maybe later…?

P-r-o-c-r-a-s-t-i-n-a-t-i-o-n……

Hate to brag… but I gotta say, I’m pretty good at it. I’ve got a garage sale/sample sale starting on Thursday. It’s Tuesday. Is that a problem? Yes. It certainly is. So what to do? Eat some chocolate. Dark chocolate. Ya, that’s it. It will give me endorphins… those “feel good hormones” that make you feel like you can do anything.

Or maybe a cup of coffee? With caffeine. Perfect! Instant energy once that caffeine kicks in! (Those who know me limit my intake to one cup. HA!) So last night the hubbie “tried to help”. Kinda... He suggested that we watch an episode of “Downton Abbey” (We’re trying to “catch up”) so that I could “price stuff” while I watched. (Notice how he said that… “WE could watch: I could price…” Hmmm.) Well, that didn’t work. You cannot watch that show and “multi-task”. You miss stuff. Important stuff. So what to do??? We watched TWO episodes. I don’t need to tell you whose fault that was now, do I…? He is, obviously, an enabler.

OK… really. Need to do this. You know, “Nike” kinda stuff… “Just do it”. Fine. I will. Right after I wrap up a couple of loose ends… Figure out what’s for dinner. Make my bed. Empty the dishwasher. Rearrange my closet. Organize my Pinterest boards. Buy a guinea pig. Solve world hunger. Write a blog…

about p-r-o-c-r-a-s-t-i-n-a-t-i-o-n…

Seriously – Some great advice from Marie Leslie – “The Perils of Procrastination —11 Ways to Put an End to Putting it Off”. Definitely gonna read this. Right after I make another cup of coffee. And clean out the guinea pig cage…

Do it first thing in the morning Mark Twain is reported to have said, “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” If that task is showing up on your to-do list every day, make it the first thing on your list and get it out of the way. Sometimes the dread of a task makes it seem worse than it really is. Getting it over with first thing in the morning will free up both your time and your mind for other things.
Get an accountability partner Find someone who is willing to hold your feet to the fire and keep you on task until it’s done. Sometimes all it takes to end the procrastination is knowing that you have to keep telling that other person you aren’t done yet. After a while, you just feel kind of silly, don’t you?
Be prepared ahead of time If you know it’s coming, gather everything you think you will need as soon as you know. Having it all there and ready makes the project a little less overwhelming and will make you less likely to be late or miss a critical deadline that could cost you both money and reputation.
Break down an overwhelming task into smaller, more manageable ones Does it just feel like it’s too much? Look at the task and see if you can’t divide it up into smaller, manageaable pieces. A bunch of little tasks often seems simpler than one big one. Plus, if it doesn’t have to be done all at once those little tasks can be spread out over a series of days.
Delegate If you are procrastinating something because you either don’t feel like you have time or just hate to do it, find a way to delegate it to someone else. If it’s a school project or a medical procedure, you’re stuck, but if it’s something else, there is almost always a way to delegate or outsource and have someone else do the deed.

Re-think the task Is this something you really need to do? If you’ve put it off this long, how important is it really? Re-evaluate whether it is something you need to do at all. Sometimes we procrastinate things because they aren’t all that important to us. Check your motivation and your need to get this done. If they aren’t there, perhaps you should just scratch it off the list and move on with your life.
Avoid Distractions Do you find yourself checking your email, visiting Facebook, doing the laundry, scrubbing the toilet or just about any other activity but what you need to do? Eliminate the distractions. Shut off the internet, send the phone to voicemail or go to the library and get rid of the things that distract you. Some of my writer friends will even check into a hotel for a few days so they work without any interruptions to meet a deadline or finish a project. Rid yourself of the reasons NOT to get it done.
Reward yourself Give yourself some incentive to get the job done. Reward yourself with something you really enjoy—and then stick to the deal. As soon as you’re done, you can go get that massage or have that cheesecake—or that afternoon off.
Be realistic Are you putting off this project because you feel overwhelmed or inadequate to the task? Step back and evaluate those feelings. Are they valid? If it really isn’t something you can do yourself then get the help you need. Is it too big for the time frame or for just one person? If the answer is yes, then adjust the time frame and your resources accordingly and relieve that stress.
Give yourself a deadline This one works for me. As I said before, I am deadline oriented. Whether the deadline is set by me or by someone else, knowing I have a drop-dead date to get a project finished means it will be done by then.
Suck it up and get it over with Most often, the best way around a problem is right through it. Just suck it up and get it done and remind yourself that the sooner it’s done, the sooner you can move on with life.

earth day

4 / 22 / 13

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”

Earth Day. Today I share with you a short, relaxing video to help you pause, ponder, reflect. It’s a “food for thought” kinda day.

