Artfully Domestic

Camp and a Camera

2012-01-11T21:21:00.000-07:00

Over the New Year's weekend, we attended a family reunion with Luke's family. I took over 400 pictures :) Here are a few of my favorites for your photo viewing pleasure!

Baby Goodies

2011-12-29T16:42:00.000-07:00

I went to a baby shower this week, and made these treasures for the mom-to-be. This is the "circus elephant" from More Softies Only A Mother Could Love.

Isn't he a cutie?!

He's a skinny elephant :)

And this cozy swaddling blanket with a hand-stitched "Y" for their last name will be the perfect fit for a boy or a girl, since they don't know yet what they're having.

This adorable flannel animal print is sooo soft! I love it!

What good is a hand-made gift if the wrapping isn't equally pretty? I repurposed a hot pink box I had, covered it with brown craft paper, cut out and glued on part of a card that I actually received for Patrick's baby shower, tied it all up with some lace from the stash and a piece of turquoise paper twine, and slipped in a berry sprig. I think I had as much fun, if not more, with the wrapping as I did with the actual gift.

And a sewing day is never successful until you have made a sufficient mess. Happy sewing and crafting!

Joy To The World!

2011-12-20T16:06:00.000-07:00

The "halls" are decked...

The tree is lit...

Prayers for a peaceful, joyous season have been lifted up...

From our family to yours! We wish you all a beautiful CHRISTmas season. May your homes be warm and cozy, your tummies be full of scrumptious goodies, and your hearts be home to the King of Kings!

Love,
All of Us

The Birthday Girl!

2011-10-09T09:37:00.001-07:00

Our sweet Olivia turns 1 today! And we had a great birthday brunch with family yesterday!

Daddy's turn!

Not sure what we think of those balloons...

...but the presents are pretty fun!

Olivia is still on a no-wheat, no-dairy, no-egg diet, so I made her this yummy rice crispy treat flower "cake" using vegan "butter". It actually tasted just like regular rice crispies; you'd never know the difference.

The rest of us enjoyed a yummy brunch, thanks to everyone chipping in with a dish!

Some New Stuff

2011-09-08T13:40:00.000-07:00

Well, in the past few months, we've had...

A birthday-- Patrick turned 2 in May. This cake was sort of a big deal. I had told Patrick that I was making him a cake (a week before his birthday) so that's all I heard about for a week. It was a homemade 4 layer yellow cake with banana slices and banana pudding in between the layers, iced with homemade fudge frosting. Then, the day of his birthday, we woke up to puking. Pretty soon, we all had it, and I actually ended up in the ER. Needless to say, the cake did not get eaten. It went into the freezer and came back out a week later. At this point, Patrick had been waiting 2 whole weeks to eat this glorious cake. So when he finished opening presents and I said the word "cake", a high-pitched screech unlike anything I have ever heard from him suddenly came blaring out of his mouth as he scampered as fast as his little bare-feet-on-tile would allow into the kitchen. "Caaaaaaaaaake!!!!" LOL

Some new projects-- including this dress for Olivia from one of Anna Maria Horner's pattern books...

...as well as this one.

...A sweet doll for Olivia named "Maisie" from the More Softies Only A Mother Could Love book...

...and these little treasures...

...which now belong to this precious munchkin on the right-- a new cousin! This little guy is actually my first cousin.

...and even the beginnings of potty training. I think that roll of toilet paper has been rolled and unrolled several times. And yes, I realize the potty is pink. It was all they had. I don't think he minds :)

... and just for fun-- some cuteness!

And that about sums up our life for the last few months! Hmmm... maybe I should get this kid some clothes...

Blogging Identity Crisis Solved!

2011-06-24T23:42:00.001-07:00

Well, thanks to some blessed counseling from a sweet friend, I have finally come to terms with the fact that this blog no longer has anything to do with being "artfully domestic" in case you haven't noticed. When I started this blog, almost two years ago, it was out of a desire to give myself a creative outlet, and quite honestly to impress others with my oh so dazzling abilities in the kitchen and in front of the sewing machine. It was fun for a while, but about six months into it, I started writing about the things that God was laying on my heart, the things that really mattered, the things that pointed people to God rather than to my talents. At first, I thought I could do both. And maybe I still can, though to be honest, my heart is resonating more and more with the work of the Father, and less and less with the hobbies that once got me so excited. This blog will still be here, and I may still come back from time to time with pictures of the kids, new recipes, or a handcrafted treasure. But I thought it was time I finally admitted that my posts have taken an altogether different path over the last year and a half, and just jump in with both feet.

I hope you continue to follow me on my new blog: When Heaven Shakes...

Check out the first post to see the story behind the name.

All "Artfully Domestic" related posts will remain here. All other posts have been removed and transferred to the new blog.

Box Babies

2011-05-31T22:03:00.002-07:00

The Many Faces of Olivia

2011-05-22T11:48:00.004-07:00

I got so many great shots of Olivia and her vast array of expressions that I thought it needed its own post.

A Family Beach Getaway

2011-05-22T10:50:00.003-07:00

SAN DIEGO!!!! And that oh so beautiful ocean! This has to be one of my favorite places to go, and it was such a joy to be able to share this place that I love with my kiddos, watching them experience all of these wonderful things for the first time. We spent a lot of time in SD as we were growing up with our cousins. There are so many great memories, and now I get to make some new ones with my own family!

We found a great rental that was right in front of the beach, in a great area of Pacific Beach.

That view was unbeatable!

Well, that sweet little ball of cuteness might be a little bit better.

Our first morning out was to the farmer's market in La Jolla.

Here's my favorite part... the fresh flowers! Especially in an area like SD, where the weather allows for more lush varieties.

Here I am with my beautiful bunch. I just love those hydrangeas.

And here they are all arranged together. Gorgeous!

The rest of our yummy finds that helped to keep us nourished throughout the week.

Ok, more pictures of the flowers. They're just so beautiful.

They hung on great all week. I kept the ends of the hydrangea stems trimmed daily and added some lime soda to the water every day. The bells of Ireland were starting to wilt on me by the end of the week, so I had to let them go, but everything else still looked as fresh as the day I bought them. Then I decided to bring them home to Arizona. They were doing great almost the whole way home, and then once we got to Yuma, I kid you not, they croaked! We live in the land of death. The daisies are still looking pretty decent, but the hydrangeas never stood a chance.

Here's Patrick all decked out and ready for the beach.

"Mom, I just want to let you know that I am NOT ok with this sunscreen business."

Patrick was alright as long as he was FAAAAAR away from the water. Any time we would try to get him closer, he would start panicking and screaming no as if we were attempting to lead him into a blazing furnace. He did get his toes wet a couple times and seemed to maybe warm up to it a little bit, but it definitely was not his favorite.

He found a piece of driftwood that he decided worked quite well as a telephone. This child's world revolves around hats and telephones at the moment.

Patrick likes to distribute his many hats among whoever is present so that everyone can wear one. He also likes to try on yours.

So, what better souvenir than a new hat? We tried on many, but decided on this one. He has not parted from it since.

We took the kids to the Birch Aquarium, but we failed to snap any photos. Patrick had a great time, though. He just kept exclaiming "FISH!" and "LOOK!" over and over. Here we are getting started and the San Diego Zoo.

Some of our favorites included the koalas...

...the many different kinds of bears... Patrick really loves his teddy bear and his Brown Bear book, so he was really excited to see bears at the zoo.

The polar bears.

They had some life size replicas next to the exhibit. He was ok with the baby one, but the "teen" size and adult size, which was standing up on its hind legs, were a different story. He kept saying "no, no" and hiding behind my leg.

The caves were fun though.

Here he is pointing out the gorillas to a fellow zoo visitor. He made friends with everyone and even tried to hold hands with some nearby school children who were on a field trip.

Uh oh, thought I lost my hat there for a minute! Phew! I found it. We can move on...

The hippos were right up against the glass. The viewing at this zoo for almost all of the animals was so much more accessible than at the Phoenix zoo. Patrick could really get right up next to them. The baby gorilla and baby orangutan were both so playful, slapping the glass and rolling around. Patrick jumped back a couple times, a little nervous that they were going to jump out and get him.

Patrick used to be such a ham when it came to the camera, but all of a sudden, he has started rebelling against the spotlight. He did not want his picture taken. We had several attempts.

This was the closest I got.

We made a stop in La Jolla at Bird Rock. This view is amazing.

And, of course, what vacation would be complete without massive amounts of food. We're waiting for our food at Kono's Cafe in PB, and Patrick is on the lookout. This kid is a bottomless pit.

We had a beautiful time! First real family vacation was a success! Can't wait to do it again.

For Baby

2011-05-07T15:39:00.001-07:00

My sister-in-law, Kelli, is expecting a little one in a few weeks, and her shower was this weekend. What better way to welcome a new baby than with some handmade goodies...

I started with this Noah's-ark-themed blanket. Jacob and Kelli are waiting to find out the gender of the baby until the birth, so I went with a mix of bright colors and patterns.

The yellow back is a very soft flannel.

This little guy, as well as the ball, are from a pattern book called Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts, though I think their definition of "last minute" is probably a little looser than some would care to use. I guess in the world of quilting and sewing, where projects can take months to finish, a few days or hours seems like last minute.

He's called Peanut the Wee Elephant.

This one and the dog rattle are from a book called More Softies Only A Mother Could Love. I sort of went to town on his eyes. I love doing hand stitching and embroidering. There's something so organic and personal about it.

I just love his little feet.

This little cutie is crocheted and stuffed and has a little rattle insert in the head. I couldn't find rattles at the craft store, so I just repurposed one of the kids' old rattle toys. They have so many; they're not going to miss one. The parents-to-be have two dogs and one of them is a silver lab named Romeo, so I thought this little pup should have a silver coat as well.

