Muggles in St. Louis

The Head and the Heart

2012-02-04T15:25:00.001-08:00

If you haven't checked 'em out yet, do it now! They're coming to St. Louis! Yay!

weekend lounging

2012-01-15T16:23:00.000-08:00

saturday naps are the best.

especially with this lot.

a thoughtful gift from a sister

2012-01-07T08:13:00.000-08:00

For Christmas, my sister made this lovely cutting board for me. I absolutely *adore* it and I'm not quite sure I want to use it because it's so pretty!

Lyrics come from the song posted below. I do love me some Three Dog Night ;) Elliott really loves it too, he keeps trying to sit on it.

Check out that epic hair. Reminds me of my dad in his younger days :) Happy Weekend!

2011 Favorites

2012-01-03T11:27:00.000-08:00

Becoming Godparents...

Christmas with in-laws...

Our Church family!!

Best re-reads...

Crocheted booties from my mother...

Best flicks...

Visiting brothers and sisters...

learning to ferment...

sisters!

...coming to visit!!

cooking with besties...

visiting S.L.C to hang around and spit seeds (It's a Berry family tradition)

"Who-can-spit-the-farthest" contests

cooking cooking cooking

fantastic coffee...

Neighbors/Pseudoparents!

Local Haunts...

*Fat* kitty cats

Elliott in a moby

2012-01-03T10:40:00.000-08:00

Elliott was actually quite comfortable in the moby wrap. He hung around in it while we cooked dinner (Roasted Quail, mmm)

I think he might get super jealous when we actually have a *real* baby. but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it...

In the meantime...isn't he the cutest!?!?

A Happy New Year

2012-01-02T10:44:00.001-08:00

We entered the new year with friends, food, festivities, and homemade almond roca & chocolate-caramel covered pretzels. (sent to us from my super sweet mother)

Apparently it's St. louis tradition to shoot your gun at midnight for the new year. Even among the music, laughter, and gunfire, judah slept the majority of the time.

Happy New Year friends!

Holiday Roaming

2012-01-02T10:24:00.000-08:00

Out for coffee at Kaldi's, then a walk around Concordia seminary across the street.

No one comes to visit us without having their picture taken in front Luther.

Cooking and baking together...

We went to the Wild Lights at the Zoo

cute little penguins for Jake :)

Happy Christmas!

Christmas Day

2012-01-02T10:09:00.001-08:00

After opening presents and much cuddling, we had breakfast with our beloved friends upstairs.

PS: Look at all that beautiful antique china!

Elliott helps himself in whenever he feels the need.

Maureen and baby Judah

Judah's first Christmas!

An in-law Christmas

2012-01-02T09:53:00.000-08:00

A morning trip to Soulard Farmers Market for last minute Christmas meal items, and a bouquet for the ladies.

Homemade lemon-almond...

...& chocolate-almond biscotti for our neighbors...

Our church basement becomes a homeless shelter for 16 women during the winter season, and we volunteered to cook the Christmas eve supper. So here we are crammed in our little car with pots and pans up the wazoo...

In the church kitchen, powing around.

after supper, the ladies got presents and manicures before bed. Fun!

Judahbear

2012-01-02T09:46:00.001-08:00

Taking the night shift with Judah...

cooing...

staring off into space...

yawning..

'Okay, I'm done with this lady"

D. Webb House Show

2011-12-10T08:45:00.000-08:00

Don't mind that guys head, and that other guys head...and yea that other guys head...I had to be discreet! So they may not be the *best* pictures but who cares! I got to go to a Derek Webb and Sandra McCracken HOUSE SHOW!

Our good friends surprised us with tickets to see this house show last night. It was amazing!! I remember when Jonathan and I were dating, Jonathan's brother Jacob got me D. Webb's "house show" album for Christmas that year and it has been my favorite album since, and now I can't believe I got to actually be at one.

It was cute and cozy with cookies and cider. They played all my favorite songs and of course we couldn't go without some slightly political and debated discussion about issues in the world today sprinkled in between songs. I think my favorite part was sitting near Sandra's parents, who glowed and adored their daughter as she sang. Her dad even started singing along once when it was supposed to be just her solo, and her mother had to gently remind him to stop singing with a pat on the knee. :) So cute!

Our Thanksgiving Holiday

2011-11-30T07:37:00.000-08:00

Our Thanksgiving holiday started right here. In the home of our good friends who were planning a home-birth. This mamma you see went into labor the tuesday before thanksgiving and so we head straight there to prepare and support!

This is in between the time when it was fun and, okay... get this baby out of me!

As you see here... :( She labored at home for a good 24 hours before they and the midwife decided it was time to go to the hospital.

and so finally! After a total of 36 hours of labor, little baby Judah was born Thanksgiving day.

Little Judah was nearly 9 lbs and 21". He spent a couple days in NICU and now is home healthy with his happy mom and dad. He is super cute and there will be more pictures to come! Meanwhile, we hit the road to Houston to spend Thanksgiving with family...

Jonathan was very excited to spend some quality time with both his brothers (and adorably preggers sister-in-law!)

Jake made fabulous food all weekend. Here he is preparing Joel's favorite, sausage stuffing.

Battlecat and Kesley (Kelsey shown here) were super cute and cuddly all weekend long. They loved hanging out in the kitchen waiting for the occasional carrot to be tossed their way.

Thanksgiving meal was spend with some good friends of Jake and Erin and us. It was fabulous. Aren't these guys so cute!? (Especially the one in the middle ;)

Yes, Jake and Erin could be professional shoppers so yes, were were out and about black friday. It was my first black friday experience and we didn't get too crazy. Eh, it wasn't too bad in the end. Will probably stay in bed next year. Here the boys were mustering the strength and endurance for the night...

