Market Fresh

This one came home to live with me.

Exploring..

Our walk in the neighborhood today...

If Loving Carnations is Wrong...

... I don't wanna be right.

Color Caddy

Can you believe someone was selling this at a garage sale?! Who on earth would want to get rid of this little gem?! Luckily, my big sis snatched it up for me! Putting it to use today. Thanks, sis'.

Cakelettes

We had such a great time catching up with our good friends the Mejias last night. I busted out our prize-winning Brie en Croute recipe and without fail- it won them over as well. Also tried out a recipe for "Carrot Cakelettes" from an adorable book my sister gave us for Christmas. So cute and delicious I had to share. One of the best carrot cake recipes I have found so far, and the fact they are called 'cakelettes' make them all the more darling! The recipe is for 6 personal-sized cakes, and I doubled the recipe and had enough for left overs and take-homes.

Carrot Cakelettes with Lemon Icing

adapted from "The Two of Us.. and Friends", by Jessie Carry Saunders

Little Cakes:

2 medium carrots, peeled & cut into large pieces

1/2 c canned crushed pineapple with juice

1/4 c flour

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

pinch of cloves

1/4c vegetable oil

1/4 c brown sugar, packed

1/4 granulated sugar*

1 egg

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 c chopped toasted pecans

1/4 chopped raw walnuts

1/4 c golden raisins

1/4 c chopped candied ginger

Icing:

4 oz cream cheese, room temp

zest & juice of 2 lemons

1 Tbsp heavy cream**

2/3 c powdered sugar

* I did not add all the granulated sugar.

** I used a lower-fat variety of milk. I think any sort (even skim) would work.

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat 2 c water in small saucepan. When boiling, drop in carrots. Cook over moderate heat, covered, until carrots are very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain.

Put carrots and crushed pineapple with juice in a blender and give mixture a good whiz- until uniform and gloopy.

Lay out large piece of waxed paper and grab your flour sifter. Sift the flour together with the salt, baking soda, and spices onto the waxed paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix carrot puree with oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and egg, until smooth. Add the flour mixture all at once and stir with a wooden spoon until just mixed. Then fold in the remaining cakelette ingredients. The batter should be nice and lumpy with all the goodies you have just added.

Spray muffin cups with non stick spray & flour (or line muffin pan with cupcake liners). Fill each cup 1/2 full with batter and give the whole pan a good rap on the kitchen counter to rid cakelettes of any air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cakelette comes out clean.

While cakes are baking, make the icing: In a small bowl, smush the cream cheese around with a rubber spatula to loosen it up. Then add the lemon juice and cream, mixing until uniform. Finally- add the powdered sugar and mix thoroughly. The icing should be thick but still pourable.

When cakes are done, turn them out onto a cooling rack. The bottom of each cupcake is the top of your cakelette (unless you used liners, in which you will not invert). After cool, ice cakelettes- if you turned them upside-down, let the icing drip down the sides. Then let them chill out in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

It's so hard to say goodbye..

I'm still working on not letting the "taking of the photo" get in the way of letting the moment happen... Which explains the blur on this photo, taken on one of the walks with my parents. End of sunset on a stormy day.

That kind of explains how I feel when they're gone...

Bittersweet. More sweet than bitter, but missing them.

I know we all have our own lives, homes, etc happening right now... and it's great the way it is. Their visits here are extremely special and every moment is savoured.

Our visits 'home' are not taken for granted.

Even the little things like going to the market, shopping, walking, eating together.... are all so much fun when they are here.

However, I am really looking forward to the day when we are all closer. Then we won't have to wait months to have our next meal together.

But for now, I will relish the moments we just shared: walking in the rain with Tills trottin along side in her new raincoat, tj's shoppin and meal planning, hearing my dad profess his new love for rice crackers-declaring them 'off the hook', dancing along to their snappy little cell phone ringer, great chats with my mom on long walks, sharing all the goodies mom bought for just about everyone she knows, good times on our walks all together, hanging in SD with my sis and fam, shopping with mom and being awakened to the wonderful world of 'discount stores', meals shared and prepared together, treats galore!, so many good times and memories made.

When I am around them, I remember how precious life is.

I am inspired by my mom to take care of myself & others more (which is ironic because she's always taking care of others)- exercise and walk more and how great it makes you feel.

I am inspired by my dad to take care of 'stuff' more.... to not procrastinate... and to be 'aware'. Inspired by both of them by their example...

That life is about being together, family, love, laughter; lots of good laughs.

Here I sit with all my new 'treats', basking in the glow of their visit, memories made, and looking forward to the next one.

Thanks for everything, Mom & Dad.

"Tatt-toou"

Look for it...

Ah, yes. There is is!

Even in the Rain..

