tent for our first camping trip and have been using it ever since. It's fairly easy to set up, has three "rooms", and you can stand upright in the center. It's still in great condition. In contrast are our air mattresses. We seem to be continually buying new mattress which seem to immediately spring holes. Look for good brands, then google reviews for the product you are interested in.

2. Do as much food preparation ahead of time as possible. I make as much as I can at home ahead of time, then pack it all up in plastic containers (pasta salad, chili, tomato rotini). I pre-wash and hull strawberries for breakfast. This last trip I even made turkey and cheese sandwiches ahead of time at home. It’s so much easier to just pull a container out of the cooler and be ready to eat, instead of trying to cook at camp. I also open canned food and put the contents in a plastic container ahead of time. Anything you can do ahead of time at home makes meal time so much easier.

3. Let the kids get involved as much as possible. As soon as they're old enough, let them help pitch the tent, gather firewood, and help with the meals. Other things my boys love to do are chop the firewood (properly supervised with proper gear) and build the fire. They have learned how to set the firewood and how to get it going. In a campground fires must be lit in the fire pit only, but in the campground at Assateague, you are permitted to have fires on the beach. We often have our fire going all day long!

3. Plan some meals you can cook over the fire. Kids love this! Plus if you already have a fire going, why not make use of it for your dinner! We love to roast hot dogs on sticks, pop popcorn, and make foil packets of meat and potatoes to cook in the coals. And don't forget ingredients for s'mores!

4. Bring a flashlight for each person. Kids love to run around after dark or read in the tent and having their own flashlight makes it so much easier. Of course you will need one too! Also bring a battery operated light to hang from the ceiling of the tent to brighten your space.

5. If you're just camping for the weekend, forget about having the kids (or yourself) shower, and take very few pieces of clothing for them. I just let them wear the same outfit over each day–why make more dirty laundry! I do take one change in case they get wet/muddy.

6. I refuse to "do" sleeping bags anymore! Too small, claustrophobic, and uncomfortable. The kids still use them, but for my husband and myself I bring one sleeping bag which we open and place over the mattress underneath us, then an old comforter that goes over us. Nice and warm and cozy without being tight and uncomfortable. If you're camping in the spring or fall, it's probably a good idea to bring a few extra blankets for the kids in case it gets chilly.

7. Keep all of your camping gear together. We store our supplies in two plastic bins along with a check list. When we’re ready to go, I just have to pull out the bins and tent and sleeping bags, pack up the food and clothing, and we’re ready to go. No more hunting around for everything.

8. If you plan on camping during a popular time of year (Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, etc.) make your reservations well in advance. Most of the campgrounds we camp at accept reservations six months before the date you want. We write these dates on our calendar and call for reservations right away. This also helps you get the site you want as well.

9. Things will get wet at night. Even if it doesn't rain, dew will usually make anything you leave out overnight wet by morning. We fold up our chairs and lean them against the table, put our towels and tablecloth in the car or tent, and make sure all paper products are back in a plastic bin. Shoes left outside the tent will get wet too, so you may want to bring a small rug to put inside the tent to keep your shoes on.

10. Bring work gloves and duct tape. My husband always brings his heavy gloves along and swears by them. They keep your hands clean and splinter or blister free while cutting wood, moving the grate around on the fire pit, and any other dirty job around camp. Duct tape is always handy to have. We have used it to patch holes in the above-mentioned air mattresses and to seal holes in the tent netting. Other must-have items to bring: heavy-duty garbage bags, newspaper for the fire, bug spray, baby wipes, ziplock baggies (good for so many things), can opener, and card games.

What have I missed? Feel free to add your own tips in the comments!

Dream Trip Around the World

2011-06-05T00:29:00.000-04:00

There are so many places in the world that I want to see and explore. Every travel magazine I look at just adds new countries to my ever-growing list and expanding files. There are so many places, in fact, I'm beginning to think there will never be time enough to visit them all. So I'm thinking the solution is to combine several countries at the top of my list into one grand around-the-world adventure, hitting all the continents.

So here's my list! The top countries, cities, or sites that I must see, in traveling order. First up is Spain. I've actually been to Spain before, but just Madrid. This time I want to visit Toledo, Barcelona and Granada. I want to see the Alhambra and the Sagrada Familia.

Toledo, Spain {photo found here}

The Alhambra, Granada {photo found here}

Sagrada Familia, Barcelona {photo found here}

After Spain we head over to Italy to visit Rome and Florence. So much history, art, and great food to experience here. After Italy we cross the Mediterranean to Turkey. Istanbul is top of the list for it's ancient history, mosques, markets, amazing land features, and beautiful sea. To finish up this part of the world we'll make a stop in Israel. Jerusalem with all its Biblical history is a must-see, especially Temple Mount and the Church of the Nativity.

Rome, Italy {photo found here}

Florence, Italy {photo found here}

Istanbul, Turkey {photo found here}

Capadocia, Turkey {photo found here}

Turkish coast {photo found here}

the Wailing Wall, Jerusalem {photo found here}

From Turkey we head to Asia. First up is India where we'll make stops in the north at the tea plantations, Calcutta, and Varanassi, the oldest city in India, and a very holy city to Buddhists and Hindus. From India we make our way to Vietnam and then Cambodia. In Vietnam I want to explore the beautiful coast line as well as Hanoi, the capitol of Vietnam. I really want to see Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and spend some time in Phnom Penh. After Cambodia, Bali is so close it would be a shame not to stop there too.

tea plantation, India {photo found here}

Varanassi, India {photo found here}

Calcutta, India {photo found here}

rush hour in Vietnam {photo found here}

Halong Bay, Vietnam {photo found here}

Angkor Wat, Cambodia {photo found here}

Phnom Penh, Cambodia {photo found here}

Bali, Indonesia {photo found here}

From Bali we make the trip down to New Zealand. From mountains to rivers, snow to beaches, there is so much to see and do here. After New Zealand we'll head up to South America, to Peru and Ecuador. Both cities have beautiful colonial architecture and colorful crafts and markets. In Peru we also must go to Machu Pichu.