Although, I did enjoy the outlet mall in particular. Everything in carters was 50% off and...I do love me some adorable baby clothes to give to friends.

If you are ever in Houston, definitely check out Baby Barnaby's. It was delicious!

Cute! We had such a lovely holiday. Thank you Jake and Erin for hosting us!

Flea Market

2011-11-09T13:48:00.000-08:00

Flea Market Saturday! (Check out that fog!)

Our godson is coming!

2011-10-20T16:23:00.000-07:00

The time has come to celebrate the arrival of our friends baby boy, coming this November! We had a shower for her over this past beautiful fall weekend

We drove up and down the alleys in search of changing leaves to decorate with. It didn't hurt that the shower was partly dinosaur themed.

There was plenty of savory finger foods and red velvet cupcakes

Along with great fellowship and a nursery craft

Along with this adorable little banner (Isn't that fire place *gorgeous*?)

There was also a neighborhood kitty who was very insistent about joining our festivities. He moved to every window around the house where he could see people :)

There's the soon-to-be-mommy!

And yes, that giant dinosaur egg was a pinata, filled with goodies and pacifiers. Don't worry, we had plenty of people around the belly to prevent any disasters

Welcome Judah Levi! Can't wait to meet you!

Downton Abbey

2011-10-04T18:44:00.001-07:00

New season new season! January 8, 2012 cannot come soon enough!!

Hair

2011-10-02T20:14:00.001-07:00

Okay, it's official. It's a little over half my length. Am I compensating for my sister? Who knows

Celebrating 3 years!

2011-10-02T19:28:00.000-07:00

Jonathan and I celebrate our 3 year anniversary this September in a cozy little B&B on a working farm in a small town near St. Louis.

The family that lives on and runs the farm was so great to get to know. The farmer is from a family of 16 children...yeah. Crazy.

The whole place was antique themed and *super* adorable.

We loved doing nothing all weekend but enjoying creation. The family owns 450 acres of land and it was impossible not to spend the majority of our time grazing on it. We actually got to see every sunrise and sunset (when home we are either at work before the sun rises and sometimes after class, we get home after the sun has set so this was a pleasant treat)

Another treat was the company of the thirteen kittens that roamed the farm. They would always join us in the mornings.

We had the "vintage hat room" so of course I spent some time trying them on, trying not to remember that I was born in the wrong century. :)

(Jonathan made me post this one. He thought it was just so "cute"to see me next to a massive barrel of hay)

We had the pleasure of hanging out with their 14 year old son who just enjoyed having B&B guests. He joins us this evening to watch the sunset. He was fully decked in camo and thought it was funny that I had never seen a crossbow, so he of course ran into the house to show me his. He was cute cause he was constantly trying to playfully scare us by hiding in the corn fields and under Jonathan's car after dark. His cell phone went off and gave him away :) PS, the milky way that night was amazing

We had so much fun in that little town and we will definitely return sometime soon. Happy Anniversary Jonathan!

Everyone Loves a Pancake

2011-08-26T15:52:00.001-07:00

Okay Okay, so I'm suppose to be doing my calculus homework but I'd rather take pictures of my dinner. These are not just any ol' pancakes. They are super easy and super fluffy & they are loaded with friendly microorganisms! Jonathan and I have been making *Keifer Pancakes* all week for breakfast. (It's the only way Jonathan will agree to eat the keifer....sadly) And it's what I want for dinner tonight!

Side Note: Aren't they lovely! We have good ol' keifer, then garlic, sauerkraut (fermented from my friend Tim who got me into all this crazy business, his blog soon to come!), and my pickles.

Keifer Pancakes

Super easy

2 cups flour

1/2 cup unprocessed wheat bran

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

throw in some pumpkin pie spice

2 eggs

2 tbs veggie oil

2 cups keifer

a splash of vanilla (I like a little more than a splash)

You know the drill! Add the wet to the dry blah blah blah. Add a little water cause my batter was too thick.

Mmmm. Alright, homework here I come.

Isn't this the loveliest little thought?! Oh, these things make me so cheery! (Photo from here)

Happy weekend!!

Homemade Pickles!

2011-08-24T14:55:00.001-07:00

My pickles have been fermenting for 24 days now and they are *delicious*..I'll let them ferment for up to 4 weeks and try them every week along the way! A quart of homemade keifer a day + other ferments like this = happy Umbriaco guts!

In addition to my little hobby, classes have started up again. O. Chem and Calc (and Psych) will be kicking my butt this semester, but we all gotta do what we gotta do right?!

Wrapping up the Sister Weekend!

2011-08-14T19:37:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning! We all got ready to go to worship. Here is everyone eating breakfast.

We had a few minutes to spare on the porch of course. They are growing into the most beautiful little women I know. Emma will be in the eighth grade in one week! I can't believe it!!

After worship, we went to Blueberry Hill for lunch.

Veggie burgers all around!

I will miss them SO much!

Homemade kale chips before the girls fly home to the great Salt Lake City...I will stop crying soon! Right?!

Day 7 Saturday Adventures

2011-08-14T19:09:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't play with moon-putty at breakfast anyway? Saturday morning, we got ready for a trip to Soulard Farmers Market.

We enjoyed picking out our favorite fruits and veggies and meeting new people.

The girls enjoyed some snow-cones while browsing the farm fresh selections.

We bought some kale, plums, strawberries, cherries, grapes, asparagus, and peaches. Mmmm...

They are oh so cute...

The Soulard Farmers Market is close to Lafayette Square where we have a favorite little pet shop called "Four Muddy Paws". Sabrina wanted to find something for Bowie and the girls pet all the friendly furry customers.

We found a sugary treat for our neighbors dog Wolfie and brought it up to him when we got home.

