The last two days here have been SO lovely - like in the 80's.
I know much of the globe has been experiencing this summer-like weather, and I don't know about you, but it makes me soooooo happy. I enjoy warm weather SO very much.
Usually, when the weather gets this warm, I make a point of going outside, finding a nice place to sit and read...or close my eyes and do absolutely nothing save soak up the sun.
Yesterday was brilliant...today however though it is nice and warm, there are also 60 mph winds! So I didn't stay outside long, but did enjoy getting outside for a few quick errands.
One nice day a few weeks ago, my man helped his cousin roof a building on Main Street. The cousin and his father own the building and use it mostly for storage right now. I just sat on the roof next door and enjoyed the weather and view!!
My mother-in-law's birthday was a few weeks ago, so my father-in-law flew us to a nearby city where we celebrated her birthday at the fancy Italian restaurant at the airport. The hot fresh bread and garlic-dipping sauce is SO YUMMY. This time I had the Greek Salad and shared a ravioli chicken alfredo dish with Matthew.
Me in the plane. I think the scarf adds a nice "aviation" touch, although I did not plan it that way!!
My man! He has his pilot's license too. His father (the one flying) is an instructor. His cousin (who wants to get his license) is in the front too.
House Update:
- Much of the plumbing and electrical work is done.
- We have all appliances we need except the washer and dryer which are all-but accounted for, we just need to purchase them and pick them up!
- Insulation is in. We hired a few gentlemen who sprayed foam insulation all over the walls and ceiling. It was so funny to watch. The man spraying had to wear a suit that made him look like a cross between a beekeeper and an astronaut! It doesn't harden all the way and is supposed to be a great option for insulation. It looks like whipped cream! You can see some "leaking" out the front of the house, and it is quite amusing.
In this photo you can see the insulation. The room on the right is our bedroom and the room on the left is the baby cave!! Both doors will be "pocket" doors, meaning they will slide into the wall and be somewhat hidden. I'm not positive you can tell that by this picture!
Even the tub got insulated! We used a different type of insulation just sprayed out of a can for this though.
Here are examples of two paintings I would like to have hanging in my home. The one on the left is from Target. I really enjoy the expression on the woman's face, and her whole attitude and demeanor in this painting. She just looks quiet, but confident, expressive, and at ease.
The one on the right is from a store in the mall that is going out of business. It is a print from an old Vogue magazine cover. The woman looks like a dancer at the barre as she leans over the ledge. I like that because I used a similar ledge as a ballet barre once in Italy! Such a great memory, but I haven't been able to find the picture my friend took since the hard-drive of my old computer failed :( My husband restored some of them and placed them in a file somewhere, and I hope they will turn up one day! If you click on the photo and enlarge it, you'll see a little girl in the garden beneath handing her a rose :)
Recently Baking:
A few weeks ago, we made this recipe 3 times in less than 2 weeks! The first time was for Matthew's grandmothers birthday. He liked it so much he requested it again for our get-together will friends later that week. Then, a week later we made it again for the same reason (different friends this time, though!) And that time he made ice cream to go along with it! I haven't made homemade ice cream yet, but he's really good at it.
Try this! You won't be sorry :)
Like I said, today was so warm out, I felt like something cool and crispy for lunch. I ended up making this salad that seems to have to themes of "crispy" and "red." It is unique! It has leftover strawberries, bananas, and blackberries from breakfast, apples, and little beets. I squeezed fresh lemon on it and topped it with brown sugar crumbles. The lady at the store sold the entire bag to me for $0.79 because, it had hardened into clumps. I was so excited because I like it this way better anyway! :)
:)
Also filled up on fruits and veggies that were on sale today. The small town grocery always has great deals on produce, and I am so thankful for this. We had bananas that were getting pretty ripe. When I asked my man what he wanted with bananas - cookies, cake, or bread - he said, "YES." Then he said, "Oh, remember those cookies you made off your friend's blog? Make those!" It's funny those cookies stood out in his memory, because I made them...over a year ago!
Here is her blog for other ideas of what to do with bananas...
And here is a direct link to the cookie recipe
My mother-in-law cleaned the kitchen this afternoon for a while as I baked. A little too windy to be outside at this time anyway, it was nice to enjoy the sunny kitchen together, chat, and work.
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And just a quick bonus picture that I love! This is from my good friend's wedding last month. Her husband is from Austria, and it is normal for his family to get her this traditional Austrian dress for her wedding. She keeps it her whole life and wears it to traditional Austrian celebrations. His sisters, cousins, and parents all wore these to the wedding. It was so fun!!!
When you're ready (and only when you're ready), I'll send you the link to the peanut butter banana bread. It has revolutionized our banana bread eating in this house.
ReplyDeleteAAAHHH! You're right, I'm not ready for that goodness yet. I'd be willing to try it though, as I'm not typically a huge fan of banana bread.
ReplyDelete