Mt. Olympus, New Zealand {photo found here}

Milford Road, New Zealand {photo found here}

Lima, Peru {photo found here}

Machu Pichu, Peru {photo found here}

Catedral de Quito, Ecuador {photo found here}

Quito, Ecuador {photo found here}

And that's it! 11 countries total, and six continents, counting home. Whew! How long do you think that would take? What countries would be on your list? Dream big!

Beautiful Space: Narrow Row House

2011-06-02T09:52:00.000-04:00

Style At Home recently featured the most beautiful small home--a narrow row house in Toronto. Only 14 1/2' wide, the little home is big on charm. I love the French blue linen sofa and the neutral colors of gray and white throughout the house. My favorite room has got to be the kitchen, looking towards the sitting area with all the wonderful light spilling in. I love the photo collections and art on the walls, and the beautiful blues sprinkled throughout the home.

See the full article and more photos here.

{All photos via Style At Home}

Summer Party

2011-06-01T09:33:00.001-04:00

One of the items on my summer must-do list would have to be to host an amazing backyard party. My husband turns 40 this summer, and while I haven't decided what I want to do yet to celebrate, a backyard party surrounded by friends, music, and good food is certainly a possibility.

How amazing is this birthday party, thrown by Jeremy of We Are The Parsons for his wife's birthday! I love the long communal table, the strings of globe lights, and the beautiful flowers. While I'm not sure I could throw a party quite this amazing, one can dream!

Check out more photos and the full story here. And please check out We Are The Parsons, an amazing wedding photography website.

{all photos via 100LayerCake}

Stephanie Rausser: Photographer

2011-05-31T18:19:00.000-04:00

I don't remember when or where I first discovered the work of Stephanie Rausser, but when I clicked over to her site I was blown away! Her photos are full of so much love, emotion, color, and life! I want to jump right into her photos and join in the action because it just looks like so much fun!

{all photos by Stephanie Rausser}

Back on the Wagon?

2011-05-31T14:19:00.000-04:00

Boy once you fall off the blogging wagon, it's really, really hard to get back on! Somehow life has gotten in the way of blogging--too much to do, not enough time I guess! I'd really like to make an effort to post regularly again though, especially with summer just beginning!

Here are some things I'd like to blog about in the near future:

1. Our vacation to Florida.

2. End of school, end of an era.

3. Summer plans.

4. Summer "musts".

5. Fave summer meals.

6. Happenings in the garden.

I need to get into a regular blogging schedule I think. Hopefully that will help. Once you miss a few days you start to feel so behind that it gets harder and harder to start up again. So I'll not worry about what I've missed, but just start from today. Deal?!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2011-05-03T10:24:00.000-04:00

yes, my birthday came and went on Sunday. I've always loved having a May Day birthday!

Here's the list I made of things I wanted to do on my birthday:

1. brunch at home (I made Paula Deen's Baked French Toast the night before).

2. farmer's market (I bought plants for the garden, baked goods, and cheese curds).

3. play a round of Settlers of Catan with the boys.

4. work in the garden planting new plants, weeding, and edging bed.

5. dinner out at my favorite Thai restaurant.

We did it all and I had a great day! I've found that I usually have too high of expectations for special days like this, and if I don't plan ahead I'm usually disappointed. Lesson learned: make a list and don't leave it up to chance!

Here are a few photos from years past on my birthday. What I find interesting is (obviously) how much the boys have changed, but also how much my hair changed from year to year!

{2002}

{2004 surprise party!}

{2005}

{2006}

{2008}

{2009 40th birthday surprise party!}

Royal Wedding!

2011-04-29T14:39:00.000-04:00

I so enjoyed watching the Royal Wedding this morning! I remember getting up in the middle of the night 30 years ago to watch Princess Diana wed Prince Charles, so it was very special to see her son, Prince William, wed his bride, Kate, today. Everything about the procession and ceremony was perfection. The British sure know how to do Royal Weddings right! I loved her dress and the kiss, but I think my favorite part was knowing they were taking their vows in the same place William the Conqueror was crowned King 1000 years before. What an amazing history Westminster Abbey has seen!

(image from the AP via NPR.)

Beautiful Space: California Home

2011-04-27T08:21:00.000-04:00

I know I've shared my love for airy, light-filled homes with lots of white and touches of black before, but this home is so beautiful I had to share it too.

I love all the little details, and the kitchen is to-die-for! See the full home tour here.

(images via Stephmodo.)

I'm Back!

2011-04-25T12:19:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the long blog silence, but we were on spring vacation last week, and I just couldn't find the time to blog :) Here is a little hint where we were:

If you guessed Florida, you were correct. Amelia Island, in the top, east corner of the state. We stayed in a condo right on the ocean and had a blast. We also took little trips to the Okefenokee Swamp, St. Augustine, and Savannah on our way home. We came with sand, sunburn, and lots of memories! More pictures should follow later this week as I edit them.

I'm also working on lots of fun things, including a garden update, summer plans, and lots of lists of things to keep me organized.

Beautiful Space: Kennett Square

2011-04-13T09:19:00.000-04:00

I love the home in this Sneak Peek on Design Sponge. In two years the owners completely made it over into a beautiful, light filled home. The entryway with the vintage map welcomes you right in. I love the great room with the vaulted ceilings and mix of furniture. The white kitchen is an amazing place to cook--love the Persian rug! And the dark bathroom is just perfect. Check out more photos and the complete interview on Design Sponge.

(images from Design Sponge.)

Beautiful Cookbook

2011-04-12T21:06:00.000-04:00

This cookbook is shooting straight to the top of my "most wanted" list. It has the most beautiful photos and back story. I love a good cookbook, especially one with photos for each recipe, and this one looks like one of the best! Read the interview with author Heidi Swanson on Design Sponge, and see more of her beautiful photos.

The photo wall she pinned up while working on the book is amazing:

(images from Design Sponge.)

Photography: Downtown D.C.

2011-04-10T22:03:00.000-04:00

I bought a new set of Lightroom presets the other day and decided to try them out on some photos I took last weekend in downtown D.C. The presets are Cinnamon Rose Zing presets for Adobe Lightroom. I love the pop of color these presets added to my photos!

