summer love

           It was a great summer and as the grocery clerk reminded me this afternoon,"...not everyone gets their summer off" when I was bellyachin that I had to go back to work. Have a good Monday and I'll try to do the same.

happy weekend!

All is well and am looking forward to a fun-filled weekend...hope you are too!

too cool for school

Teachers head back to school tomorrow but I got a reprieve. 
A medical excuse signed, sealed, and delivered from my doctor. Not the best news; but I'm getting another kidney stone blasted out of my body tomorrow...fun times. No pain on this one but since the x-rays show it's there...no reason to let it chillax and decide to show up on my trip to Paris (um...no real plans to go to Paris...but if I did, I certainly wouldn't want a kidney stone while I was there). See you on the flip side!

is it just me?

...or does Melanie from So You Think You Can Dance bear a striking resemblance to actress Ginnifer Goodwin?

the livin is easy

This is the last week of summer for me *insert sad face here*.  Teachers go back this week and kids start filling up the hallways middle of next. If you're on the East coast I'm sure that sounds like crazy talk...but that's how we do it in the wild,wild, west and southwest.

magic coffee

I know. It's hot and who can think of coffee, right? Oh no my friend...this coffee...this magic iced coffee is so good you won't think of the heat and it will cool you down right to your toes.
This coffee is cold brewed and has a bit of cinnamon and brown sugar added, which makes it incredibly warm and comforting. The cold brew method is super easy even though it sounds complicated. Just throw everything into a container, let it meld overnight, then the next morning, strain all the grinds out (with cheesecloth) and enjoy! It really is magic.

Magic Coffee

2/3 cups coarsely ground coffee

3 cups water

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 tbsn. dark brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla (optional)

Put all of the ingredients in a quart jar and stir. Cover and refrigerate over night. Before serving, pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and then pour back into whatever container you'd like to store it in. For each drink, fill a tall glass halfway with ice. Pour in the coffee until 3/4 full and add milk/ half and half/ cream to taste.

*via une-deux and pioneer woman for the tips and pics

walk this way

gorgeous dress. And with the shoes? I die.

ready for your close up

              I was fussing all over a certain Rubybird on my trip and loved it.

hands full

             The husband will have his hands full with 4 month old Lola when I'm away this week. Her newest "game" is to dig in the office trash, tear paper to pieces, watch human put torn pieces back in trash, and repeat.

full week

I'm jetting out of town for a DOTS photo shoot in Portland (please don't rain!) and on the way back I get to see a special little Bird in California (and her mom and dad too!). 

name that tune

One thing led to another (you know how that can happen when you're on youtube) and my Saturday was filled with summer songs from the 70's. "Summer Breeze" is such a classic for this time of year (and Dash Crofts/the brunette looks like he's under the hot sun with the sweat that's pouring off of him...um...make-up!).
Karen Carpenter's still frame looks a little scary but her voice makes up for it...how many times did I think I sang "just like her" driving in my Pinto??!
And Steely Dan is just too delicious with the hair, the clothes, and of course; the music (and what about the intro from Bill Cosby??!).
What are your summer favorites?

Bastille Day

                   Our French cousin, Clement, came to visit us during the summer many years ago. He was surprised by all the flags, the wearing of red white and blue, and fireworks that came with our July 4th celebration in comparison to France's Bastille Day. Vive La France to be understated and have the laissez-faire attitude about such a day...
When Clement left to return to his home in Provence he had to make room for "special" American treats. Tucked safely inside his suitcase were boxes of lime jello (this is what he chose from the dessert buffet line in Las Vegas when we brought him there to "experience" real America ) and cans of Hersheys Chocolate Syrup ("my mother has to melt the chocolate and add the cream...it takes so long.") He also convinced his parents to buy a microwave upon his return. Vive L'America!

tuscan salad

     so easy. so good. make as is or we skipped the romaine (doubled up on the green beans) and switched the parmesan for feta last night.
thanks giada.

it's a dog's life

look cute. check.
torment the cat. check.
look cute. check.
get hugs. check. kisses. check.
look cute. check.
start again.

rubybird

I lovingly gave Ruby the pet name of  "Bird" or "RubyBird" because of her petite sweet size when she was born and now it's a term of endearment from me to her. I don't know how long the name will last but I had Katie from SkunkBoy Creatures create a "RubyBird" for her so she will always be gently reminded of this special time and the joy she brought with her entrance into the world.
Katie is a self taught textile artist and does amazing detailed work on just about any animal you can imagine. I was lucky enough to snap up a couple of Christmas ornaments for my son and his girlfriend during the holiday season...they go quick! She's not taking any custom orders to date but bookmark her for future queries...she's a delight to work with.
I never had a nickname when I was growing up. I was given the name "starbaby" in college when I was the wide-eyed, spacey girl trying to figure it all out but that only lasted freshman year. What about you?

weekend!

                          Have fun in the sun and splash in the pool! enjoy your weekend!

summer style

Summer means salads around here. Ina Garten made her Roasted Salmon Nicoise the other day (she subs out the tuna for salmon) and I thought it looked delicious...and yes, it was!
Salmon, fresh haricots verts (sounds so much nicer than green beans, oui?), potatoes, hardboiled eggs, olives...all the goods. The recipe is party size so  cutting it down was necessary unless we wanted to eat Salad Nicoise for the rest of the week.
Husband appreciates the good food he gets around here but questioned the whole Nicoise presentation business. "Why not just have a piece of salmon with a side of potatoes and a green salad?" Sacre bleu...so American. 

And speaking of parties and food...Happy Birthday to our dear daughter Audrey today! The world is a much brighter and more wonderful place with you in it.  

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taste of summer

    Love this. It just looks like the perfect summer brunch/lunch...and those flowers...sigh.

Glamover for the hall bath

Emily Henderson of HGTV Secrets of a Stylist used this wallpaper (Petal Pusher designed by Joy Cho of "Oh Joy" blog fame)  in one of her shows and I fell in love with the bold pattern, glamorous color and hint of sparkle.
Unfortunately I didn't take 'before" shots but the bathroom was a golden yellow which darkened the entire space (no window; only a small chandelier)and I had a cabinet above the toilet. This weekend husband repainted and helped with the wallpaper installation.  
It only took two strips to do the back wall but when husband was frustrated by the end of the second strip I gently reminded him that I wallpapered entire rooms while nursing a child and taking care of a toddler in the 80's. I am woman. Hear me roar.
A little history: when we bought this house this bathroom never existed. It was a storage closet with shelves on both sides...very strange. We knew it would be tight but a hall bath was needed. The streamlined cabinet I found on ebay and we had a small sink made in Mexico to fit and had the faucet put on the wall to save space.

happy 4th

Lola is totally into the sprinklers on these hot summer days and who can blame her?
The monsoons have officially started which means higher humidity and bad hair. That being said, I'm totally diggin the Jackie O look on fuzzy hair days..throw on some boho earrings and pretend you're in Paris. My hair's not quite long enough for a pony so you've got to be creative.

celebrate

              Who made a fresh fruit tart to celebrate the 4th? This girl did...thanks to Ina Garten. I had lots of berries on hand but would be equally as wonderful with grapes, plums,kiwi added in. Enjoy and Happy Independence Day!