3/4 of a year

 Pulls self to standing position, eats cheerios and finger foods, sleeps through the night, vacuums the kitchen floor like she is starving to death, 80% for height, 56% for weight.

A Complete Team

Indy (2), Olivia (1), Eden (3) – March 2007        

Tatum (8mo)–Mar 2011   

Hazel (9mo)–Feb 2013

DeLIGHTful day in the light

Because she can...she visited from Utah.

My sis, almost 10-years my junior, Jessica.  

Alki Beach

 It might have been light but it was cold.

Fish and Chips at Spuds (the best I have ever had!)

and a 12-mile bike ride on the Soos Creek Trail.

Delicatus & A Foot Massage

Went to a reflexology foot massage with my neighbor Lori in Downtown Chinatown Seattle.  It was absolute heaven once I closed my eyes.  The place was a bit tacky and rundown with its circa 1992 portable CD player carrying oriental tunes and bedsheets thumb-tacked above the windows for curtains.  The place might have been a few months late on its heating bill but the boiling hot foot soak and hot grass clippings drink helped change the chill in the air.  The massage was nothing short of divine. I LOVE foot massages. I could be sitting in a pile of manure surrounded by hairy apes and as long as my feet are being squished and rubbed, I am totally happy.  Well, maybe not apes, but you get the picture.  

Lori and I ended our small getaway with sublime sandwiches worth moaning over at Delicatus in Pioneer Square. I had the Chief Stealth Bomber for the first but not last time.  Tender roast beef, sautéed onions, sharp provolone, jalepeno-lime aioli on a toasted Italian roll served with their house-made dipping au jus.  It was crazy, CRAZY CRRRRAAAZZZYYY good and that aioli is the stuff that your dreams float on!  Seriously people I have dreams about this sandwich on a regular basis.  

I owe my life to you Lori!

A day for love

February 14, 2012

Just a day full of lovelies.

Every single one hand-picked by my love.

  
Indy's cupcake valentine mailbox.

 Even time for a nap.

And for our candle-light dinner with our loved friends...

Blackberry brie quiches.

Roasted rosemary and lemon chicken.

Fettucini Alfredo

Chocolate covered goodies.

7.2 minutes of fun

Thought it would be a great idea...

I was wrong.

Tape gone, moving on.

A lot of lovely lately

This little girl is the apple of my Hazel eye.  

I totally understand why some species eat their young....could you not just nibble on her RIGHT NOW?!

She and Tatum are two peas in a pod.  

Trouble makers, heart breakers...

bike trailer troopers!!

 

Lately though, this little goob has been up to NO GOOD!

Who's in charge of this kid anyway?!

It's beginning...

And a flashback...

at 3-months old, shopping in JCPenney, she decided she couldn't hold it in any longer and after an explosive party down my shirt, I yanked a onsie right off the hanger and changed her in the public bathroom.  The cashier ran the scanner right over her tummy to ring me up.  Life is never boring.

Pete Carroll is now a cuss word

My darling Eden.  She is a tomboy wanna-be and is the son Rob has always dreamed of.  She roots for those Seahawks right by his side.  She really has no idea what is going on but if Rob hollers, Eden joins in.

I should have posted this sooner but failed to find the time until now as I was rooting through some old iphone pics.

In the final throws of the playoffs, the Seahawks were faced with the Falcons kicking a field goal.  If it was good, the Falcons would tie and take the game into overtime.  If it was no good, the Seahawks would take the glory.  

Eden was on the edge of her seat as the kicker took his approach.  Pete Carroll, Seahawks head coach decided to pull a strategic gamble and call a time-out to cool off the kicker.  And you guessed it...the kicker missed and would have sealed the game for the Seahawks taking them to the super bowl.  But because of the timeout, the kicker had a second chance and this time it went between the goal posts and sent the game into overtime.  The game ended with the Falcons winning and ending the Seahawks' season.

Eden was beside herself.  It was a gamble no doubt, that ended up not paying off but it was 50/50 and Pete chose the wrong 50.  To Eden, the players had nothing to do with winning or losing, it all came down to one unlucky call.

As she wailed and then stomped up the stairs, she cast off her beloved jersey and threw it in a corner.  She wouldn't support her team in their hour of sorrow for the sorrow was her own at that point.

Later, I found a outburst typed up on the computer only to add to the most amusing story.  She had a good scream in her bedroom as if her limbs were being torn from her body one by one.

Pete's name has become the name of which we do not mention around here.

Of no real consequence...

On Friday, I went to rock it along side my bestie doing this...

and I was in the middle of doing this...

 when a little kid rolled this...

under my foot and so I pulled this move...

And I was given the parting gift of this...

Rizzmic kicks butt!!

I LOVE PIE. The end.

Was commissioned on facebook by someone I didn't know to make a Banana Cream Pie for her anniversary.  I happily accepted and I wanted to share a piece!!

Growing up, it was a little known fact that my father's favorite pie was banana cream.  Thanks mom, for mastering this gorgeous piece of monkey business.

I didn't get to take any great pictures since the gal picked it up before I could clear off the counter for the shot.  So, you get the glamorous in-the-fridge take propped in front of the tortillas and the mayo.  You're welcome!!

That's all beside the point when it comes to the taste.  I only got to try the custard filling but judging by that...this thing will make you slap your mama.  Pick a special occasion (Valentine's Day anyone?) and serve this up.  You will have friends you didn't know about.
You're welcome!!

Banana Cream "Slap Your Mama" Pie

The BESTEST CRUST ever

2 cups flour

½ cup oil

¼ cup milk

½ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Combine all ingredients and mix.  Add a little extra oil until the dough is soft.  Roll between wax paper and place in a 9” pie pan.  Prick with fork and bake for 12-15 minutes.  Cool on rack.

CUSTARD & BANANA FILLING

1 cup sugar

½ cup flour or ¼ cup cornstarch

¼ tsp salt

3 cups half & half

4 egg yolks

3 Tbls butter

1 ½ tsp vanilla

1 tsp banana flavoring (optional but highly recommended)

3 bananas, sliced

2 cups cream, whipped with a Tbls of powdered sugar (no cool whip)

In medium saucepan combine the sugar, flour or cornstarch, and salt.  Gradually stir in half & half.  Cook and stir the mixture till thickened and bubbly.  Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more.  Remove the sauce from heat.

Beat egg yolks slightly. Gradually stir 1 cup of the hot mixture into yolks.  Return egg mixture to saucepan; bring to a gentle boil.  Cook and stir 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat.  Stir in butter and flavorings. Place slice bananas on bottom of pastry shell.  Pour hot cream filling mixture over bananas and let cool in fridge.  When cool, top with whipped cream in any design you choose.  Refrigerate for several hours until set.

Eat and then slap your mama.

You're welcome!!