Lots of colorful row houses in D.C.:

I loved the white with red trim and touches of black in this row house:

I love this shot of the Washington Monument. The grass is so green, the trees blooming white, and the flag's color really pops. I think it's interesting how the color of the stone in the monument changes halfway up:

This is actually the EPA building, but I loved the carvings in the front. Even office buildings in D.C. are beautiful!

The Capitol! I took several shots of the Capitol and tried different presets on each shot for several different looks. Which do you like best? I think I like the first one best myself:

I don't know where these statues were, but I love how the photo turned out:

This was a pretty stone church we passed, and I loved the contrast of the door with the stone:

Weekend in Photos

2011-04-07T23:51:00.000-04:00

I'm finally getting last weekend's photos up, just in time for this weekend! Wow! I can't believe almost a week has gone by since I last posted. I've got to get caught up.

Last weekend was a little bit of all my favorite things: dinner out, time spent downtown, family meals, and gardening. Friday night the boys and I met Stoehr downtown for dinner at Oyamel, a Mexican tapas restaurant. Great food, but we think we prefer the other Jose Andres restaurants we've eaten at. The guacamole was amazing and we tried lots of yummy little dishes including brussel sprouts, beans, corn tortillas, fruit & jicama salads, flank steak, and a variety of tacos. After dinner we drove to the tidal basin to see the cherry blossoms. In spite of all the rain we've had, the blossoms were beautiful! It was freezing cold though, and none of us had jackets, so we didn't get out much.

Saturday Stoehr and I made breakfast together. I made snickerdoodle muffins and Stoehr made huevos rancheros. Great way to start the weekend! We wanted to head downtown to a museum, but were slowed down a little by the tourists and scattered rain showers. We finally made it to the American History Museum and spent a couple hours browsing the exhibits. On the way home we stopped by Taylor Gourmet for subs. We got home just in time as Kohler's "friend" was coming over for a bit. In the evening the boys all had various plans and Stoehr and I actually had time at home alone, so we watched Black Swan together.

On Sunday we had a slow start, but around noon made it outside to the garden. Stoehr and I worked together moving plants from the front garden bed to a spot in the back yard and then digging up the beds to prepare for planting. I planted cauliflower, swiss chard, and lots of lettuce. We got so much done and were so sore we could barely move when we were done. The garden looks so nice now though. We going to have to watch out for the squirrels and birds though! Kieran also decided that he wanted to bake something today, so he looked through one of my cookbooks and picked out a recipe for pita bread. He basically made them all by himself--he kept telling me to let him do it all. They turned out great, and everyone enjoyed the treat.

Beautiful Space: Parisian Home

2011-04-02T17:25:00.000-04:00

This beautiful home belongs to the Parisian owners of a children's boutique. I love the bright white spaces with touches of dark furnishings, the amazing tile floor, and all the ceramics. And how cool is the front stoop with the glass roof and beautiful front door!

(photos from Milk via The Style Files.)

Flickr Magic

2011-03-30T18:07:00.000-04:00

Today is such a gloomy day outside; I think I'm beginning to suffer from SAD! To cheer myself up, I decided to pull together my favorite cheery, yellow photos on Flickr. Enjoy!

1. {another summer ferris wheeel♥}, 2. 14/365, 3. Sun kissed daisies, 4. “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”, 5. ., 6. meyer lemon gift, 7. Birch-keh, 8. Chloe Aftel Photography, 9. alive, 10. Untitled, 11. "rise and touch the sky", 12. sunshine, 13. Untitled, 14. lemon girl, 15. The Photographer - Day 82/365 (explore), 16. .yellow yumminess., 17. Untitled, 18. Gorro - Semana 10/52, 19. waiting for spring, 20. Spring is comming to town

Lucinda Scala Quinn

2011-03-29T08:33:00.000-04:00

Lucinda Scala Quinn is my new favorite chef, cookbook author, and T.V. show personality. I first discovered her cookbook, Mad Hungry, while browsing the cookbook aisles of the local bookstore. It looked good, so I bought it and brought it home. I love to just read cookbooks, especially ones that include the author's personality and not just recipes, but this cookbook was amazing. Well written and aimed at hungry families (Lucinda has three teen-age and older boys of her own), not only was the cookbook fun to read, but I also wanted to cook from it.

I have now made several of the recipes from the book and they have all been big hits, making it into the weekly rotation. After having had the cookbook for a while, one day I was browsing around the channels and discovered she also had a cooking show! I immediately added it to TiVo and began watching. On her show, Lucinda cooks lots of recipes from her cookbook, but many other new recipes as well.

Lucinda is also the executive food editor for Martha Stewart Living, and Grub Street New York recently followed her around for a day-in-the-life article. Find the cookbook here. Follow Lucinda on her blog here. Find info on the cooking show here.

Beautiful Space: Swedish Home

2011-03-28T12:04:00.000-04:00

Dos Family had a house visit up over the weekend of the beautiful, colorful home of Swedish illustrator Lovisa Witt. Usually I like home that are more spare and modern, but the colorful fun of this interior really caught my eye.

See the entire home tour here.

(images from Dos Family.)

Weekly Menu Plan

2011-03-27T10:31:00.000-04:00

I have some really good meals planned for this week! Enjoy . . .

Monday: Chicken rigatoni (a la Macaroni Grill), broccoli

Tuesday: Meatballs with peppers & pineapple, rice

Wednesday: Manicotti (from freezer), salad, garlic bread

Thursday: Indian Butter curry, rice

Friday: Haystacks

(images taken from: Flickr, Pioneer Woman, Haystacks & Champagne.)

Alexey Titarenko: Photographer

2011-03-26T14:32:00.001-04:00

Russian Photographer Alexey Titarenko views the crowds of people rushing through cities as streams of water. His lovely photographs reflect this, turning crowds of individuals into a stream of humanity. See his portfolio here.

(images from Alexey Titarenko via NPR.)

Spotted

2011-03-26T09:32:00.000-04:00

Here are some lovely things I found on the web this week.