So what are YOUR thoughts…??

the bunny corsage

3 / 27 / 13

I LOVE Easter. It is a springtime holiday, and just for that reason alone it is a favorite of mine. Spring is cheerful and happy and hopeful… The flowers peeking up from the soil (sometimes right through the snow… like now!), there are little baby animals everywhere, warm rain and sunshine replace the sleet and freezing rain, we trade in the winter parkas for light jackets and pastel sweaters… I could go on and on and on. Suffice it to say that I simply adore spring. As a little girl in a big (Catholic) family, we had huge family gatherings for Easter. It would start with church and my first warm, fuzzy memory… a “bunny corsage“.

A carnation with googly eyes, pipe cleaner ears, little whiskers and a big bow. To this day, one sniff of a carnation and I am instantly transported back in time. Priceless.

After church we would head to my grandma and grandpa’s house for a day of celebrating with tons of food and sweets and extended family. There was always ham and scalloped potatoes and lots of cousins. We used the “pretty plates” and ate in the dining room under the beautiful chandelier. My Aunt Adeline would always make the coconut coated “lamb cake” and my mom would make little chocolate nests that would sit at everyone’s place.

These little nests are made by melting chocolate and mixing with torn up “Shredded Wheat” cereal to form little nests. Fill each nest with jelly beans and little “Peeps” or fuzzy bunnies or chicks. Funny story. One year my mom didn’t actually have “Shredded Wheat”, but she did have some “high fiber bran cereal” on hand. That should work. Well it worked all right. Really well, in fact. Especially for a few of my brothers who liked to sneak other people’s nests when they weren’t looking… (teehee!)

So time marches on… and suddenly you are in the position of “making” those special memories for your own children. Some childhood memories we did our best to “re-create”… others we made up as we went along. I still remember going to the florist when my daughter was maybe four years old and attempting to explain a “bunny corsage”. Ha! Aunt Adeline’s “lamb cake” became the inspiration for a happy little bunny cake that the kids used to make and decorate. The chocolate nests were a tradition that survived the test of time – Made with Shredded Wheat, that is. When the kids were little we had an Easter Village, Easter trees and even made an Easter gingerbread house one year. We were big on dying Easter eggs – our “trick” was to use 2 “tablets” per color to make them extra bright – and we made the most beautiful decorated Easter sugar cookies; chicks, bunnies, crosses, flowers, ducks… beautiful AND yummy; gotta say!! But once again, time marches on. Now those little people of mine are college seniors. Easter is… well; different. I still decorate, but I realize that is basically for me at this point. But that chandelier that hung in my grandma’s dining room is now hanging in my dining room. The “bunny village” is tucked away for safe keeping and I have saved all of the cookie cutters. Yep. I am patient and confident. There is no doubt in my mind that there will, once again, be bunny corsages in our future. Someday…

scalloped-potatoes-complete — Check out this blog, Dally’s Vintage Days, for a recipe for scalloped potatoes similar to the ones “Gram” used to make.

baked-ham-ck-1011300-x — Intimidated by the “How to’s” of a baked ham for Easter? Check out this video….

who agrees with “grumpy cat”…?

3 / 22 / 13

Have you met the newest internet sensation; “Grumpy Cat” (aka “Tardar Sauce”)?? Well I have a hunch that this cute little kitty is simply SICK. OF. WINTER. Am I right? Let’s be honest… We are ALL a little grumpy. Or a LOT grumpy. “Spring” arrived this week… Really??? So what about the 5-9″ of snow that is forecasted for tomorrow? Well, I have really been trying to kinda, sorta be positive about the winter thing with the whole “good moisture for the spring flowers” thingie… OK. That’s a lie.

Truthfully, I find it ~~extremely difficult~~ impossible to even remotely feign any semblance of positive thoughts when it comes to cold. snow. ice. sleet. winter. Period.

So what to do…???

Well, first of all, we vow to never, ever, EVER believe “Punxsutawney Phil” again. EVER. (Sorry, Phil. Nothing personal)

So here’s my master plan.