This one is called a Puzzle Ball. It's the perfect size and shape for itty bitty fingers to grab onto.

Home Sweet Home

2011-04-22T13:24:00.004-07:00

Welcome to our new home!! We finally got everything mostly put away, and this house will probably never be quite this clean again, so I thought I'd take you on a little virtual tour of the new digs. As you can see from this picture and the one below, I FINALLY got my fabric shelves organized!

And this has now become my favorite room in the house. We're calling it Mommy and Daddy's play room.

I have plenty of room to sew and craft.

I am envisioning some very girly and very fun craft gatherings around this table. I can't wait to invite some friends over and make good use of this space!

Our office space is no longer in our bedroom, which feels great.

The books are no longer within Patrick's reach, as he is not generally allowed in this room. One less temptation for those curious little hands.

The living room and the studio/office through those double doors.

The apple painting made its way out of the kitchen and into the living room. Also, I recovered the piano bench in a really fun, bright fabric from Heather Bailey's Pop Garden line.

Our "quaint" little kitchen and dining area. I really do love this space. It has so much character. But I say "quaint" because we're a bit lacking in storage and work space.

It could quite possibly be that I just have way too many kitchen items, but what can I say? I love to cook. Speaking of which, you can see two little herb plants sitting in the window. I bought some basil and some rosemary and I tried them out this week in a homemade pizza.

Here's the new island in use, providing some much needed counter space.

I used some of the fresh rosemary leaves and mixed them right into the dough.

I brushed the crust with olive oil, then sprinkled with parmesan and garlic powder, topped with sauce, fresh mozzarella, and sliced tomatoes...

...then threw on some of that fresh basil for the last couple minutes in the oven. Yum!

We finally have a usable backyard, which has been so nice for Patrick.

It's divided into a front and back section, which means less to take care of. We're thinking we might get a swing set to put out in the back part.

More of the saltillo tile that's laid throughout the house.

The kids' very cute little bathroom.

Olivia's sweet room.

Patrick's room.

Our bedroom.

And a peek into...

...the smallest bathroom in the world!

And that's about it. We are loving our little home and are so excited to have all of our friends, new and old, over for fellowship and of course food. So feel free to invite yourselves :)

We'll unpack later...

2011-04-07T19:04:00.002-07:00

Look, Mom! Mud!!

It's Box City!!!

Have I mentioned how much this kid loves boxes???

Seriously the sweetest smile ever!

Mmmmm... fingers :)

Family photo minus Mom, of course, who is snapping all these precious pics.

Exploring

2011-04-07T18:56:00.004-07:00

Patrick conquering the great unknown of the new backyard...

...mission accomplished!

Pretty in Purple

2011-04-07T18:47:00.002-07:00

These are from a couple weeks ago...

A Quick Update

2011-04-06T08:10:00.002-07:00

Well, we are moved into our rental in Tempe, and we have been busily unpacking for the last few days. Just about everything has found its place, though we still have quite a few odds and ends that don't quite fit and may have to just be stored in boxes somewhere for a while. I will definitely post some pictures once things get tidied up a bit more.

The kids are adjusting just fine. We had to remove the rail on Patrick's bed in order to get it out of his old bedroom, and we actually decided to leave it off and turn it into a toddler bed for him. We bought him some "big boy" bedding, and he is loving his new "night night" quarters. I have been so pleased, though I really shouldn't be surprised, that he has been so good about staying in bed. He gets in and out just for fun during the day when he's playing in his room, but when it's time to take a nap, or go to bed for the night, he climbs right in and doesn't move until I come get him. I'll hear him at the end of a nap or in the morning lying in there talking to himself, and when I come in to get him, he just looks up at me until I tell him it's time to get up and then he pops up and slides out. He has always been an obedient nap-taker, and Olivia is following the same pattern now as well. I guess all that Babywise and To Train Up A Child teaching and training has really paid off. It truly has been a tremendous blessing!

We attended one church service at a brand new church called The Anthem the day after we moved. They meet on Sunday nights at the theater on Mill. It was started by a couple from Albuquerque, NM along with a team of about 14 or so people (if I remember right). They definitely have a tremendous passion for the Lord, and I am sure that they will be used by God to do some incredible things here in this town. Luke and I are thinking and praying about where God would have us fellowship. Perhaps this one is it. I think we definitely want to give Calvary Tri-City at least one try as well. We shall see...

And that's about it for now. Pictures of this cute little house will be coming soon! Thank you all for your covering of sweet prayers as we continue to make this transition. God is so good!

Afternoon Mischief

2011-03-24T17:51:00.002-07:00

That's right... I'm sittin' in a box...

...What's it to ya?

Hmph!

Praise God for New Beginnings

2011-03-22T14:49:00.006-07:00

Changes are a-happenin' here in our little family! God has certainly been busy, and I am so excited and thankful for each and every one of His gracious blessings.

For starters, the biggest change has been in my own personal health. After struggling with depression and anxiety basically since puberty and being hit with a very serious bout of postpartum depression after having Olivia, which only seemed to be getting worse and worse by the day, I finally went to see a doctor about it. Now, if you know me, you know that things had to be B A D for me to go to the doctor. I'm ornery that way. I have to either be lying on my death bed or literally dragged by the hair to go anywhere near a medical office of any kind. *Slight* phobia, you know... Anyways, I finally decided it was time. And I could not be happier... literally! Praise Jesus!!

Insert BodyLogic plug here: I just have to mention a few details about the help that I've gotten, because I know I'm not the only one out there struggling with these issues, and if even one person can get some help as a result of reading this, then it was worth the few inches of screen space. The network is called BodyLogic MD, and they have doctors all over the country. There is just one here in Arizona, and he is well worth the visit. The best part: EVERYTHING THEY DO IS ALL NATURAL!! They will have a very thorough blood and saliva work-up done to determine exactly what your problem areas are before you go in for your first appointment. They work with bio-identical hormones (not synthetic) to help balance out any hormone imbalance you might have. They also help get you on the right vitamins, and offer a few suggestions to make sure you're eating right. Let me just tell you, after about 3 days of starting the hormone therapy, I was feeling FANTASTIC. I have never felt this good in my entire life! And this new energy has finally given me the strength to eat the way I need to be eating, which in the first week alone led to a weight loss of about 5-7 lbs (not sure of the exact amount), and I am hoping to continue losing over the next several months. Where before I could barely drag myself out of bed, and some days not at all, I am now thoroughly enjoying my children, loving my husband, cooking for my family, cleaning house (and packing, details below...), and just altogether joyfully serving my God with a passion and love that I did not believe was possible a few weeks ago. God is so good!

Ok, moving on... the next big change: we're moving! We are going to be renting a house in another part of the valley so that we can be closer to Luke's office, a change we are excited to make. Just the fact alone that his drive will drop from an hour to about 8 minutes is enough to make us both jump for joy. Besides that, we will be closer to our families as well as "civilization" and all the conveniences that that brings. As wonderful as all these new things will be, there is definitely some bitterness mixed into the sweet. We will be leaving the comfort of owning a home and going back to renting, something that I had hoped not to have to do again. Yet, I am excited about the freedom that renting allows us, and we are definitely still talking seriously about moving out of state at some point. Also, I am thankful for the opportunity that this has presented for God to remind me that this (all of this) is not my home. It is only a house, and we are headed for something much greater! The other bit of "bitterness" that this move will mean for us is having to leave our dear friends at Calvary Maricopa. These people are so much more than friends. They have been our family in more ways than one, and are not so easily left behind as a house. Thankfully, we won't be too far away and will still be able to see everyone now and then; yet, knowing that we won't see their smiling faces every Sunday definitely makes my heart ache a little...

...which leads me to the next big change...

...finding a new church! We have already mapped out a couple churches to "try". I really hate that word when it comes to churches. Maybe "test" is a better one. We absolutely must test the church we attend against the standard of God's word, but to go around "trying" churches the way we try on clothes until we find one that suits us, or makes us happy, or, worst of all, caters to us is something that I believe is not beneficial to our growth or to the work that God may want to do in our life. That being said, we will most likely attend one of the other Calvary Chapels that are nearby, and I am so excited to see what God has in store for us once we get there. I have been very comfortable in my area of service, playing the piano with the praise band, at our current church. I am going to be so terribly sad to leave that. It is something that I have loved passionately, and something that I believe God has used to work through me. Perhaps I will find my niche in the music ministry again, or perhaps God has something entirely different planned this time. Whatever it is, I know He will be glorified and I know it will be a joy! I can't wait!

Of course, the kids are growing like little bean stalks, but other than that, I think that's all the changes I have to report at the moment. I hope that God has been as good to all of you as he has been to me and my family.

Love to all,

Tarrah

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-10T20:19:00.002-07:00

Wishing you all a colorful Valentine's Day, full of music...

...love...

...sweet smiles...

...sweet treats...

...and God's richest blessings in your marriages and homes.

~Lots of Love from all of us.

Mommy Lessons - Part 1 of undoubtedly too many to count

2011-01-25T18:05:00.004-07:00

These kids are growing so fast, changing drastically day by day. And I am finding, as I watch them, Patrick in particular, face new challenges, struggle with learning right and wrong and accomplish new and wonderful things, I, too, am changing and growing in a way that I never have before.

When I am frustrated with Patrick in those difficult times, I am reminded of and wince at the unending frustration I surely cause my heavenly father on a daily- no, hourly... minutely? (is that a word?) basis.