Stencil your own beautiful cushions, from Covet Garden.
(via The Style Files.)

Who wouldn't love a turquoise chandelier?!
(via The Style Files.)

The cutest tape ever.
(via Creature Comforts.)

What a treat to eat your cereal in these bowls.
(via The Style Files.)

Book: Undecorate

2011-03-25T10:30:00.000-04:00

This book just came out a week ago and it's at the top of my wish list. Undecorate, from Dwell Studios, profiles 20 homes from around the country. Preview and purchase it here.

(images from Dwell.)

Barn Remodel

2011-03-25T09:07:00.000-04:00

This beautiful remodeled barn, located in Seattle, WA, is the perfect example of remodeling done right. Many of the original pieces were reworked and reused for the finished home and the architects stuck to a minimal palette of colors and materials. I love how natural the home looks in its setting.

(via The Style Files.)

Beautiful Space: Weekend Cabin

2011-03-24T22:20:00.000-04:00

I love this teeny tiny cabin in Oregon which was built for a grand total of $10,000. The land cost an additional $47,000. Not bad for a little piece of paradise! I'm not sure I'd love climbing up the ladder to bed each night, and I'm wondering where the "bathroom" is . . . but other than those minor details, I love it!

(from Sunset magazine, via Wide Open Spaces.)

Weekend in Photos

2011-03-23T22:04:00.000-04:00

Whew, what a weekend! It's taken me until Wednesday to recuperate from it :) Not really, but we did do a lot of hard work on Sunday. Friday night we hung out downstairs, playing ping pong and watching National Geographic t.v. Saturday morning, Kaden had to swim the 200 breaststroke at the Junior Olympics early, so we left the house at 5:30 a.m. for that. He was done by 8:30, so he and I and Stoehr and Kohler all arrived back home at the same time (Kohler from swim practice). It was early, but it felt like we had already done enough for half a day! I made a great breakfast of hash browns, eggs, and smoothies, and we spent the morning relaxing.

In the afternoon we headed out to Great Falls for a short hike. I took lots of photos, practicing in manual mode for my photo class. The boys had fun climbing all over the rocks, and Molly (the dog) just loved being out with us. Back at home we made taquitos for dinner and started watching Independence Day. The boys needed to go to bed before we could finish, but Kohler and Stoehr stayed up watching a Chinese movie.

Sunday was all about yard work for Stoehr and I. Kieran helped some too, Kohler worked on his homework, and Kaden went off to a women's NCAA basketball game with his best friend. Stoehr and I got so much done outside. We had a dead bush that we removed, did lots of bush trimming, cleaned out the planting beds, cleaned up vines I trimmed on Friday, and raked the lawn. It looks so much better now, and we're getting ready to put in a garden! After all that work we were happy to relax in the evening, finish the movie from Saturday night, and make taco pizza for dinner.

Fave New Blogs

2011-03-22T08:11:00.001-04:00

Here's a round up of several cooking and baking blogs I discovered just this week. Not only are the recipes delicious, but the food photography in these blogs is amazing as well. I've added them all to my blog reader, and you may want to too!

A Farm Girl's Dabbles
Lots of desserts and savory recipes on this blog. I can't wait to make her German Chocolate Cake and Classic Pot Roast.

Bake at 350
This blog has the most beautiful, creative cookies you've ever seen. There must be a cookie for every occasion here. The recipe I can't wait to make though is these Mint Cream Cheese Brownies.

Bakers Royale
This blog is all about desserts, especially cupcakes and cakes. Yum yum! These Chocolate Raspberry Cakes look so good!

Good Life Eats
There's a wide variety of recipes on this blog, along with lots and lots of kitchen tips. These Cupcakes with Triple Cream Cheese Frosting are the first thing I want to make here.

Gourmande in the Kitchen
This blog is full of simple, unfussy, beautifully photographed food. Written by Sylvie, the recipes reflect her French heritage, like these deliciously simple French Radish and Sprout Tartines.

I Am Baker
The most beautifully decorated and delicious cakes and treats can be found on this blog. If you want cakes, cookies or other baked goodies for a special occasion, this is the place to look. I plan to start with this Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake.

My Baking Addiction
This blog is all about baking: bar cookies, breakfast goodies, brownies, cakes, chocolate, cookies, cupcakes, muffins, and pies, with a few entrees thrown in. The photos are beautiful and the site is chock full of baking tips. How yummy do these Stout Cupcakes with Chocolate Covered Pretzels look?!

My Kitchen Addiction
There is a wide variety of recipes on this blog, from sweets and treats to main dishes and soups. Jen also runs a monthly Kitchen Boot Camp, and has tons of tips and tutorials. These Maple Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls look like a great weekend treat.

That's it! Those are my new favorites. Look for many recipes from these sites to make it into my upcoming Weekly Menu plans!

(all images taken by the original blogger. Please click the recipe link above the photo for the original site.)

Holger Thoss: Photographer

2011-03-21T17:39:00.000-04:00

I love, love, love these family panoramas taken by photographer Holger Thoss. The panoramas merge several shots taken of the same people into one image. Just beautiful! His landscapes and portraits are also amazing. Check out his website here.

(images from Holger Thoss.)

Weekly Menu Plan

2011-03-20T22:30:00.000-04:00

Here's the plan for the week ahead:

Monday: Tortellini soup, garlic knots (didn't make this last week, so we'll try again!)

Tuesday: Chicken, mushroom, broccoli & rice casserole, green beans

Wednesday: Spaghetti with bolognese sauce, garlic bread, tossed salad

Thursday: Herbes de Provence chicken, wild rice, cooked carrots

Friday: Linguine with Two-Olive marinara sauce, broccoli, bread

We have a swim meet this coming weekend, so I'll make pasta on Friday night so the boys can carb-load.

(images taken from: the girl who ate everything, Pioneer Woman, Baked Bree.)

Spotted

2011-03-19T14:10:00.001-04:00

Several lovely things on the web caught me eye this week.

Beautiful bedding, towels, and linens from Aura Textiles.
(via The Style Files.)

I'm putting a side table on my thrifting list so I can make a table like this!
(via The Style Files.)