I think that we need to just storm heaven with positive SPRINGTIME energy and thoughts… So simple; Right?? OK. Since we’re being really honest here, I’m going to make (yet another) confession. I have already (kinda) made the attempt to project these positive spring thoughts via my Facebook page for quite some time now. In fact, I think we’re coming up on winter storm #3 since I started my little “campaign“. OK, OK… before you start thinkin’ what you’re probably already thinking… I am not the one to blame! I simply need HELP!!! This is not a reason to STOP!! Oh no, no, no. This is simply our motivation to BUMP IT UP!!! Are you with me, friends??? I’m gonna get us started today with some happy little “springlike” images. We need to smile. We need warm, happy thoughts to project out into the universe. WE NEED SPRING…!!!! So here we go. Hey, we’ve got nothing to lose; Right? And to start off the whole “smile thingie”, watch this quick video clip of sweet little “Grumpy Cat”. Too cute. She is really just sleepy in this video, but I find her to be adorable. HAPPY SPRING, my friends!!

he ain’t heavy; he’s my brother

3 / 21 / 13

Yes. I sure do.

We are the “bookends” in our family; Michael and I. I’m the oldest of seven at 51… Mike’s the youngest at 27. Michael was born about a year after I got married. I grew up in St. Louis, but had moved to Kansas City after college, so the two of us never actually had a chance to “grow up together”. But there is now good news. Really good news for me. My mom, dad and Michael are moving to Kansas City. To say that I am excited does not even begin to touch the surface of what I am feeling. Just typing that fills my eyes with tears. There is just so much time to make up for… and I absolutely cannot wait!!!

Poem: “Welcome to Holland” by Emily Perl Kingsley

November 12, 2008

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability – to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It’s like this…

When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip – to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome To Holland”.

“Holland?!?” you say, “What do you mean “Holland”??? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy”

But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It’s just a different place.

So you must go and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It’s just a different place. It’s slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills…Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy…and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say“Yes that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned”.

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away…because the loss of that dream is a very significant loss.

But…if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things…about Holland.

And so Mom, Dad and Michael; we are all moving on to a fresh new chapter. Your big move to Kansas City. It may not be Italy, or even Holland; but I can tell you it’s gonna be great. Because I love you, and that’s enough. And so a song for you, “Mike the Singer”… from someone who loves you very, very much. xo

“He Ain’t Heavy; He’s My Brother”

My face may be different But my feelings the same I laugh and I cry And I take pride in my gains I was sent here among you To teach you to love As God in the heavens Looks down from above To Him I’m no different His love knows no bounds It’s those here among you In cities and towns That judge me by standards That man has imparted But this family I’ve chosen Will help me get started For I’m one of the children So special and few That came here to learn The same lessons as you That love is acceptance It must come from the heart We all have the same purpose Though not the same start The Lord gave me life To live and embrace And I’ll do it as you do But at my own pace

Down syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, is a chromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21. That is why today, March 21 (3/21) is designated as World Down Syndrome Day.

Links: National Association For Down Syndrome / Special Olympics

a barbie birthday

3 / 10 / 13

So Barbie turned 54 yesterday. Gosh. Just the word “Barbie” brings back an incredible flood of memories. All good. Summer memories of entire glorious days spent playing Barbies. Sun up to sun down, over in the side yard with my next door neighbor and my sister. Pure bliss, I tell you. Yes, if good ole’ Babs were here sipping coffee with me this morning, I would say, “Thank you. I loved you. I was obsessed with you”. Let me also say that this was a pretty common thing for many, many girls my age. And speaking of “my age”… Let’s just say that Babs and I have a close connection. In age. She was “born” in 1959; I was born in 1961. I’m fairly certain that our lives would have crossed paths. After all; who knows, right? Our kids may have been friends. We certainly could have been neighbors. In the same Bunco group, perhaps? Ya – Barbie and I probably would have been Brownie and Cub Scout leaders together. Pretty sure about that one. Well… other than the fact that Barbie had quite a few careers to juggle throughout the years. Let’s see; she was a princess, firefighter, cowgirl, Paleontologist, pop singer, NASCAR driver, car burglar, jet pilot in the Air Force, waitress, astronaut, olympic gymnast and ran for president of the United States four times. And that’s the short list. See more HERE. So I’m thinking maybe the scout co-leader thing is out. Just sayin’.

