All wrapped up in love.

Valentines day has a new meaning when your all grown up.

So I could get used to this life!

For Valentines we decided that we would do something a little unique and special. So we thought about doing a private Valentines dinner for us and 2 other couples we are close with here at home, but what is so great and romantic about cooking a huge meal, hosting and cleaning for 6 people, well its not. So we started to look at some other options. My husband is work acquaintances with the wonderful Adrien Sharp, Adrien was on The Next Food Network Star show, hosts a T.V. show called Food Circus, plans out meals and is head chef at our local hospital, as well as host Kraft online commercials.

We knew he was a very busy man but thought that we would still ask him if he would be interested in gracing out kitchen with his mad skills. He accepted and I was giddy with excitement to have a fabulous meal cooked just for us and friends and not have to prep one thing or clean a dish afterward. Giving over reign of my kitchen was something I was slightly nervous about, I mean what if they didn't put my scrubby thing back in the right spot under the sink. So anyways I let go and I loved it. He was great to watch in the kitchen although how hard is it to watch an attractive, genuine, family man who loves to create great food in my kitchen, well...it wasn't too hard at all. Dinner blew us all away. 

Here was the menu:

Starter-
Classic Italian Bruschetta on Whole Grain Baguette with Buffalo Mozz, Fresh Basil,  Heirloom Tomatoes with balsamic reduction and pine nuts

Salad-
Arugula and Spinach salad with Candied Pecans, Dried Cherries, Feta Cheese, and Home Made Honey Dijon White Wine Vinigrette

Entree-
Beef Tenderloin with Herbed Goat Cheese Tomato Shoe String Onions, Balsmaic Reduction and Truffle Oil

Dessert-
Dark Chocolate Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis

I honestly meant to take pictures of all these dishes and post them but I had a few glasses of Moscato to start with and by appetizers I forgot I had a camera. Oh well just trust me it was unbelievable and if I could afford it I would do this all the time. So to Adrien, thank you so very much for creating a magical night and being so gracious to us and our friends. Cheers!

Host of JTV-"Food Circus"  watch it online @
http://www.jtv.tv/
(517)787-8817

Howdini Productions- Kraft Picnic Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8pDpdGVKpU

Meredith Productions- Kraft Video
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/sweet-potato-gnocchi-citrus-119274.aspx

Foodnetwork.com Profile
http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/season-3-adrien-sharp/index.html

"The Next Food Network Star" Highlights - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p55nWb6GRw4

Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=1179461343&ref=profile

We rocked the headboard!

 Sorry the following post has nothing  involving headboard rocking maritals but its close!

One trip to Lowes and one trip to JoAnn fabric and we were ready to start "project headboard". I was only slightly worried that this could either be a very romantic gesture to our marriage bed or cause a gladiator Saturday fight over the assembly. From shopping to assembly everything went smoothly and I would have to say it all went perfectly except when it came to putting the duvet in the duvet cover. Really the only bickering occurred because there was a lack of knowledge on what a duvet was and why it needs a cover (ahem: not me). I was proud of us and it was fun and we both put in equally as much time and creative juice into this project. We have some future projects coming up which is a potential mirror wall, new paint, custom built night stands and the high hope that I can keep fresh flowers on those night stands.

Perfect Fall Yesteday.

The kids listened and played so very well together starting from Friday I couldn't believe it, I didn't have to cook or clean up for 2 nights in a row, my husband surprised me with a new cookware set I had my eye on . The only set back was getting our new elliptical shipped to us, spent 2 days putting it together, plug the damn thing in and NOTHING. We are assuming its a busted computer after all the trouble shooting failed but we kind of let that one roll off our backs today because today, this day was a PERFECT day it was ALL about family and only family.

We had nowhere to go, no soccer, no ballet, no lunches, no bible studies, no work call, nothing and it was fabulous. We made Halloween cookies, watched a movie, carved pumpkins, had a very long lazy lunch and somehow we even managed to squeeze in a family pile nap on the couch at one point (sounds very cute but not so comfortable or very long). Its one of those days that you wished didn't end.
(yes, if your looking closely that is a spider pumpkin and a deranged bunny pumpkin made with yellow zucchini)

Party of the year!!

We laughed, we ate, we took a million pictures and we loved our little boy turning one year old. To think back a year ago I can state the obvious of how uncomfortable and huge I was, or how I was nesting and folding baby clothes till late in the night. Those were days of preparation and anticipation but regardless of having children before you never are prepared for how full  your heart can become, how you can go on no sleep and feel no pain just from the high of love that you have for this new warm life snuggled on your chest. He was again more than I could have hoped for and he is still a high I can run on when I am empty.

I love you Adrian and you have made this family more beautiful for being in it. 