For lunch, we tried Half and Half in Clayton. It was amazing.

Darling Emma and her chai.

Sabrina and Jonathan awaiting their lattes.

My delicious and beautiful latte

For dinner, we had a gift card to this sushi restaurant on the Loop. We won't mention its name seeing as how it was...not so great to say the least. However we had so much fun...poking fun of the food and restaurant. We had a lot of laughs that evening.

Day 6 (Morning) Jilly's!

2011-08-14T19:02:00.000-07:00

Friday morning, we had lunch (and dessert) at Jilly's Cupcake Bar.

Emma had the "Missy-Liscious"

Sophia had the "Pink Velvet" and I had the "Chocolate Thunder". Each cupcake had a surprise filling (mine was ganache...mmm)

We knew we wouldn't finish the whole cupcake, so Jonathan wished to try a little of each one :)

Yum!

Day 6 (Evening) City Museum!

2011-08-14T17:21:00.000-07:00

We spent a total of 7 hours here at the City Museum friday night! From 5 to midnight, we had a blast! The City Museum is an old 16 story building that was turned into a giant playground for all ages. There are caves, 10 story slides, a vintage clothing shop with a built in cafe/bar, an aquarium, an old schoolbus that sits on the edge of the building, old airplanes to climb and explore, an old ferris wheel on the roof and so much more!

We started with the caves. There are hundreds of random tunnels and dark caves everywhere imaginable. We found so many *new* tunnels that we didn't see last year when we went. Everywhere you turn there is something fun to explore.

The girls loved the caves. You could climb giant indoor trees connected to tunnels that led you to random caves, there was no end!

Jonathan in one of the tunnels. We were always so surprised when Jonathan fit in all the tunnels. Some were so tight that the *girls* had a hard time squeezing through, let alone a full grown Jonathan! He did it though, every single one.

In the middle of the caves, is a giant pond/pool with about fifty live turtles. Emma and Sophia absolutely LOVE turtles so they spent a lot of time just gazing at how cute they were.

In the turtle cove where you could see them real close.

One of the underground passageways

Emma at the mouth of the giant tree tunnel connected to an elephant.

One of the metal tunnels on the ceiling

There were random rooms like this one that made us feel like we were in the "Department of Mysteries"

Or the "Chamber of Secrets"

Rooms and rooms filled with strange objects

Sophia helping Emma squeeze through a passageway

Sliding out from under a cave tunnel

We made it!

Outdoors was intense because you were climbing giant metal tunnels that led you to slides and planes so high above the ground.

Sophia in one of these tunnels.

That led us to this 10 story slide

another sky tunnel

Jonathan making his way

Another "Sharp Turn" slide

A small glimpse of the museum from the outside. Notice the school bus atop the building.

The "Astronomy Tower"

A steep slide on the roof.

The girls with Jonathan inside the school bus!...

... almost tipping over the building top!

On the rooftop, there was a ferris wheel, and these two giant slides...among many other things. The people climbing up the slide, then just turn around and slide below the area they just hiked.

The view from the rooftop

A giant praying-mantis right before going down the giant slide.

Jonathan and the girls hiking the slide

This is the view from inside the ferris wheel cart

It was an old rickety ferris wheel that went super fast. It was scary at first but we went on several times because it was such a thrill.

On the ferris wheel!

Underneath the giant metal praying-mantis was this huge rope swing...

And of course, seeing as how there is absolutely no unused space at the city museum, you could climb the inside of the dome ceiling! This was the scariest thing for me because you could do nothing but look down at how high you were!

Going down the giant roof slide, for the ... millionth time :)

On the ferris wheel...again. Jonathan and Emma would play like Garth and Wayne (when they wait for the planes to fly over them in the parking lot) in the cart every time it would circle around. They would cry out just like Garth and Wayne every cycle, it was funny. And Emma told me later it helped the ride not be so scary.

Climbing atop giant cellars...

(Through another tunnel) The next morning, we all woke up to find all these tiny bruises on our knees and elbows. It was well worth it! We just wore long skirts the following day :) Including Jonathan.

Day 5 with my sisters

2011-08-12T13:42:00.000-07:00

The ZOO!!! Today we went to the fabulous (*free*) St. Louis Zoo.

These are Jonathan's favorite zoo friends. He has visit these owls once a week for a year. These owls are mom and dad to 3 new baby owls! They are so cute!

This lioness was up in a tree, just hanging out.

The girls had a good time giving Elliott catnip. He loved it so much he rolled off the ledge, by accident.

We walked to the park to read some HP

Day 4 and my 26th Birthday!

2011-08-11T11:13:00.000-07:00

Jonathan and Sophia went for a walk in Tower Grove Park near our house this morning. They played "war" and had muddy feet when they returned home

This was my 26th birthday! I wanted to go to Old North and eat at Crown Candy for lunch. The girls looked at all the homemade chocolates, and decided on the rock candy.

Happy Birthday to me!

The girls loved Crown Candy, the food, the homemade malts, and all the vintage decor.

Mmmm. They have the best reuben's and corned beef sandwiches.

And the best homemade ice cream.

Rock candy. We felt like we were in "Honeydukes".

along with Crown Candy, I wanted to shop at my favorite clothing store, and Sabrina got me two adorable dresses from Anthro.

Head-banging to Rammstein for Sophia.

A yummy supper

And a viewing of Jane Eyre (a gift from Jonathan) *Sophia made cute little name cards for our trays* :)

Day 3 with my sisters

2011-08-10T19:15:00.000-07:00

This day we decided to travel to the Lake of the Ozarks and shop the outlet mall. We stopped by Local Harvest for some coffee in the morning before our mini road trip.

We left fairly early, and seeing as how Sophia is only allowed to drink decaf, she fell asleep first thing.