And so Babs and I are now in our 50’s. Personally, I am just gonna say that the “50’s” absolutely rock!! There is a certain sense of self awareness and confidence unlike any decade prior. It’s that “Like it, or not, I am who I am. The end.” Love that. What I don’t love, however, are some of the other little “goodies” that seem to catch up with you in your 40’s & 50’s… Ann Brenoff, from the Huffington Post, captured those sentiments in an article honoring Barbie’s birthday – “Barbie, Your Roots are Showing”. I encourage you to click on and read the entire article – but here is just a portion of Ann’s article…

“Barbie, the missile-breasted doll who never ages, actually turns 54 today. And while it’s not one of those milestone birthdays — the ones that end in a 0 or a 5 — we think we know how she’s feeling about this one.

But Babs? She definitely is hanging in there. For one, Barbie has always had that stiletto heel thing down pat (remember: This is the doll who wore them to go sky-diving), although we suspect that in real life, 54-year-old Barbie kicks those suckers off as soon as she gets home and secretly wishes that comfort shoes weren’t so damn ugly. We are pretty certain she’s asked her publicist to get rid of those Web photos of her wearing Naturalizers, but wouldn’t it be nice if someone, somewhere could make a stylish shoe for women with bunions? Yep, Barbie’s got bunions. (You can see them if you look really, really hard at her permanently arched tiny feet. Try drinking wine first; it helps you see doll bunions.)

And I think we all know what real-life Barbie doesn’t want for her birthday: A cashmere sweater. Just looking at sweaters, especially turtlenecks, triggers her hot flashes. She tried hormones — hoping that they’d improve her memory too since she is always losing those damn little shoes of hers into the carpet — but the weight gain was more than she could handle.

The good news is that, at 54, Barbie very much still wants to work. Rumor has it that she’s introducing a line of reading glasses for all the little girls who grew up playing with her.”

Ouch. That hurts, doesn’t it, Babs.

barbie on telephone — Click HERE to see a collector who has over 2000 Barbies lining his wall… a clip from “Good morning America”

barbie lunchbox — Yep. The year was 1967 and this was my FAV lunchbox/thermos EVER!

an irish tea

3 / 5 / 13

There is a cold wind howling outside my window today. With all of the snow and cold weather we have been having, an “Irish Tea” sounds so cozy and inviting; doesn’t it? After living in England for two years (1986-1988), I developed a true passion for the whole concept of afternoon tea. It is a ritual of peace… and calm… and relaxation… Everyone speaks in gentle, hushed tones. There is soft classical music; a piano, perhaps? You sip slowly; you eat delicate little bites; you savor everything s-l-o-w-l-y. Every sip; every moment. Time stands completely still.

And so I invite you to take a moment, today, to pause… I have included a couple of recipes for you to enjoy. (Click HERE for those beautiful Shamrock Cookies from “Sweetopia“.) Perhaps it will be your inspiration to plan a little “Irish gathering” of your own…? At a minimum; make yourself a cup of tea in your favorite teacup and enjoy this little touch of Irish music (click HERE). Relax, breathe, and sip slowly. Sometimes a little pause in our day is all that we need to carry on…

And so today, I bid you peace…

Reuben Rolls

(from “Taste of Home“)

Ingredients

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
1/4 teaspoon prepared horseradish
5 flour tortillas (10 inches), room temperature
7 packages (2 ounces each) thinly sliced deli corned beef
15 thin slices Swiss cheese
1 can (14 ounces) sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained

Directions

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, mustard and horseradish until blended. Spread a heaping tablespoonful of cream cheese mixture over each tortilla.
Layer each tortilla with eight slices of corned beef, three slices of cheese, another heaping tablespoonful of cream cheese mixture and 1/2 cup sauerkraut. Roll up tightly. Chill for 1 hour. Cut each roll-up into 1/2-in. slices. Yield: about 8 dozen.

