Things I've Learned

I've learned that if you put your summer to do list on a chalkboard in the middle of your dining room at the beginning of the hottest, driest summer that God ever handed out, you will likely be forced to face your failures daily.

I've learned that if you hang a chalkboard, your oldest daughter will write the cat questions on it and wait for answers. And while said cat is smart enough to try to open doors, I still don't believe she can read. I am pretty sure that she is at least part kangaroo though.

I've learned that when you wake up at 3am you might not be bright eyed and bushy tailed enough to make a pie in the morning. That rhubarb you were so excited to find at the farmer's market? It won't taste especially yummy when you forget to put the cup of sugar in with it, causing that slice of pie to be so tart that it leaves your face permanently puckered.

I've learned that if one day you start a blog on a whim, you will at some point in the future find yourself held up and encouraged by people with so much kindness in their hearts that it will fill you with gratitude. For the comments, emails, texts and phone calls I received last week, I thank you. This is a fresh new day and I've learned that those are the best kind.

Simple Joys

Since we got home from vacation I have felt a need to keep things simple, to live smaller. I'm tired of to do lists so long that I feel like a failure at the end of the day, no matter how much I accomplish. I feel a need to focus on the people in my life that I care the most about and finding ways to show my love. This morning that meant fixing my sweetie a hearty breakfast at 4am before he left for another stressful day of providing for his family. Later today it will mean playing games with my girls and baking a Strawberry Rhubarb pie. Simple moments.

On this day, the second anniversary of the worst day of my life, I awoke at about the exact time the phone call came that day. I've had a lot of closure this past year but my emotional scars are still there. You don't lose your mother like that without scars. The fear. The pain. The sadness. They're all there. Just under the surface a bit. Still easily brought to the top. Today I will remember the woman that loved me the best she knew how and honor her by loving my family the best way I know how. Some days joy chooses you and some days you have to do the choosing.

Little Things

My kitchen. I spend a good portion of my time daydreaming about renovating it and trying to figure out a way to do it in two stages to make it fit my budget better.

Until that faraway day gets here, I find myself making small changes to keep me happy, like painting this formerly pine shelf white. I may have mentioned before that I hate painting furniture, which is really a shame since I have approximately 74 more pieces of furniture that need to be painted.

This time I decided to use Annie Sloan chalk paint because of all the no prep/one coat hype. Well, I have to tell you folks, I'm not even a little impressed. $40 for a quart and I found that a little did not go a long way, despite what I had read. It also did not cover in one coat. On the plus side, yay for no sanding!

I guess maybe if you are heavily distressing your piece then it's fine but if you want a clean coat of paint like I did for this shelf, then you might want to pass. Unless, like me, you'd like to have the worlds most expensive primer coat which is what I ended up with.

Even though I accidentally used my trim paint for the second coat due to an ill fated paint can lid incident, (did I mention I hate painting furniture?), it's done and I couldn't be happier! Now when I'm in the kitchen feeling fussy about waiting for a renovation, I can stare at my happy-place shelf and maybe it will help me be more patient. Although, probably not.

In other kitchen news, after every appliance company we called refused to come out and repair a commercial range in a residential home, my oven is now working thanks to my super hero hubby. He managed to fix it himself with nothing but a $20 part and his big brain. This from the guy who couldn't center pictures on the wall when we first got married! I'm amazed at how far he's come. It was a long bake-less week but I am now back in business and feeling confident in the knowledge that I married well. I mean, look at this picture. The pose, the undershirt. But he had me at bow tie.

The Importance of Chilling

If you are anything like me, you are doing everything you can to stay cool right now. I'm not a summer girl to begin with and the fact that our upstairs air conditioning has been out for the better part of this week isn't helping.

On a regular non-heatwave Summer day, I do my best to plan meals that don't require a lot of afternoon/evening time in the kitchen. Now I'm avoiding them like the plague.

We have a commercial range. Not a commercial style range. A COMMERCIAL range. Before you go getting all envious, let me tell you that a) it keeps my kitchen about 10 degrees warmer than the rest of the house b) I don't care what kind of stove you have, right now I'd trade with you and c) the oven went out 2 days ago . Yep the dollars are just flying out of my wallet. You know what they say. No good vacation goes unpunished. What? That's not the saying? Oh. Then it must be Wanna hear God laugh? Made a budget. Ha ha, indeed.