Simply lovely homewares from the French store Neest.
(via Creature Comforts.)

What a beautiful quilted, silk scarf from Pergolina.
(via Rikshaw Designs.)

Ready for the Weekend

2011-03-18T14:24:00.000-04:00

I found a post the other day that I thought was brilliant. Unfortunately I seem to have lost the link to the original post, but I will excerpt it here, with a few of my own changes.

So many times we look forward to the weekend all week, but when it comes, somehow it doesn't live up to our expectations, which then makes us feel bad because we feel like we're wasting our precious free time. In any activity in life I find that being prepared can make all the difference in our enjoyment of it, and really, the weekend is no different. Yes, the weekend is often great for relaxing and spontaneous fun, but ironically, it's often easier to be spontaneous when one has planned ahead! A few simple steps can make all the difference in how we go into the weekend and in our ability to enjoy it.

Here are some ideas:

1. Start with laundry. Gather up all the clothes, bedding and towels and throw a load in. Make your bed with clean sheets and clear things from your nightstand or dresser. A clutter-free, fresh space can be a lot more inviting and relaxing. And who doesn't love sleeping in fresh sheets?

2. Give your bathroom the once over. Clean the sink, tub, toilet and faucets so they shine. This is good both for your enjoyment and in case any unexpected visitors show up.

3. Clean your kitchen counters off. I like to start the weekend with a clean slate when it comes to the kitchen. Finish up any last minute dishes in the sink. It's so nice to start the weekend with full cupboards of clean dishes and an empty dishwasher so we can clean as we go.

4. Empty your garbage bins. Not just the main one in the kitchen, but also the smaller bins in the bedrooms, living areas, and bathrooms.

5. Clear the clutter. If you have young kids, pick up their toys and put them away. If there are too many out, put some away in storage. Clear off paperwork that is cluttering up the counters and table. Too many shoes out in the entry way? Put them away too. Sports equipment, kids' backpacks and musical instruments can be returned to their rooms or the garage. Your weekend will be much more enjoyable when you aren't tripping over toys or other clutter!

6. Give some thought to what you'll eat. Think about breakfast, lunch, and dinners. Defrost meat and run to the store for last minute essentials (milk, eggs, fruit). Try assembling ingredients for pancakes, muffins, crepes, or perhaps a breakfast casserole. Make some juice and cut up fruit. This can save you a trip to a restaurant or ordering take out.

7. Plan an activity for each day. You don't need to go out everyday, but having some plans in place for what you might like to do throughout the weekend can curb boredom. Round up whatever supplies you might need.

8. Check your schedule. Look over your calendar and note any activities scheduled for the weekend: kids' sports, birthday parties, get-together's with friends. Make sure you have the supplies you need. Fill the car with gas so it's ready for anything.

Now you're prepared to enjoy your weekend!

(above items excerpted from a blog post I read this week. If you know where this came from, please let me know so I can credit it.)

Kitchen Remodel

2011-03-18T09:50:00.001-04:00

I definitely have a weakness for clean white kitchens, and the I've found today is one of the most beautiful. From the marble island to the globe lights and the sweet blue footstool, every detail of this kitchen is perfection. I especially love the lack of upper cabinets making the space seem even more open, and the comfy sofa in the sitting area. Now I just have to figure out how to replicate this in my house!

(images from Style At Home via Black Eiffel.)

Fave New Blog

2011-03-17T16:19:00.000-04:00

Two of my favorite Shutter Sisters have started a new blog. Called London vs. Paris, the blog is a "photographic treasure hunt" between Irene Nam's home in Paris and Xanthe Berkeley's home in London. They photograph the same subject in their own cities, then post the resulting diptych. I love photographic collaborations like this and can't wait to see more!

(images from London vs. Paris.)

Just Do It

2011-03-17T14:23:00.000-04:00

There was a Nike ad back in the 90s that changed womens' lives. I don't remember it myself although I must have seen it, but it has resurfaced in a couple different places lately and it's so inspiring that I'm glad I've found it now, almost 20 years later!

You were born a daughter.
You looked up to your mother.
You looked up to your father.
You looked up at everyone.
You wanted to be a princess.
You thought you were a princess.
You wanted to own a horse.
You wanted to be a horse.
You wanted your brother to be a horse.
You wanted to wear pink.
You never wanted to wear pink.
You wanted to be a Veterinarian.
You wanted to be President.
You wanted to be the President’s Veterinarian.
You were picked last for the team.
You were the best one on the team.
You refused to be on the team.
You wanted to be good in algebra.
You hid during algebra.
You wanted the boys to notice you.
You were afraid the boys would notice you.
You started to get acne.
You started to get breasts.
You started to get acne that was bigger than your breasts.
You wouldn’t wear a bra.
You couldn’t wait to wear a bra.
You couldn’t fit into a bra.
You didn’t like the way you looked.
You didn’t like the way your parents looked.
You didn’t want to grow up.
You had your first best friend.
You had your first date.
You had your second best friend.
You had your second first date.
You spent hours on the telephone.
You got kissed.
You got to kiss back.
You went to the prom.
You didn’t go to the prom.
You went to the prom with the wrong person.
You spent hours on the telephone.
You fell in love.
You fell in love.
You fell in love.
You lost your best friend.
You lost your other best friend.
You really fell in love.
You became a steady girlfriend.
You became a significant other.

YOU BECAME SIGNIFICANT TO YOURSELF.

Sooner or later, you start taking yourself seriously. You know when you need a break. You know when you need a rest. You know what to get worked up about and what to get rid of. And you know when it’s time to take care of yourself, for yourself. To do something that makes you stronger, faster, more complete.

Because you know it’s never too late to have a life. And never too late to change one.

JUST DO IT

-Nike

(from Keka's Blog via Tara Whitney.)

Recipe: Salads

2011-03-17T10:06:00.000-04:00

After the binge of the double peanut butter dessert recipes earlier in the week, I feel the need to even things up by posting a couple salad recipes. Ya know, to cleanse the system out and make one feel healthy!

The first recipe is not so much a recipe as it is a suggestion of what to put in a salad. Go here for the full article.