On the way there, we sang to our favorite oldies and then when we got sick of that I read HP to everyone. And everyone, including Sabrina, enjoyed this.

We shopped J. Crew, banana, and Gap Kids and found amazing deals! Jonathan and Sophia played half the time. All the customers thought they were pretty cute too.

The Lake was nice. We knew we weren't swimming in it because...it's not the cleanest, but it was nice to play in for awhile.

Sophia sort of resembles Madonna here, no? Ray of Light? Anyone?

Then we visit the Caverns nearby

The caves were pretty cool, kinda creepy though.

Ted Drewes for dessert of course.

Yay for another day off with my sisters!!!

Day 2 with my sisters

2011-08-10T18:23:00.000-07:00

We made a yummy breakfast and prepared for a stroll on "the Loop".

We never have a morning without spending some time on the porch with a cup of coffee and Elliott's company.

Elliott loves all the attention and has missed his aunties so much.

We walked down the Loop, visiting all the cute shops.

Inclusing Meshuggah's coffee house

Notice Sophia's adorable vintage hat she found on her birthday.

Emma and Sophia wanted to find some clothes for when school starts so we shopped the Avalon Exchange for some great finds. Sophia and Jonathan enjoyed trying on all sorts of things :)

Sophia felt this belt suit Jonathan quite well.

The Pi for lunch. Amazing as always.

Vintage Vinyl afterwards. I was so proud of Emma for shopping the bargain section.

Butterbeer Cupcakes! Word of caution, these are not the healthiest thing to consume, however they are fun and incredibly delicious.

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup cream soda

3 eggs

1 stick of butter

Frosting:

1 cream cheese frosting spread

1/4 cup butterscotch ice cream topping

Instead of cupcake tins, we used ice cream cones.

The key with this is to not fill them up too high, otherwise you will have a giant mess. Fill up the ice cream cones 2/3 full and bake for 15-20 at 350 F.

Everyone went crazy for the batter

We probably ate more batter than we did cupcakes

Voila! Pretty Butterbeer Cupcakes!

We thought we'd visit Hogwarts but we missed the train, however we still got to see platform nine and three quarters.

And massive goldfish

Then we head down to the Arch Riverfront for some Mississippi fun.

This giant tree was a bit odd but fun to play on

Sophia got to meet the carriage horse Larry

Jonathan and the girls had a lot of fun on the river

Waving to the tugboat

MGMT fans

Sophia accidentally cut her toe on some broken glass during our adventures. A tampon comes in handy in situations like these. We called her "Tampon Toe" for the rest of evening as a silly joke. :)

Sistas!

2011-08-08T20:04:00.000-07:00

My beloved sisters finally arrived to St. Louis this week! Here is Jonathan well prepared with roses for Sophia (for her 11th birthday!)

Aren't they cute!!

It's not everyday a young witch turns eleven. Emma and Sophia received not only an official acceptance letter to Hogwarts but also a Nimbus 2000. Awesome.

Sophia wanted to go antiquing for her birthday.

She found this adorable hat.

Then we took a trip to Pensey's Spice Shop.

She also wanted a pomegranate

Making dinner

This is the classic Sophia & Jonathan stance

Ice cream cake time

Sophia succeeded in dominating the prank candles

Happy 11th Birthday Sophia!

What a gift!

2011-08-06T11:01:00.000-07:00

My mother-in-law sent me my first birthday gift this year. I opened it to find this beautiful set of vintage silverware! And not only that, but she found them while on their trip in England!

They are from Southport, England and they are so lovely!

Thank you Maureen!

Happy Fermenting

2011-08-06T10:20:00.001-07:00

So far, our batch of pickles is going great. Every time I go in the basement to do our laundry, I check up on the little guys and enjoy the aroma of fermenting garlic and dill. I can't wait to try them! Here is how we did it:

By the way: for a great read and recipes check out Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz

All you need is:

1 gallon jug and another smaller jar/plate that fits inside to weigh down the ferment inside the brine
Cloth cover

Ingredients:

3-4 lbs unwaxed small to medium cuc's
6-8 tbs sea salt *(the ratio of the brine should always be 1 cup of water to 1 tbs of sea salt)*
3-4 tbs of any form of dill (fresh, dried leaf, or seed)
2-3 *heads* of garlic, peeled
1 handful fresh grape leaves (if available)
1 pinch whole black peppercorn
1 Onion (optional)

1.) Rinse the cuc's and make sure their blossoms are removed.

2.) Dissolve sea salt in 1/2 gallon (2 Liters) of water to make the brine, make sure the salt is completely dissolved (remember the ratio)

3.) Clean jug and place everything in (preferably, put everything except the cuc's in, then add the cuc's last)

4.) Pour warm-hot brine over the cuc's and then weigh everything down with a *clean* smaller jar/plate

5.) Cover the jar with a clean cloth and store in a cool place

I love love love garlic too. Just an FYI: as you finish the pickles, collect the whole garlic cloves and cover them with brine and keep them in the fridge or to continue to ferment in the counter. You can eat them raw or use them to cook. I like to smash them and use it as a paste for our homemade pizzas. Don't waste the brine either, experiment to make salad dressing or use it as a stock for rice.

Happy Fermenting!

Homemade Kefir

2011-07-29T14:08:00.001-07:00

Yay for bacteria! I have recently become interested in fermenting some of my own food, (pickles, sauerkraut, etc...) and so I thought I would start with fermenting kefir! It has amazing health benefits and it is so much cheaper to make at home than purchasing from Trader Joes (despite how much I *love* Trader Joes)

First you start with Kefir grains. I guess it can be risky if buying online only because the source may be sketch and the live culture could be damaged by the time it gets to you. The best way to get your grains is from a friend. The great thing about this is that once you start fermenting the grains, they multiply so quickly that you'll end up having to give them away anyway. The grains last forever and they are easily stored if you decide to take a break for a while.