I have always loved the Very Hungry Caterpillar book and so that is where the theme grew from. I had a fabulous baker from Jackson Michigan 'Oh Susannah' make the Very hungry Caterpillar cake for me and she did a fabulous job. We had chocolate covered cherry, raspberry puree and marshmallow filled cupcakes. Everyone was very impressed and very full.

We had family up for the entire weekend to celebrate Adrian's birthday and it was really a joy. Adrian never once was too overwhelmed by the attention, the singing and the presents but I do thank the nap he had an hour or so before things started to that! He of course had his first taste of sugar with his first cupcake and he ate that thing in its entirety without making a peep just savoring the wonderful thing that is FROSTING. Adrian loved his birthday and the thing he loved the most where the balloons.


 

A few questions answered

I thought I would close out the week with a few questions I have been asked before which mean someone is mildly interested in my life, which does wonders for my social acceptance issues! HA!

1. What is your favorite blog? I think if I thought about this too much it would take me longer to decide but honestly the blog post I look forward to the most is HYPERBOLE AND A HALF! She is a literary genius and my husband, mom, sister all gather around the computer laughing at her genius! GO Run RIGHT NOW and check it out!

 

 2. Who is your favorite designer? Hands down Michael Kors! I alas can't afford most of his fabulous designs. I am currently obsessing over this

 3. The thing I struggle most with my marriage? I have to say is remembering to be more sensitive to my husband on a day to day basis. I get so caught up in maintaining the household, kids, and scheduling everyone that I forget that he is not on vacation from 8am to 5pm but has also been working. I want to hand off the kids so I can have a moment of quiet, basically asking him to keep them away from me while I cook dinner so they are not crawling in the dishwasher or asking for a snack in 20 creative ways before we eat. I know he is tired and need decompression time but I often forget and throw him from one job to another. Something I need to work on.

4. My biggest judgmental moments? Its a toss up between politics and beauty pageants and I know that sounds weird. If I coudl let loose and be completely Judgy McJudger, I refuse to even listen to why people put their babies and children in beauty pagents, I think its wrong, disgusting and unfortunate. Second politics or peoples view of them. When people are staunch Republican or Democrats and hate the other side just for being so. Its ignorant and puts us as a functioning society a hundred steps back. I know that is asinine and seems non progressive in itself but I don't hate either group of these people but hate the ideal instead.

5. My favorite recipe I make? Lamb meatballs and lasagna roll ups. Its simple and fabulous.

1 pound ground lamb
1 tsp. cumin
a handful of fresh chopped parsley
2 cloves minced garlic
1 egg (room temp)
sea salt
1Tbs fresh or freeze dried basil
Sm. package of crumbled feta

mix it all together in 2 tbl spoon meatballs put on broiler rack in oven 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
lasagna rollups- boil lasagna till done. mis feta, riccota, mozzerella, fresh parsely,basil and salt. spread mix on lasagna roll up place vertically in glass dish and cover with diced tomatoes mixed with pressed garlic,salt and a 1/2 pound pitted kalamata olives diced. spread over lasagna roll ups and bake at 350 for 15-20 mins.
ITS FABULOUS.

6. Thing I would change about myself if I could? I am tempted to say a boob job but that's an obvious go to after 3 babes. Honestly I really wish I had the motivation and know how to do my hair everyday. If I could just do my hair everyday I know I would feel better about myself as a whole but that's hard when you realize it 4pm and you have yet to do anything but throw it in a lazy, frizzy ponytail. The days I do my hair I feel more organized and put together. It sounds to simple to be a wish but it is!

Go ahead and leave a comment answering a few of these questions yourself!!

You think your kids is awesome, they have nothing on my daughter!

First I will show you the pics because it hard to describe with out a visual aid.

 She is your typical 5 year old, quirky, rambunctious, mouthy, loving, mommas girl and anxiously awaiting her first day of kindergarten BUT, this little sweetheart is hiding a deep dark secret underneath that cute smile and I do mean that literally. Are you ready for this?, because I was SOO not ready for this shocker!

Do you see IT? My little girl is a shark! I noticed this little surprise during church and instead of being able to run to the internet to figure out what kind of issue this truly was I had to sit there for another 40 minutes listening to the pastor on the sermon on the mount but kept having mixed visions of Kya growing her full set of "shark teeth" and Jesus beating her off with a stick! So anyways as soon as I could get my hands on the trusty internet I found that this is a common problem and is ironically called "shark mouth". After the shock wore off I thought "how the hell did I never hear about this if its so common?" So once again you are not fully prepared for these little surprises along the road. So the question is really what are we going to do about it? She has a dentist appointment on the 9th and the dentist will tell us if we leave them till the adult teeth rot out the baby teeth root (disgusting) and they fall out or he may have to pull the baby teeth so the adult teeth can move forward properly.  So let me be the "shark tale" to all you mothers out there, this stuff happens its apparently normal and besides that fact it will still shock the crap out of you!