The second is a recipe for a BBQ chicken salad. I love the BBQ chicken salads from places like Cheesecake Factory and Champs, and I think this could be a good at-home version. Go here for the full recipe.

photos via Black Eiffel and Two Peas and Their Pod.

That Mom: Anya Hindmarch

2011-03-16T22:28:00.000-04:00

Momfilter recently posted an interview with London designer Anya Hindmarch, peeking into her home and family life. I love posts like this. I guess it's the voyeur in me, but I love to see sneak peeks into how other people live! Their routines, homes, child raising ideas, what they cook, what they wear, etc. This post was especially fun partly because Anya has five (!) children, but also because the accompanying photos were super cute.

My favorite part of the interview is where Anya says this:

“I think children are more affected by the mood of their parents than anything else, so being happy is the most important thing you can do for them. My strategy is to have enough support to make sure that no one is being constantly rushed or nagged, and then the mood is light and everyone is having fun.”

I also love when she says that her favorite kind of party is one “with lots of friends and children’s friends at home and long lazy multigenerational tables of people and noisy debate.”

Check out the entire interview here.

(photos by Emma Hardy via Momfilter.)

Weekend in Photos

2011-03-16T19:12:00.000-04:00

Swimming again this weekend. Kohler had his Junior/Senior Champs meet at George Mason University Friday through Sunday, which meant three mornings in a row we had to get up at 5 a.m. to be at the pool by 6:15 a.m. Yuck! Luckily his events were usually first, so we were home by 11 a.m. most mornings. Kohler swam well, getting best times in four out of six events. Ironically, the two events he didn't improve in are his best events, but he's swum those every weekend for high school meets for the last few meets, so he's pretty burned out on the freestyle. In any case, Kohler made finals for both the 100 and 200 breast stroke, so we also had to go back Friday and Saturday evenings for the finals meet. He ended up finishing 2nd overall in the 100 and 4th overall in the 200. Not bad!

Meanwhile, back at home, Stoehr took the other boys hiking at Great Falls in the afternoon. Saturday night we watched Battlestar Gallactica together while Kieran was at a birthday party and made taco pizza. Sunday, the boys had their friend come over in the morning to play video games together. In the afternoon there was a huge neighborhood basketball game at their neighbor friend's house, Kohler worked on homework on the front porch (it was warm!), I took some photos for my class, and Stoehr put together the new ping pong table he just bought. That of course resulted in a few ping pong matches between the boys and Stoehr that ended the evening.

Rinne Allen: Photographer

2011-03-16T15:13:00.000-04:00

As you may know, I love great food photography. I would love to develop my skills in this area and love to study beautiful photos of food to see how they're styled and lighted.

Photographer Rinne Allen has some beautiful food photos on her site, among other images. She has a garden at her home in Georgia, and loves to photograph details and document process. Check out her portfolio here.

(via Creature Comforts.)

Etsy Finds

2011-03-15T15:45:00.000-04:00

Here are some lovely things I found this week on Etsy and Big Cartel. I'd like one of each please!

"Pigeons" a film print sold by Feaverish.

"My Grandpa's Camera" a fine art print sold by Magalerie.

"Fear's Uncloaking" a limited edition pen and ink print sold by Studiomme.

"Country Postcards" a set of five country prints on postcards sold by The Mini Mart on Big Cartel.

Weekly Menu Plan

2011-03-14T18:08:00.000-04:00

I got lots of blog reading done over the weekend (lots of time spent at a swim meet) and got all caught up on my cooking blogs. This weeks menu comes from recent posts I found there, most of them from Tasty Kitchen, but one from Smitten Kitchen. I'm also including a couple bonus recipes I plan to make for the weekend.

Monday: Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce, rice, stir-fried snow peas, and Grandma Inez's Pineapple Pie (since today is "pi" day)

Tuesday: Spaghetti with Lemon and Olive Oil, broccoli

Wednesday: Chicken Noodle Soup Casserole, green beans

Thursday: Tortellini Soup , Garlic Knots

for the weekend:

Snickerdoodle Muffins and Chai Tea Concentrate

(all images from Tasty Kitchen or Smitten Kitchen.)

Beautiful Space: Kitchens

2011-03-14T10:18:00.000-04:00

Today's beautiful space is two quite different kitchens.

The first kitchen is in Barcelona, Spain and is very colorful, from the gorgeous tiles to the touches of red. I love the curved brick ceiling as well, and the hanging lamps.

The second kitchen is in Uruguay and is much more sleek and modern. I love the sky light and floating shelf above the stove. I think the variety of wood colors is brilliant too--not matchy-matchy.

Which kitchen do you prefer?

(photos via The Style Files.)

Recipes: Peanut Butter

2011-03-13T17:49:00.000-04:00

I have two recipes to share today. Disclaimer, I haven't made either one of them yet, but I plan to! Who can resist the combination of peanut butter and chocolate? Certainly not me.

The first recipe is a peanut butter trifle, with layers of brownies, pudding, and cool whip. Yum! Trifle is one of the easiest kinds of dessert to make, usually involving layers of cake and pudding and various add-ins (fruit, candy), plus it's a great make-ahead dessert. You can find the complete recipe here.

The second recipe is a chocolate peanut butter tart, consisting of a peanut butter cookie-like crust, peanut butter mousse filling, and a chocolate ganache glaze on top. Be still my peanut butter-loving heart! Go here for the full recipe.

photos via The Girl Who Ate Everything and Crustabakes.

Andrea Hubner: Photographer

2011-03-13T09:59:00.000-04:00

German photographer Andrea Hubner takes beautiful, dreamy images, using not only a Canon SLR, but also a Hasselblad, Holga, and Polaroid. She is inspired by people and nudes, but I am especially drawn to her beautiful nature shots. Check out her portfolio here and her shop here.

(via Creature Comforts.)

Japan

2011-03-12T21:48:00.000-05:00

Having a hard time looking at all the images coming out of Japan today. The scenes of destruction and devastation are incredible and heart breaking. My thoughts are with those affected by this terrible tragedy today.

