it's an art, not a science

crabby pants

2011-05-27T06:37:00.000-07:00

Don't let the post title confuse you; Grayden has not his a rough patch. In fact, he is one of the easiest going babies I have ever seen. He is starting to figure out napping and how to fall asleep on his own. He sleeps long stretches at night, and he loves the sling, swing, and stroller.

But since it has finally gotten warm here in Boston, I can finally pull out his summer onesies. My dear friends Arianne and Aubree got Grayden this adorable outfit.

Okay, maybe he was just a little bit crabby at the end.

leprechan

2011-04-29T05:13:00.000-07:00

I decided it was high time to try on the fabric shoes that I made for Grayden (especially since his 0-3 month pairs would probably not fit pretty soon....he has very long feet). The result was pretty stinking adorable.

my little monkey

2011-04-29T04:59:00.000-07:00

This is what I get to wake up to every morning! Grayden loves to wiggle between feedings in the morning. He recently has figured out how to nap during the day, even though the naps are usually 30 minutes long. But it is wonderful to be able to nurse him and then put him down.

Oh Mom, that sun is too bright!

fists of fury

2011-04-21T16:38:00.000-07:00

Grayden loves to waive his arms and move his fists around all day (see: the bumbo). He occasionally has the good luck to get a fist into his mouth to suck on. In the mornings when I take him out of the swaddle to nurse, he often sucks on his fist furiously while I grab my water bottle and get settled on the couch. Today he found his fist during tummy time.

Utter bliss at finding the fist.

These are my favorite jammies. The pirate theme is adorable for little boys.

morning smiles

2011-04-12T06:53:00.000-07:00

If you slept for 9 hours straight and then ate twice in a row, you would be this happy too!

the mobile: a series

2011-04-09T06:10:00.000-07:00

Thank you Aunt Diedra for the ladybug mobile! This is currently Grayden's favorite thing to play with. He will lay in his crib and just stare at it, wiggling and gurgling to show his excitement.

bumbo: a series

2011-04-07T18:28:00.000-07:00

grandma spencer

2011-04-06T19:44:00.000-07:00

My mom came a few days after Grayden was born to help me adjust to having a new boss who was incredibly demanding and spoke a different language. It was so nice to have her here to help me out and reassure me when I didn't know what to do. We literally sat in my apartment for a week and a half just cuddling with Grayden (also, I didn't really want to go out). It was nice to have her around just to help with everyday things and to spend time with me. Grayden loved being held by Grandma and I have evidence to prove it.

Okay, maybe that last photo didn't help my case, but I just couldn't resist his really mad face when his eyes turn into little lines on his face. It might appear that he has this tiny little mouth when he coos, but there is no denying it when he screams.

Showing off the new outfit Grandma got me.

Yes, those are tassles on my boots.

sweet, sweet mornings

2011-04-06T19:29:00.000-07:00

Mornings with Grayden are heaven sent. He usually wakes up between 4-5 am, nurses for an hour, and then sleeps another 1-2 hours. And when I say wakes up, I don't mean is crying or crabby. Yes, he might have just slept for 6 hours, but he is all coos and gurgles. He curls his body into a ball and snuggles me while he nurses. I just get to cuddle Grayden while he works on waking up and begins about five minutes of serious stretching, which is just too cute for words.

Grayden also loves, loves, loves his bath in the morning. The first time he wasn't quite convinced it was that much fun, but after the third attempt he absolutely loves it! He loves floating and is beginning to splash around with his legs.

The nursery is filled with sunlight in the morning, so after he gets clean I let him lay on his changing table and soak up the sun (which also keeps him super warm, which he loves).

baby photos

2011-03-11T06:25:00.000-08:00

My friend Terese came over earlier this week to take baby photos of Grayden, and she did an incredible job. Grayden took the first hour fussing and refusing to cooperate and then squirmed for the last 30 minutes, and yet somehow Terese still managed to get a ton of incredible shots.

Check out Terese's blog for more photos, and if you live near Boston/Cambridge I highly recommend you hire her for family photos. Her work is incredible. Thanks Terese!

Grayden with Ben's baby blanket that his Grandmother made for him.

One of my favorite shots. Don't they look just like each other?

the sweetness

2011-03-04T06:58:00.000-08:00

Grayden

2011-03-02T19:31:00.000-08:00

I couldn't be happier to introduce the newest member of our incredibly happy family: Grayden. He was born on Monday, February 28th at 12:39 pm after an incredibly fast yet smooth labor. He amazed the nurses by weighing in at 9 pounds, 2 ounces and is 21 inches long. We are finally home enjoying our new little piece of heaven, and I still can't believe that he is ours! Below are some pictures from right after the birth and the birth story.

The official weigh-in at 9 pounds, 2 ounces.

Look at those enormous cheeks!!!

Just taking it all in

Grayden looking into his father's eyes.

Good morning day two! That precious face just kills me.

Very happy mother

And a very happy father

Finally home and very happy about it.

Grayden's Birth Story

My due date came and went on Thursday, which I kind of expected. I knew that most first time mom's go over their due date, so I kept this in mind as nothing happened during week 39. My check-up with my midwife went really well, but my body was showing no signs of him coming anytime soon. We joked about ways to induce labor naturally, and I went home a little frustrated but really calm about labor. I knew that I wanted it to start naturally and placed an order for black and blue cohosh just-in-case my water broke before contractions started or I hit 2 weeks overdue and wanted to avoid pitocin.

I had been feeling great and staying active during week 39, although I was also feeling pretty huge. On Saturday I decided to eat spicy food (hey, it can't hurt), so I called my friend Heather to see if she wanted to join me for an adventure in attempting Thai tuna salad sandwiches. Ben and I had these at an incredible little cafe in Raleigh, and I really wanted to recreate them. So Heather and I threw ingredients together and enjoyed a very spicy lunch. For dinner Ben and I ate at our local Indian place, which was delicious. On Sunday I noticed that the baby had definitely dropped because I was sticking out a lot more forward that I had previously. I hadn't really gained any weight in weeks, but I did notice that my stomach was sticking out more and more (all good signs the baby was in place). During church I started to notice contractions, and Jenny even touched my stomach during Relief Society and joked about how it would be great if this was labor starting. Near the end of church I just couldn't sit anymore, so I stood in the back of the room and swayed my hips. Contractions were so mild that I had to pay attention to notice them, but I was feeling them for sure.

After lunch and a good long nap, I got to enjoy one of the last alone days with my husband. I love Sunday afternoons because they give us a chance to just be together (no homework, no housework). I had been taking advantage of every opportunity to soak it up with my husband before things would change forever. Around 4 pm I started to notice pretty regular contractions, but I knew that labor often started and stopped so I mentally thought that this could still be days away. Ben started to time the contractions, some of which were so mild that if I was distracted I would miss them. I felt my stomach cramp like people describe, but they were mild; I was able to still do normal things and not be that bothered. After dinner I called my doula to let her know that contractions were about 5 minutes apart but so mild that I was going to go to sleep, but that if I called her in the early morning to be aware that this was the real thing. After dinner I took a long, hot shower, which really relaxed me. Ben and I went on one last walk around MIT campus and got a few benedril pills from a friend to help me sleep. I went to sleep very comfortable around midnight.

I woke up around 4:30 am to regular contractions that were stronger than the night before. I could feel the contractions while I slept, but it didn't really wake me up that much. I lay in bed snuggled next to Ben for 30 minutes, realizing that these contractions were regular and consistent. I then woke up Ben, took another hot shower, and then got ready while Ben made us breakfast. I also called my doula to tell her that signs were good that labor had started and called the midwife to let her know as well. The midwife on duty said that this was most likely early labor, so to stay at home (which I wanted to do) and call when things progressed. She also said to lie down and see if contractions slowed, which meant that it was really early labor.

So around 7 am I laid down in bed and breathed deeply through contractions. Ben rubbed my back, which had been really hurting me for the last two weeks of pregnancy. Then I heard a pretty loud pop noise and immediately realized that my water broke. Ben grabbed a towel and I quickly walked to the bathroom. About ten seconds later I puked. I knew this was a great sign that labor was progressing, so I immediately called the hospital and talked to the midwife. Contractions were already way stronger, so she wanted me to come in immediately. I called my doula, who was still on the road thanks to icy Boston rain and early morning traffic on the Pike, to tell her that my water broke and I was on my way to the hospital. While Ben grabbed our bags and brought the car around, I grabbed the last few things and tried to stay calm as the contractions came stronger and stronger. We are lucky to live 3 miles from the hospital, so the drive was short.

Once in the birthing center, the nurses got me comfortable and about a minute later my doula Sarah arrived. With Ben and Sarah at my side, I was able to stay very calm and collected as my contractions really gained speed and intensity. The midwife checked me, and I was 5 centimeters. I couldn't believe that I was already that far. I labored for about 45 minutes in bed while they got my IV in and antibiotics running for my Group Strep B. After that I walked to the bathroom to get in the tub. After one contraction in the tub on my knees, I knew I didn't want to stay like that, so I stood up and the nurse turned on the shower. I had been taking two showers a day for most of the pregnancy, because the hot water felt so good, so I knew that this would be my favorite way to labor. Ben changed into a t-shirt so that I could lean on his arms and chest during each contraction, allowing my body to really relax through each one. Then in between contractions I would stand and let the hot water relax my back. Both Sarah and Ben were such a huge help in keeping me sane through the contractions, even though I splashed both of them often.

After 45 minutes in the shower, the nurse suggested I move back to the bed since standing was making the baby's heart rate drop a little too much (due to the gravity). My legs were feeling tired anyways, so we moved back to the bed. Laboring on my side actually worked really well, since I could completely relax into the bed during the contraction, letting my face, legs, and body just melt. Ben and Sarah were both at my side constantly rubbing my arms or legs, which felt so incredibly good. The very soothing motion kept me to calm and I could just close my eyes and know they were there. It is funny that I don't remember actually seeing a lot during labor; it was easier to focus if I closed my eyes and just relaxed. During each contraction I would hold Ben's hand and often the nurse who was right next to my face. The entire birthing center staff at Mt Auburn is great, but we were truly blessed with a talented nurse who knew exactly what to say to keep me focused and a midwife who was calm and exactly the right personality for me.

At this point contractions were getting so intense and close together, that I had a much harder time staying focused and keep breathing. My body just wanted to tense up, and it took all my will power to try to relax for even five seconds. This is the part of labor when I completely understood why pain medications make sense. I wanted to try for a mostly natural birth (at least see how far I could go), but I wasn't opposed to medication at all. When I reached this point where I could barely breath through the contractions, I thought that if it doesn't get more manageable soon that I might ask for some meds mainly because I wasn't sure if my body could keep this up. Ben, Sarah, and the nurse were such a great support during this really hard time (for any mom's reading this, you can probably tell I was in transition). Ben constantly told me I was doing great and how strong I was. It was wonderful hearing his voice and holding onto his hands. Sarah kept giving me great encouragement and suggestions to help me get through the next 45 seconds.

As much as I tried, I started having a really hard time keeping ahead of the contractions and my body just wanted to tense up. Since I was checked about an hour earlier and was at a 6, everyone at my side worked to keep me relaxed and not tense up. Sarah suggested I say the word "out" during the contraction instead of breathing deeply, and it really worked....at least for awhile. I think I was able to relax through them for about 30 minutes before I just couldn't keep ahead of them any longer. The nurse got the midwife into the room to check me again. I could tell that they were worried about checking me so frequently since they didn't want to disappoint me with the news that I still had far to go. When the midwife looked at me, she immediately said I was there and could push. At this point, I wasn't sure what to do. Push yes, but that part was more vague in my mind that relaxing through contractions. The nurse gave me instructions on how to push at the next contraction, and I started working with all my strength to get the baby out. I pushed for about 45 minutes before our not-so-little boy came out in one push.

It felt amazing to all of the sudden have him placed on my stomach and to feel his very chubby thighs. He had breathed in some meconium, so Ben cut the cord and two nurses cleaned out his mouth/nose with Ben right there. Sarah stayed right next to me as I just took it all in and finally was able to relax. It was incredible to know that the work was over and I had made it! I had no idea I could do anything that difficult and do it so well. Everyone in the room told me they were amazed that our 9 pound, 2 ounce son was born so fast and I didn't have any tearing. I thought I would be tired or starving, but I just couldn't stop smiling. I felt so good, so happy, so overjoyed that our son was finally in our arms (well mine actually). I got to snuggle him on my chest for awhile, and I just beamed at how precious and perfect he was. I couldn't believe I had just done that, just pushed a nine pound baby out of me without complications. I couldn't believe that he came so fast and that labor went so well. Now, it was NOT easy by any means. The next day I could not believe how sore my arms and back were, until I realized that when I was pushing I used every ounce of strength in my back and arms to push and pull my legs towards my chest. Who would have thought that my arms would be so sore from labor? But despite the soreness, I felt great! I felt alive. I felt like I could do anything. The nurse told me that for me to do so well in labor, I was just built to have babies and do this.

After two days of snuggling our little son (who I affectionately called a burrito, because that is what he looks like when swaddled), we both independently picked Grayden as his name. It was on our list of names we liked, but not one of the top contenders. But as I looked at him, I just saw a Grayden and Ben felt the same way. And his middle name is after Ben's brother, which was my favorite middle name through the entire pregnancy. He is just so manly with his dark hair (just like his father), so it just felt right giving him a family name from my husband's side.

running out of projects

2011-02-10T06:21:00.000-08:00

The cuteness has continued unabated for the past week, but as my husband pointed out last night, I am running out of projects. I used the last of my interfacing yesterday to make four pairs of adorable baby girl shoes for a friend (start getting super excited Jocelyn!) as well as a onesie with a little tie appliqued on.

I finally got to use the last bits of my favorite fabrics on these shes, which makes me so happy!

I decided to use the blue material for the soul, since it was just too cute. I love the Celtic design.

The seer sucker never ceases to be adorable. I used a very soft leather as the soul, which my sewing machine did not appreciate, but I made it work. (Hint: if your sewing machine is like mine and refusing to sew on some fabrics - like soft suede - then just put a piece of waxed paper on top, and voila! The sewing machine will sew over it like butter.)

Yesterday I also made a crib sheet out of the seer sucker material. A good friend of mine was complaining about how she had to go back to Target to buy an additional crib sheet, since her daughter is now sleeping in a toddler bed and she doesn't have any extra sheets. I knew she had extra fabric in her house, so I suggested we make crib sheets. So I pulled out my seer sucker and we sewed sheets in the afternoon while trying to keep her kids out of the pins and spools of thread.

This means that I have completed my list of fun projects for the baby (crib sheet, car seat cover, fabric shoes, quilt, small quilt for the bassinet, pillow cover for the nursery). Any suggestions for new projects?

reversible baby shoes

2011-02-05T06:42:00.000-08:00

Due to the fact that I tend to move every 6-9 months, I have been working on using up fabric that I already own. This lead to the utterly adorable banner quilt that I made for the baby (I was literally sitting around one day wondering how to use these little scraps of leftover cotton) and my latest project, reversible baby shoes.

I've always loved soft shoes for babies and realized that lots of my leftover fabric scraps would be perfect for this project. A friend of mine blogged about sewing these a few months ago, so I thought I would give it a try.

The hardest part was trying to find the most masculine fabrics in my stash, since most were dubbed too girly by my husband (and I agree). The first two pairs are for 0-3 months, and I made the hounds tooth with a black leather sole. And in case you can't tell from the photo, the green fabric is John Deer fabric. The next two pairs are 3-6 months out of a blue batik and then a red stripe lined with linen. The last pair I made are 6-9 months out of hounds tooth again because I couldn't resist. I am not that confident that the sizing will be accurate, so we shall see if they actually fit (they seem a little small to me).

nesting

2011-01-27T12:14:00.000-08:00

I am actually very reluctant to call this nesting, since (for anyone who knows me) this is what my normal level out creative output if left to my own devices. Since we are finally moved in, I have allowed myself to start my long list of projects for the baby. I still want to sew some leather/cloth baby shoes and a few other projects, but I have plenty of time still.

My first project was a baby quilt. I normally crochet baby blankets for every new baby in the family (yes, my sisters and sisters-in-law get adorable blankets for each baby), but this time I was kind of dying to use up scraps of fabrics I had lying around from previous projects. Since we move every 6-9 months, I am constantly trying to use things I already own. I realized that I had tons of adorable fabrics in every color, but the pieces were small. I remember coming across a picture of a banner quilt last year, so I decided that despite my hatred of quilting, I would try it.

I made a triangle pattern for the banner pieces and started cutting triangles out of all the fabric scraps I had on hand. I also found the most amazing tan seer sucker on clearance for $1.50 a yard at Walmart, so I may or may not have bought 12 yards. I knew it would be the perfect backing to the quilt and would come in handy for lots of other projects for the baby (manly sling for my husband when he wants to carry the baby, crib sheets, curtains, etc). After I cut out all the banner pieces I realized that I had enough material to make two quilts, so I made a slightly smaller version for my sister, who is due four days before me.

I love how the quilt turned out, especially that it has all colors and is very gender neutral. I hate how boy things are always blue or brown, so I wanted to incorporate pink, yellow, purple, orange, green, and red into the quilt. This is probably the cutest thing I have ever made.

Close-up of the quilt with the seer sucker back.

My next project was a car seat cover. I randomly came across the perfect material at my favorite local fabric store for just $2 a yard (it was a remnant). The fabric is a decorating fabric, so it is thicker which I really prefer. I also had the black and white polka dot fabric leftover from my NYC fabric district shopping trip with my sister Diedra. And I found a 25 yard spool of ric rac for $1 at the fabric store as well, which was the perfect way to finish the edges. This cover will be great at keeping out the wind/rain/snow when carrying the babe out to our car.

Reverse side of car seat cover. I am in love with those polka dots!

