Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry, Merry Christmas!!!


From our family to yours!

Friday, December 24, 2010

I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas...

But I'll take cotton balls, paper snowflakes and 62 degrees instead.


Thursday, December 23, 2010

Is That Rudolph?


We found this fun blinking red nose at Restoration Hardware. They have really fun vintage stocking stuffers for those of you doing last minute shopping. We are getting so excited about Christmas here in the Coffee Cottage but Gracie said "I'm really excited about Christmas...but I am really, REALLY excited about Santa Barbara!" Maybe Ryan should be looking for a position at UCSB!?!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Anticipation

This is a papa-post of my girls getting excited about our upcoming Westfalia adventure.  We'll be heading down the coast to Santa Barbara, but as we all know, it's about the journey, not the destination.  

This year we travel in style... super style!

Brook has always wanted a Westy, so we will be renting from http://www.californiacampers.com/.  

If you never hear from us again, you'll know we've found paradise on the road.

Friday, December 17, 2010

3 Months


an angel here on earth...

Simple Supper :: Chicken Soup with Rice

After roasting a chicken last night, I simply dumped the remaining chicken, carrots, oinions and garlic into the slow cooker, covered with water and cooked on low overnight. In the morning I added brown rice, more carrots and kale. Ryan said it was one of his favorite soups ever. Then he fogot to put it in the fridge and we lost the leftovers. Don't worry honey, I'll make it again next week! xo

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Camping Food?

I am getting our camping trip list together this week and planning our menu. Does anyone have a good camping meal with as little prep or perishables as possible? Have you found a tasty packaged food--think mac and cheese but not mac and cheese?

For example, one of my favorites that I used to take on backpacking trips in college was the Frontier dried chili mix that I used to get at Whole Foods in the bulk section. Just add boiling water. And sometimes canned beans and corn and more chili powder to spice it up a bit.

Simple Supper :: Roasted Chicken

I know what you are thinking. Roasting a chicken is not a simple supper. Think again because dinner prep took me literally FIVE minutes. Using TJ's mirepoix and precut butternut squash to line the pan, I simply sprinkled olive oil and herbs de provence on the chicken and baked at 425 for 1.5 hours. Delicious!

Then we turned it into chicken soup with rice....

Close Up


Look at that cute little nose! Perfection.
Her eyes keep changing color depending on the light. They look blue with brown sun streaks to me these days but who knows how they will finally turn out. Gorgeous. 
And those lips? Delicious.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Baked French Toast

I found whole wheat cinnamon raisin rolls at TJ's but they were on the dry side so I turned them into this delicious breakfast. It would be great for entertaining guests or for a brunch with friends. The praline topping is a little sweet for me so I could do without it but everyone else thought it was great.

butter a large casserole dish
Break cinnamon rolls into one inch pieces
Combine:
8 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup half and half
1 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt
1 tsp vanilla
pour over bread

Praline Topping:
One stick butter cut into pieces
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup pecans
raisins
pour over toast to bake for the last 20 minutes

**This makes an excellent dessert. Better the next day. Tastes like bread pudding**

Morning Love


Gracie is starting to read to Emily when they wake up in the morning. 
Then I get a chance to make coffee!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Wrapped In Love

My grandmother's scarf


This year, in lieu of extensive amounts of wasted wrapping paper, I am trying my hand at furoshiki, the artful Japanese tradition of wrapping gifts in large, beautiful swaths of cloth. Why furoshiki? It is reusable and multipurpose. Each year billions (BILLIONS!!!) of plastic bags end up as litter. Reusable bags, such as furoshiki can help reduce the impact to our environment. Its versatility allows you to wrap almost anything regardless of its shape or size.


Here is a link to a famous furoshiki store in Japan demonstrating how to make a darling purse.


Here is a link to simple cotton flour sack towels which would be great for furoshiki. Fun for craft projects too!


Here are a few techniques from the Tea Collection, which is offering furoshiki for gifts this year:







THE ART OF FUROSHIKI

basic wrap

1. Place object in center of furoshiki as pictured above.2. Wrap top and bottom corners over box.3. Bring together right and and left corners.4. Tie a knot with right and left corners over wrapped box.

tote wrap

1. Place object in center of furoshiki as pictured above.2. Bring together one set of corners and tie a knot.3. Tie the other set of corners into a knot.4. Bring together knots and use the loops created in the furoshiki to tote object.

twisted handle wrap

1. Place object in center of furoshiki as pictured above.2. Bring together one set of corners and tie a knot. Bring other set of corners through loop created by the knot.3. Twist the corners to create tight wound lengths of fabric.4. Bring together ends of twisted fabric and tie a knot.

bottle wrap

1. Place two bottles in center of furoshiki as pictured above.2. Lie bottles down, leaving a space between the two.3. Take a corner and place over bottles, rolling the bottles along to create a tube of fabric.4. Pull ends together and tie a knot.




Monday, December 13, 2010

Brought to you by the letter...


We'll be looking for the letter "P" today while we run errands. 
Using cinnamon to write the letter on her morning oatmeal was a fun way to start the day. 

Friday, December 10, 2010

Connected







I love this website about missed connections and it got me thinking...

Thirteen years ago, I could have easily had a missed connection. I went with a girlfriend to a local espresso shop (that is known not only for it's excellent coffee but also it's egotistical baristas) to get a late night cocoa during finals week. I recognized the guy behind the bar from a history class. What had caught my eye besides that cute smile? He was obviously the smartest student in the class, he was buds with the teacher Valor Pickett, and he wore obnoxious plaid flannel pajama pants to class.