I will probably watch Patrick injure his finger for the 15th time tomorrow, since he seems determined to disprove my theory that he is, in fact, not strong enough to karate chop the kitchen table in half. At least, that's what I assume he is trying to do, as he is still unable to relay the inner workings of his mind to the rest of us. And I will feel a twinge in my own hand, knowing the pain he must be feeling as he looks up at me with those big, confused eyes as if to say, "Mom, how could you let me do this to myself? Make it better!" despite my half-a-dozen warnings of this exact outcome. But I won't wrap my child up in foam padding and tie him to a chair where he would be nice and safe, because this would teach him nothing, and also probably lead to a severely underdeveloped adult at some point in the future. Instead, I will continue to lovingly warn him of approaching dangers and pray that he heeds my advice. And as I do so, I hear a voice from above reminding me that I, too, must learn the hard way occasionally, even if it takes 15 times or 100. And God's seemingly negligent silence does not mean that He does not love me. It simply means that I still have lots of growing to do, and my Daddy is patiently waiting until I finally figure out that maybe, just maybe, He knows best.

When Olivia cries those terrible cries that are capable of sending every mommy on the block into instinctual action, I scoop her up and do my best to make all wrongs right again. Sometimes I know exactly what she wants or needs, and other times, I wish beyond explanation that this little creature could talk. Sometimes, she gets so worked up that she clenches her eyes shut and seems to refuse to acknowledge that I am even present. And in those times, I am given a beautiful picture of the hand that holds me so tightly. I know that every storm I face, even this entire life, is nothing more than a disappearing vapor, and my Creator is waiting for me on the other side. He always knows exactly what I need. Even when I am incapable of expressing my pain and frustration to anyone else, or even understanding it myself, He knows all of me, inside and out, and He is eager to meet my needs. Even when I am so caught up in a moment of pure, selfish anguish, and I am so convinced that the world is ending that my eyes, too, are clenched shut, my Maker is right there, holding me, waiting for my anxiety and fear to pass and my eyes to open long enough to see that all is well with my soul.

And, as I discover that my love for these two precious souls is, in fact, capable of growing even more with each new day, I am beginning to grasp the love of my Father in a way that I now believe a human being is not capable of understanding until they are a parent. Words cannot describe the amount of love and protection and pride I feel for these amazing gifts God has given me. And I just about fall over when I realize and think about the fact that this love I feel for my children is nothing more than a pathetic attempt at mere tolerance compared to the LOVE that the God of the universe has for me.

"For God so loved [YOU] that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

Homemade Playdough

2010-12-10T11:41:00.004-07:00

I made a batch of playdough for Patrick the other day. It took him a minute to figure out what on earth was in front of him and why, when he was sitting in his "eating" chair, he could not eat it.

But once he got warmed up, he really seemed to like it. Yay for creative entertainment!

Henny Penny and Six Chicks

2010-12-03T13:15:00.002-07:00

Another fabulous pattern from Anna Maria Horner, found in her book, Handmade Beginnings. This will be Olivia's Christmas present this year. There's something so special about a handmade gift, and I hope she will love playing with this for years to come.

There's a strip of velcro underneath each of the mama hen's wings, and the little wings of the chicks are made with velcro as well...

...so, when these 'lil chicks get tired of playing...

...they can snuggle up nice 'n' warm in the safety of their mama's wing.

Is that not just the cutest thing you've ever seen!?

A Stocking for Olivia

2010-12-03T13:03:00.003-07:00

After making Patrick's stocking last year, I of course had to carry on the tradition for our sweet Olivia.

So, I have been busy stitching lots of teeny tiny beads onto this felt stocking, which is ornamented with a holly wreath...

...a beaming angel...

...a sparkling ornament...

...and four shimmering snowflakes.

I am so excited to have one more little person gathered around the tree with us this year. Merry first Christmas, Olivia!

New Pajamas

2010-12-02T20:22:00.003-07:00

It's been a kid-filled week for the blog. Here's Patrick, showing off his new PJ's from Nana.

We are SO excited! (Plus, Mommy got us all riled up playing peek-a-boo.)

Mmmmm... Ravioli!

2010-12-01T15:35:00.001-07:00

All Smiles

2010-12-01T14:48:00.001-07:00

Check out that dimple!

Ok, not so much of a smile here, but too cute not to post.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T17:45:00.002-07:00

We are celebrating Thanksgiving twice this year. Once with Luke's family on Thursday, and again with my family on Friday. So I made two tarts today: Chocolate banana for Turkey Day No. 1 and Chocolate Pear for Turkey Day No. 2. Both recipes came from Once Upon A Tart.

And what could be sweeter than a pair of chocolate tarts?

Only this precious little face.

Miss Olivia says, "Have a happy holiday, everyone!"

Newborn Photos - Two Weeks Old

2010-11-09T08:26:00.002-07:00

Welcome Baby Olivia!

2010-10-15T14:20:00.003-07:00

The newest member of our family was born this past Saturday night, a mere six hours after I had my first contraction. Skeptical at first, after experiencing four days of labor with our first child, I hesitated to admit that I was in full blown labor, but that only lasted a couple hours and then we were headed to the hospital. We spent about an hour in triage, where labor continued to progress at lightning speed and were finally admitted and moved into an actual room. I had gone into this labor fully intending to have a natural birth, but at about 7cm, began begging for an epidural. The nurse started to get an IV set up, but couldn't even get past inserting the needle, much less get an anesthesiologist into the room quick enough. I moved from 7 to 8.5 in about 10 minutes, and in about another 15 or so, little miss Olivia arrived after a couple pushes. My midwife didn't even make it there in time, and the on-call doctor barely made it through the door fast enough to catch her. I got my natural delivery after all, though I'm not sure I'll ever be doing that again if avoidance is at all possible. We'll see. Maybe that magical mommy amnesia will kick in and I'll work up the courage to go all natural once again. Highly doubtful.

The wonderful Alexandra Treat is coming by tomorrow to take some newborn photos for us, but it will probably be a few weeks before we have pictures to share, so this one will have to tide you all over for now.

We love you, sweet Olivia! Welcome to the family!

Waiting for Olivia... a few favorites!

2010-10-07T17:52:00.003-07:00

We decided to do our family portrait/maternity photo session at a little antique store in downtown Phoenix called Cheap Thrills. This shop was full of fun stuff to play around with, and Alexandra Treat of Wildfern Photography (who did our maternity/newborn/shower photos with the last pregnancy as well) did a fantastic job turning these shots into art. Thanks, Lexi!

Spiced Lemon Cake

2010-09-23T18:55:00.004-07:00

More nesting this week. I've moved on to baking.

Yum!

Musical Furniture

2010-09-15T14:56:00.003-07:00

As many of you now know, plans fell through on the new house for reasons beyond our control. So we are making do for the moment with this one. My parents came over last weekend to help me rearrange some furniture to make a spot for Olivia. I found this sweet 1930's dresser at an antique store in north Phoenix, called Not Too Shabby. After Olivia is born, I plan on moving the changing pad out of Patrick's room and on top of this dresser for easy middle-of-the-night access.

The glass office desk that was in this corner is now in our bedroom. Perhaps I will post pictures of the new set-up in there when it is a bit more presentable. It looks a bit like an explosion went off in a clothing factory right now.

The crib that Patrick had been using is now in the studio as well, where the futon used to be. The futon is also now in our bedroom. I also rearranged the canvas collage to work in this adorable "Olivia" sign I found at TJ Maxx. And in case you're wondering, no there is not a mattress in the crib as of yet... it should be arriving sometime this week!

The room is now half nursery and half studio. I was a little nervous at first about trying to make it all fit together, but I am seriously in love with this room now. It all looks like it was meant to be together. I can't wait to bring the new baby home to this beautiful room (minus the mess... sorry 'bout that).

We also got Patrick's new bed assembled, and by "we" I mean my dad and my brother, as I am not much help at this point and Luke was busy working from home all day. Eventually, the side will come off and it will turn into a toddler bed, and then somewhere down the line, it can also be a full bed. And a side note... after a couple people mentioning it, I am now aware that perhaps the "i" is actually a "j". I always knew something didn't look quite right, but I couldn't figure out what. So in case anyone is wondering, no, I am not one of those weird people (no offense if you are one of those people) who chose to make life difficult for my child by spelling his name with a "j" instead of an "i"... I just couldn't tell the difference apparently between the two when shopping for cardboard letters for the wall. So, for the moment, if only in this room, Patrick's name will remain Patrjck... In case anyone was interested.

Walking away from the computer now and sparing anyone who has actually read this far from any further pain...

...It is sooooo time for me to have this baby now...

Happy Headwear

2010-09-03T18:25:00.003-07:00

I had found a pattern for a baby hat but could not for the life of me figure out how to read it, so I just made up my own pattern. I basically just made a large circle, and then once it was big enough, started adding rings of the same size, causing it to curve downward. I then found a tutorial on how to do a scalloped edge and added that to the bottom. The flower pattern came from here. The yarn for the hat is cotton and doesn't stretch much, so I really hope it fits!

I also made this little headband from this pattern and then made up the flower myself when I couldn't find a pattern that I liked. I can't wait for Olivia to wear these, and I'm sure I'll be making more hats and headbands for her as she grows.

The Many Faces of Patrick

2010-09-03T18:20:00.002-07:00

I walked into the living room the other day, where Patrick had been playing, to find him sitting in his toy basket as he emptied it of its contents. He was quite pleased with himself.

And this one... well... this one speaks for itself.

PINK!

2010-08-30T15:05:00.002-07:00

I finally started working on Olivia's baby blanket this weekend, and I think the project somehow miraculously jolted me out of my couch potato/hopelessly-bored/when's-my-next-nap phase into my nesting/crafting/project-crazed phase. I have two more projects that I want to get done, and I'm sure many more will make their way into my mommy-agenda within the next 6+ weeks or so before she's due.

I used the fabric that I bought in New York at Purl SoHo, more glorious Anna Maria finds. I am sooo in love with these super duper soft cotton voiles, and the pink flannel that's on the back is just as heavenly. I just can't get over the PINK!!! For someone who thought she wanted a brood of boys, I am rather giddy over the notion of coating everything in pink, pink, pink!