Remembering Grandpa Clyde

2011-01-26T16:18:00.000-08:00

My Grandpa Clyde died last week, and I thought I would share a few memories here. He lived an incredible life, and his death was tender, loving, and peaceful. I am so thankful that my mother could fly out for the last few days of his life and get to be there with so much family to see Grandpa off as he starts his new adventure. And I love that he had five new great-grandchildren on the way. I obviously couldn't fly to his funeral because I am too far along in the pregnancy, but knowing he is there on the other side sending off the next few great-grandchildren is really wonderful.

Below are just a few unique memories of Grandpa. He was an incredible husband, father, and grandfather, and I have so many memories of visiting him while growing up (and even more family stories that I've heard from my Aunts about their childhood at home). I love that modern medicine gave him an additional 47 years (he had his first heart attack at age 40) and enabled him to have an incredible quality of life right up until the end.

Grandpa's war memories:

I remember Jocelyn and I once asked Grandpa about serving in WWII and asked to see some of his memorabilia. We had heard some of his war stories before, but seeing his scrapbook that he very carefully put together was really wonderful. He had saved maps, food stamps, shrapnel, and other items from the war. Seeing these items that Grandpa had used was so interesting. I remember that he still had a map of Vienna from when he was stationed there, and he had marked Brigitta's house. It was so incredible to see an old map and his markings of where he lived and where Grandma lived. It was also touching to see Grandpa put so much time and attention to preserving some of these memories. Grandpa also showed us his Purple Heart (I think he accidentally received two, because they forgot they already gave him one) and some other military medals.

I also remember asking Grandpa why he was able to talk about WWII, while other veterans seemed to have a hard time talking about it or even remembering serving in the war. Grandpa said that it was because when he served his mission following the war in Berlin, he learned to love the German people, and that made him realize that good men and women fought on both sides. He saw his once enemies as people, and his years of service on his mission really changed his perspective and made him able to talk about the war, even though I am sure it was incredibly difficult and hard. I loved hearing this from Grandpa, and I have often reflected back on his unique experience of learning to love people whom he had previously had only one generic perspective on. I love his example that he set for all of us, of service in the church, of loving others, and of being an incredible husband to Grandpa and father to DeAnn. Grandpa was not annoyed that two granddaughters wanted to see a scrapbook; he had a wonderful time telling us about different places he served and showing us some pieces of history that meant something to him.

Grandpa's games for the grandchildren:

I remember at the first Clyde Family Reunion in Breckenridge, Grandpa organized a few games for all the grandchildren, giving out a few dollars to the top winners. I remember there was a paper airplane contest and some foot races, and I think the top prize received $3, which was a lot of money for young kids back then.

Working on Grandpa's Personal History:

I love that I was able to help Grandpa finish one of his huge life goals before he died. I helped clean up and format all the pictures that went into his life history. The best part was getting to look through the photographs of Grandpa growing up, and seeing him go from young boy who loved airplanes, to an incredibly handsome college student and soldier, to a doting father with an ever growing family. Seeing those photographs really made me realize what an incredible life Grandpa lead. Not only did he have one of the greatest love stories I have ever heard, but he had an incredible carrier, traveled so much with his family, and accomplished so many things in his life. I loved seeing all these aspects of Grandpa's life, not just the last 20 or so years of his life that I have been around.

I am so thankful for this last opportunity to help him achieve a goal. I love that his personal history is almost done and he was able to complete it before he died. I love that his grandchildren and future generations will get to read his own words about his amazing life.

My parents, brother and sister were able to attend Grandpa's funeral. My computer skills finally proved useful, as I helped my Mom design and put together the funeral program. Here are some pictures that my brother took of the funeral.

Grandpa's WWII uniform, which he still fit into 40 years later.

Safari hat, canteen, and 3-D camera. Yes, I have the coolest Grandfather ever. He had a 3-D camera, so we grew up looking at slides of our mother in 3-D.

Grandpa's scriptures, reading glasses, and some of the last professional photos of Grandma and Grandpa.

Sons, Sons-in-law, and Grandsons as pallbearers.

Grandma surrounded by her daughters.

Grandpa was given a military salute by the American Legion.

Grandma saying one last goodbye.

I know I will see my Grandfather again, and I am excited for him to start a new adventure. I love the reassurance that the gospel brings to my life that families are eternal and that Christ's Atonement allows all of us to return to our Heavenly Father. We have joked for years that the only way Grandpa and Grandma would attend our weddings would be if they were dead (since they are getting too old to travel across the country for grandchildren weddings), and I love knowing that he will be at the next grandchildren weddings.

Another B Dawson

2010-11-11T10:52:00.000-08:00

This news is far overdue, but we are expecting another Dawson to join our family in February. Little boy Dawson is already feisty and likes to kick me constantly. I've had a lovely pregnancy so far, probably due to the fact that I take naps daily and learned pretty early on that fruit always calms my stomach.

My dear friend Jocelyn took some photos of Ben and I this past weekend in Old Town Alexandria to commemorate my new pregnant tummy.

this is what happens

2010-06-24T12:22:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when Ben leaves for a week work trip and I am left to my own devices.

I sew adorable blankets from random scraps of fabric (and a towel, which I used as the back). This is the very first piece quilt I ever made. I had to make some adjustments, since I rarely measure, which is required when quilting.

I am in love with the butterfly fabric that I got on clearance over Christmas. Utterly adorable.

I also made this girl's quilt, but I need to get some white fleece backing to finish it.

I also finished another baby blanket, and decided to put a caterpillar on it. I forgot to rotate the photo, so just rotate your computer.

I also learned why no one in their right mind makes swimsuits. Even when you working painstakingly slow and are really careful, you still get all sorts of bumps and unevenness. Man, that made me mad. But it still turned out well. I just hope the less than great sewing holds up in the ocean.

Diedra and I got this fabric on one of our trips to New York. I miss the fabric district. Who knew that an entire store of spandex would be so awesome?

And last, but not least, I take pictures of hilarious billboard signs in our small town. I absolutely love this sign for Hair Prophecy International. Garrett, I think you need to visit me just so that you can go there and get your hair cut.

beach cruiser

2010-06-24T12:01:00.000-07:00

My beautiful mint green beach cruiser. It arrived last week, and Ben took them out for our first ride last weekend before he left for a work trip. Boy, is it mint green.

(Parents: that is our apartment in the background.)

Me taking a test drive down our street.

proof

2010-06-24T11:56:00.000-07:00

Proof of the bug problem. We kill all the large cockroaches too fast to photograph, but I did manage to take a picture of this 4 inch long centipede while Ben grabbed a paper towel and a chair in order to kill it. We included Ben's hand to give you an idea of the scale.

I saw this guy last Sunday after we were eating dinner. He had crawled onto our drapes and was at the very top. This has since taught me that no piece of furniture is safe, hence checking the coach before I sit down. Ben calls this paranoid, but I think I am perfectly justified.

the beach, more bugs, and bikes

2010-06-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

This weekend Ben and I headed to the beach, in hopes of some waves. Unfortunately the surf was down, so there were no waves to ride, but we did get to visit a few beaches (Emerald Isle and Indian Head). At the first beach we went to, we saw a skate right near the surf. It was pretty small, but fun to watch. Then at the second beach we saw three dolphins pretty near shore right as we got to the beach (at first I thought they were snorkelers, but then one jumped out of the water). I've seen dolphins before on the East coast, but never that close to the shore. We played Frisbee, boche ball, and went swimming.

This post is titled "more bugs" because that is the daily battle in our home. After Ben showed me the mole crabs that live right on the sand you walk on (and you can feel them under your feet...gross), I am even more grossed out by things with lots of legs. Like the four-inch long centipede that we found crawling on our curtains one night, or the 1.5 inch long cockroach that Ben chased down and killed. I probably kill 4 large bugs a day, which is about 4 over my limit.

And last Thursday I went to girls camp for the day to help one of the leaders make fires. A few of the girls needed to learn how to make fires and cook on them, so I showed up at 8:30 am to get this started. Once our fire was going and some coals were started, I showed the second year girls how to make ash cakes. All of them were pretty grossed out, but we made them all cook one and try it, and most of them really liked it. Maybe ash cakes are a family thing, because no one had ever heard of them before, never mind eaten anything cooked directly on the ash and coals. While I was cooking some ash cakes, I managed to step into a fire ant nest, and my ankles are still itchy.

In spite of all the crazy bugs living in our apartment, Ben and I did get to take our new bikes out for a ride on Saturday. After a little test ride on our street, we went down a pretty big road to get to the next neighborhood (which is very quite and perfect for biking). The loop is about 5 miles, which was a good little tryout with our bikes (seeing as how I haven't been on a bike since I was about 15). I do love my bike thought, and the ride is so smooth. Now the only thing I need is a basket.

avatar tree

2010-06-09T17:13:00.000-07:00

This evening while Ben and I were out walking, I spotted one of the craziest looking trees I have ever seen, and I immediately thought of Avatar. The picture does not to justice to just how bright pink the puff balls were on the top.

Ben took these photos on his blackberry, so the color isn't great. But there were a few pink trees next to some white ones.

Oh, and this afternoon I learned that you can be allergic to fire ants, just like bee stings. Oh yippee. Right now we have fire ants all over our front yard, which means we can barely even walk on it. We have already treated them with some fire ant killer, so hopefully they will start to decrease in number, or at least not be all over the grass. Last night while we were putting up the hammock, we both got stung the feet just while walking on the lawn.

handy things that I love

2010-06-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

I love decorating. A lot. In fact unpacking and putting together the new apartment was actually fun, since it meant I got to redecorate our new place. Okay, maybe not completely redecorate since we didn't buy any new curtains or furniture (no job = no purchases), but it still has a different feel than our last place. I really love our more open floor plan and that fact that we can actually put up curtains in this apartment.

I thought I would give a shout out to my facorite handy things in my apartment. I love for everything to have a place and to be organized. This first was was a present from my brother Garrett. He made these jewelry hanging frames for all of the sisters last Christmas, and I absolutely love it. I have yet to find a better way to organize all my earrings. Right now this is hung on the wall above a small bookcase in our bedroom.

To make, simply take an old wood frame, pop our the back and glass, spray paint black, and insert small hook and wire down the sides.

I also love my magnetic spice containers, which I keep on the side of the fridge. I can never find spices in cabinets, so these are a great way to keep your spices, plus the lids twist allowing you to either poor or sprinkle the spices as you cook. The only downside is that they are not labeled, so I have learned the smell of each spice.

And lastly, my flour/sugar jars. My mother always kept flour and sugar in tupperware containers, and it wasn't until I went to college and my roommates got all kinds of bugs in theirs that I understood why. This was one of the first things we bought when we got married, and I absolutely love them. I keep them on the top of the baking rack for easy access. Right now I have wheat flour and corn meal in the medium size jars, since I make so much homemade bread.

early retirement, new apartment, north carolina

2010-06-08T17:29:00.000-07:00

I should probably update my blog and explain why I have not been blogging as of late. Ben finished his third semester at MIT in the middle of May and then we moved to North Carolina for a 7-month internship as part of his master's program. This meant that I had to quit my job (hence, the early retirement) and we got to pack up the house, fit all of our belongings into 5 linear feet in a moving truck, and move to North Carolina for the rest of the year. Let me just say that it is a very good thing that most of our furniture breaks down, otherwise we would have never have fit it on the truck. We are excited about this change and a chance for a new adventure.

We have been here almost two weeks and are already loving it. Our apartment is really coming together, and we love that our rent is 1/5 our rent in Boston. Despite the large quantities of bugs that make their way into our apartment, I love it here. We live on a quiet street with lots of natural shade, which allows me to keep the windows open during the day and the AC off. We hope to spend the summer relaxing, going to the beach, avoiding all future run ins with fire ants, and making lots of friends in our new city. We have been to church twice and were completely shocked by how friendly they were (probably a result of not having new people move in in over three years).

Since my web cam tour with my mom was shaky at best, I thought I would give a little house tour. As much as I hate packing, I have loved putting our new apartment together and getting another chance to decorate. The walls are white and the carpet is off-white, so it is a good thing we have lots of colored furniture.

Our dinning room. This is the first thing you see when you walk in past our TINY kitchen. Sorry, there are no pictures of our kitchen. Just imagine a tiny room filled with panelled wood cupboards and an ancient stove.

Living room, complete with our "new" modern chairs and my wool rug that I found at a garage sale for $50.

The buffet under the window in our main room. Before I left Boston I bought a set of Anthropology bowls, which were on clearance, and let me tell you, I love them.

Some of the only books we brought with us to NC. And what is that awesome clock you ask? Just my Christmas present from my brother; a vintage edition of The Bridge of San Luis Rey made into a clock.

Since we have lived in only small kitchens since we've been married, we own a beautiful baking rack. I actually love having all of the pots and pans, bowls, and small appliances so handy. And yes, that is my disco ball on the ground. I still haven't decided where to hang it.....

The apartment also has two bedrooms and 1.5 baths. We love having more office space and a place for all of my crafts. I feel spoiled by all of the closet space and the fact that we bought our first washer and dryer.

boston creme puffs

2010-05-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

There are a million reasons why I love my husband and these last two years we have been married. But last Sunday I was reminded how thankful I am for Ben's love of Boston Creme Puffs, because they are a truly delectable dessert. It wasn't until Ben and I moved to Boston and were exploring the North End for the first time that he told me his favorite dessert was a Boston Creme Puff. I've had creme puffs before; no big deal. But I must agree that the Boston variety is incredible.

So to celebrate our 2nd anniversary, I made Boston Creme Puffs. I would like to thank my mom for the pastry cream recipe, which is incredible. For the creme puffs, I used the wonderful and standard Better Homes and Gardens recipe, which is classic and perfect. And for the chocolate ganache, I used dark chocolate with a little bit of cream.

Pastry Creme
6 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk or half-and-half or cream, heated
A little additional milk, if needed

Flavoring: 1 T. vanilla, or 1/2 T vanilla and 2 T. rum or kirsch
1 T. unsalted butter, optional

Whisk the yolks in the saucepan, gradually beating in the sugar and salt; continue whisking 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture is thick and lemon colored (you can use electric beaters). Sift on the flour and whisk it in. Then, by dribbles at first, blend in the hot milk or cream.

Whisk rather slowly over moderate heat. As the custard comes to a boil, it will start to lump - beat vigorously to smooth it. Then change from whisk to wooden spoon, and stir over moderately low heat, reaching all over the bottom of the pan, for 2 minutes , to cook the flour. You will have a thick sauce that holds its shape softly in a spoon - if it seems too thick, set again over heat, whisking in droplets more of milk. Remove from heat and blend in the flavoring and the optional butter (I didn't use).

Stir up frequently until cool, then pour into a clean bowl, press a sheet of plastic wrap into the surface to keep a skin from forming, and refrigerate. May be refrigerated for 2-3 days. Whisk up the chilled pastry cream and taste carefully - you may want to correct the flavoring, or you may wish to lighten it by fold in a little whipped cream. 1/3-1/2 cup heavy cream (whipped) should be enough to whip for a moderate lightening.

spicy beef with broccoli

2010-02-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

Spicy Beef with Broccoli

1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tablespoon salt
black pepper
12oz thin sliced eye of round steak
2 T oil for frying
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 tablespoon white cooking wine
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
7 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon chile paste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger root
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup sliced onion
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1-2 heads broccoli, cut up

DIRECTIONS
Combine cornstarch, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Toss the steak slices in the cornstarch mixture and coat well. Warm the 2 T oil in a wok or frying pan and cook the steak on high until done.

In another mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, rice wine and honey. Add sugar, chili paste, and ginger. Mix well and set aside. Steam broccoli in a separate pan until just beginning to be tender (do not overcook, because you want some of the crispiness to remain).

Heat a wok or deep frying pan over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, and quickly saute the onion, garlic and red pepper for 30 seconds. Add the sauce mixture, and cook another 30 seconds. Finally, add the strips of steak and toss to heat through and coat with sauce.

homemade lasagna

2010-02-08T07:43:00.000-08:00

Ever since my summer stint with insomia when I was 16, I have loved making homemade pasta. Nothing beats the taste of homemade noodles, the amazing texture, and just how fresh they taste. So last night when we got home from church and I had my heart set on lasagna, I decided to make homemade lasagna noodles since that is one ingredient that I almost never have on hand. (Unlike ricotta cheese, which I always have in the fridge.)

So while Ben threw together the cottage cheese, ricotta, mozarella and spices, I made homemade pasta dough and rolled it out with my pasta maker. (Kim, if you are reading this, the pasta recipe in the Better Homes and Garden cookbook is amazing. Simple, and makes the best pasta.) I rolled the pasta to the level 6 and then cut each into a 3 inch wide strip and dumped into boiling water. The great thing about fresh pasta is that they only have to cook a few minutes for them to be perfectly done. Plus, homemade pasta keeps the chewy texture better, so the noodles don't rip or fall apart when you are trying to layer your lasagna.

After sauting 1/2 of an onion, we added 1 pound of ground beef and then a jar of spagetti sauce. Layer the lasanga noodles, cheese mixture, and then meat and redsauce, and repeat about 4-5 times. After baking at 435 for 15 minutes, the cheese was melted and the edges were bubbling. Sometimes lasanga comes out too runny or really dry, but last night's was perfect. The homemade noodles don't get too soft from the baking and the texture is unbeatable.

just like my dad

2010-02-04T08:51:00.000-08:00

My brother just sent this photo out to the fam, I think trying to get us to like a mustache. The hilarious part is that he looks JUST LIKE MY DAD, who had a mustache for years until he finally shaved it off in the 90s.

fresh mozarella, butternut squash, carmelized onions pizza

2010-01-21T08:02:00.000-08:00

Ever since I first tasted this pizza, I've wanted to recreate it in all its delicious glory. But it wasn't until last night that I really got the flavor right. Thanks so my obsession with squash (and having some pre-baked squash leftover in the fridge), I was able to throw together this pizza in a matter of minutes.

And if you have a favorite pizza recipe, please do share!