Once you have the grains, place them in a glass jar (I used a quart sized jar) and cover with raw milk. (We have a local farmer who delivers the milk) Let it ferment at room temperature for 24-48 hours. Then refrigerate for up to two weeks. After 24 hours the kefir is thinner and sweeter, but after 48 it is thicker, and has a more tart taste. Just ferment to your personal preference.

Once it is done fermenting, strain the kefir into a clean jar, (no metal, use a wooden or plastic slotted spoon) removing the grains, and start the whole process over. You can tell the difference between the grains and the kefir because the grains are hard and almost have a gelatinous feel around them. If you want to store the grains, then just place them in a clean small glass jar with a little bit of milk and place them in the fridge. The colder temperature slows down the fermentation and I believe they store for up to a couple weeks.

By the way: Elliott in the summer. Enjoy your Kefir!!

PS: Homemade pickles soon to come!

Highlights of the Week

2011-07-11T15:54:00.001-07:00

AAAMMMAAAZZZIIINNNGGGGGGGGGGGG

And yes, I *do* own a wand, and yes, I will be bringing it to the show. Don't judge me.

Jonathan's 1/4 of a Century

2011-07-10T12:43:00.001-07:00

Jonathan turned 25 this past week! I threw him a birthday party to celebrate with friends. As I was beginning to prep for the party, I found this little guy hidden among the chips.

Along with bison-feta burgers, I combined the two things Jonathan loves most when it comes to sweets, Snickers & cheesecake. Since these happen to be the two things I do not enjoy consuming, we had other options as well :)

Piekutowski's European Style sausage (krakow and beer salami) Yummmmm

Our neighbors children. They were so fun!

Among other gifts, Jonathan received a lovely homemade Sunderland tee thanks to our awesome jokester friends (Of whom, we became godparents to their first son just recently by the way!) Yes...the logo is taped on the front. Their real gift of a Sunderland scarf is in the mail, although he might sport this one more often :)

While sadly, I was too busy to take pictures of all our guests, we did catch a couple shots at the end of the night, after all was said and done.

Happy 25th Birthday Jonathan!

My Sabbath the next day. Happy weekend!!!

1950's Pew Before & After

2011-06-26T15:02:00.001-07:00

*Before*

Photos of our 1950's church pew as promised. With a little patience, some clamps, a bit of glue, and a lot of paint, our little vintage find was reborn!

*After*

*Before*

*After*

*Before*

*After*

*Before*

*After*

*Before*

*After*

*Before*

*After*

*Before*

*After*

So here it resides to welcome us when we come home. Isn't it cheerful?!

(This photo was "enhanced" to brighten it up, and it ended up changing the color dramatically, eh)

Yay for completed projects!

A Louisville Weekend

2011-05-30T11:59:00.001-07:00

For Memorial weekend Jake and Erin came to visit (my brother and sister-in-law) from Houston TX. We then drove to Louisville to visit some old friends that go to Southern Seminary now.

Corey and Jennie now have 2 cute kids, Amie and Jared are not only pregnant but also adopting 2 children from Ethiopia!

Elin was very cute and ... active as she is in her terrible two stage. She kept us all on our toes.

Claire is the newest little Duncan and she was very chill the entire weekend. She was adorable!

And always sporting the cutest little handmade bows from her mommy.

Aww... friends reunited once again

It was so good to see Jared & Amie again. They were our Salt Company leaders in college and we are so happy for their soon to be family!

Churchhill downs is where the Kentucky Derby is held. We decided to spend the afternoon at some horse races.

If optometry doesn't work out, I can always become a jockey. Being small has these sorts of advantages.

cute!

The races were quite the experience. I didn't expect such an adrenaline rush from a 2 minute race but the crowd and commentator went crazy towards every finish that you couldn't help but join in.

The trumpet guy who played the traditional tune to begin the race was awesome

Jake and baby Claire just powin' around

We had the most amazing homemade ice cream from this parlour after dinner

Jake and Erin tried their upside-down cupcake with a frosting sort of amazingness glaze ... yum

All the married ladies. (minus Claire.) Yay for long weekends and reunions! Hope you all had a safe and happy Memorial weekend!!

Crown Candy and Roller Coasters

2011-05-24T17:43:00.001-07:00

We spent some time with good friends and great company this weekend. We went to two local haunts in St. Louis that we haven't got around to visiting yet. First: this cute little polish sausage shop in Old North:

It's been around forever, in fact the Pope himself visited it once!! We got some polish candy, brats, and krakow sausage. The owner was very happy to sample most of the meat and cheese, including the beer salami which was quite tasty.

Second: Crown Candy in Old North St. Louis. This shop as well, has been around for quite some time. It was the cutest little vintage diner with homemade candies, and shakes along with the yummiest reuben's, BLT's, and corned beef sandwiches known to man. Every little booth had a vintage mini jukebox that used to work up until recently.

All the ice cream is handmade and shakes are mixed in an antique copper ... shake maker? Apparently the challenge is to down 5 shakes (which is really like 3 because there is always so much extra) in 30 minutes and they are free. One man did it in 6 minutes. I don't think he was human but his meal was free.

I intended to bring some leftover shake and sandwich home for later but ended up devouring the entire meal. Including every drop of the "extra" shake. We were practically rolled out of there when we were done. And we had such a great time!!!

Next we went to Six Flags (my first six flag experience) which was *totally amazing* by the way. I LOVED the classic roller coasters. I would hear a father taking his son on it in line before us saying "I used to ride this when I was a kid". My favorite roller coasters were the old wooden ones that made you feel like the cart was skipping the track when you sat in the back. Loved it!