Originally published as Reuben Rolls in Taste of Home’s Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2007, p36

the comfort of comfort food

2 / 28 / 13

comfort food So here we are, stuck in the middle of a “real” winter. You know what I mean. There is snow and cold and ice and cold and freezing rain and cold. Oh – and did I mention, cold…? For me, being the lover of all things SPRING & FALL, I need coping mechanisms to help me… well… COPE! Enter comfort food. LOTS of comfort food. With every impending storm, the grocery stores swell with high strung, desperate shoppers. I was literally on my hands and knees getting cans of beef stock from the deep, dark crevasses on the bottom shelf last week… Seriously. Lucky for me, I buy the “low sodium” beef stock, which is (surprisingly, Ha!) all that was left. If you are looking for bananas, milk, a rotisserie chicken or fresh bread… forget it. Don’t even bother venturing out into the craziness. I do, however, find it quite interesting to see what people “stock up” on when they are in a state of panic… (OK – I know that I am not the ONLY one checking out other people’s baskets!! I’m just admitting to it!) So what have I spied in the checkout lane??? Well, let’s see… Oreos, Fruity Pebbles, hotdogs, Hamburger Helper, taco seasoning packets, chips and ice-cream. Hmmm…

So, having survived trips to every grocery store in a 10 mile radius over the past week or so, I must tell you that I am well stocked, to say the least. I have been cooking non-stop. Again… a coping mechanism. C’mon. They call it “comfort food” for a reason. Since it’s still flu season, I had to make more homemade Chicken Noodle Soup for the freezer, just in case. And then I had to make more homemade chicken STOCK, just in case we all get sick and deplete the current supply of frozen chicken noodle soup! And then I made Tomato Basil Soup… White Chili… Curry Chicken Chickpea Soup/Stew… Steak Soup… Blueberry Muffins… Chocolate Chip Cookies…. I know. Crazy, huh? OK – so before you pass judgement on my “ways of coping”, just know that I have an open door policy for meals… If you have a good pair of boots or a 4 wheel drive and have a way to make it to my door – there will be food. And a fire in the fireplace. And wine. Plenty of wine. And you are ALWAYS welcome to pull up a chair and join us!! Just understand that there may not be any fresh bread with your soup. Or Fruity Pebbles, for that matter…

White Chili

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced (or more, to taste)
2 (4 ounce) cans chopped mild green chilies (or more, to taste)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 (16 ounce) cans great northern beans
6 cups chicken stock/broth
6 cups chopped cooked chicken
3 cups grated monterey jack cheese (optional)

Directions:

Heat oil in large pot over medium high heat.
Add onions and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes.
Stir in garlic, chilies, cumin, oregano, and cayenne and saute 2 minutes.
Add beans and stock and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and add chicken & (optional) cheese. Stir until cheese melts.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls.
FOR FREEZING: Pour soup into a rigid container (or freezer bag), label and freeze. To reheat, thaw in refrigerator overnight or simply put frozen soup into a large pot and gently heat, with lid on and stirring often, till heated through.

Curry Chicken Chickpea Bowl (Feeds about 6)

3 c. cooked rice (I use whole grain) Great way to use leftover rice!!
1 T. olive oil
1 lb. ground chicken
1 lg. sweet yellow onion, chopped
1 T. minced garlic
2 T. curry powder
1 c. plain yogurt
2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
2 14.5 oz. cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
cilantro, chopped (optional)

Directions:

Add olive oil to a medium hot skillet and brown chicken.
Add onion & cook, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes.
Add garlic and curry powder and saute another minute or so.
Add yogurt and simmer gently for about 3 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes & chickpeas, season, to taste, with salt & pepper and remove from heat.
Divide rice & chickpea mixture among bowls & garnish with minced cilantro, if that’s your thing! (Or just be lazy and mix the rice right in to the chickpea mixture!)

Steak Soup (Plaza III version…!)

*** See below for my notes…!)

8 T. margarine
1/2 c. flour
40 oz. beef broth
1/4 c. (each) fresh carrots, onions & celery, diced
1/2 c. diced canned tomatoes
1 T. browning sauce (Kitchen Bouquet)
3/4 t. seasoning salt
1/4 t. coarse black pepper
5 oz. mixed frozen vegetables
1/2 lb. ground chuck, chili grind, browned & drained of fat

Place the butter in a soup pot & melt without browning. Add flour and stir to form a smooth paste. Cook the mixture (roux) over med. heat without browning, for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth to the roux and stir until smooth and lightly thickened. Bring to a full boil.
Add the vegetables, tomatoes and seasonings; return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are just barely tender (20-30 min).
Add the frozen vegetables and the browned ground chuck. Simmer an additional 15 minutes, or until the flavors become well blended.