Fresh mozarella, butternut squash, carmelized onion pizza

pizza dough
corn meal (to keep the dough from sticking)
olive oil
gound sea salt
1/2 c fresh mozarella
1/2 c butternut squash, baked or roasted
1/4 onion, carmelized
1/4 c ricotta cheese

You can use any pizza dough recipe, but my favorite pizza dough recipe is a classic white european bread that I roll out very thin. The bread recipe (3 c water, 1.5 T yeast, 1 T salt, 6.5 c flour) is quickly stired together, covered and left to sit on the counter for 2 hours to rise. Then you stick it in your fridge in a container with a lid until read to use. I pulled off a grapefruit size portion, generously covered it in flour while rolling out and then placed it on my pizza peel covered in corn meal to keep it from sticking.

Preheat oven to 550 with a baking stone inside. If you dont' have a baking stone, use a baking sheet, although don't preheat. Or better yet, go out and buy a baking stone.

Drizzle olive oil on the dough and use a pastry brush to get it all over, including the edges (which will make the best crust). Next, sprinkle on either the grated or freshly cut mozarella. I like to cut mine in slices and then rip them apart in smaller pieces and spread on the dough. Then spoon little spoonfuls of the squash and ricotta all over the pizza. Sprinkle the carmelized onions (I sauted mine with a little bit of olive oil for 7-10 minutes over medium high heat). Lastly, sprinkle with salt (which the squash definitely needs and will taste amazing on the olive oil crust). Do not let the pizza rise. Put directly into the oven.

Gently slide the pizza off the peel onto the baking stone (this is why I put tons of corn meal on the pizza peel, because is you don't the pizza will stick). Bake for 15-17 minutes or until the cheese is starting to brown. If you are using a baking sheet, you may need to bake it longer to make sure the crust is done. Remove from the stone using the peel.

Enjoy!

flats

2010-01-13T08:06:00.000-08:00

I finally have caved and started wearing flats. For the longest time I've worn small heals at work and tennis shoes around town. Over the last year my tennis shoes have been thread bare and I realized that I HATED most tennis shoe styles that are popular right now, so I decided to try something new: flats.

My first foray was a little berry-colored, faux-suede flat from Payless (man, I love that store) with little ruffles by the toes. They were super comfortable, looked great with bare feet, and were perfect with tights. (I should note at this time that I have flat feet, which makes wearing some styles of flat impossible. Meaning, impossibly ugly.) This was the first pair I have tried on in a long time that actually look cute on my feet. Encouraged, I decided to buy a few more pairs since my shoe collection was dwindling.

In a little pre-Christmas shopping with my husband, I came upon a pair of leather Rocket Dog flats that were adorable and only $15. Sold.

Over Christmas I came across an orange plaid flat from the Gap that was adorable and only $11. Sold again.

I also found my new favorite brand of shoes: Privo. They are the most incredibly comfortable shoes on the planet and come in really great colors. After shopping around I scored a $80 pair for only $30 (including shipping). I love the orange color and they are so comfortable it makes me want to cry (and wish it wasn't winter right now so that I could wear them more).

This week my last pair of flats came in the mail. My mom gave me a gift card to Lands End, which I have never before shopped at in my life. With free money in hand, I went to their clearance section and found the most adorable flats. I hemmed and hayed if I should get them in the grey plaid, but eventually went for the bright blue, and I absolutely love them. They are so comfortable, fit perfectly, and are an adorable color.

I am now officially won over by flats and so excited for warmer weather to come!

i miss being this hardcore

2009-12-08T07:38:00.000-08:00

This is me looking hardcore. Yes, that is a rock I am standing on with only a huge crevasse below. Yes, I just completed the Inca Trail.

It's been two years since I hiked the Inca Trail to Manchu Picchu and proved just how hardcore I was. I recently looked through the pictures of this amazing trip and remembered just how incredible it was. Hiking through the Andes (over several mountains), not showering for days, laughing each time my lungs decided to stop breathing (okay, I laughed about it later), seeing the incredible views as we hiked up and over each mountain, listening to our philosopher/poet guide talk about the flora and fauna, and make some of the best memories with my dear friend Joc as we treked to the top together.

Yes, this is a picture of Manchu Picchu that I took. Our friend Todd heroically ran to the top of this crazy high peak to get the passports from our other friends so we could get train tickets. I graciously held his camera while he ran and took about 700 pictures. In return, I gave him my energy bar and water bottle when he got back. A fair trade.

Yes, this is me standing next to a llama on a cliff at Machu Picchu. Yes, it almost kicked me off.

Yes, this is me hiking the Inca Trail (you can see the trail coming down out of the jungle). Yes, I haven't showered in three days. Yes, I wore those pants every day for four days. I am that hardcore.

fondant

2009-11-16T08:04:00.000-08:00

For anyone wanting to venture out into the land of fondant, here is a great recipe and instructions: http://whatscookingamerica.net/PegW/Fondant.htm.

Marshmallow Fondant
16 ounces white mini-marshmallows (use a name brand - quality does matter)
2-5 T water
2 lbs powdered sugar (use a name brand)
1/2 c shortening

First you melt the marshmallows and the water in the microwave slowly (30 seconds at a time) so that it melts without overheating. When you dump 3/4 of the sugar on a WELL greased counter top and pour the melted marshmallows on top. With your hands well greased (just embrace the Crisco at this point, trust me) start to kneed the marshmallow mixture, remembering to pause to re-grease your hands. Kneed for 5-8 minutes until nice and uniform.

I failed to re-grease my hands, so a few minutes in I was a marshmallow mess, which caused me to get marshmallow cream all over my kitchen because I couldn't it off my hands. I recommend re-greasing every 2 minutes as you kneed, even if it isn't sticking yet. Because once you notice the sticking, you are too late.

After letting the fondant sit in the fridge for 2 hours (well greased in a zip-lock bag), it was perfect to be rolled out and put on the cake. I was really impressed with how easy this was to make and how managed it was.

creamy tomato soup

2009-11-13T08:09:00.000-08:00

I love eating soups in the fall when the weather turns cold and you just want something warm for dinner. Last night I made one of my favorite soup recipes while throwing together some carrot cake cupcakes for next week. This soup is my absolute favorite tomato soup recipe and very simple to make. Enjoy!

Creamy Tomato Soup

⅓ c red onion, diced (you can also use a yellow onion)
1-2 T olive oil
1 T garlic, minced
4 c chicken broth (you can also use chicken bouillon and water)
2 cans peeled, diced tomatoes
8 oz tomato sauce
8 oz cream
fresh basil
fresh parmesan

Sauté onion in oil for 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Add cream and cook for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with fresh basil (cut into strips) and parmesan cheese (grated on top).

ikea miracles

2009-11-09T07:55:00.000-08:00

After spending two hours in the car trying to get to Ikea when it should have taken 40 minutes (thank you, poorly designed Boston roads), my friend Sarah and I hopped out of the car excited for our Ikea shopping trip. She recently moved into a new apartment, so we were on the hunt for curtains and some artwork for her walls. We planned to head to Ikea on Friday night after her husband got home and after my eye appointment was over. Despite the fact that I couldn't read anything close up, thanks to dilated eyes, I was thrilled to be heading to Ikea.

We first stopped off for some sustenance (hot dogs and chips) and ate our dinner while winding through the top floor displays. Every few minutes we would find a trash can and dispose of a wrapper or napkin. Sarah made a comment about us being like Hansel and Gretel, leaving little crumbs along our path. Quite apt actually.

By the time we were on the second floor, we were on a roll finding great curtains for her living room, the perfect curtain rods, and some new lights for my dining area. Although the real fun started when we moved into the As-Is area near the checkout. If you have ever ventured into this area, you are in for a real treat. Sometimes there is not a lot to look at, but this time we really scored.

At first I kind of wandered around seeing if there was anything of potential. Then I spotted on some great colored textiles, so I went over to sort through the random textiles in large bins. I found my beautiful curtains at Ikea this way over two years ago, so I was hopeful. The first great find was a queen size linen duvet, that was the exact same color of Sarah's curtains for only $5. This meant we put back her $30 drapes and got this duvet instead. We are going to cut it into four panels and make them into curtains for her dining room. Total cost: $5.

After I found this great duvet (which some other guy wanted, but I was already holding), I spotted a huge red pile of fabric. After a fellow shopper overhead me asking myself what this could possibly be, she helped me hold it up (it was way too big for one person to hold) and we found out it was a huge L-shaped couch cover. It was a beautiful cherry red color and the fabric was very thick (not a thin, cheap cover). I then found matching couch cushions and realized that this could cover my current love seat quite well. Sarah and I measured the red cushions while I had my husband at home measure our couch and we soon realized I could totally pull this off. So we picked out two back and two bottom cushions and threw them in our already full cart. Total cost for extra large cover and four cushions: $24.

One last textile that caught my attention was a beautiful yellow corduroy fabric. We pulled it out of the bin and saw that it was a pretty big chair cover and would be great to cut up and make into pillow cases and cushions. Total cost: $9.

For awhile I have been looking something I could paint in chalkboard paint and use in my kitchen to write down groceries. Mirrors and frames were too expensive for something that I was going to paint over, so when I walked past some returned cupboard fronts, I was inspired. A lot of the cupboards had molding, so I could tape off the molding and then paint the inside square chalkboard for an instant framed chalkboard. Sarah and I hunted through the stack of returned boards to find the perfect square for my kitchen and a large rectangle for her currently empty kitchen wall. Total cost for mine: $5. Sarah's total cost: $9 (for two boards).

When we got back to my apartment, we quickly threw off my old cushion covers and put the red ones on to see if they would fit, and it was a perfect fit. The bottom cushions were about one inch too big, so I took my bread knife to the cushions and shaved off an inch so they would fit. Saturday morning I cut the middle corner section out of the cover, which left two arm sections. I then sewed them together, which was the perfect size for my love seat. With some leftover fabric sitting in my sewing corner I made a black and white polka dot throw pillow with red buttons.

I still need to take pictures of the new couch. The Ikea couch originally costs $899, so getting the cover for $24 was a steal. I found a tiny whole in the cover where the stitching had come undone, but sewed it up in a minute. Ben never liked the color of the couch, but we were about to spend a few hundred dollars to replace it, since structurally it is fine. I also added to bed pillow to the back cushion to give it more support. I bought this couch for $50 four years ago, so the batting in the back cushions was definitely losing its support. And now we have a brand new couch for $24.

hair cutting tips

2009-11-04T08:16:00.001-08:00

As a self-taught hair stylist, I picked up most of my hair cutting knowledge by seeing and a lot of doing. After watching a few hair cuts, I was able to pick up on some tricks of the trade (and best methods to thin/texturize). And after having my own hair cut every few months by different people who are just learning, I have learned which angle to hold the scissors for the best layers, what kind of texturizing works on my hair, and to NEVER EVER cut the hair near my face. If you have ever cut my hair, you know what I am talking about.

So here is a random list of hair cutting tips for anyone who wants to learn a new skill or is just plain curious:

1. When in doubt, comb.

Nothing helps you more when you are trying to get a very even bottom or layer than to re-comb the hair a few times and then look at it. You would be shocked how many times you can cut a very straight line, only to comb the hair and find numerous longer hairs who were hiding. If something isn't working, take a moment to re-wet any drying hair and comb the entire head several times to get everything laying straight.

2. Hair cutting scissors really do matter.

I have never owned a professional grade of hair cutting scissors, but even if you are cutting your husbands hair or trimming your bangs, you should buy a cheap hair cutting scissor. Trust me, it really helps make a clean cut. I recommend getting a pair for $7-10 at target (in the aisle with the hair pins and elastics).

3. Almost always texture layers.

Adding a little bit of texture on layers helps enormously. The only times I don't texture hair is when either they have super thin/fine hair or if they want a very blunt cut. But for most long layered hair styles or short hair styles, texturizing always helps. It helps the layer blend without going too short or becoming too choppy. Whenever I am getting my hair cut and something just isn't blending, I tell the person to stop layering and just texturize that area. It almost always fixes the problem and keeps the person from cutting something way too short.

4. Texturize by cutting up into the hair. Never use texturizing sheers.

For anyone who has been scarred by texturizing sheers (like when a stylist cuts one inch from your scalp, so that you have all these little hair sticking up), you know that you hate them. NEVER LET SOMEONE USE THESE ON YOUR HAIR. Instead have them use regular sheers and cut up into the ends of the hair.

5. Be aware of where you part the hair.

If you always part your hair on the same side, I recommend cutting the hair on that part so that the hair around your face will look even. If you don't like it when one stray hair falls to the wrong side, I usually trim a few of the longest pieces near the part, so that if they are on the other side one day they won't stand out.

6. Cut less length off to start with.

Hair always shortens a little when it dries, so be careful when cutting a lot of length off. I usually cut a little on the safer side, and then have the person look at the length. I am more than willing to cut another half-inch or inch off the bottom, but you don't to cut it too short from the start. Also be aware that you often have to take a tiny bit off the length to even it, so just go easy at first.

7. Never cut bangs straight across.

Bangs almost always need a little texturizing at the ends. I usually cut them longer than I want them, and then texturize them to get them the right length. If you cut them the right length and then texturize, then you might end up with a bang that is too short.

8. Use clippers sparingly on men.

Yes, clippers (or buzzers) are great when cutting men's hair. But I only use them around the neck and back of the head. If you use them all over the head, then it tends to look like they are in grade school. I recommend using these to get a clean cut around their neck where it is short and then use scissors to cut the sides and top of the head.

9. Visualize layers to get an idea of how much to cut off to get the right angle or length.

I admit that this part takes either a talent for a good eye or a lot of practice. But be aware that it really matters what angle you cut when you are doing layers, how much you cut, and where the hair is going to fall on the head. I often show people to pinch the hair where they think they want to cut it and then pull it back down towards the head to see where it hits. Doing this several times with different angles helps you get an idea of the end result. Also be aware that most people have very thick hair on the tops of their head and it thins out on the bottom. So often you need to cut at a different angle near the bottom so that the layers aren't top heavy.

10. Watching really helps.

Some of my best learning experiences were when I watched extremely closely while my hair was being cut to see the kind of angles the stylist used, how she texturized my hair, and how she blended the layers. I recommend watching very closely while you are at the salon and asking lots of questions along the way.

spud nuts

2009-10-26T08:07:00.000-07:00

If you haven't tried homemade potato donuts (aka spud nuts), you really have to try them. After talking with a friend last week about how much we like donuts, we decided that making some donuts and playing games would be a great fall activity.

I pulled out the family spud nut recipe last night and decided to half it, since there were only going to be a few of us. This turned out to be a good decision, since a half of the recipe made over 3 dozen donuts.

Spud Nuts

5 ¼ T yeast
¾ c warm water
1 ½ T sugar
3 c milk
3 t salt
¾ c sugar
3 eggs
½ c oil
1 ½ c mashed potatoes
9 c flour
oil to fry

Dissolve yeast in water and sugar. Add wet ingredients and stir. Beat in half of flour. Add flour until soft dough consistency. Let rise until double. Roll out and cut into shapes (rectangles, square, circles). Spray baking sheets or kitchen table to non-stick cooking spray and then place donuts on surface to rise 15-20 minutes. Fry in medium-hot oil until brown on both sides (2-4 minutes). Let cool slightly on paper towels and then top with sugar or glazes (maple is always the favorite, trust me).

Tips:
1. Letting the dough rise for a full hour or until double is key. Letting the cut donuts rise for 20 minutes before frying is even more key. If you dough is not rising, then your donuts will be doughy and hard, instead of really puffy and soft.

2. Fry a few donut holes first to make sure the oil is hot enough. If the oil is hot enough, it will bubble around the dough right away. The donuts should take no more than 2-3 minutes per side to get nicely browned. The donuts should puff of a lot as they cook, which will make them nice and soft inside.

3. The best glaze is maple glaze. To make this, put 1/2 t of maple flavoring, 2-3 T of milk, and enough powdered sugar to make a nice glaze that you can dip the hot donut into. If you are doubting how maple could be better than chocolate, just trust me.

4. These donuts are best hot and shared with friends. A whole recipe will make around 6-7 dozen donuts, so be sure to invite enough friends over and make lots of glaze.

homemade cheese ravioli

2009-10-26T06:07:00.000-07:00

This weekend I decided to finally attempt something I have long wanted to make: homemade cheese ravioli. I've made homemade pasta since I was 16 and has insomnia for a summer, which lead to lots of late night cooking adventures. I didn't have a ravioli extension on my pasta maker, but I thought I could just make them by hand. Hey, I've made hundreds of pot stickers and crab rangoons by hand, so how hard could it be?

First, I made a normal batch of pasta dough from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. This is your standard recipe, which is very basic but my favorite recipe. You can also add dried basil or other herbs to make a really delicious herbed pasta. I let the dough sit for ten minutes (part of the recipe) while I put together the cheese filling: 1 c ricotta cheese, 1/3 c Parmesan, and a sprinkle of basil and oregano. Please note that I really don't measure anytime, so this is just a guess. I added the Parmesan to make the filling a little drier, so it wouldn't get runny and then I just sprinkled in some herbs for a little color and flavor.

Then I divided the dough into four parts and rolled each through the pasta machine several times on the lowest setting, adding flour so that it wouldn't stick. Once each part was looking uniform, I took one part at a time and rolled it through each setting until it was pretty thin (setting 6) and then placed it on the counter. Once all four parts were rolled out, I took a pasta cutter that looks like a pizza cutter, but has a zigzag edge and cut each long piece of dough lengthwise, so now I had a top and bottom of the ravioli.

Using my hands I placed a small amount of cheese filling every two inches long one side of the dough and then placed the other half on top. Then I sealed off one ravioli and moved down the line, until I had little pockets of cheese in a long strip of dough. This was actually really easy to do and just required you to push around the cheese and the dough would stick to the other side. Then I used the zigzag cutter to cut apart each ravioli, so now I had square ravioli.

I placed these on my non-stick baking mat, but wax paper would also work. I put them in the freezer for a bit and then moved them to a zip lock bag once frozen. They cooked great (only one lost its filling) and tasted amazing! I might make the pasta a little thinner next time, since once you put the two layers together it was a bit thick, but overall amazing.

