Wednesday, May 28, 2014
HELLO FROM HOMAHA
We knew this weekend was going to be crazy. We're back for my best friend's wedding and in the midst of it we're spending time with each family, celebrating a graduation, birthdays and squeezing time in with our friends. We've only been here for less than 48 hours and we're getting exhausted quick!
Sometimes it's far more stressful coming home to visit than it really should be, but at least we get to see those who we've missed. 
Kensi has hard a really hard time adjusting to grandparents and everyone else that happen to say hello to her. She's been the ultimate crabcake not wanting anyone but mom and dad and she's hardly eating anything. Luckily, she was able to see her cousin who's only 5 weeks younger and it finally broke the ice for Kensington. I'll tell ya, the power of sharing a sticker sheet and sunglasses has blown me away.
Avery and Kensi had so much fun sharing toys and running back and forth over and over again. I wish they'd see each other more often, they really could be the best of friends.
By the end of the night she finally was back to her silly self and opened up to everyone. She even played a goofy game of peek-a-boo with her Uncle Matt.
Monday, May 26, 2014
OUR MEMORIAL WEEKEND
We kicked off our weekend on Thursday with meeting Mike for lunch down in Southport. We've started to do this once a week since the weather is so beautiful. We love sitting down by the pier where there is a large lawn lined with benches and porch swings. It's so relaxing and has a perfect view of the ocean.
Mike was so excited to get a few more toys tools. Kensi really enjoys it too. She loves helping Dada put things together and often leaves her toys behind just to be a helper.
Lately Kensi has freaked out every time she sees a bug, whether it's inside or out. She hates them! When she saw this little green insect clinging to our window it was nothing less than a complete spaz attack. We captured it and let her explore the big through a jar which seemed to help. Her favorite part though....helping Dada take it back outside to the woods :)
We spent a couple different days over the weekend at the pool. Kensi loves going into the big pool and jumping off the edge in our arms. She's learning to count and always starts by saying 'unnnnnn!' {one} She's also been fighting her naps all weekend and we were so excited she crashed out even if it was at the pool.
We spent Monday evening with our neighbors and enjoyed a block party. We really lucked out with our neighborhood, we have some of the best neighbors, seriously. There are so many kids that love on our street, it often feels like home with all the noise and people running around. We really couldn't ask for anything more.
We had a great weekend celebrating all that our service men and woman do. We are so grateful for their dedication that allows us to spend a great weekend with friends and our little family. We wish thank you for a big enough word for everything they do.
We hope all our readers had a wonderful weekend as well and I know for many we can officially say 'Happy Suuuummmmmerrrrr!'
Sunday, May 25, 2014
GERMAN POTATO SALAD
Most of the time when you hear potato salad you think of creamy thick mayonnaise. Mike hates any mayonnaise based salad and won't go near it! Since we've been together {2002} I feel it's been my mission to make him love every possible food and I've been pretty successful. He now eats beans, mushrooms, hummus, veggie pizza, grilled salad, chili, vinegar, mustard, coffee, tea and beer. But there's really no getting past mayonnaise and I can't blame him because I don't even like mayonnaise all that much. But he told me he hated potato salad and that is something I can change because not all potato salads have to be mayonnaise based or creamy.
Have you ever had a German Potato Salad? It's vinegar based and has bacon, right there....the word 'bacon,' is a sealed deal for almost everyone I know!
This salad is a little sweet and takes a different spin on potato salad, but it's been a winner with so many.
German Potato Salad
Recipe courtesy of All Recipes
3 cups Potatoes, diced
5 slices Bacon, diced
1 small Onion, diced
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Sugar
2 Tablespoons Water
1-1/2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
Fresh Parsley, chopped
Bring potatoes to a boil and cook for 10 minutes or until done. The smaller the dice the quicker they cook.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a pan. Once done, remove and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Do not drain grease from pan.
Add onion to bacon pan and cook until golden. Add vinegar, mustard, sugar, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Add potatoes to liquid mixture and toss until well coated. Remove from heat and add bacon and parsley. Serve warm or cold.
