Fairy and Gnome garden party

To celebrate Owen's half birthday I invited everyone to jump into their fairy garb and take a peak around my garden.  It was a fun little party to out together as I can always get carried away with whimsy. 

June Food play date: You go Grill!

It's hot and no one wants to heat up the house, so grilling it is!  I am an avid griller from the moment the snow melts until it's back again so I was happy to host a grilling party.  Amanda started things off with some tasty veggie kabobs roasted with balsamic vinaigrette that were gone in a flash.  I marinated chicken thighs adapted from my mother in laws recipe as well as tried out a new recipe stolen from Martha Stewart for cilantro lime shrimp.  The shrimp exceeded expectations and I for one with definitely make them again!

Wioletta contributed simply marinated broccoli and summer squash and Danie made a decadent potato dish with carrots, bacon and more.  Both these sides were made by roasting in foil packets while we made other things.  Marie wrapped foil around some giant onions that sat almost the entire time in the grill to become a soft and sweet compliment to the other foods.  Katie happily shucked corn because we had to have the quintessential summer barbecue favorite.  Finally, we were all treated to a truly phenomenal dessert when Colleen introduced honey, butter, and cinnamon to her pineapple kabobs.  The eating was marvelous and I had no trouble managing with the left overs!

Thanks for a great day of grilling and enjoying the nostalgia of summer!

Here's what the kids were up to! Thanks to Katie for taking photos.

 

BIG Play Thursday: June

A belated post for our June big play sans photos, forgive me.

Our dear Brittany and her family have already made their move out of state as I write this.  June's big play was a surprise going away party for her with lots of goodies to eat while mamas worked hard to make special scrapbook pages as a keep sake.  Thanks to Facebook, I know we will still be able to keep in touch and watch Penelope grow, but I know we will all miss them terribly!

It was a challenge to balance busy little ones with hard core crafting but we made it happen, all in days work brilliant multitasking mamas. 

Best of luck and lots of love to Brittany and her family on their next chapter!!

Mother's Day Brunch!

The Emily's hosted a dynamic Mother's Day event today and the weather held up perfectly.  While mama's enjoyed the warm sunshine and company on Emily MS's deck, the babes played at Emily N's home with their dutiful dads.  Some even made lovely cards for their beloved moms!

There were more then enough goodies to go around and the table was overflowing.  Mimosas were enjoyed along with the companionship of our fellow moms who help us in so many ways to celebrate and survive motherhood.  

As usual the time flew by and one by one we returned to the real world but were certainly refreshed, enthused, and full of warm fuzziness.

Many thanks to Emily MS and Emily N for their wonderful orchestration and hosting.  And of course Happy Mothers Day to the Moms Who Play- you put your hearts into everyday and make it look so easy!

DIY essential oil hand sanitizing spray

Today I had the joy of hosting a group of mama's to make our own little spray bottles to fight germs chem free.  My limited instruction was to add water, aloe gel, 10 drops lemon, and 2 of everything else. This is why I do not bake: I am too relaxed about recipes.  But I think it's the gist of the recipe from the video I followed: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5mV-F6QZ1Pk (this video is Dr. Rosen's kids making the sanitizer they keep in the office.  I found this video when I was looking for a pediatrician and stopped looking after I found it ;)

 

Everyone enjoyed the delightful aromas as we mixed up germ fighting potions while the kids gave my homemade toys a run for their money. One duct tomato bit the dust but the drawing station was a hit and all crayons are accounted for.

Thanks to all the ladies and kiddos that made our morning so fun filled and action  packed. 

April 2014 Cooking Play Date: Indian Food!

Suzanne hosted another epic event that was from top to bottom fun filled and exciting!  Her kitchen was open and full of busy hands as she instructed us on how to prepare traditional homemade Indian food.  There were so many oohs and aahs as we marveled over the exotic tastes and tried to pronounce unfamiliar words.  I did my best to label the dishes because I am sure many of us would like to have these scrumptious foods again.  Things started with salad and samosas.  For a few minutes it was hard to look around without seeing a toddler playing while chomping a samosa, way to be food adventurers little ones! Then one by one the dishes hit the table and were devoured on contact.

I had the honor, along with Sarah and Patricia, of wearing a gorgeous sari.  Suzanne taught me how to find the beginning, wrap, pleat, and wear the bead covered garment that made my inner girly girl giggle with glee. 

Besides lots of darling playing by the little ones, we got to me some of our youngest additions as Wendy, Marie, and Katie were able to join us.  It was wonderful to see these beaming and beautiful mamas out and about with their tiny new nurslings.

As usual many of us rolled away with full tummies and a feeling of inspiration, not only from the preparation of new foods but with the real love and good feelings that is always abundant at our group get togethers.

Cooking Playdate March 2014: A tribute to all things garlic, the stinking rose

It was every garlic lovers dream to meet up with like minded enthusiasts to pay tribute to one of the most adored and pungent ingredients in the culinary world.  I didn't know when I came up with the idea, how many others shared my devotion to garlic.  Brittany and I were planner-hosts and Lauren EB was home-host for this delightfully aromatic bash.  Wioletta and I got things started with a roasted garlic and white bean dip we served with veggies.

Along the way Brittany and Suzanne whipped up kale chips and many chipped in to check those fickle guys and make sure they came out crispy and perfect.  Suzanne even made a batch of super spicy ones that really knocked my socks off.

Who knew there were so many tricks for peeling garlic!  Brittany had a silicon tube contraption that worked great and Emily MS gave us a quick dance routine to show us the shake approach.  She simply put the cloves in a bowl, topped it with another bowl the same size, and then shook-shook-shook... low and behold, yes those cloves were peeled!

That garlic went on to turn into many tasty delights.  Jennifer whipped up some garlic bread two ways- one crunchy and one softer.  Colleen made some decadent and addicting garlic shrimp.  Danielle made cream of garlic soup and Emily MS made crispy garlic potato chips.

But the celebrating didn't stop there!  There were beautiful cupcakes to celebrate Anikan's second birthday. He wore a cape to mark the occasion and there were party hats all around.  We sang while he beamed and it was a wonderful moment.

After the event many ladies reported that fabulous garlic aroma seeping from their skin but what a hoot we had going garlic gaga!