DIY projects that i adore

2009-09-29T11:11:00.000-07:00

I am currently enthralled in all kinds of do-it-yourself projects. A few weeks ago Ben and I repainted a kitchen stool bright green to match our towels and a bedroom table blue, because I wanted more color in our apartment. Last weekend we picked up two incredibly cool chairs for our living room, and I spent the afternoon de-rusting the bottoms and cleaning the cushions. They look great in our living room and so much better after a little cleaning. I love the feeling of accomplishing something and even more the feeling of making something beautiful.

I am currently on the hunt on craigslist for some other items I want for the apartment. Here are some DIY projects that I love. They are all ideas I've seen at Design Sponge, which is my new favorite blog to read.

Printed Duvet

Kitchen Utensil Key Rack

Bedside Table

Chalkboard Mirror

Stamped Dishtowels

Starched Fabric Decals

Recycled Cake Stands

new york city adventures

2009-08-10T07:06:00.000-07:00

My sister Diedra and I decided to take the bus to NYC this last Saturday to spend a day together. Since we no longer live in the same city, this was a great way to get together and also have a little adventure. We both boarded a Bolt Bus early in the morning and arrived in NYC around 10:00 am. The weather was 78 degrees, sunny, and not that humid. We couldn't have asked for a better day to visit NYC. After throwing away the terrible books we both brought with us to read (mine was a library leftover which cost me 25 cents), we headed over to the fabric district.

Our friend (and roommate over five years ago) Mel gave us some quick suggestions of where to shop while in the fabric district. Mel has lived in NYC for over the past year and has just loved it. We wanted to meet up with her, but our schedules didn't work out. Our first stop was Mood, made famous by Project Runway. There are no signs outside the building, but we had the address to find the door. You enter what looks like a building lobby and then ride this incredibly old elevator up to the third floor. The elevator was so old that a man actually had to operate it! That might have been our favorite part.

Once getting into Mood we first wandered around just to look at all the amazing fabric, and then we headed over to find some lining that Diedra wanted to buy (since we can never find the right stuff in any other fabric stores). We both found some amazing fabric that we can't wait to use.

The fun thing about wandering around these fabric stores, is that they were filled floor to ceiling with every kind of fabric you could ever want! (We even saw a section for Alpaca fabric.) We loved looking at the silks and some of the most adorable cotton prints you have ever seen. We also checked out the notion stores full of buttons and trim. I found this incredibly carved button that should be the perfect finish to a jacket I recently made.

After a few hours in the fabric district, we grabbed some great pizza, ate some delicious cupcakes, and then headed over to the Met.

The Met says that it costs $20, but that is actually a recommended donation. Most people don't know that they can actually pay whatever they would like. The first time I did this I was pretty nervous, but they actually will let you in for even $1 (which is what the guy in front of us in line paid). We walked through the Roman and Greek section, then over to Modern Art, where Diedra got approached by this man 40 years older than her who tried to hit on her, then over to the American section. Our favorite part was actually this display of original rooms from hotels and palaces in Paris, Vienna, and other cities in Europe in the 1600s and 1700s. They had dismantled entire rooms (walls, furniture, layout, lighting, etc) and rebuilt then in the museum. It was really interesting to see these complete room, some with the natural lighting, which was quite dark.

After two hours in the Met our feet were pretty tired, so we rested in Central Park and planned our next adventure. We wanted to walk through China Town and look at fake designer purses next, so we hopped on the subway. The idea of designer purses was a lot more fun that actually looking at them, since most were quite ugly. We saw a few that we liked, but not enough to actually buy. After being accosted by enough people trying to sell us stuff, we decided to walk over to Little Italy, and I found a great little pizza place to have dinner. We ordered a margarita pizza with buffalo mozzarella and basil, along with some gnocchi, which was incredible. We ate our delicious meal while our feet rested.

By this time it was practically time to head back to catch the bus, which we were just fine with. We were both really tired and were ready for a 3 hour nap. I got back to the bus 10 minutes before it left and slept the entire way back to Boston. I highly recommend taking the bus to NYC for a day trip. The ride was less than 4 hours and it was nice not to have to drive or pay tolls.

herbs de provence

2009-08-03T13:24:00.000-07:00

A few years ago my sister Rixa bought some much beloved herbs de provence while she was in France for the summer and mailed it to me. I had been using this a lot in my cooking, and I needed more for my supply. I can't remember which mix I preferred more, but here are the two kinds she gave to me. I am on my last bit, so pretty soon I will need to make my own mix.

But for anyone who loves herbs de provence, here are the ingredients to make it at home:

Mix 1:

26% Oregano

26% Rosemary

26% Sariette (Winter Savory)

19% Thyme

3% Basil

Mix 2: (package that says "for grilling")

37% Rosemary

18.5% Sarriette (Winter Savory)

18.5% Serpolet (wild thyme)

6.5% Oregano

6.5% Marjoram

6.5% Basil

6.5% Thyme

I put herbs de provence on grilled zucchini and yellow squash, grilled salmon with mustard and tomatoes, pasta with a little bit of Parmesan, fresh french bread with olive oil, roasted potatoes with mustard and pepper....the list goes on and on.

things I've learned on the Boston T

2009-07-29T08:19:00.000-07:00

I have been enjoying riding public transportation to work for almost 10 years. When I worked summer jobs at the Mayo Clinic, I always took the city bus to work and often the shuttle between the downtown campus and St. Marys. In college I never owned a car, so I rode the Provo bus to the grocery store and to run errands. In DC I took the metro to work, first when I worked in the downtown area and then in Chevy Chase. I have learned to really enjoy commuting in mass transit. I mean, where else can you take a nap, listen to an ipod, read a book, or people watch all while getting to work?

Riding the metro in DC was so delightful. DC has by far the cleanest subway system in the world (I've ridden the subway in Paris, London, Barcelona, New York, and Boston.) The trains are spacious and air conditioned. The stations tell you when the next train will arrive. It is easy to transfer from one side of the tracks to another. And except for the tourists, people who commute on the metro DO NOT TALK. This is pretty much a hard and fast rule; people like to have it quiet on the trains and I've even seen people ask others with loud headphones to turn it down.

Riding the metro (called the T) in Boston has been a whole different experience. The train lines were built at different periods, so some are nice and modern, while others are extremely old. The biggest difference is the attitude of the riders here in Boston. I'm not sure if it is a factor of the culture (Bostonians are often pretty rude) or what, but each day I learn new things. For example:

1. People like to stand up as the train is moving to get 2 feet closer to the door. Mind you, the trains are pretty bumpy and like to jerk a lot, so this ends up making other loose their footing and hit other people. Apparently waiting for 30 seconds until the train stops has never occur ed to a lot of people.

2. If you bump someone, you might get into a fight. I have already witnessed a few heated words passed between passengers, all for things like bumping them while riding or taking a photo and the flash getting in their eyes. In DC even if someone pokes your eye with their finger or steps on your toes, you don't yell at them (both of these things have happened to me and other friends in DC).

3. Yelling "I love everyone" stops fighting. Actually this is the best way I have seen a fight defused. Unabashed love for everyone kind of makes people stop yelling.

4. It is perfectly okay to crowd near the doors, making it impossible for people to get off the train or for others to get on. I think Bostonians need more training on moving to the center of the car.

5. Don't think anything of a complete stranger yelling across the car to get the attention of another passenger. One day this older woman yelled across the train to talk to another man, who she wanted to know where he grew up and then started to give unsolicited recommendations on what to see in Boston. When the other passenger tried to ignore her, she then got really defensive.

6. Eating is allowed on the T, which might explain all the rats and mice I see. Gross.

All of this makes for a pretty entertaining commute. My only regret is that I don't carry a camera with me to take photos of all the craziness I see each day.

kid aprons

2009-07-22T08:50:00.001-07:00

My cousin Tiana visited Boston last week, and while she was here she decided to sew some aprons for her kids, since they are always wanting to help in the kitchen. I pulled out some random fabric I had left over from previous projects, and Tiana threw together some of the cutest aprons I have ever seen. Her son got to use some of my coveted John Deer fabric (what kid doesn't love tractors?). I'm so glad that he already realized that hammers belong in the pockets!Thanks Tiana for a great time touring Boston, eating cannoli, enjoying some of the best pizza Boston has to offer, and most importantly, getting to spend more time with you.

the sun dress

2009-07-14T11:34:00.001-07:00

I finally have pictures of the adorable sun dress that I made for Ben's little niece. This was one of the first sun dresses that I attempted, while on my sun dress sewing kick a few months ago. Isn't she adorable?

I made probably over 12 different dresses, and I really need to post pictures of them. If only I wasn't a sugar momma and had more free time on my hands.....

tortillas

2009-07-14T10:58:00.000-07:00

Last night I finally decided to tackle a food that I have long wanted to make from scratch, but usually found a reason to just buy it at the store: tortillas. Since we were out of tortillas and I really wanted to eat enchiladas for dinner, I finally bit the bullet. I looked up a few recipes online to get a feel for the recipe. I was surprised at how easy they were to make (the dough took a matter of minutes to mix together) and how easy they were to roll out. I was expecting the dough to be really sticky and want to stick to the counter, but it was really easy to handle. I've still got some work making the tortillas round, but I will consider this a great success.

Tortillas

3 c flour

1 t salt

2 t baking powder

4 T butter (or shortening)

1 c warm water

Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Cut in the butter with a fork or pastry cutter. Pour in half of the warm water and mix with a fork, then pour in a small amount at a time (1/4 c, then the other 1/4 c), stirring as you go. You want to add just enough water for the dough to stick and be really soft, but not too much. Feel free to add another few tablespoons of water if you need.

Once the dough is sticking together, kneed on a slightly floured surface for just a few minutes until dough is uniform (I did this for only 2-3 minutes, if that). Let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then divide into 10-12 parts. Roll out each bit of dough on a floured surface with a rolling pin and then cook on a medium-hot frying pan (no oil or butter). Shells cook around 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown with a few spots.

A special thank you goes out to my mother for the wonderful tortilla warmer she gave me that kept these tortillas perfectly warm and moist while I rolled out and cooked each one. I just heated up a stone in the microwave for 1 minute, placed it in the container, and then put each tortilla in when it was done cooking. 20 minutes later when we were ready to eat, the tortillas were still perfect.

For you readers out there (which is approximately 3 people) who are skeptical that you can actually make homemade tortillas WHILE making dinner, it was easy. I started the dough while the chicken was cooking in the pan. Then while the dough was resting for a few minutes, I finished the chicken, grated the cheese, and set the table. Then I rolled out one tortilla and while it was cooking, I rolled out the second, all while occasionally cooking the veggies.

lava cake

2009-06-30T11:06:00.000-07:00

Kalli, one of my new friends in Boston, introduced Ben and I to lava cakes over the weekend, and I was instantly in love. I've had similar ones, but they involved putting truffles in the middle of each cake. This recipe makes more a fudgy cake batter, which when cooked has a nice and firm crust and then a gooey inside. Chocolate lovers beware!

Lave Cake
4 squares bakers semi-sweet baking chocolate
½ c butter
1 c powdered sugar
2 eggs + 2 egg yolks
6 flour

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, butter 4 custard cups (or 6-8 ramekins), place on baking sheet. Microwave butter and chocolate on high for 1 minute or until butter is melted. Whisk until chocolate is completely melted into butter. Stir in sugar and whisk eggs and egg yolks, then stir in flour. Divide batter between cups. Bake 13-15 minutes until sides are firm but centers are soft. Let stand 1 minute then run a small knife around edges to loosen then turn over onto dessert dishes. Serve with ice cream, whipped cream or fruit.

sense of accomplishment

2009-06-27T08:09:00.000-07:00

I often talk with my best friend Jocelyn about how the small things in life really give us a sense of accomplishment. Like doing the laundry or staining the desk. Nothing feels better than working with your hands to get something done and then seeing the fruits of your labors. Even though I used to ask my mother "do I look I was built for manual labor" whenever she asked me to mow the lawn when I was a teenager, I now really appreciate the value of physical labor and the sense of accomplishment it brings.

I admit it; I love doing the laundry, doing the dishes, and cleaning the bathroom because after a few minutes you can see a real result. This morning I cleaned the bathroom and kitchen, organized our small apartment, vacuumed, sharpened the knives, filed some important documents, baked bread, and started the laundry. It is also easier to love doing these chores when you live in a small apartment which literally takes 20 minutes to clean and you are only doing the laundry for two people. I know that it will get more time intensive when our family gets bigger, but I am truly grateful for my ability to keep our home clean and organized.

I know that it is in fashion to have a maid or someone to do your housework, but I don't want to ever stop caring for my home or taking care of my belongings. I love how good it feels to do something myself and see a positive result from work.

iso new hair stylist

2009-06-22T18:41:00.000-07:00

With all the pains of moving, one of the things that I have felt the hardest (besides being so far from all my dear, dear friends) is realizing that I need to find a new hair stylist. And by find I mean find someone willing to learn how to highlight hair so that I can get free highlights. And someone to cut my hair.

I just can't bring myself to pay money for a haircut or highlights. A) I can't afford it. B) It is overpriced. And C) I hate paying for something that I can do myself. Highlighting and cutting hair isn't that hard. I have taught probably 15 people how to highlight hair. Now I just need to determine which of my new Boston friends has the inclination to highlight my hair and get free highlights in return.

Any takers?

my trophy wife days are over

2009-06-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

Starting Monday my carefree days of pretending to be a trophy wife are officially over. My new job will entertain me instead of hulu, sewing, and a few new Boston friends during the day. Although I am incredibly thankful for a fantastic job in this economy, I will dearly miss the life of freedom that I have enjoyed these last few weeks. Here is a little of what I have done:

1. designed and sewed an adorable jacket: while out shopping with some new friends, we saw an adorable jacket at anthropology that we couldn't afford, but I was confident I could reproduce.

2. started weight lifting: even though I have never done this before, I have actually really enjoyed it so far. plus Ben is a great trainer.

3. explored Boston, the North End, and the Back Bay. nuff said.

4. took naps when I wanted, read lots of books, and caught up on some TV shows.

5. explored Cambridge, found the nearest public library, discovered a great discount fabric store, and tried to learn how to drive without getting lost. so far so good.

I will really miss my long days, but I am really looking forward to working in a great location in Boston with one of the best views. I guess working for the man has some advantages.

we moved

2009-06-02T07:56:00.000-07:00

Since my husband is blessed enough to get into two Ivy League colleges in his life, we finally made the move to Boston last month. After quitting our jobs in DC, spending two fabulous weeks playing in Bulgaria and Rome, and then packing all our stuff, we made it to Boston. I promise to post more on our amazing vacation in Bulgaria, but for now I will share some highlights of our new city and home.

After apartment hunting for days, we finally decided to live close to campus, and we are thrilled about our new apartment. It is beautiful, convenient, and I love being in Cambridge. We moved in last Saturday and spent the first few days literally just unpacking boxes and trying to get everything to fit. I am happy to say that everything did fit and our new apartment looks great. We still have a few pictures to hang, but it is really coming together. Ben even let me hang up the disco ball because, and I quote, "I love you, and you love the disco ball." I figure if I am cooking all the meals for two years, then I at least get to have a kitchen that makes me happy. And boy does this kitchen make me happy. For the first time we have a dishwasher and we really lucked out on the granite counter top!!!

After we finally unpacked everything, we decided to explore Boston on Saturday since the weather was perfect. We took the T into Boston and walked along the Freedom Trail to see most of the historic sites. We stopped by Fanueil Hall for lunch at Wagamamas and then walked to the North End for amazing Italian pastries. On our way back we found an open air market and bought a week's worth of veggies for $5. The prices were incredible!

Ben is off enjoying school, so for the meantime I am pretending that I am a trophy wife (when in reality I am looking for jobs, not spending money and definitely not lounging by any pool). I do love my new neighborhood, especially being so close the the river. Boston is a beautiful city and reminds me a lot of DC.

amazing chocolate chip cookies

2009-04-14T11:59:00.001-07:00

I need to thank my friend SueZann for making her amazing chocolate chip cookies at a dinner on Sunday. They were some of the best chocolate chip cookies I have had, which is saying something because I usually don't like most that I try.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 eggs
2/3 c shortening
2/3 c butter
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
2 t vanilla
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
3 1/2 c flour
1 c chocolate chips
1 c butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and add butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, shortening and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

tropical lime torte with mango compote

2009-03-23T08:31:00.000-07:00

My mother made this dessert at my wedding luncheon and everyone was blown away. We were serving cheese cakes and a chocolate cake later that day at the wedding reception, so my mom decided to pick something different for the luncheon. This dessert was so incredibly fabulous that I think I wanted to lick my plate clean. Please note that this recipe does take some preparation (refrigeration over night), but it is well worth the effort.

Torte
4 large eggs
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon grated lime peel

1/2 cup dark rum
1 16-ounce frozen all-butter pound cake, thawed
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature

Compote
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lime peel
4 large ripe mangoes (5 to 6 pounds), peeled, pitted, diced
lime slices

For Torte: Whisk eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, lime juice and lime peel in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Whisk over medium-high heat until mixture thickens and just comes to boil, about 6 minutes. Transfer lime curd to small bowl; press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Chill until very cold, at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.
Line 9 1/4x51/4x23/4-inch loaf pan with 2 layers of plastic wrap, leaving long overhang. Stir rum and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in small bowl until sugar dissolves. Trim brown layer from outside of cake. Cut cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. Beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy; gently fold in cold lime curd.
Trim bottom cake layer to fit pan bottom; reserve cake trimmings. Brush layer on both sides with 1/3 of rum syrup. Place in pan; spread 1 1/2 cups lime curd mixture over top. Brush second cake layer on both sides with 1/3 of rum syrup. Place in pan; spread remaining lime curd mixture over top. Brush third cake layer on both sides with remaining rum syrup. Place on lime curd mixture; press to adhere. Press reserved cake trimmings around sides. Cover torte with plastic overhang. Refrigerate torte at least 1 and up to 2 days.

