an old school desk

We recently ran across this old school desk.  It was a delight to find and something that I thought might be nice to have in the kitchen.  Ever since it made it's arrival in our home, my girls play school religiously every afternoon when it is too hot to play outside.  The addition of a school desk has made their imaginary classroom much more fun and our long summer afternoons much more peaceful.  It's funny how one thing can change the household dynamic so dramatically.

It has also become her little perch while I am making dinner.  

I love finding old things and making them "new" in our home.  This desk might be fun to repaint when it cools down a bit this fall.  I am thinking a minty green or coral color.  It might make a fun "pop" in the kitchen and give the old desk an updated look.  

Who knows...we'll see.  I have wanted to do things like this before and it typically takes me a year or two to decide on a color and find enough uninterrupted time to complete the project!  Ha!

first birthdays

2 eager sisters helped plan this first birthday celebration.  They were incredibly excited about a first birthday celebration for their youngest sister.  Cupcakes were made, table decorations were carefully laid out, homemade pennants were hung from the windows, special birthday clothes were worn, first birthday candles were lit and lots of family arrived to celebrate another first.

Breakfast for dinner was the theme for the special celebration.  Her favorite meal of chocolate-chip pancakes, eggs and fruit was served.  Momma and Daddy made Fireweed Jam from the flower blossoms of the fireweed flower to top your first-year pancakes too.  Daddy picked them when he went to Alaska and then we experimented with jam making.  Luckily, the jam turned out quite tasty and you loved it!

When it was time for cake, you very carefully touched your cupcake first.  Tiny fingers drug through the frosting on top and after the first taste, the entire cupcake was thrust into your mouth by both fists.  It was devoured in minutes.

I was reminded that all a one-year-old needs for her birthday is a bag filled with tissue paper...this kid had so much fun pulling tissue paper out of bags, playing with it and then attempting to eat it!

We had so much fun celebrating you!  Happy Birthday!

summer fish recipes: halibut and salmon

I love to eat fish in the summertime.  It is light, healthy and just seems perfect for bright summer evenings.

I recently found a couple recipes that I really like.  I am a little picky when it comes to fish and have never been crazy about seafood.  A fish recipe has to have just the right about of seasoning without tasting fishy or overpowering the light fish flavor.  The following 2 recipes passed my picky fish test.
Enjoy some fish on a lazy summer evening with a glass of your favorite white wine.  It is the perfect summer supper!

Panko & Parsley Baked Halibut

adapted from this recipe

Ingredients:

2 large halibut fillets (approx. 2 pounds)

1 cup Panko crumbs

1/4 cup melted butter

4 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley (chopped)

3 cloves fresh garlic (minced)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

Place fillets in the bottom of a baking dish.

Combine all other ingredients in a bowl.

Sprinkle mixture over fish fillets.

Bake for 25 minutes or until fish is flaky.

Salmon with Lemon and Dill

recipe source

Ingredients:

2 salmon fillets (approx. 1 pound)

1/4 cup butter melted

5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

lemon slices to garnish the top of the fillets

4 tablespoons fresh chopped dill

2 garlic cloves (minced)

sea salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease a medium size baking dish.

Place salmon in the baking dish.

Sprinkle salmon fillets with salt and pepper.

Combine ingredients and pour over top of the fish.

Place lemon slices on top of the fish before baking.

Bake fish for about 25 minutes or until flaky.

one year

Our no. 3 is a year old!  She is joyfully clapping, waving, blowing kisses, giving high-fives -- all of which began within a week of her first birthday.  I'd say she was super excited about turning a year old.

This one is a little firecracker and keeps us on our toes at all times when she is awake.  She disregards baby gates, the word "no," locked cabinets, stairs and all places she shouldn't be in general.  With all that said, she is also the most loving and expressive child.  She is patient and happy and works hard to keep up with her sisters, whom she adores.

She isn't too interested in walking yet, but gets around with a vigorous and energetic crawl.  She climbs around and over things that are in her way and teeters on top of toys quite frequently. 

We are absolutely smitten with you, little one.  You have been the perfect addition to our family and home this year.  Keep up your determined little attitude, joyful smile and cheery heart--you will go far! 

magic potions--you never know what you might learn while waiting in line to register your child for preschool

If you are at all like me, you've tried making many cleaning products at home with poor results.  

Since my no. 2 came along with many breathing problems, I've tried making many of my own cleaning products.  Unfortunately, many of them seemed like a waste.  I got tired of buying essential oils and mixing up magic potions...until last spring.

As I waited in line to register my child for preschool in the fall (at 5:45am!), I sat with a bunch of ladies who were discussing homemade cleaning products.  One lady swore that there was one potion that was super easy and affordable to make.  She said it worked like magic on everything.  I was skeptical but thought I'd give it a try.  The 2 ingredient cleaner is amazing and cleans everything!

It is magic!  

Magic Cleaning Solution

equal parts blue Dawn dish soap and white vinegar

Warm the vinegar up in the microwave for about 30 seconds and then pour it into a spray bottle with equal amounts of blue Dawn dish soap.  Voila!

This stuff cleans everything!  Yucky showers and bathtubs, toilets, grime, goo...you name it, it cleans it!

I dare you to give it a try.  It is amazing!

little conversations...

By the end of the day, sometimes I neglect to remember all the funny little conversations that come out of the mouths of the little people in my home.  Today, there were a few that I wanted to remember.

"Momma, please don't clean up the mermaids and put them in the pool-toy basket.  They need to be in water to live."

"Momma, I want to take this long stick home."
I think it is too big, let's just leave it for next time.
"No, I want to take it home so I can throw it for my big dog."

"I like roses.  And I like bluebonnets."
Why do you like those flowers?
"Because roses are red and Gabby likes red.  Bluebonnets are blue and Daddy likes blue."

a year in the morning

Tonight, I peeked in several times just to watch you sleep.  In the morning you will be a year old.  My last baby turning a year sort of pulls at the insides of my soul.  I am heavy with sentimental feelings about my baby turning into a child.  I think back over her year and wonder if I rushed too much.  Did I stop to enjoy all the sweet baby stages?  The thought of your little pudgy legs, elbow and knee dimples, first teeth, the mop of hair on your head and your beautiful little soul bring warmth and happiness to the heaviness I feel.  I am delighted to watch you grow and change, but for right now, I just want to forever remember this beautiful little baby asleep in her crib.  Sweet dreams on the eve of your first birthday.