And this sweet, cool blue is the perfect accent trim for this silky pink dream of a swaddling blanket!

Booties & A Blanket

2010-08-03T10:53:00.007-07:00

My mom and I flew to Seattle for my best friend's baby shower a couple weeks ago, and I took with me this adorable blanket and bootie set as a gift. The fabric is, of course, Anna Maria Horner and can be bought as a pre-measured set in different color schemes here. There's no pattern, so that part's up to you. I just made sure to leave enough fabric from each color to make the booties and then used the rest for the blanket.

The booties are one of the many adorable patterns found in Anna Maria's new book, Handmade Beginnings. They're a fairly quick and simple project, and they're absolutely adorable. I used the green fabric from the trim to make the outside, the blue flannel for the inside, and the house/deer print for the soles. I used leather buttons and cotton elastic for the details.

The best part about both of these items, if made with Anna Maria's new lines of fabric, Little Folks and Folksy Flannel (I feel like a spokesperson... maybe she should hire me to do sales, lol), they are sooooo buttery soft. This blanket makes the perfect swaddling blanket and the booties are so creamy and flexible. If you're wondering why I'm talking about this fabric as if it's food, just walk into any store that carries these two lines of fabric (not Michael's or JoAnn's by the way... you have to go to a specialty shop) and feel them for yourself. One touch and you'll understand my obsession. No quilting fabric I have ever touched feels quite the same. They're usually so stiff and course. These, however, are printed on a cotton voile, and they are heavenly!

I can't wait to make a pair for Olivia out of the fabric that I bought in New York. I got a great sampling from these lines of fabric in some beautiful pink prints.

So fun! I love baby showers :)

New York!

2010-08-02T11:01:00.006-07:00

Well, it took me a while, but here are the pictures from our New York trip. Oh my goodness, there were so many; I think I've managed to narrow it down to the best, but it's still a lot, so bear with me :)

We stayed at a really great little place in Harlem just near the top of the park, Margot Guesthouse. It's an old brownstone apartment building that's been turned into a little hotel. There are only six rooms, two on each of the three floors, and the owners live in a little apartment below the first floor. The details in this place were so fun!

Here's our room! The bathroom is around the corner across from the green door.

And from the other side. This place was huge. So many of the hotels we looked at had itty bitty rooms... I mean you could stand in the middle, stretch out your arms and touch both walls. It was so nice to have a real "home" to come back to each night.

The day we got there, we got settled into our room, immediately found some food, 'cuz we were starving, and then did some walking through Central Park. Probably a little too much for the first day, since I ended up with shin splints... ouch! Let me just tell you, six months pregnant, record breaking temperatures for summer in New York, and smothering humidity... not exactly relaxing. However, we did make the best of it, and I really fell in love with this city. We will definitely be coming back when I'm not pregnant and when the weather is much better.

We didn't go in, but here's a great view of the Guggenheim from outside on the street. Just one of the amazing museums along museum row on 5th Avenue. We only had a few days in the city, so we didn't want to spend the whole time indoors. We did however make it to a couple necessities...

We started off day two (the only day I remember clearly, so the rest of this will be in absolutely no particular order) by taking a bus ride up to the Cloisters, an extension of the Met, and walking through some of their incredible gardens.

I just couldn't get over the hydrangeas. They were everywhere! I wish I could show you pictures of the museum. It was an incredible compilation of rescued pieces of architecture (doorways, windows, entire cloisters, etc.) that had been brought over from Europe and reassembled naturally into the museum as they would have originally been used. It was like walking through an old monastery in Europe. I did take some great pictures, but was told that pictures were allowed only for personal use, not to be published. So, you'll have to go check it out for yourself sometime!

Once we got finished up at the cloisters, we rode the bus back down, grabbed some lunch, and headed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I've dreamed of coming here for so long. It was such a thrill to finally be here. We seriously didn't even scratch the surface, but it was great just to walk through.

Other familiar sites included Grand Central Station (sorry for the poor exposure)...

... a night view of Times Square...

...a quick look into the lobby of The Plaza...

...Washington Square Park...

...where we were entertained by a seriously gifted pianist... seriously...

... and the Brooklyn Bridge from the Brooklyn side.

We even stepped into Bloomingdales's to take a look around. Ok people, seriously, this place was ten, I repeat, ten stories high... AND took up an entire city block. I kid you not. Only in New York, I guess. The first floor... perfume and cosmetics. The second floor... ladies' casual. You get the idea. I believe the only proper response to this monstrosity is laughter. I enjoy shopping occasionally, trust me, I do, but really?

So, much of this trip centered around food. There were so many restaurants to choose from, and we wanted to sample some of the best. You would think, with all of our choices, we would never eat the same place twice, but we did. That's right, folks, we made a special trip back to Serendipity... and here's why:

The wait was somewhat ridiculous (this is just the line to put your name on the list), and we did end up waiting the entire 45 minutes the first time we went. The second time, we lucked out a bit. Apparently, the secret is to actually wait around, which we did the first time as well, but the second time it really paid off. We had just checked in and were hunkering down for the long 45 minute wait when the waiter steps outside, yells one party's name... no response; yells another party's name... no response; yells a third party's name... no response; huffs a bit, then yells, "Anybody out here a party of two?" We wait a second to see if any of these poor people who've been waiting for who knows how long speak up; when no one does, I yell back, "We are!" He waves his arm and says, "Come with me. I like people who wait." And that, folks, is how we managed to get into Serendipity after only a five minute wait!

This place is filled, and I mean absolutely filled, with crazy junk. It's a bit of a visual overload.

And THIS, people, is why we came back. Really. Need I say more?

Another of the few restaurants we had on a must-visit list was Once Upon A Tart. Remember this book? After cooking my way through many of it's incredible recipes, I just had to visit the original source. Sadly, to my disappointment, the owners were not present, but the food was just as wonderful as I had imagined it would be. And I must say, I think my renditions have come out just as tasty! Whew! I passed the test :)

And right next door to this little gem was another item on the to-do list: Purl Soho (or where Purl used to be, rather.) They actually had just moved about a month prior.

And here is their new location. Oh how I love SoHo and Greenwich Village!

As you can imagine, if you know anything of my love of sewing, we spent quite some time in this little shop. And I did walk away with some gorgeous Anna Maria Horner finds for the makings of Olivia's baby quilt. I can't wait to get started!

And just down the street from Purl, was ANOTHER glorious treasure! Kate's Paperie!

We may have spent more than a little bit of time at this location as well.

And before anyone starts to feel too bad for poor Luke who has been so faithfully following me around on my pretty-art-things tour... he did manage to find a few treasures of his own. Here he is outside the entrance to the underground Apple store on 5th Avenue, though he opted not to go in... don't ask me why.

THIS location, however, he did not pass up. His eyes lit up like a 5 year-old on Christmas at the sight of this two-story Nintendo World.

And that about sums up New York. We had a great time and can't wait to go visit again!

Happy Birthday Patrick!

2010-05-31T12:11:00.003-07:00

We celebrated Patrick's first birthday with a BBQ with both of our families. I made these fun cupcakes with a Martha Stewart cake recipe and some good old Duncan Hines frosting. I added a little bit of green food coloring to the frosting and piped it on. The cute cupcake papers and animal toppers came from Williams-Sonoma.

Patrick experienced bubbles for the first time...

...as well as hot dogs.

He had a blast opening presents, especially once he figured out that underneath all that useless paper were new toys for him to play with. The first one went rather slow, but after that, he was grabbing for the next present, one after another.

Taking his new fire engine for a test drive.

This was the first time he had ever had anything remotely sweet like this. I think he liked it.

And then came the look of, "Mom!... Why did you let me eat that???" Haha, he was definitely wired the rest of the day. Good thing birthdays only come once a year.

Hello Summer!

2010-05-20T13:55:00.003-07:00

It may be hot enough here in the summer to fry an egg on the sidewalk, but I think the produce ALMOST makes up for it.

I sauteed these asparagus and tomato pieces in a little olive oil with some Italian seasonings, threw in some chunks of chicken, and then stirred in a creamy alfredo sauce and served it all on top of some of that flavored linguine I had (habañero this time).

Inspired by my first experience with a whole artichoke at my brother-in-law's house, I decided to try my hand at this tasty side. I served it along with some orange ruffy filet, seasoned only with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. I topped it all with a yummy homemade hollandaise sauce for dipping.

Cuteness!

2010-05-20T13:51:00.001-07:00

Patrick's First Trip to Indiana

2010-05-05T09:01:00.002-07:00

Patrick handled his first ride on an airplane- and a very long one at that- extremely well. He, of course, made friends with everyone on the plane, and never even cried once. Nonetheless, I don't believe I will ever be flying alone with an infant again. Let's just say that TSA isn't exactly the most helpful bunch of folks and leave it at that. Thankfully, we made it safe and sound to Indiana and enjoyed a great week visiting with family. I think Patrick took quite well to his new woodsy surroundings as you can see above. He was ready to explore.

And explore he did...

Well, more like, mom posed him for pictures around the cabin, but come on, what mommy/artist could resist this great backdrop???

My grandma got out the old Fisher Price barn and animals that I used to play with when I was little. Patrick loved them. This was all it took to keep him entertained the entire week.

He got to meet some of his little cousins.

We even made a trek out to the Cincinnati Zoo. This zoo was absolutely gorgeous, and it was so much fun watching Patrick enjoy the animals. He is really starting to notice things more.

He even got his own miniature dish of ice cream. I think it was a little too cold for him...

...but he soon got over that and was practically clawing at us to get every last drop.