For Compote: Stir first 4 ingredients in large bowl until sugar dissolves. Mix in mangoes.
Cover; chill up to 1 day.
Using plastic as aid, lift torte out of pan and unwrap. Cut crosswise into 12 slices. Arrange slices on plates. Top with compote. Garnish with lime slices.

streusel kuchen

2009-03-18T06:02:00.000-07:00

Last night I taught our monthly cooking class for Enrichment, and I decided to teach on making bread, since it is so easy to make, but yet a lot of people have never tried it. We made two batches of french bread and then two pans of Streusel Kuchen (German Crumb Cake). The recipe came from my great grandmother, and it is absolutely fantastic. You literally combine the ingredients and press it into a pan and bake.

The french bread was a huge hit! I also brought along my dipping spices, which always make bread better. After that, we talked while the Streusel Kuchen baked in the oven, and then I passed around pieces of the cake for everyone to try. We had about 30 women at the cooking class, so it was a great success.

Streusel Kuchen
3 T yeast
½ c warm water
1 c scalded milk
½ c butter
½ t lemon extract
2 eggs
½ c sugar
4-5 c flour1 t salt

Combine yeast and water and let grow. Melt butter in scalded milk. Add to yeast mixture along with the eggs, sugar, and extract. Add flour until dough is soft and still a little sticky. Press into pan and rise for 20-30 minutes. Combine sugar, flour, butter and sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. Glaze with ¼ c lemon juice and 2-3 c powdered sugar. Best if served warm.

Crumbles:
1 c flour
1 c sugar
½ c butter

Glaze:
¼ lemon juice
2-3 c powdered sugar

spring apron giveaway winner

2009-03-10T10:34:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Jill for being the lucky winner of the Spring Apron Giveaway! Jill will receive one custom made apron by your truly.

Jill, please email me at artnotascience@gmail.com the address you would like me to mail it to.

the BEST cupcakes in DC

2009-03-04T07:16:00.000-08:00

As a baker myself, I'm usually skeptical of reports of great cakes or cupcakes. Often I have a slice of cake and think "my own carrot cake is better than this." If you are a food snob like myself (or love cupcakes), then you MUST try out Frosting, A Cupcakery.

My friend Michelle is one of the most talented bakers I have ever met and just opened her own cupcakery. Last weekend I had the pleasure of tasting her amazing cupcakes, and I was honestly blown away by the presentation and taste. The cupcakes were impeccably frosted and so delicious that I may or may not have eaten a few in one sitting. My favorite flavors were the Cookie MOMster (chocolate cupcake with almond and Oreo butter cream frosting) and Babas Baby (carrot cake with cream cheese frosting). The menu is HUGE and is full of so many delicious options.

My friend Emily also came over to taste test the cupcakes, and we both agreed these were by far the best cupcakes in DC. The shop is still not open yet, but you can order cupcakes to be delivered. If you love cupcakes, you must try these.

the best chocolate frosting i've ever had

2009-03-03T11:55:00.000-08:00

I am not exaggerating that this is the best chocolate frosting that I have ever had. Thanks to Jenn Fox for introducing me to this frosting and providing her recipe. She even told me that it has been used to woo men. I'm so not surprised.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted

2 ½ cups powdered sugar

1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1 ½ cups or 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup heavy whipping cream, at room temperature

Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder into a large bowl. Add the butter and using an electric mixer on low speed beat until smoothly blended, about 2 minutes. Add the unsweetened melted chocolate, vanilla and heavy cream, mixing to incorporate. On medium speed, beat the frosting for at least 3 minutes, until it looks smooth and creamy and the color lightens. Once the cupcakes are frosted they can be left for up to three days at room temperature or stored in the refrigerator. Makes enough frosting for one box cake or cupcakes.

arts and crafts part 2

2009-03-02T12:27:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd post pictures of the continuation of arts and crafts day. After lunch with my husband, I went back to sewing another dress and then an apron. It has been a really fun day using up old scraps of fabric and seeing what kind of fun things I can make. It may be snowing outside, but it definitely feels like spring.

The fabric is white with green concentric circles. I loved the contrast of the orange fabric for the pocket.

Here is a close-up of the orange bow that ties the two sides of the dress together. You can see the pattern of the green fabric here.

I've had this fantastic blue fabric with tiny white bows for awhile, so I finally decided to use the last bit to make an apron.

Here is a close-up of the cherry fabric and the blue bow fabric. Both were scraps from other projects, so I was happy to use them up.

snow day: arts and crafts

2009-03-02T08:47:00.001-08:00

I woke up this morning at 5:45 am to the sound of my cell phone ringing. I would have been more mad, but it was just work calling saying that the office was opening two hours late. I peeped through the blinds to see a few inches of snow, jumped back in bed, and dreamed of a snow day (I'm not joking, I really did dream I had a snow day).

Ben and I woke up at the normal time and enjoyed a very leisurely morning. As I was getting ready to bundle up and head out into the snow, I got another call from work saying they have decided to close the whole day! I may or may not have done a little dance and giggled. Ben put on his snow boots and headed out the door to walk to work in this year's first winter wonderland. He also snapped the picture of us "snowed in."

After updating the blog on this weekend's activities, I pulled out the sewing machine and surger to work on some projects. And 60 minutes later I would like to share my newest creation!

Behold, the girliest dress I have ever made. Not that I don't like it (I LOVE those ruffles).

A close up of the ruffles. I added them at the end kind of as an experiment. And I love them. I don't think every girl needs to wear ruffles all the time, but it sure does make this dress fun.

A close up of the pocket with a ruffle. (Blogger sometimes likes to rotate my pictures without my telling it to. I'm not sure how to undo this, so here is a sideways pocket.)

american history museum

2009-03-02T06:40:00.000-08:00

Ben and I love taking advantage of the free and incredible museums in DC, so this past Saturday we headed to the newly opened American History Museum (which was closed for a few years for renovations). A lot of the exhibits were the same as before (First Ladies Dresses, The Flag), but others were new.

I loved exhibit on transportation. It had really old buggies, a Ford Model T (in black, the only color it came in because black paint dried the fastest), a Roadster, and lots of other vintage cars. It was really amazing to see the changes in style over the years and also see old models that you only see in movies.

There was also a fabulous exhibit on America in war. It had great artifacts (Washington's dishes from when he was in battle) and really great displays. It reminded me a lot of the Holocaust Museum (it was also incredibly instructive), but not nearly as depressing.

The other fun part about this museum, is that it had random artifacts from American history and Pop Culture. Here is Ben with some of his favorites:

Remnants from the original Star Spangled Banner

Oscar the Grouch (who was originally created orange instead of green)
C3PO. I have to admit this was pretty awesome.

Ben and I also popped into the Natural History Museum to see an exhibit with a real Giant Squid. It was hard to take a picture of the squid in formaldehyde, so instead here is Ben with the jaws of a Megal0don (giant shark).

girl's dress: craft night success

2009-03-02T06:19:00.000-08:00

Emily and I had our first craft night last week, which turned into a complete success. We got out a bunch of fabric that we have been meaning to use (plus some scraps) and talked about different projects we wanted to accomplish. We both had visions for some upcoming projects (I'm working on a duvet), but we needed more fabric.

So we decided to start off with a small project: making a girl's dress. We both have nieces, so we grabbed some extra fabric we had around the house and got started. The style we used is quite easy - simple a-line dress with pleats at the neck. The original picture we saw included sleeves, but we instead decided to just do a summer dress edged around the arms and neck. We also opted out of putting in a button in the back, and instead we had the edging open at one side of the neck and tie in a bow to close (brilliant idea and much easier than a button).

Emily and I were quite please with the results. We added the pockets as a finishing touch. We are planning on continuing to make more kids clothing (since they are short projects, don't take a lot of sewing skills, and really fun to create).

Here is a close up of the pleats in the front around the neck and the bow that closes the dress.

spring apron give away

2009-02-25T12:41:00.001-08:00

Since every girl needs an adorable apron and spring is just around the corner, I will be giving away one of my custom made aprons to one of my lucky readers. If you would like to qualify to be entered into the drawing, please do the following:

1. Leave a comment on this post by March 9th stating how lovely my blog is and what your favorite entry has been so far. Also include your blog address.
2. Link your blog to my blog (I will also add you to my blog roll as well).
3. Feel free to add any suggestions of what you would like to see more of.

Once I have picked the lucky winner, I will email them to get a mailing address to send the apron to. Good luck to all (which I would say is pretty good since I think I have a total readership of about 8).

wild mushroom risotto

2009-02-25T12:30:00.000-08:00

I received this recipe for a coworker who raved about it. Since I love both mushrooms and risotto, I thought I would post it for all to enjoy. I obviously won't be using dry sherry, so I'll probably substitute with a juice or something else. Now I am on the hunt for some wild mushrooms so that I can make this risotto.

Ingredients
35 ounces chicken broth
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
1 pound assorted wild mushrooms (such as oyster, crimini and stemmed shiitake), sliced
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry Sherry
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Bring broth to simmer in medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low; cover and keep broth hot.
Melt 3 tablespoons butter with olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped shallots; sauté 1 minute. Add wild mushrooms; cook until mushrooms are tender and juices are released, about 8 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat. Add Sherry and simmer until liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add 3/4 cup hot broth and simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently. Add remaining hot broth 3/4 cup at a time, allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh thyme.

the cutest aprons

2009-02-24T13:46:00.001-08:00

I've been trying to use up leftover fabric lately, which has lead to making lots of aprons. I bought a lot of adorable fabric last year, and I finally felt like it was time to use it (or use the last bit of it). The aprons all have pleats and pockets. I thought I would show some of the cutest aprons I've ever seen.

I fell in love with the John Deer fabric the moment I spotted it in the clearance bin. I'm so in love with this craft apron that I might not be able to give it away. It might become part of my permanent collection.

I love the lime green, pink, and black and white combination. One pocket is pink and one is pink with a green overlay on top (as seen above).

This photo doesn't do justice to how adorable the brown fabric is.

The blue fabric has tiny bows, which I just loved. The black and lime green combo made the blue fabric even more fun.

This photo doesn't show just how fun these two fabrics are together: purple polka dots with green stripes.

I had the red with tiny star fabric leftover from a previous project, which was the perfect fit for the blue fabric (which actually has tiny flowers and stars in white).

Most of the aprons are created out of me picking two random fabrics and just making it work. I had leftover lime green fabric and some yellow that needed to be used up.

wednesday night craft night

2009-02-23T12:11:00.000-08:00

My dear friend Emily suggested that we start a regular craft night to (a) help us finish all those projects we have been meaning to and to (b) add some more activity into our lives. I thought it was a great idea. Now that stack of fabric can turn into something really fun and I can use more of the leather I received. I actually have a lot of scrap fabric that I have been trying to use up on projects, so this will be the perfect thing.

Emily is also going to take some vintage patterns from her house so that we can start learning how to make kids clothing, which I think sounds like a fantastic idea. It will be a great way to perfect sewing in zippers, doing hems, and making clothes, plus we can make adorable dresses and send them to our sisters or friends!

And when I say craft night, this isn't a guise for getting together with friends to talk. We will be doing hardcore projects and getting things done! Let me know if you want in on the fun.

russian winter

2009-02-23T08:41:00.000-08:00

My brother sent some pictures of the winter in Russia. He has been lucky to be in the southern part of Russia, so he doesn't have to deal with the crazy winters in Siberia. Above is huge ice cycle that he found and apparently started to eat.

The beautiful view from his bus stop. Doesn't this make you want to visit?

Garrett enjoying the winter. I'm not sure what this pose is all about. I'm going to chalk it up to being a missionary thing.

This is my favorite picture to date!! Is he snuggling with the puppy or about to attack? I'm not sure. The puppy doesn't seem to be enjoying this as much as he is.

aldi

2009-02-19T09:29:00.000-08:00

I am an unabashed lover of all things cheap. Like getting great deals on clearance fabric, recycled leather, free furniture on the side of the road, and abandoned free-standing bars in frat houses in Georgetown that I take home and refinish.

This past weekend Ben and I got to shop at one of my favorite stores, Aldi. It is a discount grocery, but not your normal kind. It sells a lot of European and other brands you don't normally see for amazingly low prices. I love this store because you never know what kind of treasures you are going to stumble upon.

What? A jar of salsa for $1.50? I think I'll take two. A block of cheese for $1.30? Of course! V8 Splash for $2.10? Ben couldn't resist. Eight tomatoes for $2.00? What a steal! A gallon of milk for $2.90? Even better.

That is pretty much how the entire shopping trip went. If you are not jealous by my ability to find cheap deals, you should be.

new leather

2009-02-12T12:18:00.001-08:00

I received a new shipment of leather this week, which made me incredibly happy. I've been on a book binding craze recently, which has caused me to run out of paper and run dangerously low on leather. Luckily, my Dad recently picked up some more leather, which he sent to me. I will have to post pictures of the books made from that leather, because it is gorgeous, but for now here are pictures of some recent books I've made.

These books are 5 inches tall by 4 inches wide. Each is made out of recycled leather, and many keep have the natural edges of the leather. You can even see the brand on the left, bottom book.

Here is a close up of the books. The leather wraps around the book and the closes with a leather strap that gets tucked under itself. Each book is made by hand is different, since the leather pieces have raw edges and I use different combinations of paper and ribbon.

Here is what each book looks like when it is closed. The curved front flap was already cut round like that, so I decided to incorporate it into the book.

Here is the same book opened up. The paper used is an incredibly beautiful paper, which you can't see that well in the picture, but is actually one of my favorites.

I love this book because of the natural edge of the leather that I was able to keep.

Here is the book opened up, where you can really see the edge of the leather. The paper is a brand new one that Ben got me for Christmas.

Here is a top view of the book , so you can see the great edges of the leather.

I love the paper I used in this book. It is a great retro poppy print.

Last night I got another supply of paper (for 40% off, which was a steal), so I'm back in book binding heaven. I'm hoping to make a lot of new books, since I have new paper that has yet to be used.

this is my brain on drugs

2009-02-11T13:02:00.000-08:00

This is my brain on drugs. I'm not kidding. I'm completely serious.

To make a long story short, I had to have an MRI of my head because of a disorder with my left eye that the eye doctor wanted to check out to make sure there wasn't anything serious going on behind the scenes. So I showed up one morning to get stuck in a very small MRI machine and lay completely still for 45 minutes. (Note to anyone who has never had an MRI: they are extremely loud. It was kind of like putting your head inside a washing machine on spin cycle that has all the clothes on one side, so it makes clacking noises as it spins. Only louder and more clanking noises.) The nurse put some headphones on me to help drown out the noise, so I got to listen to birds chirping and water falls. Except that when the machine was running, they were too soft to be heard.

The MRI went fine until they had to give me an injection of a drug to make the image more clear (this is called an MRI with contrast). The nurse casually mentioned that occasionally some people are allergic to the drugs. Within a few seconds of the injection I started to have a really ticklish throat, cough, and felt a little scratchy. But since I was okay, we completed the last few tests. It was only when I was changing out of the scrubs that I noticed the hives on my arms, neck, and stomach. Yes, I said hives. And I was having a difficulty breathing (kind of like asthma). So I showed the nurse, who immediately called for more nurses and specialists to make sure I was okay.

The magical cure for this was to take Benadryl, so I spent the rest of the day at home napping. The hives went away quickly, but my skin felt just a little itchy for a few hours.

What I learned from this: don't do drugs. Not even the kind the nurses give you because you never know when you are going to be allergic. I never thought I would actually be a cleshay anti-drug ad.

PS, I have to admit it was a little creepy to look at images of my brain and face. At one point I thought I was going to be sick, and then I just realized I was being over dramatic. But it is a little unnerving to see your own brain.

cuff links

2009-02-10T07:46:00.000-08:00

For Christmas this past year, I decided to make cuff links for the men in my family. With a few cuff link backs, some super glue, and specially chosen items from the craft store, I was ready to go. Eric, a very proud Canadian, got a matching cuff link set of the statue of liberty and an American flag. I also gave him a pair of Canadian leaf cuff links as a consolation prize. Matt, who works at an Air Force base, got a bomber plane and tank. My brother Garrett, who is on a mission in Russia, got a matching set of a martini shaker and martini glass and menu. Yes I mailed them to him on his mission, and yes he wore them with pride.

After his Christmas package spent about 3 months on route to Russia, he finally received it this past week. And in typical Spencer custom, he wore them to his zone conference and told us all about it in his letter:

"So, I wore the cuff-links that you sent, Britt and Ben, since they are absolutely sweet. I don't have a French cuffed shirt, so I cut off both buttons, and then cut small holes in my shirt cuff, in order to wear them. Yeah, when I was in my interview with my mission president, I showed them to him, and he thought they were pretty cool, too. But, my companion told me (in companionship inventory) that he thought I was, as he put it, "living in Babylon" being focused on worldly things. First, I hate cheesy missionary analogies like that, and secondly, it doesn't matter that there were alcoholic paraphernalia on them—they were so sweet! Anyway, almost everybody at zone conference thought they were amazing."

I love my brother. He is an inspiration for being such a great missionary, but I also love how he hasn't lost his sense of humor and keeps it real on his mission.

cupcakes

2009-02-09T11:47:00.001-08:00

Last Sunday when Ben was visiting Boston, I had five hours to burn before church (thank you, 3:00 pm church). After making six books and completely running out of paper, I decided to bake cupcakes. I searched my cupboards and found my Valentine's Day sprinkles (actually the only sprinkles I own), which seemed perfect with the holiday quickly approaching. Ben and I actually hate this holiday, but I couldn't find anything wrong with making pretty cupcakes for myself to enjoy. Despite the fact that it was fast Sunday, so I couldn't taste the batter or frosting as I was making them, they actually turned out quite well.