One of my favorite ways to beat the summer dinner heat is to bake a big batch of chicken in the morning and use it for 2 or 3 meals that don't require cranking up the oven in the evenings. Big salads are my favorite. I love making dressings. My mini food processor makes it super easy. It's a worthy investment. This Balsamic Vinaigrette is a favorite. You just can't have goat cheese in a salad without balsamic. If you suggest differently, I'll call you a liar.

A boule baked earlier in the day served with some roasted garlic is never turned down by my
carb-o-tarian family. They're smart like that.

Since I'm in desperate need of cool dinner suggestions,  I'm hoping you'll share what you're serving for dinner to beat the heat. In exchange for this info I'm happy to share my Balsamic Vinaigrette recipe. You will say goodbye to the bottle of Kraft forever.

Balsamic Vinaigrette
 1/4 c balsamic vinegar
1 large garlic clove
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 c olive oil

Put in mini processor and blend.

Yep. That's the recipe. Do you feel cheated because it's so easy?
If you don't have the processor you can mince your garlic finely and mash it up with the salt and your knife to break it down a bit, put it all in a jar with a lid and shake away.

Oh the Places We Went- London

(For a couple of architecture buffs, the old buildings were a treat)

London. Our trip to London started much like our trip to Paris. After a harried Parisian Taxi ride, we arrived at the train station where I was immediately accosted by a gypsy which so caught me off guard, that I almost walked in front of an oncoming bus, pulling Emma's hand the whole way. Good times.

(National pride)

After safely making our way onto our train we were told that there had been a fatality on the line and that our train would be delayed. Of course it would. We were getting used to this. Oddly enough, later I could not find a news story online about the Eurostar incident. There was a brief blurb about a terrorist act on the line and then never any additional information. Olympic fueled national coverup perhaps?

(At the Palace)

London was wonderful. I felt much more relaxed there. After having to struggle through conversations with the French for several days, clutch our purses for dear life and keep an eagle eye on our girls, it felt good to just relax and enjoy the city and it's culture. It was nice that we could understand what they were saying. Almost all the time.

(Cue the singing angels, my first step into Cath Kidston)

Let me just say right now, the English are super friendly. I could listen to them talk all day long. Why are they all so cheery? Something to strive for.
 

(A Father's Day dream come true for my guy)

 

At home, Emma often has a tendency to talk in an English accent fueled by her love of Harry Potter and Narnia.

 (I feel certain that if she could have gone through that wall, we Muggles never would have seen her again)

While in London I tried to discourage her from doing it so that no one would think that we were making fun of them. So instead I did it. Pip, pip, cheerio. Of course I was doing it to honor them and because I so badly wanted to be one of them. I even wanted to change the girls names to things like Jubilee and Piccadilly just to further show my love for their country.

 (Would the real Harry Potter please stand up)

The architecture, history and national pride are amazing. I wish we had more time as it is impossible to see it all in 4 short days with uncomfortable shoes.

(No. 4 Privet Drive)

 

What I learned in London:
1) The English have a way with words. Mind the gap, indeed. It sounds much better than watch your step.
2) The service at restaurants is awful by American standards.
3) Every time you leave your hotel room it will cost you $100.
4) Very short skirts and shorts paired with tights are apparently right for any occasion.
5) The word Circus does not mean the same thing in London that it means in Indiana.
6) To guarantee your safety, don't be the first one to step out into the street when crossing.
7) Their food packaging is amazing, thus making me want to eat more and more.
8) Mashed peas come with everything, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
9) Warm milk in cereal is a rather unsettling experience.
10) The Tube system is perhaps not the most user friendly Metro system around.

 (I believe I would now like to seek work as a food package designer)

Some of my favorite memories of this trip were The Harry Potter Warner Bros tour, the doubledecker Ghostbus tour,

(There was lots of inspiring typography on this vacation)

happening upon the Sherlock Holmes museum on Father's Day morning, the palace guards, CATH KIDSTON

 (The Sherlock Holmes Pub where we had dinner one night)

and learning that my family, can indeed live in a 8 foot x 10 foot room for 4 days without causing bodily harm to one another. There were a couple of close calls though.

 (The bunk beds in our hotel room. They were about 2 feet from the end of our bed)