We also made a stop at the Hillforest mansion in Aurora, Indiana. It's an old river house, overlooking the Ohio River, that was built in the 1800's by a wealthy family. For a short period in the late 1940's to early 1950's, it was bought by the VFW to be used as a sort of clubhouse. My great grandpa happened to be the president at the time, so he and my great grandma and my grandpa (below) lived there to maintain it. They lived in the upstairs section, but the downstairs became a party hall with drinking, gambling, and all sorts of other crazy stuff that my grandpa has told us about over the years. Thankfully, they only lived there for a short time, because it was obviously not a great environment for a young boy of 12 to be growing up in. Also, as my grandpa has relayed to us many times, the home was probably spiritually oppressed, though he has always described it as "haunted." He still gets uncomfortable talking about a few experiences he had there. I have been to this house a few times, but this was the first time I was able to go inside for a tour. The poor tour guide didn't really get to give much of a tour though, as my grandpa spent the whole time telling her about his time living there and pointing out changes to the architecture and household items. Thankfully, we were the only ones on this particular tour.

I just had to include these next few pictures. They're just too stinkin' cute not to.

Overall, we had a great week visiting with family and enjoying the beautiful weather. We are already making plans to go back next year with baby number two, though I have strongly vowed that Luke will be coming this time :)

Stitches & Stems

2010-04-11T11:54:00.002-07:00

I hosted a bridal shower this weekend for a gal from my church. The best part was, I didn't even have to do anything; I just got to enjoy the party. The bride's sister brought all the decorations and food, set everything up, and pretty much hosted. I'm just glad I was able to open up my home to such a lovely bunch of ladies. I did provide the beautiful flowers above. I'll take any excuse to buy fresh flowers.

As my gift to the bride, I made this quilt... a bit of a last minute decision, and one that had me tied to the couch all week. Poor Patrick is probably in need of therapy or at least a little sunshine after being confined to his playpen all week while mom sewed.

I quilted it together with little ties inside each of the diamonds and then embroidered their initials in the corner: Mr. & Mrs. D. and A. S.

And here it is all wrapped up and ready for the party. Congratulations guys! May God bless you abundantly!

Tears

2010-03-23T18:56:00.002-07:00

Cheerios!

2010-03-23T18:45:00.003-07:00

Back In The Kitchen

2010-03-23T18:18:00.004-07:00

Between the slight nausea and pure exhaustion of early pregnancy, I am sad to say I have not cooked a real meal in probably over 2 months until tonight. Fortunately, I was presented with an opportunity to minister to a family in our church, and while it may be small consolation to this family who has been through a lot lately, it was an enormous blessing to me to have a reason to get up off my butt and do something productive! I forgot how good it feels to be in the kitchen.

I went with a classic, simple and delicious: chicken enchiladas, layered lasagna style instead of rolled. Ooey gooey goodness that simply warms the soul!

For dessert, I made these double chocolate brownies, a recipe I saw in this month's issue of Martha Stewart Living and have been dying to make. (The baby seems to have quite the sweet tooth. With Patrick I craved salty and vinegary like crazy- mustard was a biggie. This time around, I can't get enough of the sweets, especially chocolate!) However, we surely didn't need a huge tray of them all to ourselves, so this was the perfect excuse to make a batch. Any time you bake, it's always more fun to share anyways; it's sure to bring smiles to faces all around :)

Sunshine and Swings and All Kinds of Beautiful Things

2010-02-20T14:56:00.002-07:00

Please Let Me Out...

2010-02-17T16:13:00.002-07:00

Excuse me, but I would like out.

Perhaps you do not see me.

...please?...

Valentine's Day Sweets

2010-02-13T09:01:00.001-07:00

Bells of Ireland and Miniature Roses from the Farmer's Market

2010-02-12T10:22:00.001-07:00

Happy Valentine's Day Weekend everyone! Love, us!

Can I Get An Amen!

2010-02-12T10:15:00.003-07:00

I don't know where in the world I've been, but I have just recently discovered the miraculous power of the crock pot! Yesterday morning, I put some seasoned ribs and onion slices in the crock pot, added some BBQ sauce about 8 hours later, let 'em cook for another hour, and there was dinner. I made these sweet potato fries to go with them. Just slice, rub a little olive oil on, sprinkle with cajun seasoning and coarse salt, and bake in the oven at 350° for about 30-40 minutes depending on desired level of done-ness.

Yum!

Just- yum!

The Pasta Theme Continues...

2010-02-10T08:36:00.003-07:00

There is becoming a pattern in my posts. This pasta is Spinach Basil Garlic and the recipe is for Mama DeCio's Marinara. I added some ground beef to the mixture for a little added protein. The rest is a combo of crushed tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, onions, and a tablespoon of sugar. A tasty twist on good old spaghetti.

More Pasta

2010-02-09T11:06:00.003-07:00

On Friday, my parents came over for dinner - a sort of impromptu get together after a little shopping with my mom, since my dad was already on this side of town for work. I decided to use another one of our flavored pastas and some ingredients I had gathered for this fish recipe. The pasta is a handmade chili cilantro linguini. The recipe was supposed to be for Ceviche, which I had no clue involved soaking the fish in lime juice for over 4 hours rather than cooking it, and since our dinner plans were a bit last minute, I came up with my own recipe. I also wasn't too keen on the idea of eating cold fish, so grilling it in a pan with a little olive oil seemed much better. I sauteed the veggies first in olive oil and lime juice with a generous portion of fresh cilantro. It was a mixture of carrots, yellow bell peppers, onions, garlic, and red chilies. Once the veggies were tender, I added the halibut and cooked a little longer then served it all on top of the chili cilantro pasta with a few cilantro sprigs. Turned out pretty yummy!

Flavor of the Night

2010-02-01T18:40:00.003-07:00

We finally went to the Scottsdale Farmers' Market this Saturday for the first time, and I think I'm going to have to go back every Saturday now to do my grocery shopping. We came home with lots of yummy fresh food. One purchase included a selection of DeCio handmade pastas. They had over a dozen or so different flavors, and we bought four of them. On their website, they have a pretty long list of recipes for all the different varieties of pasta they carry. For dinner tonight, we used the Szechuan Orange Spice linguini and combined it with the recipe for Lemon Chicken (although I substituted oranges for the lemons). It's a yummy blend of fresh orange juice, minced fresh red chilies, honey and garlic, then topped with fresh parsley and roasted oranges. Delish!

Watch Me Go

2010-01-28T14:18:00.002-07:00

First there was one...

And then there was none...

BALL!

2010-01-27T17:51:00.003-07:00

I made this "Just For Kicks" patchwork ball for Patrick today. I think maybe he likes it.

And I'll give you one guess where the pattern came from... Of course, Anna Maria Horner's Seams To Me book. She has a new book coming out soon too that I am soooo excited about. It's full of patterns for mommies and babies. Can't wait!

This was actually a pretty quick project. The longest part was just cutting out the pieces, but sewing it together was a piece of cake.

And oh the fun we shall have!

Tulips and Chocolate

2010-01-25T19:11:00.003-07:00

Well, as promised, I have stepped down off of my soap box... for the moment... and returned to my position as resident artist and chef... *collective sigh of relief*...

On the bill tonight - Radiant orange tulips...

...and "Grammy's Chocolate cookies" from the Martha Stewart's Cookies cookbook - thanks Nate!

Oooh... Aaaah!

Let There Be Drama

2010-01-06T13:35:00.003-07:00

Today, Patrick tried nibbling on some little bits of pear... and quickly, the drama ensued.

We seriously had a case of the Princess and the Pea happening at our kitchen table. I gave him a bite of his regular pear puree with a couple miniscule - I mean absolutely miniscule little specs of actual pear slipped in there, and THIS is his reaction.

Must...remove...foreign...objects. And the drama only got better from here.

Practicing his James Dean, pitiful pout and all.

A little Clint Eastwood, just to show me he means it.

Not amused in the slightest.

And seriously, we're done now.

What's Winter?

2010-01-04T13:58:00.004-07:00

We took Patrick to the park on Saturday, a first for the little guy. Explaining winter to a child who goes to the park on January 3rd to find grass and blue skies and is actually a little warm in his sweater is going to be a challenging task.

He refused to wear his sunglasses, something he's going to need in this bright desert sun. Maybe we can get him a pair that straps on.

He was so fascinated by the grass.

So many interesting things to see...

New Kitchen Stuff + Late-night Insanity = Weak-In-The-Knees-Yummy Food

2010-01-04T09:13:00.006-07:00

There seemed to be a theme to the Christmas gifts I received this year. I got a set of vintage mixing bowls from my grandma; a new extra large skillet and another Pampered Chef spatula from Luke, something not every husband could give to their wives without getting dirty looks; a Martha Stewart cookie cookbook from Luke's brother; and this deliciously shiny green KitchenAid mixer from Luke's mom. By the end of the Christmas weekend, I was sooo ready to start cooking.

I had planned on cooking a special meal last Monday for our anniversary, but that ended up not happening, so I decided, somewhat last minute, to do it this Saturday...at 6:00 at night. Heaven help me if I ever decide to do this again any later than noon. We were finishing off dessert at midnight.

Anywho, I turned to my Julia Child cookbook for inspiration. I made Fricassée de Poulet à L'ancienne [Old-fashioned Chicken Fricassee with Wine-flavored Cream Sauce, Onions, and Mushrooms]. This sauce is so absolutely, decadently creamy. Had I not known better, I would have sworn it was made with cheese. Oh my word, let me tell you, butter is the magical mystical ingredient that makes everything turn to heavenly bliss.

Each of the ingredients are prepped and cooked separately, using parsley, thyme, and a bay leaf, which gave the braised onions (I used the little tiny ones) the flavor of French onion soup.

For dessert, I made this Reine de Saba [Chocolate and Almond Cake] with Glaçage au Chocolat [Chocolate-butter Icing]. Aside from the decorative sliced almonds around the edge, the cake itself is made with a bit of almond extract and a generous addition of pulverized almonds. Since my little food processor decided to stop working, I found that Bob's Redmill Almond Meal works just great; in fact, it is much finer than I probably would have been able to get the crushed almonds, making the cake that much smoother, which is a plus for me since I'm not a huge nut fan to begin with. The icing is simply melted chocolate and butter.