I had a fantastic time decorating the cup cakes with heart and kiss sprinkles, as well as coconut.

presents from Korea

2009-02-09T11:38:00.001-08:00

Since my brother just spent two weeks in South Korea before he headed back to Russia with his new visa, he bought a bunch of ties and scarves for our family and mailed them to my Mom. We picked out the ones we wanted via webcam.

Ben picked out a really fantastic grey and silver tie, which he wore to church on Sunday. Isn't he dashing?

A little photo-op in our kitchen as we were getting ready for church. Yes, those are roses on the counter from my husband. Yes, he is fantastic. Yes, Diedra, he does give lessons.

the famous double chocolate chip cookies

2009-01-26T13:02:00.001-08:00

For anyone who has had these frozen little nuggets of deliciousness, you know just how amazing these cookies are. They were first discovered by my brother Garrett, probably over 10 years ago, and they have quickly risen in popularity. When I bake cookies, I almost always bake these double chocolate chip wonders. So here is the recipe to make everyone's day brighter:

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c butter, softened

1 c brown sugar

3/4 c white sugar

1 t vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/2 c flour

1/2 c cocoa

1 t salt

1 t baking soda

1 bag semi sweet chocolate chips

Beat butter, sugars, and vanilla until mixture is well mixed. Add eggs and mix until it becomes lighter in color. (You will notice that if you let is mix 1-2 minutes more than just "combined" the mixture gets lighter in color, which is good.) Add the dry ingredients and stir in completely. Mix in the chocolate chips by hand. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.

I prefer to make my cookies softer, rather than crispy on the bottom, so I don't bake them over 10 minutes. I have also found that they taste best when frozen (both because it keeps them from drying out and frozen chocolate is amazing). Try the cookies frozen; I dare you.

adventures in south korea

2009-01-26T07:18:00.000-08:00

Sometimes my brother goes to South Korea to renew his visa. Sometimes he visits the DMZ while he is in Korea, watching the soldiers walk around with guns, seeing the dividing line between the two countries, and also having fun with the other missionaries while they wait for their paperwork to be processed.

The dividing line between South and North Korea, with a soldier standing guard.

Garrett standing close, but not too close, to a guard. He doesn't want to get in trouble.

This is just to prove how awesome his new pea coat is. Apparently the good part about leaving your mission for two weeks to visit another country is that you get to spend your days serving in the temple and also buy pea coats for a fraction of the cost.

Seoul

Sometimes they get to go bowling as an activity. Notice the rad tie.

The group of missionaries in Korea. I'm not sure why Garrett is kicking his foot up. I'm mainly sad he doesn't have on a huge fur hat right now.

Garrett, I hope you survive the rest of Russia's winter. Good luck!

kabob palace

2009-01-21T11:36:00.000-08:00

For anyone who has lived in Pentagon City, you know just how good the Kabob Palace is. Yes, it is scary and filled with cab drivers at night, but you just can't beat their kabobs. As I was scanning our pantry on Sunday morning deciding what to make for dinner before heading off to church, I noticed some Indian seasonings that I haven't touched in awhile. Of course I had chick peas, tomatoes, and onions, so I was good to go. I got the chick peas cooking and then started rummaging around the kitchen for something to go with the chick peas.

I flipped through the Betty Crocker Indian cookbook that I got as a gift a few years back and found this fantastic recipe for ground lamb kabobs. I obviously don't keep ground lamb in the freezer, so I substituted ground beef and in a few minutes had that marinating in the fridge to grill after church. Next up, I found a great recipe for naan. I was pretty excited about how the meal was turning out, all from random ingredients in my kitchen.

After church, Ben and I finished cooking the chick peas, grilled the beef, and made naan, which was incredible. I brushed the naan with butter once it came off the pan and sprinkled it with sea salt. Since Kabob Palace is famous for its sauce, I put together the closest imitation using cumin and cayenne to make it spicy. It wasn't the same, but it had the same effect of making the meat and naan more flavorful. Overall, it was an incredible meal.

Below are the recipes so that everyone can enjoy the goodness.

Seekh Kabob

1 lb ground beef (or lamb)

1/2 c finely chopped onion

1 t salt

1 t ground cardamom

1 t ground cumin

3/4 t ground black pepper

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Mix all ingredients together. (I let the meat and spices marinate in the fridge for a few hours before grilling.) Divide the meat into 12 parts and press around a skewer so that half of the skewer is covered. Grill 12-15 minutes on medium high heat, turning occassionally so that meat browns evenly. (I broiled the kabobs in the oven.) Serve with cutney or fresh lime.

Naan

3 c flour

1 T sugar

1 t salt

2 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 c milk, slightly warmed

2 T oil

1/4 c water, warmed

melted butter for brushing

Mix together the dry ingredients. Mix milk and oil; stir into flour mixture (it will be crumbly). Stir in water. Dough should form a ball, but not be sticky or dry. (I added a little more than 1/4 c.) Knead dough 2-3 minutes or until dough becomes smooth and pliable. Brush with butter, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for 30 minutes. Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Shape into a ball and let sit for another 30 minutes. Roll out each piece of dough into a circle, 1/4 inch thick, on a lightly floured surface. Cook on a HOT frying pan (no oil) for 1-2 minutes each side. The pan needs to be hot so that the bread gets air bubbles while cooking. Once cooked, immediately brush with butter and sprinkle with salt.

Christmas presents for the kids

2009-01-11T19:15:00.000-08:00

This year Ben had the brilliant idea to make animal towels for the nieces and nephews for Christmas. I loved this idea since the kids get plenty of toys from their grandparents, parents, and aunts, so I thought it would be nice to get the kids something that they could actually use but would also find fun. Ben and I looked at lots of pictures of the towel animals online to select our favorites and then went to work.

We made a dinosaur for Peter, ducks for Eleanor and Zari, and penguins (my personal favorite) for Theodore and Brooklyn. I was not able to be there when the kids opened their presents, but my sister Jocelyn recorded parts of Christmas morning for the rest of the family to enjoy. Here is a video of Peter and Eleanor opening their towel animals, and here is a picture of Zari in her duck, which she loves.

I am so happy that the kids like their towels so much. I am also thrilled to have married a man who (a) has brilliant ideas, (b) can sew, and (c) likes to join me in my projects.

elder spencer

2009-01-09T07:12:00.000-08:00

I thought I would write a little tribute to my amazing and hilarious brother Garrett, who is serving a mission in Russia right now. For anyone that has heard stories or been lucky enough to meet him at Duck Beach, you know just how much I am proud of him. We were the last two kids at home for awhile, so we became very close. He is such a hard worker, has an incredible sense of style, loves to get involved in fun activities, and is one of the nicest people I know. Here are some recent pictures from his mission.

The members in his area had a Christmas party. Can you see Garrett's excitement over his Christmas goody bag? For anyone who has seen me excited, we practically have the exact same expression.

Garrett has also put his violin skills to good use, by performing several times while in Russia. It sounds like people with musical skill is rare, so it has been a great chance for him to use his talent. Garrett, aren't you glad all those years of practicing and getting nagged to practice more have paid off?

Garrett titled this one, "On the train. It was almost like I imagined Harry Potter, but not quite." You will also notice his rocking tie. He loves ties and has found quite a few great ones while on his mission.

Obviously Garrett is displaying his stellar cooking skills in this photo, with the big knife and deal animal next to him. Garrett, I think you are taking after dad with your love of big knives.

proof that Ben and I will have adorable children

2009-01-08T08:20:00.000-08:00

I've often stated that my sister's adorable kids are proof that I will have adorable children. Now to add to the evidence we have Ben's first niece, Brooklyn. She is one of the happiest babies I have ever met, and she was so fun to play with. Here are some pictures of Ben and Brooklyn from Christmas in Oregon.

Ben playing with Brooklyn.

Brooklyn LOVES all gadgets. It is something about pushing the buttons and watching the lights.

Brooklyn also loves to taste everything. And I mean EVERYTHING. I loved watching her crawl over to something and lick it. Here she is testing Ben's cell phone.

Ben enjoying being an uncle, with Melissa enjoying all the free babysitters vying for Brooklyn's time.

Brooklyn has a favorite elephant stuffed animal. It has a magical ability to usually get to to stop crying if you give it to her. Did I mention that Brooklyn is the happiest baby I have ever met?

Brooklyn playing with a volleyball in the Dawson living room.

When we weren't playing volleyball, relaxing, or laughing at stories, Ben was usually working on b-school admission essays.

If anyone hasn't seen the "Dawson look," here it is. I didn't realize it was the Dawson look until the wedding reception in Oregon when I met all of Ben's brothers and they demonstrated it for me.

wadding caek

2009-01-07T06:36:00.000-08:00

This is kind of what happens when I attend weddings. This all started years ago when my sister Diedra decided to make the wedding cake for one of her close friends. I was recruited as the person to help hold the cake while in transport and assist with decorating (mainly holding things for Diedra). But I was hooked on wedding cakes.

When my older sister Jocelyn got married, I decided to make her wedding cake. Since we had just been to France and seen some beautiful cakes in store windows, I made a triple chocolate cake with a butter cream frosting decorated with strips of white chocolate and raspberries on top. The cake was covered with white chocolate strips and then tied with a ribbon to hold them all in place. It was absolutely gorgeous.

Since then Diedra and I have done a few wedding cakes together (and a bridal shower cake for our friend Mel, which was so incredibly adorable). We figured out how to do fondant a few years back, which has been one of the funnest things to work with. I love how it makes the cakes look and how elegant it is.

The Parks-Sparks wedding cake.

Jocelyn actually baked the cake, since I arrived in California the day before the wedding.

I spent the morning whipping up a huge batch of frosting and then decorating the cake at her parent's home.

This is me smirking at the wonderful dinner after the wedding.

Christmas traditions

2009-01-06T12:19:00.000-08:00

I big part of growing up in the Spencer household were our family traditions, especially at Christmas. We always got to open new PJ's on Christmas Eve, even though each year the parents would say "you don't know they are pajamas." Yeah, we knew. Stockings were always full of nuts (usually the kind my dad likes . . . hmm, I wonder who filled the stockings) and oranges. We Christmas dinner was a fancy affair, where we dusted off our china and the "S" silverware from Germany to each a wonderful dinner of roladen, wild rice, and red cabbage, complete with Christmas crackers on each plate. When we were really young we acted out the nativity with costumes. And I'm serious when I say costumes. Some years we used my pet rabbit as Jesus in the manger, and one year we used Garrett, who was a new born baby. And yes, my dad even made a real manger out of wood. It is that intense.

The Spencer Family Christmas Craft started early in our lives, one Christmas at our cabin. I'm not sure what started the idea, but that Christmas my mom decided it would be fun to have her girls decorate teddy bears. This was actually a brilliant idea since we were at our cabin and in the middle of nowhere (and you can only ice skate so much each day before you are frozen). I still remember making these bears using a hot glue gun, lace, and some beads. They were probably pretty ugly, but we had a really fun time. From here the crafts only got more intense and serious. We've made just about everything: silk paintings, homemade soap, t-shirts, leather books and journals, cloth diapers (for my sister Joc's kids), fly fishing rods, fly rod cases, earrings, and Christmas ornaments.

Obviously, Christmas is a big deal in my house. For weeks leading up the holidays, I have been asking Ben what are his family's traditions, since ours are so ingrained in my memory (and such a huge part of why I love my home during the holidays). This year we got to spend a whole wonderful week with Ben's family in Oregon. I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas, complete with a Christmas Eve miracle of finally arriving in Oregon after 18 hours of trying to get there. We woke up to a white Christmas, played games, laughed and told stories, and most of all just enjoyed being around each other. Ben's family is incredibly fun and laid back, which I just love.

Although Ben claimed there weren't many, I did witness some Dawson family traditions:

1. Having the biggest Christmas tree I've ever seen. Although this year's tree was smaller than in previous years, it was still huge. Since their family room has a vaulted ceiling, they can easily get a 15-foot tree (although "easily" is arguable about getting it inside the house). Last year Ben and I got to help put up the tree, which took all the Dawson muscle to get it upright and secure. And taking down the tree requires some power tools to cut off the branches to get it out.

2. Playing volleyball. A lot. My family is more of the outdoorsy type. We go camping in Europe, down hill ski, go fishing, and make our own trails while hiking, but we aren't much into organized sports per say. So I was a little scared to see if I could hack it with Ben's incredibly talented sporty family. (I have almost no athletic natural ability. Any sort of accomplishment comes purely from trying my hardest.) But I had nothing to worry about since (a) everyone was incredibly helpful when it came to helping me get better, (b) the Dawsons are really fun to play games with, and (c) I have a dominating under hand serve. I can't overhand serve to save my life, so luckily my serve circa 1995 can stand its own ground. We played volleyball despite the foot of snow on the roads. Take that for hard core!

3. Dawson family dinner. The Dawsons are big on family dinners with all the extended family. Cousins, aunts, and uncles show up for a fun night of delicious food, games, and most definitely laughing. It was so nice to talk to a lot of the people that I met briefly at the wedding. This tradition also includes a white elephant gift exchange, ensuing a lot of hilarious and sometimes scandal. This year the hottest items were body glitter with a matching pink puff, cross-stitched Kleenex cover, thin mints, and chocolate bars, which were stuffed down a diaper to convince everyone else they didn't want to steal them. One of the funnest parts was getting to spend time with the Dawson women in the kitchen.

4. Spending time with the family. One thing I love about the Dawsons is how much they enjoy being together and just having a good time. I couldn't ask for better brothers and sisters in law. I love that he still has siblings in high school; they are a joy to be around and so much fun. It didn't matter if we were hanging around the kitchen eating chili, relaxing in the living room, or rolling in laughter while telling stories, Christmas was all about spending time with family. And just so you know Melissa, I say made-up words all the time. Sometimes over the pulpit at church. Just ask Ben.

the true spirit of Christmas

2008-12-22T12:07:00.000-08:00

Years back Diedra and I started what became a Spencer family tradition: giving gag gifts for Christmas. Except that the recipient didn't know they were gag gifts, which made it even better. Let me explain:

Years back when my little brother Garrett was only 11 or 12, Diedra and I decided it would be funny to tease him about giving him a really terrible Christmas gift, like an education computer game. Since he is one to (a) always tag along and ease drop, (b) act like he is not trying tag along, and (c) get really upset when we tease him, it was the perfect plan. All we had to do was talk in slightly louder than normal voices about his "present" and he was hooked. We had created an education math game called Mr. Math, which was also on clearance (which only made him more upset). It was hilarious. We didn't even have to try that hard, he fell right for the bait.

Once our trick was stuck, we then thought it would be even more hilarious to keep him thinking he got the crappiest Christmas gift ever, so instead of wrapping up a gift, we made him go on a treasure hunt around the house. By the time he got through all the clues, he was so bummed about actually finding an education math game, that he didn't even want to open his gift (which turned out to be a toad). Garrett was thrilled about the awesome pet and pretty upset that he fell for the joke. And the Christmas gag gift was born.

So the next year our family decided to pick names among the siblings. When I got my name and started brainstorming options, immediately I thought "what is the worst possible present?" After mulling over some pretty bad gifts, I realized that the worst possible present is having someone donate yours to charity on your behalf. Enter gag gift #2.

So instead of my sister Rixa and her husband Eric opening a gift on Christmas, then got a very fancy envelope. Inside was a letter from the president of an fake organization I made up thanking them for their generous donation. It also included pictures, a certificate of the donation in their name, and a company seal. The whole family was tricked. My mom even commented on how thoughtful the gift was. Eric was a little miffed about the gift, but of course couldn't say anything. I giggled to my self for several hours until I finally broke the news that the entire gift certificate was fake and I had a real present for them.

After that, gag gifts were a must. I couldn't believe that I had fooled the entire family with a little fancy word document and card stock. Diedra also got in on the gag gifts for the next couple of years. Below is a list of the various gifts we have given:

1. Chaste and Be Chased. A Mormon book on dating and being chaste. I gave this to my little brother Garrett one Christmas. It was a real book, but I made a fake dust jacket. My mother actually loved it (she is a big fan of giving chastity talks), and Garrett had this horrified look when he opened it. The best part was the accompanying CD of chaste songs sung by the MoTab.

2. Fake IDs. I gave Diedra the idea to make people in our family fake IDs with a little color printing and laminating. My dad got one for being a President Bush look-a-like and Garrett got one that listed his age as 21 and also included facial hair, issued by the State of Insanity.

3. Certificates of servitude. You know the "coupons" you give your parents when you are little for things like hugs and helping with the dishes? Well we made long, detailed, and extravagant certificates to each member of the family on behalf of Garrett and forged his signature. The best part was having each family member read theirs all while Garrett is in the background protesting that he did not write it or sign it and it is not valid. We promised away most of Garrett's savings, free time, and allowance. It was priceless.

leather books

2008-12-16T12:46:00.001-08:00

I learned how to bind books in college and instantly fell in love. I remember spending a lot of my Saturday mornings hanging out in the empty classroom taking advantage of the amazing paper cutter. I made a lot of books that semester, many of which I still use.

When my best friend Jocelyn and I realized that we both took that class and knew how to book bind, it was a match made in heaven. We started to collect supplies; Jocelyn supplied the pretty paper and I found the perfect source for leather: my father.

I might have to tell you a little about my father at this point. He can do anything (and often does). Sometimes he thinks of something and then makes it (gee, I wonder where I get that from?). He learned how to make fly rods a few years back and has since taught the entire family. He taught himself how to fix cars and has spent a lot of time in our garage trying to keep our Ford Tauruses going. He picked up woodworking and has made our kitchen table, bookcases, bed frames, cribs, and jewelry boxes.

A few Christmases ago for the Spencer family Christmas craft, I taught the family how to make books using leather as the cover, and my dad instantly fell in love. He is actually really good at this and loves to make them in his spare time. My dad had part of a cowhide, which we used, but we knew we had to find more leather. Then came my dad's brilliant plan. As part of his job he drives around the state and often passes a local show factory. One day he stops in and just asks them if they ever sell leftover leather. Nope, they give it away for free. So he walks into an entire ROOM of leather scraps and fills up an entire bag full. Every once in awhile my dad will send me a huge box of leather, all different colors and textures. This is what supports my book making.