This ride was new (the sky-screamer) It was terrifying but once you got over the fact that the swing wasn't going to snap it was quite pleasant and relaxing. We were so incredibly high, swinging at such a angle round and round that the view was so amazing. At least for me. Jonathan wouldn't open his eyes for more than a second :) And his hand had lost all feeling in the end from my grip.

I almost stepped out of line on this one. I hated the one like it in SLC but thought I'd give it another shot. Everyone said it was the greatest adrenaline rush but it is highly unlikely that I'll ever do it again! I couldn't stand having my feet dangling SO high and by the time we were free falling, by total surprise mind you, I tried to scream but because my body was in such shock, there was no time to scream! I walked off just shaking, trying to regain sanity.

We all went to celebrate Tim's birthday and then enjoyed the most delicious pi pizza afterwards. Happy Birthday Keifer!!!!

my window rose

2011-05-16T19:49:00.001-07:00

This past rainy Sunday afternoon, we had lunch with some friends in their home. They have these amazing rose bushes in bloom just outside their door. On our way out, they cut some roses for us and we enjoyed their cheer all the way home.

I didn't want to just place them in a vase, but I had an empty jar and some wire and fixed it up in our window above our "window-sill herb garden"...

Yay for window roses!

Well Worn & Well Saved

2011-05-13T18:18:00.001-07:00

Can you picture it?! a shade of avocado -lime paint on an old vintage church pew to greet you as you walk in your home to take your shoes off?

This is what happens when you take a dreary Monday morning (the worst day of the week) off from work with a friend... you find amazing pieces of furniture much like this one!

We found a 1950's church pew, much like the one above, at an antique shop the other day. The seat was covered with a foam cushion and painted vinyl (eww) The second it reached our walkway before entering the house, we ripped off the vinyl (with great pleasure I might add) to reveal the beginnings of another DIY project. We will soon fix it up and place it in our "entry way". Yay!!

Before & after photos to come soon!!!

There's no place like home

2011-05-13T17:50:00.000-07:00

I came very close to submitting some photos of our home to apartment therapy's small cool contest this year just for fun but I was a bit sheepish and thought I'll just do it next year (when we have done a bit more to the place)

I threw this one in the mix because lovely vintage dresses on pretty ladies should be in every post :)

Take me out to a ball game

2011-05-13T17:21:00.000-07:00

The Barnes Retina ladies. (Some of us) This happened to be my first major league game. And even though the card's were less than great, we had a great time!!

You made it on my blog Meaghan! Yay!

Lynda, (bottom right) is not only my "work-mom" but she was "weekend-mom" too this Saturday. She had her entire trunk packed full with customized beer (she took orders and brought everyones favorite!) cheese, chips, guac/hummus, and more. It was amazing.

Go Card's!

Home Again

2011-03-16T19:46:00.001-07:00

We flew into Salt Lake City last week to visit our families and attend the wedding of a beloved friend.

I surprised Emma and Sophia by picking them up from school. They are so big! I remember attending the same school and learning in the very same halls and classrooms that Emma and Sophia now learn in. I got to see Emma's adorable locker and meet some of her friends!

At the rehearsal dinner, we got to see all our old SLC college friends. We miss them all so much! (*The Groom is in the middle*)

Emma made nutella cupcakes found here for her class.

They were SO great

Sophia here, displaying the homemade nutella frosting

A trip to Sur La Table is always good for the soul. We purchased an ice cream/sorbet maker and Emma and Sophia got to pick out some baking supplies.

Falling asleep on the way home

Now the other way around.

One of my very good friends from back home (and I) at the wedding. The halo around her head was not planned that way. But i must admit, it is pretty rad.

On our way to Gormandise for breakfast.

Sophia's first mango. How is it my mother never bought mangos!?

Pom juice for homemade sorbet

Rum balls for breakfast, anyone?

Visiting with my in-laws was very fun. As you can see, the girls had a great time with Jonathan, as usual :)

Hanging out on the porch on a beautiful afternoon, eating strawberries and spitting seeds.

We had a contest to see who could spit the farthest. Sophia won.

Look how beautiful they are becoming! A little grumpy on a Sunday morning, but cute all the same. And I miss them already!

Lately...

2011-02-24T17:33:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been ... drinking really great coffee... {thanks tim}

...listening to Warpaint

... studying chemistry & physics...

... makin homemade ghee...

hanging out with friends at McGurks Irish Pub...
Getting excited for another weekend!!

Hello Peru, Indiana!

2011-02-11T16:01:00.001-08:00

Last weekend, Jonathan and I went on a road trip with some good friends of ours to the great Peru, Indiana! (My friends home town) It was a cute little town and not just because it was covered in 6" of snow :) I loved getting to see all the places and people I've heard so much about! Like childhood friends and where they grew up, little favorite antique shops, the quaint Rosewood Mansion Inn where my friends got married that I've seen in a little painting (a wedding gift!) All these things and more, we enjoyed last weekend.

The Lazaroni Macaroni came along, especially to visit his bff...

...Schmultzy! He was the biggest, cutest, sweetest dog I've met (& I am a cat lover) And I'm sure Laz misses him already.

My friend and her amazing mother, of whom makes thee tastiest stew, homemade lasagna from her sicilian grandfathers recipe! Blueberry & peach pie and more! I may have gained a few pounds but I don't regret a single calorie. I think the best of it all is, She reminds me so much of my mother! Jonathan and I loved getting to know her mom & dad.

Lookin good!

Late Saturday night, a bunch of us went to the nearby park to sled. I underestimated the face mask. Didn't think I needed one and I've never been more wrong. We had fun all the same!