AND, the secret ingredient that makes this cake beyond heavenly... both the cake batter and the icing call for a couple tablespoons of fresh coffee.

Who else is gettin' weak in the knees people??

Silhouettes at Dusk

2009-12-31T16:48:00.004-07:00

So Full

2009-12-27T13:45:00.009-07:00

After two days of celebrating Christmas with both my family and Luke's, we are beyond full. Full of ham and salads and rolls and lots and lots of desserts. I made these two tarts for Christmas Eve. This one is a vanilla custard tart with fresh fruit on top. These berries were so perfectly sweet!

And this one is a lemon tart. Very tart indeed!

And our bellies aren't the only things that are full. We all, especially Patrick, were blessed beyond belief by the gracious generosity of our families. This is just one of the sweet treasures given to Patrick this Christmas. A precious wooden rocking horse and a very dashing red cowboy hat.

We are full of food, full of love, full of blessings in every way. I hope you all can say the same.

Creative Gifting

2009-12-23T14:50:00.011-07:00

For lack of better ideas this year, we got gift cards for our family members. But if you know me, I can't just give a gift card. It seems so impersonal. So I did a few other things to spruce up the package.

I made these little gift card wallets out of card stock and scrap booking paper. I glued two pieces of card stock together back to back and then attached a smaller piece of decorative paper to the inside for a pocket. I then machine stitched around the perimeter to reinforce and attached an elastic band through two little eyelets to hold them shut.

They make for nice little envelopes for those gift cards that would otherwise be somewhat impersonal.

Everyone who got a gift card this year also got a dozen of these Crunchy Dried Cranberry-Chocolate Chip Cookies wrapped up in these beautiful boxes. I got the plain white boxes at JoAnn's, carefully disassembled them, and glued them to the wrong side of this elegant fabric. I then just cut out around the box and reassembled it with a bit of glue. The cookies inside were wrapped up in red cellophane, and the boxes were then tied up with this beautiful gold ribbon and a sprig of sparkling berries.

I wrote out the recipe for the cookies on these little cards and slipped them under the ribbon on the back of the box.

For my mom, my grandma, and my aunt, I baked these chocolate banana tea loaves inside of these fun ceramic pans, wrapped them up in more of the red cellophane, and included a hand-written recipe card.

I guess it turns out that our not-so-personal Christmas ended up being quite a bit more unique than expected.

Christmas New And Old

2009-12-23T14:13:00.008-07:00

I absolutely love decorating for Christmas. I love the lights. I love the ornaments. I love the vintage. I love the surrounding of special treasures both new and old. This simple vintage nativity is always a favorite. It is a sweet reminder of the King whom we celebrate this season.

This beauty is both new and old. It was an early Christmas present from my grandma. She thought my studio needed a dress form, and she found this great vintage one (probably from the 40's) at a Goodwill back in Indiana. They brought it all the way here with them.

All of the parts are adjustable, so if I ever decide to actually use it, I'll be able to fit it to my size.

This quilt in the background is a yo-yo quilt that my great grandmother made.

Here's one of Luke's ornaments from when he was little.

I love these old song books. The Christmas Carols one has bright colorful illustrations to go with each song.

These are some vintage garland beads (probably from the 40's or 50's). They look almost like little candies piled up in this dish.

A little wooden train for Patrick nestled under the tree.

And the newest addition to our Christmas collection, for the newest addition to our family. My brothers and I all had Snow Babies for the tree, so I thought it was the perfect first Christmas ornament for Patrick.

Merry Christmas everyone!
With Love,
Luke, Tarrah & Patrick

Cute As A Cupcake!

2009-12-17T16:29:00.004-07:00

I've been dying to share this one with all of you. It was a gift for Chef Madison that her mother asked me to make, and she got it today as an early Christmas present, so I'm finally free to let you all in on the cuteness.

I used this adorable cupcake print for the body, a cherry red fabric with tiny white dots for the trim, and some sweet yellow fabric with red and orange dots for the details.

The back comes together with these extra long ties.

And this pocket is trimmed with some fun rick rack. I fought the urge to make two little pleated cupcake pockets with appliqued frosting trim as well as a set of matching potholders with the leftover fabric. As I informed Madison's mom, despite every creative inch of my being begging me to add these extra details, reason and sanity won out during this already busy holiday season. Perhaps another time... Happy baking Chef Madison! You are now properly outfitted!

All The Trimmings

2009-12-14T10:37:00.005-07:00

One of my favorite things to do is throw a party. What could be better than opening up your home, fellowshipping with friends, and filling everyone's bellies with lots of good food?

So, we spruced up the house - I sincerely hope no one tried to open any of the closets...

...put up some festive decorations...

...filled the house with beautiful flowers...

...covered the countertop with plates of scrumptious food...

...and of course, lots and lots of cookies.

It was a very happy home indeed.

Cookies to Share

2009-12-10T10:29:00.004-07:00

This Saturday morning is the ladies' brunch and cookie exchange at our church, and I made these cocoa shortbread stars with drizzled white chocolate.

I found these cute little tins on sale at JoAnn's to store each bundle in. I'm excited to see what everyone else made!

A Stocking for Patrick

2009-12-04T17:32:00.004-07:00

One of my fondest memories of Christmas as a child was opening up my stocking on Christmas morning and pulling out all of the little treasures inside. My mom made stockings for me and my brothers for each of our first Christmases that we continued to use throughout our growing up. Mine and my brother Sean's were made out of felt with little appliqued felt cut-outs and our names stitched on the tops. For Troy, she made a beautiful cross-stitched stocking.

Well, I thought it only fitting to carry on the Christmas tradition and give Patrick a hand-made stocking, because a store-bought one just wouldn't do. I didn't have a pattern for this, so I just bought several different colored pieces of felt and started cutting out pieces until I had the look that I wanted.

The base is made out of a sturdy felted wool that will hopefully stand the test of time through many Christmases to come. The rest of the stocking is made out of synthetic felt.

All of the cut-outs are appliqued and top-stitched on, leaving a raw edge around each of the pieces. Everything was then embellished with many - I repeat MANY - teeny tiny little beads. I think my favorite part is the little snowflakes.

Merry First Christmas Baby Boy. We love you!

Bougainvillea Days

2009-11-29T19:03:00.005-07:00

The Christmas lights are hung, and the bougainvillea are faithful to bloom. Sometimes, it's these little moments that take our breath away.

From our family to yours, as we enter this holiday season, we wish you peaceful nights and lots of bougainvillea days.

Studio Makeover Part Four

2009-11-29T18:35:00.005-07:00

Over the weekend, I completed another portion of the studio beautification project. I made a little collage of wall hangings to fill up the empty space above the couch.

Two of them are set in these fun metal frames that I found at an estate sale over a year ago. I just wrapped a piece of embellished fabric around a cardboard cutout and slid them into the frames. I used a little metal pin and a piece of rick rack for this one.

This one has another fun metal pin and some more of those cute little blue buttons that I used on my cape.

The rest of the pieces are wrapped around art canvases and stapled to the back. I embellished each of these with various buttons and ribbons. On the one above, I attached a crocheted flower out of my collection of items that my great grandmother made.

All together, they add quite nicely to the increasing amount of vibrant color this room is boasting.

A "One" and a "Three"

2009-11-25T22:07:00.003-07:00

According to this year's Thanksgiving issue of Martha Stewart Living, that's what these two recipes are: A one- for easy or beginner, and a three- for difficult or advanced. The pie shown above is the three.

It's an apple blackberry pie with a leaf cut-out top crust. It smells so good and I'm sure it's going to taste heavenly. You know how I know this? Because the way you tell when it's done is when it starts to bubble out of the top. Need I say more? Luke's words were, "Wow, that's some pie."

And here's the "one": a standard classic pumpkin pie with a shortbread crust. Quick and simple, and always sure to be a hit.

Well, needless to say, with all these tempting pies sitting around, we needed a little something to tie us over until tomorrow, so I took the leftover pie dough and cut out these little apple bites, sprinkled them with sanding sugar and popped them in the oven for a little late night snack. Happy Thanksgiving all!

Studio Makeover Part Three

2009-11-24T09:24:00.004-07:00

My next project for this room was to make these wall pockets, another pattern from Anna Maria's Seams To Me book. I used some absolutely gorgeous Heather Bailey fabric from her Pop Garden collection. It is so soft and buttery, I really wish I could make some clothes out of it. I did attempt a dress a while back, but I got so frustrated with it that it's still half completed sitting on a shelf in my studio. Maybe I'll get back to it eventually.

Here it is hanging next to the desk. I really want to find some pretty, decorative hooks to hang it by. For the moment, nails will have to do. I haven't been able to find what I'm looking for and I just couldn't wait to get it up on the wall.

It's the perfect size for loose papers and that stack of mail that often threatens to take over the kitchen counter. These items look quite attractive in here don't 'ya think? Please excuse my shameless plug for World Vision by the way.

The Only Man

2009-11-21T20:29:00.005-07:00

That's what Luke was at our brunch this morning. Unfortunately, Alex's husband was unable to join us, leaving Luke alone with me and my three former college roommates. Somehow, with all of this delicious food about, I don't think he really noticed or minded. Here's the lineup: We started with some very yummy virgin mimosas - sparkling white grape juice and orange juice.

A tasty selection of teas.

Got milk? We did!

A bowl of apples, bananas, and my favorite - California cuties.

The main course - A Provençal tart made with a thin layer of dijon mustard on the bottom of the crust, a layer of shredded Gruyere cheese, sliced roma tomatoes, a custard filling of eggs and cream, topped with sautéed spinach (which the recipe actually did not call for, but I thought sounded good), and sprinkled with a mixture of Herbs de Provence (which I sort of improvised since I didn't have this specific French blend - I used Marjoram, Thyme, Basil, and Rosemary). Simply heavenly!