So with a box or two of leather and some paper, Jocelyn and I set about to get back into book binding. After making a few books, we came upon this ingenious way to make really small journals in only about 30 minutes (as opposed to 2-5 hours for each journal). We haven't made books together in awhile, but I still pull out my supplies and make books every few weeks. Below are some examples of the journals I have made.

joys of Christmas baking

2008-12-15T11:58:00.000-08:00

I love all things Christmas. Ben was nice enough to let me decorate early this year (before Thanksgiving) because I was so excited about putting up the ornaments that I made last year with my sister and mom. In lieu of a tree, I decided to hang them on our baking rack, which is doing an excellent job at being festive. We also put up some white Christmas lights in the kitchen.

I also love all the cooking and baking that comes with the holidays, because it means that I get to spend time making delicious food I only make once a year and often with friends. My dear friend Jocelyn wanted to learn the art of bread making, so we convened in her darling green kitchen one Saturday morning with Kim to see what we could create. (Notice how I match the kitchen?)

We made two batches of pumpernickel (one of my favorites) and the Spencer family famous French Bread (that is to die for, trust me). After some helpful tips like (the water should be warm like a baby's bath, don't over kneed the dough, and rise the dough in a slightly warm oven for 20 minutes) we ended up with really amazing bread.

Enjoying the fruits of our labors.

Pumpernickel Bread

½ c + 2 T warm water
1 ½ T dark molasses
1 ½ c flour
⅓ c medium rye flour
⅓ c whole wheat flour
1 T unsweetened cocoa
1 t salt
2 T butter (or oil)
1 ½ t yeast

Dissolve yeast in warm water and let sit 10 minutes. Stir in molasses and butter. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add half at a time. Dough should be soft, but not sticky. Knead until smooth. Let dough rise until double (about 45 minutes). Punch down and shape into a rounded ball. Let rise for 30-40 minutes. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

French Bread

2 ½ c warm water
2 T yeast
3 T sugar
¼ c oil
1 egg yolk
6 c flour
1 t salt
1 egg white

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water, letting it grow for 5-10 mins. Add oil, yolk, salt, and 2 c flour. Stir until smooth. Add remaining flour until dough is soft but not sticky. Set in greased bowl to rise until double. Punch down and form into 2 loaves. Let rise until double and brush with egg white. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes.

I also got to spend a few hours this last Saturday with Kim making the most delicious sugar cookies. I am a sugar cookie purest; I don't eat any one's cookies but my own. The secret: add 1 tsp almond extract to the dough and a little to the glaze. It makes the flavor much better. I also dip my cookies in a glaze, which is easier than frosting (since the glaze smooths itself out, requiring so spreading) and hardens so that you can stack them in a container.

Now I am looking forward to some more baking with Ben's family and maybe trying out some new dishes.

snorkeling

2008-12-15T08:56:00.000-08:00

The snorkeling was the best I have ever had (and I've been three times). We usually spent a few hours in the morning and then a few hours after lunch trying out different spots to see what we could find. Our two favorite locations were Salt Pond Bay and Waterlemon Bay. Both required about a 15 minute walk, but I thought it was well worth it. Above is Waterlemon Bay, where Ben and I saw the HUGE barracuda (which kind of freaked me out).

As proof here is a picture of Ben snorkeling in Waterlemon Bay. We found a few sea turtles and were following them around the shall, grassy area as they ate. They are incredible to watch and really fun to swim with.

Waterlemon Bay beach. The beach isn't very big, but it is beautiful and worth the incredibly snorkeling.

Highlights of our snorkeling:

1. We saw lots of sting rays, which Ben and I both love. I've seen them before, but they somehow never seem to lose they draw. They are really fun to swim above and watch, although Ben and I came across one in Maho Bay that did not seem happy to have us so close, so we backed off.

2. Squid. This was the first time that I have ever seen squid. We first spotted one in Waterlemon Bay, and stopped to watch it. Then we realized that there were three others near him, but just extremely well camouflaged. They are incredible to watch, since they are constantly changing colors and patterns. Once we knew what to look for, we saw eight more in another bay and a really big one later on in Waterlemon bay.

3. Porcupine fish. The first time Ben and I saw one of these, we had NO idea what it was. Besides that it looks kind of crazy, the way it swims is very strange. The small fins on the top and bottom of its tag wag back and forth, kind of making the whole wag as it swims. They are very wary of people, so we didn't get to watch him for long, but it was about 3 feet long. This is actually a puffer fish, but we saw it un-puffed.

4. Nurse sharks. I have never seen a shark before. We had heard that people have seen them in some of the bays, so one day Ben and I went out in Salt Pond to see if we could spot one at the edge of the sand and coral. And we did, but not just a shark, two six-foot long sharks. One was sitting on the bottom and one was swimming, which we followed for awhile. They were actually very beautiful and not nearly as terrifying as I thought they would be. I was much, much more terrified of the enormous barracuda.

5. Moray Eels. I thought I would be utterly scared of seeing an eel, but actually they are beautiful. I spotted one swimming along the bottom in Waterlemon Bay, and Ben and I stopped to watch it for awhile. It was beautiful to watch and it's face wasn't that scary after all.

6. Swimming around Waterlemon Cay. Waterlemon has a small island that you can swim around and see the most amazing coral. If you swim counter clockwise, the current actually pushes you all the way around, so it is a really fun ride. After an amazing swim around the island, we swam up to the sandy part and relaxed on our own private island.

Overall I was amazed at the clarity of the water and the amount of fish that we saw each day. Ben is incredibly lucky at finding sea life, and my reading about Caribbean fish really came in handy when we kept wondering what everything was.

Proof that Ben and I went snorkeling. Check out of our awesome mask lines.

Ben taking in the view at Waterlemon Bay.

the beaches

2008-12-15T08:44:00.000-08:00

The beaches on St John are amazing. Since most of the island is still a forest, the beaches come right up the foliage, which is so pretty. When we weren't spending our time in the water searching for sharks, we were often on the beaches.

One of my favorite beaches on the island is Cinnamon Bay. It is a long bay, so the beach is wide and long. We went there one night around sunset to enjoy having the beach to ourselves. Since Ben isn't one to sit still for long, he found some volcanic rocks, which he proceeded to climb. We had a wonderful time enjoying a peaceful evening and still warmed by our sun-kissed skin.

Ben and I at Cinnamon Bay.

Ben climbing.

Ben jumping off some rocks.

I even took my turn at climbing, although I didn't get as high with a dress on.

The sunset at Cinnamon Bay.

Virgin Islands

2008-12-11T10:44:00.001-08:00

Welcome to Thanksgiving, Virgin Islands style. For the past few years I have made it a tradition to head down to St John for a week of being very thankful for beautiful islands and snorkeling. Last year I went down with some of my dearest friends (and sister) for a truly lovely week. Ben and I wanted to take advantage of (a) living on the East Coast, (b) having flexible schedules, and (c) not having kids yet, so we decided to skip the turkey and instead bask in the sun.

Above is the view from Concordia, which is an eco-friendly vacationing spot on the southern tip of St John. It is a small complex of condos, with a restaurant, pool, and convenience store. I've been to this side of the island before, but not stayed there, so it was a nice change. The view was incredible. And since we had a kitchen, I brought an entire backpack of food, which might sound crazy to some people to fly with a bunch of food. But when we were eating brie with fresh french bread and pears for dinner while watching the sunset, I bet you were jealous. Most of our meals we ate in the condo, which made it that much easier to upgrade to a nicer room after our first one needed some repairs.

After a few bumps in the road (having to get another rental car since our first one couldn't go to St John and driving across St John in the dark), we eventually found Concordia. As a remnant of the Colonial past, you drive on the left side of the road in the Virgin Islands, which makes for some pretty fun/crazy driving. Ben did a terrific job at navigating the windy roads and also keeping us from bottoming out.

Driving on the left side of the road. Notice how the vegetation kind of takes over.

Our favorite switch back. This picture doesn't do justice to just how crazy this turn was. The best strategy of not dying: honk and then proceed with caution.

Each morning we would wake up to complete silence (after falling asleep to the surprisingly loud noise of tree frogs, the silence of them stopping actually wakes you up). It as wonderful to wake up to the bright sun and get to relax for a few more hours before hitting the beach. Most morning we would read on our wrap around porch while enjoying the sun. We would then head out to the beach around 10 for a few hours of snorkeling and then head back for lunch before round two of snorkeling. We had amazing weather and visibility all week.

Our condo was a two-story loft that had a porch that wrapped around, so we could see 180 degrees ocean view.

The main floor.

The vaulted, wooded ceiling. On the left side you can see the loft where our bedroom was.

The view from our porch. I spent most mornings and evenings out here just enjoying the view.

Some other fun aspects of the condo were:
1. Two sides of the shower were slats that you could open up and see the jungle. Really great for the exhibitionist in me, but also rather alarming to hear people outside walking around.
2. The condo was the highest up on the hill, so we had the best view.
3. The bedroom was upstairs, but the stairs were on the exterior. Not a big deal if you are heading up to grab something, but kind of strange to hop out of the shower and streak up the stairs so no one sees you.
4. We were about a 15 minute walk from our condo to Salt Pond Bay, which is were we did a lot of our snorkeling. It was fun to go a small hike and emerge from the jungle at the beach.
5. Humming birds were everywhere. Every few minutes one would fly by me as I sat outside.

all those tales about roadkill are true

2008-12-08T08:51:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows anything about my crazy (fun) family knows that we ate roadkill growing up. Not squirrels or raccoons, but deer. Only the top of the line roadkill. My father would usually find one while driving (deer are a plenty in Minnesota) or put his name on the DNR roadkill list and get called when they found a warm deer. (I'm not making any of this up). He would then proceed to skin and butcher it in our garage and nicely wrap it in butchers wrap and label RK for roadkill. At least my dad is funny. These butchering sessions would also include anatomy sessions for any kids who got close enough. My dad would often grab pliers, pick a tendon and then pull to show us how it make the legs move. Kind of gross but pretty awesome when you are ten.

To show that this is still alive in America, here is a snippet from his last letter:

The Frandsen family (from the 3rd Ward) hit a deer with their car on the way to
the Christmas activity on Friday. Brother Frandsen thought that he should
keep since it had done damage to his vehicle. He called the Sheriff and
waited. Finally after nearly an hour the Sheriff finally arrived.
While the Sheriff was filling out the possession tag, the deer raised it’s head
then sprang up and ran away! It is a good thing that he didn’t just throw
the deer in the back of his vehicle and drive off.

Lest you think that we only talk about people who pick up dead animals off the side of the road, earlier this year my dad came across a dead wolf (timberwolf) and put it in his trunk to take home. Only after skinning it did he realize that it is probably illegal to do so with endangered animals, so he called the police who quickly confiscated it. I'm not sure what my dad would do exactly with the wolf hide, but something tells me he would find a good use for it.

favorite brother

2008-12-08T08:26:00.000-08:00

In true Spencer family fashion, a few years back Garrett made everyone in the family something with his face on it. The girls all got aprons with his face that either said "favorite brother" or "favorite son." The nephew got a t-shirt that had his face with "favorite uncle." It was pretty rad.

The best part is the likeness to Garrett's face. Yes he made the stencil himself. Yes he painted them on aprons and teeshirts.

Below is the latest creation by Garrett. I think my mom mailed his stencil to him in Russia so that he could make more items with his face on it.

Maybe someday if you are cool enough you might get your own Garrett t-shirt with his face on it. I suggest sending him packages now to start buttering him up.

German Curried Chicken

2008-11-20T07:10:00.000-08:00

In honor of my German grandmother Brigitta, I'm going to share one of my favorite dinner recipes, German Curried Chicken. You are probably asking yourself how can curried chicken be German, but I assure you, this is not like any curry you have had before.

Please note that I never measure anything when I cook, so all the directions below are estimates. Adjust as you see fit.

German Curried Chicken
1 medium onion, diced
1 T olive oil
1-2 t curry powder (any generic kind will do)
2 chicken breasts, thawed, cut into bite size pieces
2 large spoonfuls of flour
1-2 c milk
1-2 spoonfuls of sugar
1/2 c lemon juice
salt to taste

Saute the onions in the olive oil for 5-7 minutes until they are tender. Add the curry part way through. If you aren't sure how much curry you like, add just a little bit at a time (you can always add more once you make the sauce to taste it). Add the chicken and continue to saute until the chicken is cooked through. Add the flour and quickly stir until the oil has combined with the flour (this is crucial, because otherwise you will get a lumpy sauce). Add the milk and stir on medium heat until it thickens. You need to stir constantly so that the bottom doesn't burn. At this point add some salt and additional curry to taste. The sauce should be a warm yellow color. I Once the sauce thickens, add the sugar and the lemon juice. This will give it the German kick (they love anything sour). I usually add more lemon juice until it really has a kick.

Serve over rice and top with any of the following toppings: coconut, pineapple, diced tomatoes, sunflower seeds, or raisins.

If your sauce is not thickening, then you either didn't add enough flour or too much milk. I would suggest blending some flour in a little bit of milk until the lumps are all gone (this is important) and then adding that mixture to the curried chicken and cook until it thickens. If you've made any sauces before, then this should be easy.

things i've learned since being married

2008-11-18T08:34:00.001-08:00

It is kind of entertaining at how many things I've notice about myself since being married. Maybe it is the fact that I have Ben (the perfect man) next to me most of the day to realize just how many silly habits I am still holding on to. Ben is hands-down the most patient, kind, charitable person I have ever met. How could I not notice these small characteristics when living with the best person I know?

Now, I am not at all complaining about being married to the perfect man. I love that Ben is always an example to me, and I'm sure there are things that he has noticed I am perfect at (like being willing to fold the laundry...all the time and always wanting to eat more vegetables). But here are a few things I noticed last week about myself:

1. I have a temper. It is rare, but it still happens. Like when I step outside my house and notice that someone has BACKED INTO THE SIDE DOOR OF MY PARKED CAR and just drove away. I know that Fritney isn't the picture of beauty, but a huge dent in the side of my car isn't going to help the resale value. And I can see how sometimes you can touch a bumper and not notice, but doing a three-point turn directly into a parked car is definitely noticeable. See? I sometimes get mad. After knowing Ben for three plus years and being married for 6 months, I have yet to see Ben even remotely mad.

2. Eating on a regular basis keeps me happy. Now I pride myself on being able to go all day without having to stop for meals while on vacation. I love that I can just keep going. But on a normal day, I will quickly admit that I need meals otherwise I get grumpy. Luckily I am the first to notice the need for food, so the grumpiness is at a minimum when it happens, but it still happens. Good thing Ben is patient and knows when to recommend we grab dinner.

3. I love to sleep. I also prided myself in college on being able to not get 7-8 hours a night and still feel great. Refreshed even. Well not anymore. In fact, I could count the times I've used the snooze alarm on my two hands....that is until I got married. Now I love to snooze. Probably because I love to sleep and it doesn't hurt that I have a personal heater next to me.

4. I'm always cold. Always. I also didn't realize this until Ben is always fine and I am always freezing. And it isn't in my head. My feet are literally ice cold at times.

5. I get bored insanely fast. I kind of new this was strange when Kim would always laugh at me when I would be home for no more than 20 minutes and declare I was bored. But without five roommates to distract me, I notice that I get bored so fast. I need to be constantly doing something productive. Although this ties into number 6....

6. I am insanely fast. At practically everything. This may seem like bragging, but I have yet to meet someone who is generally faster than me. I could list so many examples, so I think I will. 1) I was the fastest dishwasher at the London study abroad program (we usually finished dishes 30-60 minutes ahead of other groups), 2) I can make most dinners from scratch in 20-30 minutes, 3) I usually walk faster than those I am with, 4) crocheting projects only last me a few hours, 5) I am currently doing two people's job at work, and 6) last Christmas when we were making ornaments, I made 50-60 while my sisters/mother only made 20. I figured out the reason I get bored is because I am so efficient and fast. I can make dinner, do the laundry, and clean the house in about 45 minutes. So it is no wonder that by 8:00 pm I am bored. Which leads to number 7.

7. I always have at least four projects going on. Here is a list of projects I currently am working on: Christmas presents for the nieces and nephews which are top secret and cannot be discussed on the blog, a baby blanket for a friend, leather bound books for presents, packing food for a week for my Thanksgiving vacation, etc. I love being productive and seeing the end product of my work. Which reminds me, I need to start tying flies for my brother-in-law for Christmas. See, the projects never end! Most people I know can't and don't want to juggle this many projects at once. I thrive on it.

that pink blazer had to come in handy eventually...

2008-11-06T11:35:00.002-08:00

Ben probably thought I was crazy for suggesting trying on a bright pink blazer that we found at my favorite thrift store (the Community Clothesline) in Minnesota. I knew it would come in handy, I just wasn't sure for what. And last week we found out what for:It really made the perfect Used Cars Salesman costume for Halloween. And are those the polyester pants and tie that I also found at the Clothesline, you betcha! And although you can't tell from the pictures, yes that is a goatee that Ben is sporting.

You would think that with such great costume genius I would come up with something awesome. My costume had potential, but one fatal flaw: if I stopped moving I just looked like a blue monster, a very boring blue monster.

Me dressed as a car wash. At least the costume looked great in motion.

christmas crafts

2008-11-06T11:04:00.000-08:00

I have a quandary. Usually I blog about my most recent crafting, but since these are all for Christmas gifts (either for friends or family), I can't post it on the blog or all Christmas surprises would be ruined. This kind of kills my blogging spirit, especially since so many of these things are awesome! If I was to blog about the crafts, here is what the editing version would look like:

A few months ago I came across the idea of making ******* as Christmas presents
for my *****. I think I actually giggled to myself because the gift was perfect.
I headed to the ***** store and found the perfect ***** of ****** to make them
with. The ****** looks fantastic, and I can't wait for ***** to open it.