So much fun to have my parents here! Definitely one of my favorite things: Woke them up with an early morning phone call, walked the strand with The Tillster, had a lovely breakfast, some good laughs and gift exchanges. Fun day of shopping with the mama bear. There is nothing better than having them here. She introduced me to the spice store and HomeGoods. Loved them both & got some good loot. Tilly even scored a rain coat! Called off our mini-search for plaid flats for a long walk on the soggy trail with good chats, as usual. TJ's with the papa and whipped up their first ever Panini Dinner, as per request. Can't wait to see everyone today.

Stare-Down

Matilda, meet your evil sockdogtwin.

Love-ly

The ever-talented Miss Ali's "heart garland"...I want one!

Enough, already...

Wearing a Little Love...

Getting ready for L-O-V-E day, yet another favorite holiday in my family!

Soaked.

This photo does not show the severity of the rain "storm" we are in the midst of here in lovely Los Angeles. My car felt like it was floating down our storm-drain-less roads. I literally called off a drive downtown due to the rain. I feel so lame, being from Oregon and all... but not only was it the type of rain where you can not see out your windshield, it was not draining off the roads at all! Thankfully this happens only a few times a year, and I don't even think I've ever seen it this bad. I am so grateful for all the brave souls who are getting soaked right now. I understand most people's jobs don't just stop because it's wet! I was feeling so bad for our beloved trash collectors today as they were dripping all to take care of our trash. I just hope they and everyone out in this today are able to go home to a nice warm home, soak in a nice hot tub, and enjoy a nice cuppa hot cocoa. I am praying silent prayers all day for those homeless and cold, wet, less fortunate than us. My heart goes out to them. My gratitude is also on my sleeve for my trouper of a husband who is looking out for me, and who has to drive home tonight in this stormy-ness. Praying for the safety of all. Feeling so blessed and fortunate.

Mmmmmm..

So good.

Even better when presented to you like this.

(Making his best "Fronch" garcon face).

Perspective..

My deep thoughts for the day on "judging yourself by someone else's place in life"....

Just got back from walking the pup.

Walking behind a woman with a baby carriage, golden retriever on a leash, and holding a coffee.

I'm thinking, "how does she do it?!"...

(I can't even balance a coffee while walking t.

I know because I try.

Often.

But I know that if I have to pick up something in my doggie bag, my coffee will spill.

Or just be really frustrating to juggle.)

But she seems to really have it all together.

Wow.

We continue walking behind.

She does not pick up the poop!

Ah.

For a moment there, I wondered.

Then it was confirmed (what I already know).

We, folks, can not do it all.

Retro-grading

Sometimes the world is literally "off". Not one to really, seriously blame life's haps or mishaps on "the stars", but I can not ignore it completely. Sometimes it's just a good back up excuse. I have been feeling this way lately: communications are off, and maybe just everything is a little "out of whack". (Enter the best friends in the world.) Life seems better. I am so grateful for the support of the friends I am lucky enough to call mine. The strong support of women (and men) can not be messed with. They will stay strong even when the cosmos seem to be crumbling around me. Cards in the mail, listening ears, washer/dryer delivery, tea and goodies, hugs, endless amounts of inspiration, etc etc... Thanks, pals. I love you more than words!

The Best Part of Wakin' Up...

... Is going to the gym with my husband. With my cuppa coffee.

I never thought I'd say it. But I enjoy it. The darkness, the earliness, the child-sized bedtimes, the sweating, everything. And, I have to admit- I am the one to rise before either of the other two in our household!

All in a Weekend's Work...

We had a full and lovely weekend.

I am exhausted.

Going to draw a bath, light candles, make tea,

& catch up on some mags.

(Even if that means walking out on the Blazer game).

I'll let the pictures do some of the talking.

If you look up "cozy" in the dictionary, we're pretty sure you'd see Tilly in the warm laundry.

Jordan's Famous Kale Shake. Mmmmm. These are a weekend treat.

One of my projects. Making due with what I have.. only making it cuter.

My wonderful, beloved late Grandma's hankies. An embellishment.

Mid-day latte break. Making lattes has become a recent obsession of mine. All about the foam.

First time I've seen the top of my dresser in my studio/office since before Christmas!

I have a project up my sleeve for this too...

Also, "Southwestern Chicken Salad" has been a recent phase for us- with fresh avocados- we made it two nights in a row. Delicious.

Teapot is whistling.... Have a great week.

One Fine Day

Today began with a good walk with the Tillster. Followed by a good workout with a great shuffle ipod sesh. Great chat with Mama Bear strolling thru an amazing new (to me) park in the also wonderful (also new concept to me) "inland" burbs. Good times with yummy purchases at the "Inland Farmer's Market". Was a good little consumer at the ever-beautiful Anthro. DIY-ed my lil fanny off. Saw the most beautiful sunset that literally took my breath away. I said (aloud, alone) "Oh My God". Short visit with a dear friend. Starbucks run. Met up with the husband and with coffees in hand, made dinner together. Finished Julie & Julia. Time for blogging while "watching" football. We can hear the waves crashing- they are loud tonight. My beloved Tilly snuggled close and cuddled with Dad's old baby quilt. Such a perfect day.