A 'lil meat on the side. Yummy bacon and little smokies.

And for a sweet bite these orange chocolate scones with chocolate chips - flavored with fresh orange zest and juice and orange marmalade.

Eventually, the testosterone at our little gathering increased slightly when young master Patrick joined us at the head of the table. All in all, a wonderful morning fellowshipping with three precious friends over a quite tasty meal.

Ready to Rock... and a few other star moments

2009-11-19T20:07:00.003-07:00

How 'bout those threads?? I think he's ready for his first Flogging Molly concert. Too bad he won't be allowed to listen to their music.

He has really been fascinated with the mirror lately. He just bounces around in front of it making all kinds of noises and gets so excited when he sees his little twin staring back.

Love love love those big beautiful eyes!

Studio Makeover Part Two (and a barrage of links)

2009-11-09T21:37:00.004-07:00

So part two in this process was to do something about that unsightly and very old futon. My wonderful husband gave the formerly black metal frame a "quick" (haha, yeah right...) spray paint job, making it a soft ivory. Then, to cover up the formerly black mattress, I had this beautiful futon cover made (a project I wasn't willing to tackle on my own) by a fabulous seller on Etsy who responded to my alchemy request. The fabric is a luscious print from Anna Maria Horner's "Garden Party" line.

Also, we finally got a couple things hung that have been sitting on the floor for far too long: a framed map of Ireland's County Kerry and Luke's doctorate diploma. The room is really beginning to come together. I have a handful of other projects for this room (and a couple other spots in the house) in the works. More to come!

Beauty in a Bowl

2009-11-08T21:44:00.004-07:00

I think the pomegranate is one of the most beautiful fruits. My mother-in-law got me hooked on these a while back, and now I just love to open one up and pull out all the tiny arils. The little snap it makes as you pluck each one out is almost addicting, sort of like popping bubble wrap.

A ripe pomegranate is so full of color, like a richly painted canvas.

They're almost floral in their design. This image reminds me of a blossoming orchid. When I think of all the magnificent creations, of which this is only one, that God placed here for our enjoyment and awe, I can't help but praise Him for His unsurpassed beauty... something we glean a fading hint of in these fruits. Taste and see that the Lord is good!

Flowers in the Studio

2009-11-05T08:29:00.003-07:00

As if I didn't already love coming into this room enough, a vase full of fresh flowers just makes it that much sweeter. Fry's has had surprisingly beautiful bouquets on sale lately, so I have been keeping a lovely bunch in the window pretty regularly.

A Tart Pan From Luke

2009-11-04T21:02:00.004-07:00

When I got home from my doctor's appointment today, I walked into the kitchen and found a gift bag on the counter and a smiling husband. When I asked what it was for, he said, "Just because." Inside was a new tart pan. I have been just baking these tarts in a regular pie plate, which works fine, but he knew I was wanting a real tart pan with a removable bottom.

Well, we just had to test it out tonight, so I made this sautéed spinach and mushroom tart with ricotta and parmesan cheese, another recipe from the Once Upon A Tart book. The recipe calls for a double crust portion so that you can make a lattice pattern on top. And here it is, successfully transferred out of the tart pan and remarkably still in tact!

My Protest to the Never Ending Summer

2009-11-04T07:58:00.005-07:00

Despite the fact that it is depressingly still going to reach 92° on this fourth day of November, I do have hope that one day it will indeed get cold here. And so it is in that hope that I present this hat as a symbol of promise for all the overheated Arizonan's out there... and of course as a symbol of devastatingly precious cuteness.

This hat is another pattern by Leila and Ben, and one that I just couldn't put down. I started and finished it in one day.

And thanks to fun hobbies, gratifying finished products, and this heartbreakingly sweet face, I still smile... despite the moral wrong that is this weather.

Learning To Crochet

2009-11-02T18:27:00.004-07:00

I picked up a new hobby over the weekend. With the help of many many online tutorials, some very friendly people in the Etsy forums, and a little advice from a friend at church, I managed to teach myself how to crochet. And for my first project, I made a little cape.

I used a very soft wool/cotton blend yarn and these two adorable little buttons that I dug out of my huge button collection. The pattern that I used came from a shop on Etsy called Leila and Ben. I actually ended up not following the pattern extremely closely because I made some mistakes early on that changed the way the pattern would need to be followed, and I didn't have the heart to unravel it and start over. So I sort of improvised. I think it still came out rather darling if I do say so myself. I also bought another pattern from them, which was the true inspiration for learning to crochet, and I will definitely be sure to share when it's done. Here's a hint: I won't be the one modeling this time :)

Luke's Birthday Dinner

2009-10-29T20:18:00.003-07:00

I told Luke he could have anything he wanted for dinner and dessert tonight, and his choice was chili and cornbread with brownies for dessert.

I used my good old Betty Crocker cookbook for the chili and cornbread recipes.

And the recipe for the brownies came from that new "Once Upon A Tart" cookbook from the chapter Once Upon A Cookie. They are called Fudgy Brownies, and these are definitely fudgy.

Studio Makeover Part One

2009-10-29T08:21:00.003-07:00

I made these storage boxes for the office and finally sorted through and organized the stuff that was piling up under the old desk.

Notice I said "old" desk...

This, my friends, is the "new" desk, a wonderful garage sale find, and the spark that started me on my mission to revamp the studio/office.

These boxes are part one in my studio beautification project. More to come!

Rise and Shine...

2009-10-29T06:31:00.004-07:00

...for a bright and early birthday breakfast. I sent him off to work this morning with a tummy full of pumpkin cranberry pancakes (using up those leftover scone ingredients) and bacon.

Had to throw these in here too, because they're just too cute to keep to myself.

Happy Birthday Daddy! We love you!

Picture Time

2009-10-27T11:58:00.005-07:00

I just had to share some of these recent photos. I took this one this morning, and the others below are shots that Luke took this weekend.

Apparently Luke and Patrick were playing dress up on Sunday morning while mommy was at church for band practice.

This seems to be his new favorite position. He loves being on his belly all of a sudden, and he'll lay like this and just stare out the back door.

A Little O' This, a Little O' That

2009-10-24T19:45:00.003-07:00

The scones that I made this morning called for buttermilk, which for some odd reason seems to only come in a pretty large container, despite the fact that most recipes only take a small amount and then you're stuck with a big ol' bottle of buttermilk that you can't use for anything else. Well, it just so happens that in the parenting magazine I subscribe to which arrived just yesterday, there was an entire page dedicated to ways to use leftover buttermilk! One of those recipes was for a buttermilk crab pie. Now, I also just happened to have a can of crab meat in the pantry as well, so I made another pie crust (de ja vu), and put this little pie together for dinner. It's made with a layer of cheese on the bottom of the crust, then topped with the crab meat (sautéed first with onions), and then filled with a mixture of eggs, flour, and... BUTTERMILK. Bake at 350° for about 35 minutes, and voilà!

More Fall Loveliness

2009-10-24T16:27:00.003-07:00

I sent Luke out to get an onion for tonight's dinner recipe and he came home with these... and the onion. Hooray for beautiful flowers and thoughtful husbands.

A Fitting Fall Breakfast

2009-10-24T10:15:00.003-07:00

For breakfast this morning I whipped up a very delicious batch of pumpkin scones with fresh chopped cranberries and yellow raisins. The house just smells like Fall. I'm not sure that Fall really has a smell. But it should. And it should smell like pumpkin.

New Cook Book, New Recipes

2009-10-22T20:28:00.004-07:00

My dear friend, Michele, from church gave me this wonderful new cookbook, "Once Upon A Tart." It is full of so many delicious recipes, and I had a hard time deciding where to begin. I finally chose two for tonight's dinner and dessert.

For dinner, I made this Roasted-Eggplant-and-Tomato Tart with Basil. The crust is simply flour, butter, and margarine. I cut the flour and butter together the old fashioned way with two butter knives, as I am unequipped with all those newfangled fancy schmancy gadgets that do it for you, but it really isn't that difficult. In fact, if you have never made a pie crust from scratch, I challenge you to try. It's not nearly as daunting a task as it may seem. This was not my first, and the more you do it, the easier it gets. The bottom of the crust is covered with a layer of puréed basil and parmesan cheese, then topped with the slices of tomato and garlic-roasted eggplant. The filling is made of cream and eggs, though I don't think I made quite enough because it didn't seem to fill the dish as much as it should have. The tart then bakes for a little over an hour. So delicious!

For dessert, I used another recipe from this book: Crunchy Dried Cranberry-Chocolate Chip Cookies. This cookie is made with oats and wheat germ, though I substituted bran flakes, in addition to the flour. The bran flakes, as I am sure the wheat germ would have done, gives these cookies a very light, crispy texture that just crumbles in your mouth. The combination of the sweet chocolate chips with the tart cranberries completes the yumminess that is this cookie. Oh so good!

Thanks Michele for the wonderful gift! I can't wait to try more recipes.

Sneak Peek

2009-10-22T08:09:00.004-07:00

Here is a very tiny sneak peek at what I've been working on for the last few months. This is one set of the 5 designs in the series shown in one of the several color schemes.

I wanted the cover letter to match the hand-lettered labeling on all of the designs, so I pulled out my ruler and wrote this by hand.

And here it is, cover letter, title page, and all 40 pages of printed designs, all wrapped up and ready to be mailed to Westminster/FreeSpirit Fibers. So exciting! I will be sure to give a full reveal of the finished designs once I hear yes or no from the company, which I hear can take several months, so it may be a while.