(REUTERS/KYODO via Boston.com)

Spotted

2011-03-12T11:34:00.000-05:00

Spotted this week: several bookmark-worthy blogs and a delicious salad!

Mom Filter, a fun family lifestyle blog from the former founding editors of Cookie magazine.

Nonchalant Mom, a great blog with tons of tips on raising kids in a natural way.

A yummy mixed-greens salad with berries and candied almonds from Baked Bree.

Travels with Clara, a great blog about traveling with children from the former travel editor of Cookie magazine.

images from Mom Filter, Nonchalant Mom, Baked Bree, and Travels with Clara.

Photography Class #5

2011-03-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

This week we learned about shutter speed and experimented with both slow and fast shutter speeds, and with manual mode. Why use shutter priority you might ask? The trick is to know what you want out of your photo. If you want a shallow depth of field or conversely everything in focus, you would probably want to choose aperture priority mode. If you want to blur the background or the subject to give a sense of motion, you would want shutter priority mode. A good example of this would be taking photos of a waterfall or ocean waves. If you want those beautiful, soft shots of water pouring over rocks you would use a very slow shutter, or if you want to catch all the water drops mid-air you would use a very fast shutter speed.

The part that has always confused me is the numbers. When I looked through my camera I could never figure out what the numbers on the bottom of the viewfinder meant: 25, 100, 8000. Basically those are fractions of a second, so you just have to remember to put a 1/ in front of those numbers. So: 1/25, 1/100, 1/8000. The higher the number the smaller the fraction of a second, so the faster the shutter speed. That's why it's as confusing as aperture--it's always backwards! When something's higher it means smaller or when something's bigger the number is smaller. Why couldn't they make it easy! Once you understand it though, it does begin to make sense.

So the assignment this week was to first of all try shooting in manual mode, which I could now do once I understood the way the numbers all work. Secondly we were to experiment with different shutter speeds, both fast and slow. I tried two basic ways of shooting with a slow shutter. First, while my son rode his bike in front of me I tried panning my camera with him in order to blur the background while leaving him (hopefully) in focus. It's not always easy to get the speed and timing right on this one! Second, I held the camera still while he rode by, thereby keeping the background in focus but blurring him. I also tried the panning method with my other son running by me. Which do you prefer?

My favorite is the top left photo as I think I was able to keep my son in focus while still showing movement. It's a great mode to experiment with--try it and have fun!

Love Your Life

2011-03-10T08:54:00.000-05:00

I love this print. Would love to have it blown up into poster size!

via Stephmodo.

Flickr Magic

2011-03-09T15:30:00.025-05:00

magic a photo by Hanna Lerski on Flickr.

a photo by Bryant Thompson on Flickr.

Small world a photo by IrenaS on Flickr.

Vol sur Marymoor, a photo by Sparth on Flickr.

untitled, by Ashatay on Flickr.

untitled, by Dream's Photography on Flickr.

Photography Class #4

2011-03-09T13:56:00.002-05:00

In week #4 in my photography class we continued to work on Aperture Priority mode. This is truly my favorite setting so it was fun to shoot in this mode. One assignment that was interesting was to take a photo of the same object at 400 ISO and to raise the aperture a full stop each time. Here is the result:

So the top, left photo begins with the aperture wide open at f/1.4. The aperture narrows a full stop with each successive photo in this order: top row: f/1.4, f/2, f/2.8, middle row: f/4, f/5.6, f/8, bottom row: f/11 and f/16. You can see the difference in focus between the first and last photo: in the first photo the background is totally blurry while in the last photo everything in the photo is in focus. What happens though, is that as I narrowed the aperture (so raised the f-stop higher) the shutter speed adjusted accordingly, getting slower and slower so as to let enough light in.

Whew, I actually think I finally understand it all! What makes it so difficult to understand is that everything seems backwards. As the aperture opens up more (becomes bigger) the f-stop numbers get smaller. Next week we move on to shutter speed and hopefully shooting in manual mode. Fun!

Weekend in Photos

2011-03-09T10:15:00.000-05:00

What a great weekend (aren't they all?!) No swim meet this weekend and we enjoyed every minute of it! Of course I didn't remember to take pictures until Saturday afternoon, but hopefully I can capture it in words.

Friday night I got the younger two boys off to swim practice and went out for a quick happy hour with my best neighborhood buddies. Made it back home just after Stoehr and the boys all got home. We had a quick and easy dinner of cheeses, baguettes, sausage, and fruit. Made a little boxed mac & cheese for the younger two. Super good and easy! We will definitely do that again. And we had game night instead of our usual movie night. We broke out Kaden's new birthday game, Carcassonne. It was so much fun--quick and easy to learn. I think it will be a new favorite!

Saturday morning we actually made it to church; first time since November! We were sitting in church and I look to my left and see Kohler falling asleep, Kieran is leaning against me falling asleep, and to my right Stoehr is also asleep! Only Kaden and I were awake. And we wonder why we don't make it to church more often :) We had lunch at home; homemade panini's on our electric grill. I make them with tortillas, and just pile all kinds of leftovers inside: cheese, sausage, saucette's, spinach, tomato, avocado. Kind of a panini/quesadilla mash-up.

In the afternoon Stoehr took the younger two for a quick hike, Kohler napped, and I worked on my photo class and read. We invited our good friends and their kids over for the evening to watch a movie, and we spread out all kinds of yummy food: mozzarella sticks, soft pretzels, bagel bites, chicken fingers, and pita chips and hummus. Pudding pie and cheesecake topped it off. We watched Salt, and actually enjoyed it quite a bit. Good family action movie!

Sunday morning I made Belgium waffles for breakfast. It was a rainy day, and the boys wanted to go to Gamestop to buy the new Pokemon games that had just come out. Their best friend came over too, and the three of them played Pokemon all morning. Meanwhile Stoehr and I tackled the front closet, taking everything out and reorganizing. More on that later, but a sneak peek is below. Laundry was done, and in the evening, Kohler and I headed out in the pouring rain to his swim team banquet. It was very nice, held at a country club, and when the paper plate awards were passed out, I'm "proud" to report that he took home the "Cougar Bait" award since he always "older" girls hanging around him. Love it!

