{our moment}

We're joining Soulemama for a Friday ritual. A single photo that captures a moment from the week. 

A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

woof, meow, woof!

right now

we are preparing to welcome home our dear friends and neighbors

Friends

We miss you already!

A Snow Family

We had the joy of seeing our dear friends, Joanne and WIlliam, make their first snowman when we had snow the other day. Gracie and Ryan made a snow family for our family...

And then William made a little snow William. Too Cute!!!

A Pizza Party

We had dear friends over last night for a pizza party so I thought I would share just exactly how we make pizza here in The Coffee Cottage. A few friends have asked for more recipes and how-to's.

So here goes...

First prep toppings.

I like taking a look at Delancy for inspiration and seasonal ideas. i.l.o.v.e.m.o.l.l.y. and have enjoyed reading her book, her blog and watching her dream restaurant become a reality.

Tonight we are having four pizzas (actually 2 topped half and half)

1. Gracie and Nyla's favs : mozzerela, artichoke hearts and black olives

2. The Crimini: shaved crimini mushrooms (use a cheese grater or mandoline), mozz, olive oil and thyme

3. The Margarita: mozz, sliced grape tomatoes and chopped fresh basil

and a new AMAZING pizza. I could have this again

4. The Romana: anchovies, garlic, sliced grape tomatoes, kalamata olives, oregano, grana
and this chili oil. Add more oil after cooking.

***Thanks Auntie Beth for the Sotto Voce Oils!!!***

Put pizza stone into the oven and Preheat the oven to 425.
Take pizza dough (I like TJ's whole wheat dough) out of fridge to rise (on flour) for twenty minutes wile oven and stone heat up.

Flatten dough into 12" circle and then carefully pick up and throw up into air to spread out without breaking dough. This takes practice but is incredibly fun and once you get the hang of it, it is like riding a bike...a skill you always have and a good skill to have in my opinion.



I like a thin crispy crust so I make a large pizza. Take HOT stone out of oven , sprinkle with course cornmeal, put dough onto crust and quickly top and get back into the oven as quickly as possible. Cook 15-20 minutes.

Being quick also takes a lot of practice. I like to be able to do this in a couple of minutes to get the best pizza possible. We have pizza almost every Friday night so we are efficient around here now but I had lots of torn crust, under cooked, overcooked pizza,  etc. for a long time.

I encourage you to try this at home. You may just never want to eat at a pizzeria again. After having the Romana last night, I probably won't. It is really that AMAZING!

Peer Pressure

What a FUN day! Just as I was siting around the coffee table with three of my favorite people, thinking to myself that it was so amazing to be having such a great adult conversation for longer than two minutes, we heard a yell from upstairs. Irene jumped up and yelled "oh no!" As we were running up the stairs, we heard the most genuine laughter radiating from the bathroom. This is what we found...

The girls had decided to give each other baths. With hand soap. So much for adult conversation. :-)

Today's Treasures

A GREAT day finding treasures with treasured friends.

A Lucky Day

It started with a ladybug. (You know it is good luck if they land on you.)

Then some friends joined us at the creek to catch macroinvertebrates (Gracie's biggest word to date.)

Then we made wishes at the merfrog (frog mermaid)  fountain 

while telling secrets and listening to the last jazz concert of the summer.

"Mama is there going to be a Fall concert?"

My grandmother would always tell me that "we're lucky."

We are indeed!

** When I made this post, I didn't realize that it was Friday the 13th, a day which I have always considered lucky because my father was born on Friday the 13th of September. He must have sent the ladybug from up above. I miss you papa. xoxo **

Summer Pleasures :: Birthday Pool Party

Happy Birthday Kashi! We had SO MUCH fun at your pool party. XOXO

**photos by Ryan--thanks honey**

Wishes and Worms

We had quite a perfect day yesterday. We met dear friends at Cafe Barrone for lunch, where we actually met three years ago at a moms group. I am so glad we did as these are such important, precious people in our lives. It look like Gracie is kissing William but she is actually telling him to close his eyes when he makes a wish. And who can forget the joy in rolling down a grassy hill?

Then we headed to the Stanford Jazz Concert for dinner and frozen yogurt--I am not sure why everyone in LA is crazy for Pinkberry though. After we ordered Gracie had a HUGE smile and said "Mama I have ALWAYS wanted an ice cream cone!" We have had frozen yogurt, gelato, ice cream plenty of times. I guess the cone makes all the difference.