Guest Blog Gig

In Sydney’s class there was a mom, Cassie, who always coordinated all the classroom parties.  She rocked those parties with great activities, fancy cookies, crafts, etc.  It was fun to watch the 2 and 3 year olds get their crafty party on fancy style.  She has a fun blog about her adventures in crafting, sewing, party planning, St Louis kid friendly suggestions, and her many outings with her 2 daughters. 

She asked me to do a family friendly dinner monthly post for her blog and here’s my first post:

http://www.crazycoolwithasideofcrafty.com/2011/06/new-monthly-post-name-tbd.html

Thanks Cassie and your creativity and projects are always a fun read!

June 5th, 2011

On my 30th birthday Lauren was born.  This not only means I am exactly 30 years older than Lauren, but we share a birthday too.  It makes for a doubly fun day to celebrate as a family.  Kirk and Trent woke up and started attacking the garage.  It started as just moving around a few things to a full out reorganization project.  I don’t dare interrupt or protest when the word organization comes into play.  I had a pool date with friends and left the boys to operation garage.  Sally surrendered to previous plans of leaving in the morning and retreated to the couch with her book.  The girls and I spent a good portion of the afternoon at the pool.  I was almost expecting to return with Kirk and Trent still in the garage, but they left about 30 minutes before we returned.  The garage looked great and still does, an unexpected birthday surprise!  So we all cleaned up and had reservations at Lorenzo's on the Hill. 

My 3 daughters, Lauren, Sydney, and Kit.  I’m so excited about our new front door.  I can now take pictures of the kids in front of our house with pride!

I guess someone tuckered herself out at the pool.  Cute little thing. 

 

It was a great family dinner.

Afterwards we hit my all time favorite frozen treat, Ted Drews!

Lauren listening intently on the menu choices.  Sydney doesn’t listen because she’ll just say “I want what Lauren’s getting.”  Hands down, every time.

We decided to make Ted Drews an annual birthday tradition on June 5th!  Happy Happy Birthday to my big girl!

June 4th, 2011

Today is Lauren’s 6th birthday bowling party.  It was the easiest birthday I’ve ever planned.  I ordered a cake, picked it up (well, technically Trent picked it up), did party favors, and showed up. 

My mom and Sally decided to get in on the bowling action.

Lauren wanted a chocolate chip princess cookie cake.  Done and done.

They set up lunch for the kids.  Hot dog, potato chips, and a drink.  State of art nutrition, but hey, it’s a birthday party in a bowling alley.  We ordered some appetizers and snacks for the adults too.  Basically fried stuff with a side of fried stuff, but tasty!

Birthday girl blowing out her candles.  I simply cannot believe she is 6 and going into 1st grade.  Time really needs to slow down or take a vacation or something.

Once we got home Lauren was biting at the bit to open her gifts.  The plan was to go to the pool afterwards, but she was too excited with the idea of taking her toys for a ride and get to playing, so it was a mellow afternoon at home. 

I decided to take the opportunity to work on the garden a bit.  I wanted to dig up some potatoes for dinner and Kirk said he’d help me. 

The potatoes.

I put out newspaper for ALL the potatoes that were about to be dug up. 

The big reveal.

Retreat retreat, not ready yet!!!  Oopsies.  We put the plants back too cook in the dirt some more.

Dinner had to be adjusted.  So instead of potatoes from the garden, we had peas and broccoli from the garden.  Along with honey mustard rosemary pork tenderloin, bread, salad, and a lone potato. 

After dinner it was time for more presents.

Bring on the gifts!

Lauren got her favorite American Girl doll, Kit Kittredge.  To say she was excited would be an understatement.  It was love at first sight.

It was a fantastic day, albeit potato-less.

May 30th, 2011

Our last day and night in New Orleans was a success.  Pool, shopping, trolley ride, garden district, and debauchery checked off the list.

 

Our drive home began at 9 am on Sunday morning.  We decided to stop in Memphis for a lunch/dinner meal around 3:30 pm.  I guess it was linner.  We went to Corkey Barbecue.  Dennis did some researched and determined this place was legit.  He was absolutely right.  Incredible barbecue.

I went for it and got the ribs with baked beans and cole slaw.  Trent got the bbq pulled pork sandwich and fries.  I am hungry just looking at this picture remembering the meal.  If you are ever in Memphis or passing through, I recommend!  It was 3:30 on a Sunday afternoon and the place was still packed with a wait list for a table.  They ain’t playin.

We got home around 8:30 pm in time to see the girls and put them to bed, which was perfect.  The girls had a great time with Kirk and Sally, everything went well and fun was had.

Memorial Day!!!!!  I was happy the weather was pool weather because that was my big plan.  Pool season is hands down my favorite time of the year.  Markham and I met up with the kids.  You know, because we had so much to catch up on after spending 3 days in New Orleans together and a 11 hour car ride the day before.

Happy happy sunscreened faces all around.