Blue Steel?

Libby and her husband Kai

Stacey and Lita (It was Lita's wedding reception over the weekend, before she moves to Germany!)

Covered

Stace & I

Laz slept in Jonathans lap for part of the trip, he was so cute! It was fun to get away and not worry about studying, (well most of us) John Cline was studying in the car while driving to and from Indiana - he is quite determined. But it's back to the books. Happy weekend!

The "Tacos" for dinner!

2011-01-24T17:21:00.001-08:00

This weekend we had such a lovely time with our friends cooking and baking!! For dessert we made a luscious chocolate cake with whipped Ganache thanks to M. Stewart. And for dinner, we had a special treat: homemade chicken gumbo (with beer-bread) thanks to my friends sister who was in town this weekend from Indiana!

The chef was bubbling roux, while tossing sauteed veggies on another burner, adding beer in one pot while adding cocoa in another. No recipes! Just one fabulous cook!

Cheese please!

Chopping all the meat & veggies...

Ready to start the cake!

If only every weekend was full of great cooking, yummy dessert, and fabulous friends! One would need nothing more!

Carrot Ginger Soup and Homemade Naan

2011-01-09T17:15:00.000-08:00

Basic Oven-Grilled Leavened Breads
Tandoori Naan (recipe #4 & 5)

Ingredients:

2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup warm water (110 F)
1/2 cup non-fat plain yogurt (Optional) or water
2 tbs veg oil
2 cups all purpose flour (or bread flour)
1/4 cup melted butter for basting (optional)

Directions:

1.) Dissolve the yeast & sugar in the warm water until frothy (10 minutes). Mix in the yogurt and oil. Mix the flour and salt in another bowl and then add it bit by bit into your yeast mixture. Mix/knead until smooth and no longer sticky (add more flour if too sticky, and more water if too dry)

2.) Once you have a nice smooth dough, transfer to a slightly oiled large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Place in a warm place to double in size (1-2 hours)

3.) Once it has risen to double its size, beat down and knead a few more times (adding flour when needed to keep it from sticking to your hands) Then pinch off 10-12 small balls. One at a time, flatten with palm, cover the surface with flour and roll out on a slightly floured surface to 7-8 inch circles. Then broil (on low) for 3-4 minutes per side. Serve warm!

Carrott Ginger Soup
Gajjar-Adrak Ka Soop

Perfect soup for below 30 weather. This recipe yields around 4-6 servings and is perfect with a side of fresh homemade Naan.

Ingredients:

1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
2 tbs vegetable oil
2 bay leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 cup chopped onion
8-10 quarter-size slices of peeled fresh ginger
1 pound carrots, unpeeled, coarsely chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
5 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 cup plain yogurt (whisked until smooth)
1-2 tbs fresh lemon juice

1.) Heat the oil over medium-high heat, cook the bay leaves, and cumin seeds. Stir frequently. Quickly add the onion and cook until golden. Add the ginger and cook another minute.

2.) Add the carrots and cilantro, stirring until the carrots are golden (around 10 minutes) Add the water and bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the carrots are soft, about 10-15 minutes.

3.) Now comes the fun part! Let the soup cool, remove the bay leaves and puree in a blender until smooth. Return to the pan and simmer until slightly reduced. Mix in the yogurt and boil for a bit longer. Mix in the lemon juice, garnish with black pepper and serve!

Let's get basic!

2011-01-08T10:30:00.000-08:00

Classic Spicy Curry Sauce (recipe #3)
Har-roz ki Kari

No canned coconut milk, no fish sauce, and no unnecessary calories. This is a basic and authentic base curry sauce. Remember that *spicy* refers not to "spicy hot" but spiced with bold flavors.

According to our new recipe book, a curry sauce requires proper bhunna or browning/roasting of the wet masala (ground tomatoes, ginger, garlic, onions, etc) So let's get started!

Ingredients:

2 large cloves of garlic
4-6 slices of peeled fresh ginger
1-3 fresh green chile peppers, stemmed
1 large onion
1 large tomato
3 tbs peanut oil
1 tbs ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp ground paprika
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
About 5 cups water
1/4 tsp garam masala
3 tbs chopped cilantro

1.) Coarsely chop the garlic, ginger, chile, onion, (and tomato added later)

2.) Add to a blender or food processor and process to make a smooth paste.

3.) Heat the oil in a large saucepan or wok and over medium-high heat cook the onion paste mixture until well browned, 15-20 minutes. Cook, stirring occasionally until all the juices evaporate and drops of oil appear on the top and sides.

4.) Add the coriander, cumin, fenugreek, paprika, turmeric, and salt, and cook while stirring 2-3 minutes

5.) Then mix in the yogurt a little at a time. Add the water (more or less depending on preference) bring to a boil then reduce to medium-low, cover and let simmer until the sauce is reduced to about 4 cups, (30-40 minutes). I found it best to cook uncovered on medium-high for the last 20 minutes.

We served it over our morning eggs with a pinch of fresh cilantro and a dash of garam masala...Mmmm

Enjoy!

Indian Supper #2

2011-01-04T17:09:00.001-08:00

Rajasthani Rassadar Aalu
Rajasthani Potato Curry

Ingredients:

1 pound small potatoes
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
3 tbs veggie oil
1 cinnamon stick (or pinch of cinnamon powder)
2 tsp coriander seeds (coarsely ground)
1 tsp cumin seeds (coarsely ground)
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (coarsely ground)
1 tbs peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt, whisked until smooth
1-2 cups water
1/4-1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro (including stems)

Directions:

1.) Boil potatoes in lightly salted water until tender. Drain and let cool, peel them (I left the skin), place in a big bowl and toss well in the tumeric powder.