New Measuring Cups

2009-10-13T08:03:00.003-07:00

This is another one of my Sur La Table finds. My old set of measuring cups were plastic and a couple of them had broken. I love the fun colors. I'll be honest. I think this was the true inspiration for the baking of the cookies.

My other find was a citrus press. I bought the lemon size, thinking it would work pretty well for most lemons, oranges, and limes, rather than buying one of each. I'll let you know how it goes as soon as I get to test it out.

Tea and Cookies

2009-10-13T07:55:00.003-07:00

I recently got around to putting a Sur La Table birthday gift card to good use. One of the things I found was this yummy tea: Mighty Leaf Chocolate Mint Truffle. Good stuff!

The cookies here are a delicious new recipe found on the back of the Bob's Red Mill Oat Flour bag. I have been needing to use up the rest of this oat flour as well as a bag of Almond Meal from the same company, and this recipe just happened to call for both. It calls for one cup of each, with 1/2 cup butter, 6 Tbsp light brown sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Blend ingredients together, roll into balls and bake at 300° for about 30 minutes. Roll warm cookies in cinnamon and sugar. I actually still have a good amount of the flour and meal left, so I may be making another batch.

A Handcrafted Gift

2009-10-13T07:42:00.005-07:00

Well, as promised, here are some of those freshly pressed fabrics being put to good use. My brother-in-law is getting married in November, and his fiancé's shower was this past weekend. Among the few things that Luke and I gave them were these handmade items for the bride to be.

A darling retro style apron made with a citrus themed print, green leafy trim, and retro blue accents for the pockets, ties, and buttons.

A pair of hand appliqued and embroidered decorative dishtowels, which the bride cleverly mentioned would make nice place mats as well. I may be making a few of these for myself for just that purpose.

The patterns for all of these lovely linens came from Anna Maria Horner's book "Seams To Me, 24 New Reasons To Love Sewing."

Cereal

2009-10-13T07:35:00.004-07:00

We gave Patrick his first serving of rice cereal last week. He seemed a little ambivalent about it. He was opening wide and lunging towards the spoon for every bite, and yet, every single time, he would scrunch up his face once it was in his mouth. At the very least, he was very curious.

As well as he seems to be adjusting to the spoon, he has suddenly decided that he does not want to take a bottle. We hardly ever give him one anyways, and when my parents were watching him for me this past Saturday, he refused to eat for them. He has become a nursing snob. We're trying to give him a bottle more often, so he's used to it when we leave him with someone.

Zoo Time

2009-10-04T18:33:00.004-07:00

It's finally starting to "cool" down here, which means highs in the double digits instead of triple, and we just had to take advantage of this beautiful Saturday. So we packed up and headed to the zoo for the morning. Among our stops were the elephants...

...and the orangutans.

And here's my little monkey.

Chompers

2009-09-30T07:49:00.003-07:00

You can just barely see his two little bottom teeth poking through here. They are much easier to see in person, but this was as still as I could get him this morning.

Freshly Pressed Fabric

2009-09-29T09:30:00.003-07:00

There are certain things that just seem to evoke warm happy feelings when present... Gooey chocolate chip cookies being pulled out of the oven, a clean kitchen countertop covered with pretty mixing bowls and fresh ingredients before beginning to cook, and brand new fabric, washed, dried, and freshly pressed! Oh the possibilities. These fabrics are destined for a few specific sewing projects, which I will be slowly tackling over the next few weeks... in 30 minute increments to be exact, per instructions from my chiropractor. You will definitely be seeing these fabrics again in their final form sometime soon. Stay tuned...

Update on Life

2009-09-29T09:08:00.005-07:00

Well, in case you haven't heard, I threw my back out last Monday... we're talking down on the floor, can't get up, finally managed to belly crawl into my studio to get my phone, lying on the floor trying to get a hold of someone to come help, while Patrick sits in his seat (seen above) staring at Mommy in bewilderment and crying because it's past his naptime, until he finally just spreads both arms out in front of him, flops his head down and falls asleep sitting up. Oh my. I laugh now, but my poor back is still recovering. I finally went to see a chiropractor last week, and I have been back a few times since then. Things are looking up, though I feel like a robot moving stiffly about, as I have been instructed not to bend, twist, or any variation thereof.

Anyways... this is the reason I have been absent for a couple weeks, but I am hoping to start getting back to somewhat of a normal life. We may still have to hold off a while on Recipe of the Week. We shall see...

I just thought I'd ease my way back into blogging with a few photos from the last week or so. Above, Patrick is getting music lessons from my dad. He really does seem to enjoy listening to music. He will be frantically bouncing around, swatting at his toys, and then when the music starts, he stops and seems to almost sway back and forth with the rhythm of the music. At the very least, it definitely seems to calm him.

Here he is sporting his Jungle PJ's with little rhinoceros footies.

Get it?... Charging rhinos...? Haha, well, I thought it was funny.

This just absolutely cracked me up. I usually try not to have the television on when Patrick is up, but due to the fact that I did nothing but lie on the couch with an ice pack last week, it was on a little more than usual. Well, Patrick was absolutely enthralled. He sat like this for at least 5 minutes and probably would have stayed that way for the duration of the show if I hadn't moved him. I think I'm going to email this one to Dr. Phil.

It's Not DiGiorno

2009-09-14T08:40:00.006-07:00

I think we missed a week in there somewhere on the new recipe exploration with being gone so much, but last night we tried two new recipes... so I think we're back on track :)

We had pizza from scratch, which I have actually made before, so I'm not sure it qualifies as a totally new recipe, although the recipe for the crust was different, so I'm counting it. It is Bianco's Pizza Dough, the recipe of pizzaiolo Chris Bianco, whose pizzeria happens to be here in Phoenix. How I have never been there is a mystery to me but soon to be remedied. You can find this recipe in Martha Stewart's May '09 issue or on her website. I have to say that this recipe really made an enormous difference in the texture of the crust. My old recipe is going out with the garbage, because this can't be beat. And, I am excited to try it again sometime when I have more time to devote to it. It was pretty late when I started dinner and our tummies were grumbling, so I cut quite a few corners and didn't let it rise for nearly as long as I was supposed to. It still came out delicious though, and I'm sure if I followed the recipe to a T, it would just be heavenly. I topped it off with our usual toppings. I'm a die-hard fan of Classico's Tomato and Basil pasta sauce. I also used fresh mozzarella, which let me say, after buying the cheapest one, you really can taste the difference. I didn't think it would matter, but the texture was much more rubbery with this generic one than with the more expensive one I usually buy. For a rare occasion, it is worth it to spend a little extra to get the quality, especially if you're going to all the trouble to make good pizza dough. I then just topped off the pizza with sliced tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, dried oregano and rosemary. So delicious!

As a starter, while we were waiting for the pizza to bake, we had fried zucchini, which was actually the inspiration for the dinner theme last night. At church yesterday morning, I was chatting with the lovely Miss Madison, who was so kind as to share in great detail how she made fried zucchini with her grandmother. Let me tell you that this is one little lady who is on her way to being a great chef when she grows up. Thanks for the recipe missy! It was delicious.

El Paso

2009-09-07T17:20:00.006-07:00

Welcome to Texas! Although, when you're in El Paso, it's easy to forget at times that you're still in the U.S. I'm sorry to say that my Spanish is pretty much non-existent, which makes communicating with family very difficult. Luke and I both decided during this trip that we need to learn. I promised my grandma that the next time we came back, my Spanish would be much better, to which she responded, "Okay! I will be checking up on you." Guess I've got some work to do.

Here is Patrick with his great grandmother (my dad's mom).

And with Tía Elva (Grandma Irene's sister).

Here he is with Rema, my uncle Alvaro's wife, who I also met for the first time this weekend, since we weren't able to make it to the wedding. (Oh, and Fanny).

With Alvaro and Rema.

Meeting another little furry friend, Rose. I think she was actually a little bit smaller than Patrick.

Mom and Dad even got to go on a double date with Al and Rema while Patrick stayed back with my Grandma. We drove along the old Mission Trail and stopped in at these missions. This one is San Elizario.

Ysleta.

And Socorro.

Attack of the Killer Cookies

2009-09-03T11:42:00.004-07:00

Ok, so I have this recurring problem when I make cookies of overestimating the amount of dough it takes to make one cookie. Somehow, I always end up with a lot fewer cookies than the recipe is supposed to yield; instead of 30 small cookies, I get about 15 huge ones. I must work on this.

So, today I decided to make these chocolate sandwich cookies, and ended up with GIGANTIC oreos. If anyone happened to be walking by my kitchen window as I was frosting them, they probably thought I was crazy, because I was standing at the counter, laughing hysterically to myself at the ridiculousness of these gargantuan cookies. Needless to say, they are more than big enough to share, though delicious enough to get a whole one down alone. These were supposed to be traveling goodies for tomorrow's road trip; I hope my grandma has friends nearby because I'm gonna need to pawn some of these off to lighten the load for the ride home.

Tilapia and Roasted Carrots

2009-09-02T17:55:00.004-07:00

Tonight's dish is tilapia filets with a lime sauce and roasted carrots and shallots. The carrots are sliced and tossed in olive oil with minced shallots and roasted in the oven for about 35 minutes. The fish filets are seasoned with salt, pepper, and cajun seasoning, then sautéed in olive oil. The sauce is simply 1/4 cup lime juice and 1/4 cup water added to the pan after fish is removed and simmered down.

More Squash

2009-09-01T09:04:00.007-07:00

Zucchini and yellow squash are in season, so I've been doing quite a bit of cooking with them. I made this veggie dish to take to the ladies' potluck at church tonight. It's a very simple recipe. Just sauté the thinly sliced veggies for a few minutes in a pan with olive oil, minced garlic, chopped fresh oregano, and balsamic vinaigrette until veggies are browned and tender, waiting until the end to add the vinaigrette. Garnish with a couple sprigs of fresh oregano.