Lemon Meringue Pie Martini
Approximately 10 years ago we visited family in Eagle, Idaho, and they took us to a cool eatery called Bardenay Restaurant and Distillery. We had a drink there that night that we could not get out of our minds. And no, that’s not code for “we had too many.” Let me explain. Have you ever had lemon meringue pie? It’s tart, yet sweet and the meringue gives it a light, creamy finish. Now imagine if you put that pie in a martini glass. Are you with me now? Can you see how brilliant this is going to be? The Lemon Meringue Pie Martini at Bardenay’s tasted exactly like PIE. It was beyond…
5 Easy Ways to Celebrate the First Day of School
I don’t remember being super excited for school to start. Maybe I was early on – I hope so! I remember being nervous about getting to my classes on time and getting my locker open. I remember not being thrilled about the piles of homework. Since then, I have learned the power of the motto: “Fake it til you make it!” So while my kids are still young and take their cues from me, I want them to have the attitude that school is an AWESOME place to go. Where learning is fun and new experiences are to be embraced. And, thankfully, we’ve had really good school experience so far that…
Reusable Lunch Box Notes – Free Download
School started in our district this week. Say what? For a gal who is used to an after Labor Day start, this is an adjustment. And by adjustment, I mean mama doesn’t want to get up at the crack o’ dawn to get my daughter to the bus stop by 6:56 a.m. Lest I make this all about me, my daughter doesn’t really want to be up that early either. So, we are adjusting! The good news is that 2nd grade is off to a TERRIFIC start. With school comes school lunches. At this point, I prefer to pack my daughter’s lunch. I like to know exactly what she’s eating and what goes…
Pottery Barn Trundle Bed Knock Off
When we moved from Oregon to Georgia, we knew we’d need to get a new bed for our 7-year-old daughter. Her bed in Oregon was built-in, so we were only able to take the mattress with us when we moved. I knew we didn’t want to go the bunkbed route, but liked the idea of a trundle. So, I searched high and low on Craigslist and in stores for a trundle bed that met our quality and price requirements and came up empty. That’s when I had one of my more brilliant ideas – to make her a bed! Thankfully, my sweet husband agreed – in other words, went along…
Travel: Fort Pulaski, Georgia
During our recent visit to Tybee Island, Georgia, we spent a morning visiting Fort Pulaski. I came away from the experience with a great reverence for the role this place played in history. I struggle to find words to express how humbling it is to stand where brick walls were blasted apart and blood was shed for a cause so great. I was also completely transfixed by the beauty of this structure. Its rich textures and detailing were in sharp contrast to the how I imagine conditions would have been in the 1800s. Fort Pulaski was built on Cockspur Island to guard the river approaches to Savannah, Georgia. Construction began in…
How to Freeze Berries and Other Fruit
It wasn’t all too long ago that I didn’t spend much time in the kitchen. Then I had kids and apparently, you have to feed them ALL. THE. TIME. So, I’ve had ample opportunity in the last 6 or 7 years to practice all things culinary related. I have had my fair share of big fat flops. One of those is related to freezing berries and other fruit. Now, everyone loves a good comeback story, so I definitely did not let those berries get the best of me the next time. Go me. So, here’s my number one tip for freezing berries. Are you ready? TIP #1: Freeze berries in a…
Feeling Beachy
We took some time this weekend to squeeze in one last hurrah before summer ends. My daughter starts 2nd grade in a week! A week, people! I’m not ready for that. So, no house projects to report on today. I need to get back in the swing of things soon! Anyway, we headed down to Tybee Island, Georgia. It was our first time there and we thoroughly enjoyed it. What’s not to love about this view? We collected sea shells! We learned how to boogie board. The kids and the hubby did a great job riding the waves. Me? Well, it’s possible I might have cracked the board. In my…
Tybee Island, Georgia
We are currently enjoying and exploring Tybee Island, Georgia. If I was prone to squealing with delight, this would definitely be the occasion for it. This is our first time on the island and one thing our whole family loves is exploring new places. For 3 out of the 4 of us, it is our first time to the Atlantic Ocean too! We’ve been on the island for about 4 hours now and we’ve already had our toes in the sand and salt water in our hair. The weather was gorgeous today and the water was nice and warm! We can’t wait to do some more exploring tomorrow. We are…
Peach Freezer Jam That Actually Sets Up
UPDATE: The recipe described in this post is delicious. However, it was in response to a problem with the Sure Jell pectin recipe. The recipe in the Sure Jell pectin box has improved since this post was written. I have since made the jam using the Sure Jell directions and the jam has set up. Try them both and see what you think. Have I mentioned how much I love freezer jam? Okay, yes, I’ve mentioned it one or two million times. It just tastes so much fresher than cooked jam. Trust me. I’ve had great success making raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, blueberry and marionberry freezer jam. Peach jam? Not so…
A Spot to be Creative – Office Update
This is one of my favorite places in this house. It’s a spot we’ve created in the office for the kids to get crafty and creative. The backdrop of this scene is a picture my husband took of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area between Oregon and Washington. We tacked it behind a giant old window that we found in the barn of our last house. The frame is chipped to perfection! The picture is so large, it definitely gives the feeling that there is an actual window on that wall. I love to see how my kids’ imaginations come alive on paper, but for my sanity, I need to have the 1.3 million broken crayons…