We have an abundance of spring peas in the garden from the cool spring we had.  The girls are shelling them, they loved doing this.  But as of lately, I think the chore has lost it’s appeal due to the frequency of it.

I was going to grill steak for dinner with rice and a salad and decided the peas would go in the rice.

It’s my sneaky was of working the peas into the girls diet.  I was shocked it worked.  Think it was probably all the swimming at the pool that made their appetite so much that they would eat out of their comfort zone.  That or lack of energy to protest.  Either way, I’ll take it.

Best Memorial Day Weekend Ever!

May 27th, 2011

First full day in New Orleans AND a full night of sleep.  Life is good.  We decided to start the day off walking around St. Louis Cathedral and did a little shopping in the boutiques.  The difference on this trip was more than half of the boutiques were toy stores.  Can’t come back empty handed for the girls!

Then we walked around the flea market area and…

lighted the drinking lamp.

We had 12:30 reservations at Herbsaint with Ryan and Kevin.  I was very excited about this meal. 

The restaurant was near the warehouse district.

The meal was absolutely fantastic and we went all out, Herbsaint calories don’t count.  We started with onion rings and french fries for the table.  High end bar type food is always fun for me.  Then there were salads and gumbo, all yummy.  Trent and I split their mixed green salad described as “crisp lettuces with creamy bacon vinaigrette and gorgonzola piccante.”  Then I had “Gnocchi with Pancetta and asparagus.” Amazing stuff.  There was then desserts.  Markham, Erin, Trent, and I split “warm chocolate pudding cake with salted caramel, cashew ice cream and cocoa nib caramel corn.”  Ended the meal perfectly.  I highly recommend Herbsaint to anyone planning to go to New Orleans and I do so without reservation.

The afternoon was spent at the pool, where Mandy joined us.  Her and Rick have officially arrived!  A couple of hours at a rooftop pool in New Orleans with good friends on a Friday afternoon is my version of heaven.

Shannon and Tom flew in town and have also arrived.  We’ve now have the whole group here.

The evening was Chat, Dance, Laugh, Cocktail, Repeat.

Completely off the subject: I am so excited about the new facelift (or actually a complete rehab) on my blog.  My good friend who I brag about alot, Beth, did it.  She actually goes by Elizabeth, but she’s grandfathered me (or I grandfathered myself) to calling her by her childhood version of her name.  We’ve known each other since forever, our houses growing up were a yard apart with 2 jumpable fences we highly abused.  She did this when she was watching her niece and nephew at her house with her kids.  Apparently the kids were self entertained for the playdate and she “played around.”  I have no idea how she does this stuff, but am so glad I get to be a canvas for her talented ways.  Thanks Beth Elizabeth Hall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

May 26th, 2011

So we drove through the night to New Orleans incident free.  We hit a slightly scary thunderstorm, but it only lasted about 10 minutes.  We also avoided a huge thunderstorm going through the southeast.  None of us slept much, but we were excited to hit the big easy and made great time.  It was 7:30 am.  What to do in New Orleans at 7:30 am?

We hit Cafe Du Monde for coffee and beignets.  And that’s really all you can order there, along with milk and orange juice.  That’s all folks.

Now I have a confession to make.  I did not partake.  There are foods I love, but alas the love is not returned.  Anything in the donut, funnel cake, deep fried dough family will feel like a brick in my stomach for hours.  But they looked delicious and I think the beignet to powdered sugar ratio was 1 to 1. 

The next stop was our hotel to hope for an early check in, walked around the hotel, and headed to Bourbon Street to walk around a bit.  Trent, Dennis, Scott, and Erica went to the casino while Markham and I went to the pool.  At 1:30 everyone was to meet at The Gumbo Shop, one of our favorite lunch spots.  I had the crawfish remoulade salad.  It was incredible.  Everyone else either ordered shrimp po’ boys or gumbo, all equally pleased.

Next stop, Pat O’Briens for patio fun.

Time for Razzoo’s.  This is Trent’s favorite place in New Orleans.  It might even very well be one of his favorite places in the world.  It’s a bar that offers 3 for 1 drinks until 9 pm.  They have music, dance floor, and a patio area.  Much time is spent at Razzoo’s. 

After a couple hours of fun, we all went back to the hotel, cleaned up, and met up with Ryan and Kevin who just flew into New Orleans.  First stop?  More Razzoos.

The humidity is so bad it causes my camera’s lense to be foggy, and my hair to be curly.  You will be seeing me in a ponytail for the trip, I officially surrender to the humidity.

Next on the agenda was Cat’s Meow, a bar with a dance stage, DJ, and great balcony.  The balcony is perfect for Bourbon Street watching and I have no idea how it holds up because it bounces when you walk on it.  I try not to think about it, especially if a crowd is up there.  And yes, Jello shots made an appearance.  This is our mid 30 something selves being in our 20’s for the weekend.  And I like it.