This will all make more sense come Dec 25.

What I can tell you about the crafting is that Ben has gotten into it this year. You never know, come Christmas 2009 he might even join the Spencer Christmas Craft.

in praise of slowness

2008-11-05T05:59:00.001-08:00

I started reading a new book today, called "In Praise of Slowness." I'm only 25 pages in, but I'm intrigued by the idea that sometimes slower is better. The author is in favor of balance, knowing when to slow down to make life better.

This has made me reflect on how some things in life are just better slow. Here is a list off the top of my head:

1. Cooking. Yes, I love that you can defrost chicken in the microwave in 2.5 minutes, but other than that, I prefer to do things the slow, old fashioned way. I bake my own bread (letting it rise while at church on Sundays), make all my soups from scratch, and love when I can really call the meal my own. Cooking is really an art, a kind of folklore that is passed down from generation in the kitchen. I love that half of the things I cook I learned from my mother, who learned from her mother. I also love that I have the time to experiment with new recipes. I wouldn't trade cooking dinner each night for anything (although I do love it when Ben and I cook together).

2. Gardening. Okay, I currently don't have a garden, and this will come to a great shock to my parents who witnessed my disapproval of helping out in the garden growing up, but I do love gardening. Well not always, but I guess I love the product. I love the mass amount of tomatoes, squash, potatoes, and beans that come at the end of the summer.

3. Eating Dinner. Maybe this is the reason why I like to have a set table, place mats, and the food in dishes. I just like enjoying the moment, appreciating the food we are eating. I will admit that I often hurry through a bowl of grape nuts at breakfast (or worse, at my desk), but dinner is something that I prefer taking time for.

4. Talking with friends. I think one of the greatest blessings of being single was actually getting to spend time with friends, lots of time. I loved that I lived with so many wonderful roommates and that we got to spend time relaxing after a long day and just talking to each other. And now I get to spend that same kind of time with the best man in the world (at least for me) each night. I love how when I am truly relaxed and happy with a friend, conversations just flow and time stands still. We can easily talk for 1-2 hours without even noticing the time. I am eternally grateful to those few precious friends who keep me sane through our conversations, since nothing is quite as cathartic as talking to a close friend.

5. Walking. I am a fast walker in terms of speed, but walks (the kind you take with friends or out enjoying nature) are always best when not rushed. I love just taking in the outdoors. Maybe this is why I love my commute so much. Yes I have to talk to the metro in the rain and snow sometimes, but I love that I have 15 minutes to clear my head and stretch my legs after a long day at work. Walking does wonders for me.

6. Fishing. The great thing about fishing is that is cannot be rushed. You have to wait, have patience, and just enjoy the moment. As I always remind Ben when I am catching no fish, fishing isn't about the fish, it is about the water. There is something cleansing about just being in nature. I love just standing in a middle of a stream with the cool touch of the water around my legs and listening to the ripples. Fly fishing allows to you appreciate this more than anything I have ever found. In fact, the last time we went fishing I completely missed a few strikes because I was so taken with watching wildlife (a beaver swim around me).

7. Babies. One reason I love Christmas is that each year I get to spend quality time with my sister's kids, which usually involves a baby. I love that they can't be rushed. Some of my favorite memories are of holding Zari in a sling for hours on end while she slept cuddled again my chest. Besides that she was my personal heat source, I love that taking time to appreciate the moment is what it is all about.

calzones

2008-11-03T12:56:00.000-08:00

Lately Ben and I have been dining at one of our favorite restaurants, a small pizzeria just a few blocks away. Their pizza is incredible; really fantastic crisp crust, fresh mozzarella, and lots of fun toppings. My favorite is the white pizza (ricotta, smoked mozzarella, basil). Ben likes it with pepperoni on top.

In honor of our love of pizza, Ben and I decided to try making calzones on Sunday. With a hearty appetite after a Fast Sunday, we threw together a bunch of random ingredients in our fridge to make really great creations. I have been working on perfecting my pizza crust. I typically like deep dish, but these never turn out well at home, so lately I have converted over to thin crust. I would highly recommend investing in a $15 baking stone to make the best crusts (and always preheat the stone).

Pizza Dough
I actually made normal french bread and let it rise in the fridge while we were at church.
2 1/2 c warm water
2 Tbs yeast
3 Tbs sugar
1/4 c oil
1 tps salt
1 egg yolk
6 c flour

Combine water, yeast, and sugar and let it grow for 5-8 minutes. Add oil, salt, egg yolk, and half of the flour. Stir until the lumps are gone and then add remaining flour until a soft dough forms. Place in greased bowl and let rise until double.

Punch down and cut off a small portion. Roll out into a circle as thin as possible. Put any combination of the following ingredients onto half of the dough, leaving the edge empty:

Sharp cheddar cheese
Ricotta cheese
Spaghetti sauce
Vodka spaghetti sauce
Parmesan cheese
Flavored sausage

Fold the dough over and press the edges together to seal (I like to roll the bottom edge on top of the other edge and then press together. Transfer to a preheated, corn meal dusted baking stone and bake at 450 for 15-20 minutes (until golden brown). Brush with olive oil and lightly salt. Eat hot.

how to make a wedding cake

2008-10-31T12:08:00.000-07:00

Step 1: Have your best friend get married to another close friend for the perfect weekend wedding. Have said best friend bake the cake a few days earlier and put it in the freezer (which makes it easier to cut and frost).

Step 2: Arrive on the scene a day early, which is apparently enough time to make a wedding cake. For a 10-inch and 6-inch two tier cake, make two large batches of frosting. You want to have extra frosting, which makes it easier to frost and make the frosting smooth.

Step 3: After you are sufficiently covered in powdered sugar, pull out the two 10-inch layers. Cut the tops off so they are completely flat. Frost the top of one layer, add a little bit of raspberry filling (aka raspberry jam) and then put the second layer on top. Push down so the layers stick together. Now cover this in a TON of frosting; adding a lot of frosting helps you avoid crumbs (which happen when the frosting is too thin and you pull at the cake) and makes it easier to smooth because you can just take off extra frosting. To get really smooth frosting, wipe frosting tool completely clean after each stroke. A damp frosting tool will help the frosting become completely smooth.

Step 4: Repeat with 6-inch cake. You will want to cut a small circle of cardboard (covered in tin foil) to put the smaller cake on while you frost and decorate.

Step 5: Get a friend. Preferably someone who is quick on their feet. Roll out fondant big enough for larger layer and as quickly as possible pick up the fondant (this is where the friend comes in handy). With four hands you can easily pick it up without make any holes in it, center over the cake, and then proceed to work with the fondant to make it perfect. This also involves working incredible fast (fondant gets hard after 10 or more minutes) to make the fondant fit the cake and be completely smooth. You can rub the fondant with the palm of your hand to make it shine. Repeat with remaining fondant to cover smaller cake.

Step 6: Once the fondant is fitting cake and smooth, carefully cut the excess fondant off (whatever is longer than the stand) and let the cakes sit, undisturbed until the wedding. I suggest doing this the night before, because the fondant will harden a little, which makes it easier to transport. If the fondant is really soft, then any kind of tiny touch will leave a mark. If the fondant is a little harder, then you won't end up with little marks in the cake.

Step 7: Transport to the reception location. Cut straws (the normal drinking kind, I got mine at the nearest McDonald's) the exact height of the bottom layer. Stick into the cake below where the smaller layer will be to hold up the cake. If you don't use a support, then the cake will smoosh the bottom layer (I'm not kidding about this). Putting in just 8 straws will easily support a quite heavy 6-inch cake, plus no one can see them! Carefully (again with the help of a friend), place the smaller layer on top of the bottom layer, making sure that it is centered. Decorate with ribbon and flowers, for a perfect cake.

license to cut

2008-10-29T11:29:00.001-07:00

I'm a self taught stylist. I remember giving highlighting a try when I was sixteen on my friend Katie. It wasn't bad, but it sure wasn't even. So the second try I decided to give foiling a try since it seems basic enough: you take small strips, weave, put down some foil, apply bleach, and then fold the foil around the hair. And ta-da, we had just discovered how to give ourselves amazing highlights for about $4.

Once I got to college I realized that I needed to train someone to highlight my hair, so I found a friend (usually a roommate) who also wanted highlights, and I we would exchange services. I would usually do a quick demo to show her the basics and then let her highlight my hair. Over the years I have probably taught at least 8 people how to highlight hair. You would be amazed at how easy it is to learn. I mean, there are some tricks (like doing very crisp folds and working with another person to cut the time in half), but so far I really haven't had any mishaps. Even the "kinky streak" turned out to be one of my favorite hair memories.

I gave my first haircut my junior year in college when my roommate Kim and I were bored one night and both complained we needed a hair cut. And ta-da, we both learned how to cut hair. And I might add, we did an incredible job (Kim in fact remarked that it was the best haircut she had in awhile). After that we started giving friends haircuts. I still cut hair (my husband is my newest client).

When I was cutting my friend Jill's hair a few nights ago (again, we were swapping haircuts), she remarked how frightened stylists are when they hear that she often cuts and highlights hair without any formal training. And Jill is by far the best highlightess I have ever found. Her highlights were so even and subtle that I went six months before I even needed more.

The hilarious part about my self-taught stylist ability is that people stop me all the time on the street/metro/mall to ask who does my hair. And usually I saw, um a friend. They then ask for that person's contact information so they can get their hair done by them, and I have to break the news to them that they are not a trained stylist and usually taught by me. In fact yesterday while going home on the metro a girl behind me tapped my shoulder and asked me where I got my hair done. She is a stylist and wanted to know who did my hair so she could go learn from them. She almost died when I told her that my husband cuts my hair and I taught him how to.

The moral of the story: I believe anyone can learn how to cut hair. As my sister Diedra often says "if you can decorate a cake, you can cut hair." Apparently you just need a little creative urge.

The Wedding

2008-05-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

I couldn't have asked for a better wedding or a more memorable day! It was so wonderful to have our families there to be part of this very special day. And thanks to everyone who made this possible (my mom who catered the reception, my sister Diedra who made the amazing wedding cake, my brother-in-law Matt who took our pictures, and Jocelyn and Arianne who stole food for me!). An upclose shot of the wedding dress that I made. I think the sash and the blue train are my favorite parts. Ben showing off the cufflinks that I made for him.

Outside on the Plummer House grounds.

Ben and I at the front door of the Plummer House.

Ben and I. My sisters Diedra, Rixa and Jocelyn, me, Brandi (Ben's sister) and my two best friends from DC, Jocelyn and Arianne.

The sisters striking a pose! I made all the skirts out of saris from India.

Ben and his four brothers, all looking pretty handsome. I don't think you can tell from this photo, but they all have that "Dawson" look. Ben will even show you on demand.

Ben's family.

Diedra and Peter during the brunch. I must admit, Jocelyn has very well behaved children.

Ben and I as we take off for the temple. Note, I am driving because since this is my turf it made the most sense to have me drive in Minnesota. Plus, the car was brand new (7 miles) so it wasn't like I was complaining.

Everyone in front of the St. Paul Minneapolis Temple. Please note that Peter is running around on the walls in the background (cough, what was that comment about well behaved children?).

Ben and I at the St Paul Temple after we were sealed. The weather was absolutly gorgeous! I couldn't asked for a more perfect day.

baking success

2007-11-19T13:09:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I baked my first turkey by myself. I learned how to make a turkey this past summer at our cabin, with my mom giving me directions since I had never before had a reason or chance to venture into the large bird baking world. I was so surprised at how incredibly easy it was to make a turkey, seeing as how everyone is so scared of them.

So when it came time to sign up to cook something for the ward Thanksgiving dinner, I confidently put my name down under turkey. My bird arrived early on Saturday morning, ready to be rinsed, covered in butter and sage, and then very gingerly placed in a baking bag and into my oven for the next 4 hours.

I have to admit that baking bags are brilliant. No mess and your bird is incredibly moist and golden brown. I also took the time to make my homemade stuffing, since I am not one to cut corners. If anyone is looking for a great stuffing recipe, here you go:

4 T butter
1 onion, diced
5 stalks celery, diced
ground sage
curry powder
2 c water
1 bag of stuffing mix
1 c craisins

Saute the onions and celery in the butter for about 5 minutes until soft.
Add the water and sprinkle ground sage into mixture. Add 1-2 t curry powder and
bring to a boil. Once boiling, add stuffing, remove from heat, and fluff with a
fork. At this point, taste for seasoning. I tend to add a few more shakes of
curry powder to give it a bit of a kick. Add craisins once seasoned.

The curry gives the stuffing a great "warm" flavor, especially with the craisins. I know it sounds crazy, but you really need to give it a try.

My turkey looked beautiful when I pulled it out, all golden brown. Sadly we didn't get to eat it warm since the drive to the church took an hour longer than usual due to an accident in the road. But luckily I am dating the most incredible guy, who is brilliant and knows to play Enrique to make me happy. And it worked. Thanks Ben.

Sadly, I will not get to test my turkey ability until next year, since we are headed out to the Virgin Islands on Thursday to spend six marvelous days snorkeling, relaxing on the beach, and watching movies on my personal DVD player while laying in bed.

tis the season to craft

2007-11-19T07:06:00.000-08:00

Ben has decided to join me in the crafting season that is upon us, so this Saturday we worked on his Christmas present for his sister-in-law. Ben mentioned that she loves to cook, so I suggested a cooking apron. After a trip to Joanne's we were set to get Ben sewing. (Yes I showed him how to sew an apron, but for the record he did everything himself.)

Ben does look pretty pleased with his ability. Check out his mad ironing skills.

Ben picked out the green fabric, and I found the fabulous red star fabric, which went really good together. Above is a pocket on the apron.

Ben putting on the last finishing touches, the ties of the apron.

I have to admit that Ben is a better at sewing than half of the women I know. He is incredibly patient (which I am not when it comes to sewing, ask my mom), detailed oriented, and careful. I think I captured his seriousness about sewing in this picture.

Me showing off Ben's work. I think the apron turned out incredibly well.

And last but not least, Ben modeling his fine work. Looking hot Ben!

Next up, matching placemats to go with the apron. I am also working on some craft aprons for presents.

pumpkin ravioli

2007-11-14T06:53:00.000-08:00

For those of you who frequent the side bars of this bar, you have noticed that I have updated my latest favorite recipe, pumpkin ravioli. Let me just give one more shoutout to this brilliant recipe, which was very easy to make and tasted incredible. I was actually surprised at how healthy it was (only a tiny bit of butter) and yet how great the flavor was.

Ben and I tried out this recipe last night, since I am always looking for a new dinner idea. I really enjoy making new dishes and getting a sense of what combinations taste good together.

I love that I grew up cooking and that some things are just automatic for me. I never blink an eye when making a cream sauce since I have done it hundreds of times. Making bread dough takes me about 10 minutes flat. I still get a little nervous when trying to create something for the first time, mainly because I want it to taste great and sometimes have a hard time trusting a recipe. This often leads to extremely spicy foods (sorry Kim, this often affects you the most), since I think in my head, "a little more can't hurt, right?"

Any recent successes in your kitchen that you want to share? Favorite holiday recipes you want to post? Let's hear it.

nothing beats a parade

2007-11-01T12:19:00.000-07:00

Well, technically it was a foot race. Every year the city of DC hosts a Drag Queen Race in Dupont Circle before Halloween, but it is really more a parade of costumes than a real race. Sure, a few "ladies" give it there all in high heels and vie for the trophy, but most of the contestants enjoy the four block stretch of street and strut their stuff. Actually, most of the fun is the hour before the race when the queens arrive (often with their entourages, which I will get to later) and bask in the glory that could only be found in Dupont Circle.

I went two years ago with a friend, but we arrived late, so we barely got a glimpse of the race. This year I took two friends who were intrigued by this event, and we probably arrived 20-30 minutes before the race started. As we got near the street, we realized that we wouldn't be able to see a thing, since the street was lined on both sides 15-20 people thick trying to get a view of the pre-show show.

Then, in a flash of brilliance, a queen and her entourage walked right in front of me. The crowd immediately parted to give her room to get to the street, and without a moments hesitation I walked directly behind the entourage, squishing as close as possible and just kept on walking. Within seconds, Jill, Kim and I were are the front of the crowd. It was a Halloween miracle!

I tried to catch a glimpse of the fun, but Kim's camera wasn't being very cooperative. Here are some of the best shots.

Featured here, was our ticket to the front of the line.

The costumes were overall, incredible.

This falls into the not-so-creative category, but quite common at the race.

A lot of people dressed as groups. Here are the board games, each featuring a different game on their headdress.

When this group (three nuns and a priest) came up, they grabbed the girl in front of me and pulled her out to "spank the sin out of her." It might have been the funniest thing of the night.

The interesting thing about drag queens is that although they dress like women, I wouldn't say they are particularly feminine or reflect a woman's beauty. This photo is a little blurry, but I think you get the general idea.

Kim and Jill, not looking too horrified after the whole experience. Although, I will admit, there was a vast abundance of male upper thigh, which I would prefer to not see again.

This is what I am talking about when I say male upper thigh. I'm pretty sure that women fought to wear pants because it is more comfortable. Somehow that memo got skipped at this event.

Me, after the event, quite entertained.

2007-10-29T10:28:00.000-07:00

With a little assistance (I don't own a digital camera, which is really beginning to cramp my style), I am finally able to post pictures of some of the projects I've been working on.

A few weeks back I ran across this easy pattern for a vintage looking vinyl purse. With a lucky run in with some clearance vinyl and a few hours of free time, I finished this purse, which I absolutely love. The shiny black vinyl is HOT and perfect for the fall.

I decided to line the purse, which is not part of the directions, but I really preferred a finished looking purse. I pulled out some scraps of satin that I had lying around and decided to gather the lining around the top instead of creating pleats. The effect (as seen below) is actually quite hot. I then folded over the top band, and sewed the lining into the purse, for a very nice finishing touch.

Next up, some of the Christmas crafts I am working on. And possibly some of the skirts I've made recently.