Photo of the Day - Growing up too fast

Uh oh.

Please help - close to home

My beloved readers, please help! This photo of my child and husband is entered in a calendar photo contest for the Children's Eye Foundation.My daughter was born with Septo-Optic Dysplasia, a condition which has left her with no vision in her left eye. Until I had a baby with eye issues, I had no idea how lost one could feel with an unfamiliar diagnosis. It's organizations like this that help parents make connections and find answers. Children's Eye Foundation produces an annual Calendar to promote awareness of pediatric eye issues. For more info on them, click here.

You can vote every 24 hours until October 1st. You don't have to register or give email or anything. Just bookmark this page and click once to vote daily on "like dad, like daughter". The calendar's theme is "love at first sight". This photo was taken at one week old and was an impromptu moment between my husband and daughter. My hope is that our photo makes it onto the 2011 calendar. Thanks so much in advance.

Photo of the day - The princess in her chariot

Photo of the day - Splish splash

Our "pool" opened this weekend :)

Yellow cupcakes with raspberry buttercream and cream cheese icing

I made cupcakes for my daughter's first birthday. It was important to me for her first bite of dessert to be not only homemade, but from scratch. I used Martha Stewart's, "Yellow Butter Cupcakes" recipe with a modification. I couldn't find cake flour so I used all all-purpose flour. The cupcakes, while being very good, weren't what I had in mind. They were somewhat dense and didn't resemble yellow cake. They were closer to white cake. Oh and I should have trusted my intuition when I read in her recipe to fill muffin cups. I know better then to go over 2/3 full...I ended up with less then 36 but that's okay.

I made two icings for these cupcakes and the combination of the two was DIVINE. First I made a raspberry buttercream and a basic cream cheese icing. The cupcakes were a hit and I had lots of fun decorating them. I did have to refrigerate them both to harden slightly before piping them. It was a little warm in the kitchen. I also had quite a bit of the raspberry buttercream leftover. After taking "frosting shots", I ended up throwing out about 1.5 cups. This cupcake was devoured by the birthday girl. Well worth the effort :)

Photo of the Day - Grandpa

From our first trip to see the Bulls play this weekend. What a great place for kids!

Parenthood

Things I never would have guessed but have discovered in my first 5 months of being a new mom:

1. That I'd walk in to work at least 1 day a week with puke on me.
2. That I'd have to plan an extra 30 minute buffer into anything (in case of blow-out, etc.) to be on time.
3. That date night would consist of take-out on the couch.
4. That I can do almost anything with 1 hand!
5. That I would narrate virtually everything I do as I do it, for my child.
6. That dinner would be eaten between 8-9 pm.
7. That I could change a diaper probably blindfolded.
8. That I wouldn't even mind changing diapers.
9. That I'd wash my hands so much that I have alligator skin.
10. That I can function on 3-4 hours of sleep, for weeks on end (though I really prefer not to).
11. That I'd fully comprehend how much love the human heart is capable of.

Photo of the Day - Lake Gaston

Baby girl's first annual family trip to Lake Gaston was this weekend. She's definitely a lake girl!

Durham organic spa

This post is a little late coming, but better late then never, right? For mother's day this year (my first ever), I was gifted a massage, a brow wax and facial at a new organic spa in our beloved bull city, Orchid. What's an organic spa, you might ask? Well, they only use organic products. So for my facial, I was treated to masks, etc. made of all natural ingredients. No harsh chemical peels or acids that will give you cancer ;)

The location is the only negative feedback on the place. The staff was friendly. The services were professional, relaxing and not cut even a minute short. The atmosphere is relaxing and clean. Being directly at the intersection of Chapel Hill road and University drive though, makes for a massage not as relaxing as it could be. The cinderblock walls didn't do much to dampen the sound of cars whizzing by. Eventually I tuned them out and really enjoyed my massage.

My custom facial was fantastic and so was my brow wax. Jennifer took her time doing a personal skin analysis and studying the arch of my brows before proceeding with both services. I'd really like to see this place succeed, but perhaps another location would be more ideal? And if you're in the market for a massage, I'd still recommend Christine Hughes for the Durham and Chapel Hill area. She's got a location much more conducive for relaxation, decades of experience, and no, I'm not biased just because we're related ;)

I miss you

I started back at work last week and it went pretty well with the whole being-separated-from-baby-after-11-weeks-and-putting-her-in-the-hands-of-strangers thing. But for some reason, this week has been harder, especially today. I miss her terribly today, I wonder why?

Photo of the Day - Kicking back beach style

Carolina Beach, May 23, 2009.

Photo of the Day - Kicking back

From our trip to Duke Gardens this afternoon. Many more photos to come tomorrow.

God I suck

This poor blog has been so neglected since the baby has been born. It's not that I don't have the time to cook. I do and I do. And my love of food hasn't dwindled. I've just not been filled with inspiration to photograph and document what I'm cooking. The baby gets all of my attention and focus. I keep her (private) blog current and filled with almost daily photographs.

From here out, I'm going to make an effort to cook a lot of food on Sundays (so I can freeze or easily finish off dinner during the week). I will try to blog these cooking ventures for you. I do apologize for the decrease in post frequency, but what can I say? Take a look at who's occupying my time (isn't she cute)!