Five People 12 Times: February, 2011

2011-03-08T14:09:00.001-05:00

This is us, in downtown D.C. walking to Chinatown for dinner after spending the afternoon at a science fair at the Convention Center. The shot took a couple tries as the first time I cut Kohler's head off. That's why his knees are bent here--he was trying to make sure his head made it in the photo!

February has been the month of the never-ending swim meet, or so it seems. High school swimming reaches it's climax this month and Kohler had Divisionals, then Counties, then Metros. He was exhausted by the end, mostly because he's had to swim the same stroke every single time. He's so good at the 50 and 100 free that he always swims those, and then swims them again for the relays. He can't wait to swim the breaststroke or fly again at a meet! Kaden also had a big swim meet this month, the IMXtreme meet, where he swam 100s of everything plus the 200 IM and 500 free. He did great and brought home a plaque as he finished in the top 16 for his age group.

The month started out with the Super Bowl. We had a party and all our neighborhood friends came. Didn't really care who won, it was just fun to have friends over and eat tons of yummy food! We were supposed to go to two concerts this month, Linkin Park and Bon Jovi. LP was canceled due to illness, but Bon Jovi was great as usual. Kaden came along this time as the concert was actually on his birthday.

Speaking of his birthday, Kaden became a teenager this month! Hard to believe, but he sure looks like one so I guess it's possible. He's grown and is becoming more muscular from swimming. He has absolutely no problem juggling all his activities: school, homework, band, guitar lessons, clarinet practice, MESA, National Young Honor Society, and swimming 6x a week. Whew! He has really gotten into electronics this month, making and taking apart things. He made a solar-powered bug that jiggles around his desk. For his birthday we got him a big box of used electronics from the thrift store for him to cannibalize and use. His band had a gig this month, playing at a local restaurant on a Friday evening--they did great!

For Valentine's, Stoehr and I went out with our group of friends for our annual dinner at Maggiano's. We've been doing this dinner for at least 10 years now! Back at home, on Valentine's day, I made out traditional V-day meal: ravioli, salad, garlic bread, chocolate-covered strawberries, and a chocolate-chip cookie pie. Can't beat tradition!

We've been trying to plan our vacations for the year this month. Trying to fit what we want to do into a budget has been hard! We'd love to go to Budapest this summer with my parents, but airline prices are outrageous right now. I fear that vacation may never happen. I am always the vacation planner and spend hours each year researching possibilities. I get so tired of all the time spent, but it sure pays off in the end when we have amazing vacations. The annoying part is planning a vacation that doesn't end up happening. Still not sure where we are going, but I think we've at least narrowed it down.

We've been reading lots of Rick Riordan lately. We started with the Percy Jackson series last year, finished that up, then this year discovered two new series he's starting: the Heroes of Olympus series and the Kane Chronicles series. The HofO series is again set in Greek mythology, but the KC series turns to Egyptian mythology. All the boys give all three series two thumbs up, although we prefer the Greek series. We are almost done with the last book currently in print, and are anxiously waiting for May when book two of the KC series comes out. Kieran especially loves for me to read to them at night time. I've read to them each night since they were babies, and will continue as long as they'll let me. We have read so many great books together--I'll have to do a post sometime on all the books we've read as a family. Since Kieran is not a big reader himself, I'm thrilled he at least likes to be read to.

Kieran started a blog this month. I suggested it to him as a way to showcase all the drawings he makes, and he thought it was a great idea. He's drawn cartoons and characters for years and is very good at it. He currently loves to draw his own made-up Pokemon creations, which, in my opinion Pokemon, Inc. should buy from him, they are that good! So he and I spent a good amount of time scanning all his drawings and setting his blog up. He decided to call it Blind Chicken (a play on Def Leppard from a joke we had shared), which I thought was a great, random name. I'm hoping it will be something he will enjoy adding to over the years--what a great record of his art it will be for him someday!

Life was certainly crazy this month. Some other things that happened in February: I had parent-teacher conferences at Preschool, had lunch with an old college friends who's moving to the area, went to Pathfinders 1x this month, went to Kohler's high school for an evening inter-disciplinary presentation in which he and his group put on a USO show, and did yard work on a couple warm evenings.

We are so looking forward to March and spring.

Williamsburg Remodel

2011-03-08T08:07:00.000-05:00

My new favorite loft has got to be this place, a loft created out of an old Brooklyn warehouse. The furniture, the space, the light, all are beautiful! I love the brick walls, the wooden floors, and the amazing red carpet. Can I move in?!

(images from Apartment Therapy's Re-Nest)

Weekly Menu Plan

2011-03-07T15:28:00.001-05:00

I got a head start on my menu planning for the week when I discovered the yummy food blog Good Life Eats. The food photography is beautiful and the recipes look delicious and not too complicated. I'm definitely adding it to my blog reader.

All except one of my meals for the week were taken from Katie's blog. Here's the weekly line-up:

Monday: Indian Butter Chicken Curry with basmati rice and naan.

Tuesday: Coconut Chicken Curry soup, rice.

Wednesday: French-dip Crock Pot sandwiches, asparagus.

Thursday: Ground Chicken Lettuce Wraps.

Friday: Open-faced Roast Veggie sandwiches.

Sunday: Vietnamese Rice-noodle Beef Pho.

all images except french-dip sandwiches from Good Life Eats.

Liz Vidyarthi: Photographer

2011-03-07T13:34:00.000-05:00

Liz has written an excellent article on Lighting for Food Photography. Want to get that beautiful white light that makes food look so delicious? Read her article. Her photos are beautiful and her blog, Zested, a great read, chock-full of photos. Liz is also a contributer to Apartment Therapy.

(images via At Home At Home)

Spotted

2011-03-06T16:03:00.004-05:00

Blog posts that caught my eye this week:

Round-up of meal planning advice from Wide Open Spaces.

A recipe for a yummy Tomato-Fennel soup made by Jora.

Photography camp from Shutter Sisters.

An easy-to-understand guide to manual photography.

A great guide to eating healthy on a budget from Stephmodo.