XOXO
Saturday, May 24, 2014
HOT CRAB DIP
When we lived in Maryland we fell in love with all things crab and Old Bay. It's funny how different places put importance on different things. In Maryland, Old Bay seasoning is equivalent to salt and pepper.
One of our favorite crab dishes is Hot Crab Dip. It's on practically every menu at every restaurant, just as we're finding here in coastal North Carolina.
Sometimes we make crap dip for din and that's all we eat, kind of like our cheese plate dins. Today we're making it for our grill out with friends. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Hot Crab Dip
1 (8 oz) pkg 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese, softened
1 (8 oz) container Sour Cream
4 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon Worshershire Sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 Dried Mustard
A few dashes of Hot Sauce
16 oz Crab Meat, drained well
3/4 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 baking dish.
Mix cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, Worshershire sauce, dried mustard, hot sauce and Old Bay seasoning in a bowl. Gently fold in crab meat.
Pour into greased baking dish, top with remaining cheddar cheese and bake for 25 minutes or until heated through.
Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, pretzels or baguette slices.
Enjoy!!!!
Happy Memorial Weekend!!!
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
PROJECTS
Over the weekend I was finally able to spend some good quality time on Kensi's play table and chair set. There's just a few touch ups that need to be done and then we'll be sharing the whole project with our readers.
Here's a little sneak peek.
Mike spent most of his Saturday taking apart pallets in order to build himself a workbench. It's great having free wood, but it takes some serious muscle work to take those suckers apart!
Of course Kensi loves to 'help.' She walks around with a paint can opener thinking it's her special tool and tries to help take out nails. She's a total DIY girl.
Over the last few weeks we've been rearranging furniture pieces in the house and I've done a couple small projects of my own. Over Easter weekend I made a quick no-sew burlap table runner.
I bought a 15 ft long roll of burlap and purchased about 6 yards of white pom pom trim and hot glued it together. Very easy and it added exactly what our table needed.
It would be so cute to create a table runner using different colors and textures of trim for a birthday party or for a fun holiday like Halloween too!
Aside from probably hitting the beach, this weekend our focus will be sanding Kensi's bed frame and painting the playroom. I mentioned before we purchased the frame from a local store and they painted it with chalk paint. It's just a little more shabby than we want so we're hand sanding it down and giving it a fresh clean coat of paint.
Plus...her sheets came in the mail over the last week too! So many projects I keep us busy the next few weeks!
Thursday, May 1, 2014
GENIUS
I'm so excited, I can't even hold it in!!!! For weeks I struggled with a fabric and a color pallet for Kensington's big girl room. There were several prints I liked, but it just didn't feel right and I could not make a decision. I did find myself frequently going back to the color purple and Land of Nod's purple Poppy sheets. I knew I was in love with this print after realizing how often I kept visiting the page.
But then I struggled with a whole new issue....if I have patterned sheets how am I going to design her quilt that I really wanted to make for her? I was sitting watching tv while Kensi napped when it hit me. I knew I had a genius idea or I was really losing my mind over all this pattern and color debate. Why not make her quilt from the sheets? To ensure I wasn't completely crazy I ran my idea by my mom and she confirmed it...it was a great idea! The sheet set includes a flat, a fitted and a case which is perfect. After all, using one flat sheet allows the perfect size for her bed and it keeps me from having to piece different fabric pieces together. All I had to do was find a fabric to put on the back and quilt away. I'm not touching the fitted sheet which gives us an extra sheet when needed.
Not only did we finally find a fabric we LOVE {Kensi loves it too!}, it keeps the style and look we're going for! {Now we just have to wait for them to be shipped, if anything keeps them from getting into my hands I'm going to be devastated!}
Waiting to find things is so hard to do, but man it is sweet once you find it. Just another reminder to never settle or jump before you know it's true love.
Happy Friday!
XOXO
I just adore this photo I snapped earlier this morning! Lately she has been obsessed with wearing my heels, and she walks in them better than I do. I asked her what she was doing and her response was 'Mama!'
Happy Friday Eve!
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