Life

Please forgive me for the delay in posting this. On Sunday, my daughter was born. I spent the better part of a week in the hospital and we all returned home, healthy and happy on Tuesday afternoon.

I'm going to take a small break away from food (and life rambling) blogging to settle into my new role as a mommy. I promise to return and look forward to cooking regularly again! We enjoyed our first "future cooking" meal last night which took FOREVER to cook in the oven from frozen. It was a yummy pasta dish! I am super glad I stocked up my freezer prior to having my daughter!! I wish everyone well and look forward to continue reading everyone else's blog posts when I'm sitting up late nights with baby in my arms!

Rabbits rabbits rabbits

Did you remember to say it?

We did.

My holiday break was a nice, low-key one, exactly what I had hoped for. I enjoyed a lot of rich food, mostly sweets, and a lot of time with my loved ones. Though I'm happy to start a fresh new year, I look back and reflect (how can one not?) at 2008. In my 32 years alive, it was definitely the best and most eventful so far.

We bought a house and moved into a fantastic family and dog-oriented neighborhood with a huge park and a dog park.

I married the man of my dreams, barefoot, on a beautiful day on an empty beach in the presence of 3 friends.

I jumped out of a plane at 13,000 feet and got to free fall for 60 seconds and then enjoy a 10 minute parachute ride on a gorgeous day in May.

I got to spend a week alone with my new husband, swimming, and sipping tropical drinks in a pool while overlooking beautiful volcanic hills and ocean scenery in warm St. Lucia.

I watched the sea lions at Pier 39 for at least an hour and I ate fantastic fresh seafood with my oldest, bestest girlfriend.

Later, that September, I got to spend her 30th birthday with her and her new husband!

I became pregnant with our first child. I had no morning sickness and an easy, breezy first two trimesters.

On a sunny day in late June, I got to splash around with, and throw my squealing nieces and nephews in Lake Gaston.

I also got to jet ski!

Alongside my mother, I watched my sister win a gold medal in the Special Olympics for swimming.

I took my sister to her first concert.

I had dinner with my little brother in his first place (and boy, is it nice)!

I had the pleasure of tracking down and meeting two of my husbands oldest and dearest friends from when he was in the service, for his 30th birthday.

I got to watch my husband relive his youthful early 20s for 4 days :)

My family and friends had a healthy year, which as I get older, I've learned is a blessing in itself.

Though I had my share of flops , I enjoyed much success in my cooking and even learned that I like to bake a little too!

What more could a gal ask for, really?

I indeed found happy and I managed to keep it.

I wish everyone a great start to a truly happy new year.

Photo of the Day - Rottweiler-in-law

Photo of the Day - A girl and her horse

Friday evening I went to watch my oldest niece at her horseback riding lessons. She's a natural on horseback. It had been ages since I had been near horses. I took lessons when I was about her age but stopped when I was thrown. I had forgotten how they are gentle animals, full of character and affection.Sergeant here would follow me no matter where I stood outside of his stall. His gaze was engaging and steady and set me at ease. Later we discovered why...We whipped out the bag of carrots and made friends for life with each and every horse in the stable!

A sandwich made with love

Not that anyone will find this interesting, but I needed to brag about my lunch. I absolutely adore anything my husband makes for me to eat (or picks up for me). He's so methodical and selective and sweet.

Case in point:

If I were to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I'd use 1-2 tbsp of peanut butter (the suggested serving size) and probably a tablespoon of jelly. I do this because I can see the calories on the jars and I try to keep those babies under 300 calories.

My sandwich for lunch today, made with love by my love, had about a 1/4 thickness of peanut butter and jelly on it. I sunk my teeth in and savored EVERY bite because it was just that damn good. Not only the thick layers of goodness, but just the thought that went into making something he knew I would absolutely LOVE. I love this man.

And and in case you were wondering, calories don't count when your loved ones are making the food.

Photo study - Jack Johnson

I went and saw Jack Johnson two years ago at Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary. The show was sold out and it was packed. This is a small venue and it was before he gained the popularity he has now. It felt intimate. It was great.

Last night I saw him at Walnut Creek in Raleigh. Neil Halstead and Rogue Waves (two different bands) were the openers and they were both great. Neil Halstead was kind of folky and Rogue Waves was rock. I'm definitely going to buy a Rogue Waves album, they were really my cup of tea.

Jack Johnson and his band were fantastic and as down to earth as you can possibly be in a large venue that is so commercial. They played all but one of the songs I wanted to hear. I really love his lyrics. He is a true romantic. Missing from the equation was my husband, who returns tomorrow thank goodness, but I did get to take my sister and a gal pal. The weather was fantastic. The crowd was pretty subdued.
The photos I took are pretty crappy because I took a little POS digital (they don't allow any cameras with removable lenses) and the damn thing just didn't like the combination of low light and distance shots. I'm still going to share a few though because I loved all the images projected onto the screens on the stage.[Begin rant] I think I've probably been to Walnut Creek about a dozen times over the years and the sound is almost always underwhelming. The parking and getting in and out of that place are a joke. They need to tear it down and put something that isn't halfway to Benson and has more then a two lane road to access it. I do love being outdoors for concerts but Walnut Creek just sucks.[end rant]

Photo of the Day - Firsts

Speaking of my sister again, I took her to her very first concert last night.