Me: Hey we were in Valor Pickett's class together
Him: Long pause... oh yeah

I realized he didn't remember me. Gasp! He didn't remember me? But I had a cute smile! I was obviously the second most intelligent student in the class, I was on a first name basis with our teacher Valor Pickett,  and I wore comfortable but adorably well planned outfits to class. What do you mean he didn't remember me?!!?

The next afternoon I went in for a Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, french press cafe au lait. He was studying and eating dinner when I sat down next to him to chat while my coffee brewed for seven minutes. An hour later my coffee was cold, his dinner was old and we had just unknowingly met our soul mates.

The next night (okay, I was a bit of a coffee shop groupie) I went in again with a friend to get another cocoa and he was working again. They were packed. The line was to the door. He took our order and asked me if I could stick around for a couple of minutes. He placed a pad of paper and a pen on the bar beside us. We waited for a couple of minutes but the line only got longer. So...I wrote down my number and left. He called the next day and he still has that piece of paper in his wallet.

We could have so easily been a missed connection.

But here we are 13 years later, connected in so many ways.

Connected by our history,
by our vows,
by our two angels,
by our future.

And I wouldn't miss that for the world.
i love you hon. xoxo

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Pesto Pizza



Tonight is the first time I have made homemade pizza since Emily was born. Too long!!! She is asleep in the swing and Gracie is helping me roll the dough. What fun.
It's a pesto pizza tonight--topped with cherry tomatoes.




Thank goodness for frozen pesto (made before Emily was born.) Unfortuantley, I am down to my last few tablespoons and I will be hard pressed to find good basil this late in the year. PLEASE let me know if you see some big bunches around town for another batch.




This pesto batch was two HUGE bunches of basil with one bag of toasted pine nuts, some garlic and enough olive oil to pull it together. Scoop, freeze, and bag. Then just pull out enough for your recipe. Four or five for a pizza.

Our Art Cart




We bought this little art cart from Under the Nile a few years ago and it really was a great purchase! It does such a good job keeping Gracie's favorite art supplies together and it is portable so she can tote it around the house, outside or on an adventure. Some of her favorite art supplies are wax blocks, colored pencils, and her current favorites, tape and scissors!!! She spends HOURS everyday cutting and taping various art treasures. We have a second one designated for crafts that holds stickers, beads, yarn, etc.

What are your favorite art and craft supplies these days?

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Dear Santa

Baby Blue Buntings

Bill and Brook :: 4 months
Ryan and Emily :: 2 Months


Protection

B: Let's put on our raincoats and hike to collect some holly for the mantlepiece.
G: I also want to hike to the buckeye forest
B: We need to wait for daddy
G: Why?
B: Well, I get too nervous hiking by ourselves because of the mountain lion
G: Well, we can just take the kazoo with us!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Compost Cookie?!?


We are a BIG composting family so when I spotted these on Cup of Jo, I had a BIG smile. I am going to have to try making this Compost Cookie (with pretzels, potato chips, coffee, oats, butterscotch, chocolate chips, graham crackers ) from momofuku. $10 for six? Please!

I'll change the ingredients up a bit and get back to you but here are theirs:

butter, unbleached wheat flour, sugar, brown sugar, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, graham crumbs, pretzels, potato chips, glucose syrup, eggs, whole oats, cream, milk powder, coffee grounds, salt, leavening, vanilla
What is your craziest recipe?

Monday, December 6, 2010

What's for Lunch?


Gracie got a new lunch box from PlanetBox at the Green Festival. This day I cut her sandwich into a heart and the red bell peppers were in the shape of flowers. I have to admit it makes preparing lunches so much fun and she can carry it instead of mama lugging around eight different containers!

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Happy Holidays



Just a little sneak peak.....
Most Wonderful Year Christmas 5x7 folded card
Shop Shutterfly for elegant custom Christmas photo cards.
View the entire collection of cards.

Friday, December 3, 2010

I Like...

Grace: I like Christmas,Halloween and Wednesdays. Oh, and I like fish.

Today's Technology

Grace: The juice on the pomegranate seeds is much healthier. It doesn't have sugar bugs ( to quote dr. quo)
Brook: Did daddy tell you that?
Grace: No.
Brook: It is just some thing you know?
Grace: I learned it on my website.

Success!!!


Emily was able to get ahold of the blue ring on our favorite gym today. She is loving it as much as Gracie did but the "middle man" seems to frustrate/entice/baffle/entertain (?) her as much as it did for big sis! This was definitely one of our best baby purchases.

For My Child



I bought some wool felt today to start making one of Gracie's Christmas gifts. I know I will need a whole month to actually make it, so while the girls are both napping (!!!) I feel like a little elf. This little project will go with her favorite book, Child of Faerie, Child of Earth by Jane Yolen. I'll keep you posted!

Waldorf Holiday Faire


There are SO many wonderful fair(e)s taking place this weekend: Third Street Fair in SF, our local craft fair, etc. but while we were in our favorite store today, the owner, Julie and another mom were discussing how the Waldorf Faire is SO amazing and to be sure not to miss it. I have been wanting to go for three years now so finally I have it on my calendar. They will have lots of fun activities for the kids as well as a chance to do a little Christmas shopping. They even have trees, so this could be a "two birds with one stone" kind of adventure. We are a bit behind this year as traveling with two is proving to be much more difficult.

Hope to see you there but if not, what are your holiday plans this weekend?

When you get a chance, check out what our friends Kate and Riley are doing to celebrate the season. It is inspirational!