2.) Heat 1 tbs of oil in a wok or large saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the potatoes until golden (3-5 minutes). Transfer to a bowl.

3.) Add remaining oil to the same pan and cook the cinnamon, stirring a few seconds. It will become a fragrant bubbly paste. (These are my new favorite fenugreek seeds above)

4.) Be sure to have your ground seeds ready.

5.) Add the coriander, cumin, and fenugreek ground seeds, stir, then add the ginger & cayenne and stir for 1 minute.

6.) Return the potatoes to the pan, add the salt and cook everything together for about 2 minutes.

7.) Add the yogurt, a little at a time to prevent curdling. Add water and bring to a boil over high heat. (This will not take long) Then reduce, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Mix in the cilantro and transfer to serving dish to dig in!

Hope you enjoy! We did!

20 days of Indian

2011-01-02T13:51:00.000-08:00

So we received this amazing cook book this year for Christmas. You will not find anyone who loves Indian food more than Jonathan. So I will be making 20 different Indian meals for him and sharing the recipes!

Indian Meal #1: Bhunnae Gosht ki Kari or
Pan-Roasted Lamb Curry

Ingredients

3 Tbs vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tbs peeled and minced, fresh ginger
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 large tomatoes, chopped
2 tbs ground coriander
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground tumeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt, or to taste
2 lbs boneless leg of lamb, fat trimmed and cut into 1-2" pieces
1.5 cups nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth
3-4 cups water
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

1.) Sauté the onions in oil over medium heat for 10-12 minutes in a wok or saucepan

2.) Add ginger & garlic, stir about a minute, then add the tomatoes, cook 5 minutes until juiced evaporate

3.) Add coriander, garam masala, cumin, tumeric, and cayenne pepper and stir for 30 seconds

4.) Mix in lamb and salt, cook on high for 5 minutes, then medium for 15-20 until well-browned and fragrant

5.) Add yogurt slowly (stirring constantly to prevent curdling) cook 5 minutes

6.) Add water and cover, cook until lamb is fork tender and is thick 50-60 minutes, add the fenugreek leaves during last 5 minutes of cooking

7.) Serve with a sprinkle of cilantro and/or garam masala on top

To save some time, I added a bit a roux and cut the water in half, it was thick and bubbly in no time. And the lamb was still very tender.

Happy eating!

Cheers!

2011-01-01T09:16:00.000-08:00

We entered the new year with cheer, good treats & friends. I recently learned how to knit! And therefore was a little preoccupied with my knitting needles and my beautiful ocher yellow yarn, but in the end we had a lovely time together!

Lazaroni

Jonathan's new computer! (From "Jesus" aka me, this year)

Happy New Year!

2011 New Year Resolution

2010-12-30T17:52:00.001-08:00

Make more fabric flowers for various hats...

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Holiday Cheer of 2010

2010-12-30T16:32:00.001-08:00

Jonathan's parents spent an entire week here with us in St. Louis for Christmas this year. We had such a lovely time and we miss them already! In the morning, we bundled up and went to the infamous Soulard Farmers Market.

Christmas Eve, we had Jonathan's cousin and his family over for supper. Maureen and I cooked a 7 lb pork loin with garlic mashed potatoes & sauteed asparagus. I can't remember the last time we had 3 small children in our apartment, but we enjoyed every moment.

Maureen and baby Caden

Joe and Caden

The eldest, Keira. Jonathan and the two children played all night on the sofa, covering each other with blankets and pillows only to find each other again. Jonathan would hide them in the blankets and then say: "It's...It's...Keira!" or "It's...It's Cody!!" However whenever they would cover Jonathan up in the pillows and blankets, they would forget his name and say "It's...It's...um...YOU!" It was cute.

Joe got a new Eddie Bauer thermal/sweater from "Jesus". (My mother never wrote that our gifts were from Santa, she would always and she still does address all the presents coming from "Jesus")

Maureen, among many things, received a new St. Louis Christmas Bear.

And a crocheted blanket!

Christmas morning we had a lovely brunch with our neighbors and friends upstairs, all in our pj's I might add...

Sunday morning I got to curl Maureen's hair (It's been so long since I've lived with another female!) and wear my new vintage dress!

We had to take Joe and Moe to the Blueberry Hill for lunch, which was as always, fabulous.

Mmm...I made Maureen Sugar-free Eggnog and it was almost better then the real stuff.

1 (1 ounce) package sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
5 cups nonfat milk
1 packet aspartame sweetener
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon rum flavored extract

Mmmmm........

There was, I confess, many games of Harry Potter Clue most nights before bed. Everyone won a game...except for Joe... :) Only because he was Luna Lovegood if you ask him.

As we were checking out, we asked if we could take the groceries and leave Joe, but the lady didn't think it was very funny.

Joe's first espresso!

We had a very Merry Christmas with my in-laws this year! Although we were sad to have them leave, we were incredibly blessed by the time spent together!~

Hooray for ruffles!!!

2010-12-11T17:41:00.000-08:00

Jonathan and I are getting very excited for another Christmas here in St. Louis. We are most eager not only for the the holiday but also for the arrival of Jonathan's parents!

In preparation for Christmas, I was recently inspired to make this banner for our living room archway. There are simply so many happy uses for old books and their beautiful pages...

In addition to festive decor, and studying for finals, I am making more shower curtains for my two sisters!

Seeing as how it is 28 degrees outside, I felt it unnecessary to be dying any fabric, so the colors vary, only because I grabbed any suitable fabric found in different thrift stores, but they are just as fabulous as ever.

I finished pinning them tonight, I have yet to sew and de-wrinkle them, but after that they will make their way to beneath the Berry Christmas tree!

Elliott was of course enjoying my project maybe even a bit more than myself :)

Happy Advent!