*** OK – so Plaza III Steak Soup is a Kansas City tradition, so I included the recipe “as is”, but the real beauty of this recipe is that you can really do whatever you want! I never, ever use 8 T. of margarine… I use a combo of olive oil and beef broth. Works just fine. I also double (or more) the amount of beef. That’s how “my boys” like it! And the best part is that you can add whatever you want in the way of veggies! I do whatever combo of fresh & frozen that works that day. Some of my favs are fresh carrots, celery & onions and frozen peas, edemame & fire roasted corn (Trader Joe’s). This soup is a great way to use leftover veggies!

snow day

2 / 26 / 13

So here in Kansas City, it’s been snowing. And snowing. And snowing. Now, mind you, this wouldn’t be so bad… if I didn’t hate the cold so much. But I do. And snow is cold. So today was another “snow day” around here. Schools, businesses, roads… closed. Kids… home. Now when my kids were little, “snow days” almost always involved, among other things, two basic foods… hot chocolate and homemade chocolate chip cookies!!

So today I had one of my “babies” AND my hubby here, both forced to work from home because of the weather. It made me happy just having them here… Happy enough that I decided to make cookies. Chocolate Chip Cookies; of course.

As the house filled with the warm, familiar scent of homemade cookies, hot from the oven… our neighborhood street filled with the happy, contagious laughter of kids. It was “snow day” laughter… that “three pair of socks, frozen pink cheeks, let’s build a snowman” kind of laughter. And it truly was contagious. Even for someone who really hates the cold. So I gathered a plate of warm cookies… and out I went. After all, playing in the snow is hard work! They HAD to be hungry. So they nibbled on cookies and gave me a tour of the area while I snapped pics. The “under the ground igloo/ fort”, their snowmen, snow babies, a snow dog (named Lulu) and a snow horse! And, yes… They even built a snowman for my yard!! After awhile, I realized that my “50-something” toes were ~~cold~~. No… frozen. So with a camera full of pics, an empty cookie plate and frozen pink cheeks… I decided to head on back inside. I guess next time I’ll wear three pair of socks…

one lucky, lucky girl

2 / 24 / 13

As you know, I am kinda sorta playing “catch up” with my blog posts after my computer crashed… So today I am sharing with you a few images of my Valentine’s Day 2013. Morning began with a “Valentine Breakfast” for my two boys, complete with heart shaped pancakes, chicken apple sausage and sauteed apples with maple syrup. One of these “boys” I shared a first date with on Valentine’s Day 1980 (Yep. Do the math. That’s 33 years ago!!) and one I shared my big ‘ole belly with, along with his twin sister, some twenty-something years ago. Both of them loved and treasured… xo Each one of my boys surprised me when they came home from work with a beautiful bunch of flowers. Pink roses from my sweetie, and a beautiful “springlike” assortment from my (6’1″) “baby”. I’m such a lucky, lucky girl…

And speaking of lucky girls; a little story. I was really, really missing my baby girl all day (my college baby girl!!). All day long treasured memories of Valentine’s Days when my kids were little played out in my head, and my heart, like the poignant video of a mom’s soul… My heart ached to return, just for a moment, to days gone by… Five short minutes after returning home from a final run to the grocery store for dindin, I heard the doorbell ring. I opened the door to find these two precious smiling faces… little “buddies” of mine. And even better – They had cupcakes. Yummy, yummy pink frosted and (lovingly) hand-decorated cupcakes. Yes indeed. I am one lucky, lucky girl…

We ended the day with a dinner at home, and I have to say it was a big hit with both of “the boys” – so I thought that I would share! On the menu…Roasted Asparagus with Prosciutto (http://www.fortheloveofcooking.net/2010/02/roasted-asparagus-with-prosciutto.html), Mustard Beef Tenderloin (http://bbq.about.com/od/steakrecipes/r/bl70628c.htm) and “Salt & Vinegar” Roasted Potatoes (Basically, Oven roast your potatoes with olive oil, sea salt & pepper until golden & crispy; then toss with malt vinegar & serve immediately). The mustard sauce for the beef pairs nicely with the asparagus & the potatoes as well!! A yummy dinner. A yummy day.

“There is only one happiness in life; to love and be loved.” – George Sand

Yep. One lucky, lucky girl… xo