Good Read

To All the Mothers Out There... and to the Mothers-to-be:

Joel's brother, Jamie, sent out this article the other day and I thought it was really good. I'm not a mom yet, but it resonated with me still. Enjoy!

July Fourth in Jasper

We were able to spend a long weekend in Jasper over the fourth. The Parnell crew arrived late Wednesday night, the kids staying up until 2 AM!!! But good ole Griffy was still up by 7! Nina and Big Daddy joined us on Thursday, Aunt Hailes/Uncle Goel (per griffin) came on Friday, and Peyton/Ann arrived Saturday.

The guys played a round or two of golf and some of them went to 1 or 2 Braves games. We enjoyed having 75 degree weather with fairly low humidity - when was the last time that happened in GA??? It allowed us to be outside a lot - swimming, playing on the playground, picking blackberries, and riding four wheelers.

Uncle P and Saeran (please tell me I spelled that right, ann!?)

Griffin and Mommy about to go for a ride

Griffin was really into Saeran - he loved to feed her and lay on the floor to play with her

Aunt Hailes was a great sport and gave Avery all the attention she wanted!

Addie on the swing

my boys!

Hick-a What?!?

Kind of a deformed, discolored looking sweet potato is what I think this strange produce looks like. However, pronounced (hick-ah-mah), the jicama has earned a new found respect in my mind these days. Peel it first and then take a taste of the sweet, earthy, water chestnut-like textured taste. It's delicious.

If you like cilantro and lime paired with the perfect summery dip for chips, try this recipe and you may just start noticing this at the supermarket! I could eat it by the spoonfuls. Yum.

Photo courtesy Dr. Stanley Kays

Jicama and Avocado with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup orange juice

1/2 to 1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

pinch of minced garlic

1 cup packed cilantro, chopped

1 jicama, diced

2-3 avocados, diced

Mix the first ingredients, then pour over the jicama and avocados. Serve with tortilla chips or bagel crisps.

It makes a huge batch. I stored my leftovers with the pit of the avocados in it and it seems to be keeping it from turning brown.

Delicious!

July Fourth Celebration

One of my all American Favorites, Patrick, 8 months

I'm curious what everyone has planned for the 4th. We have some friends that have invited us to come over, pitch a tent Sunday afternoon and stay till the sunrise morning for a camp-out in their yard. Everyone is just bringing a variety of food and kids to contribute to the potluck and chaos.

So, what food are you planning to prep for your celebrations? I was thinking Calico beans and Georgia Caviar. And some really cute picnic ant parade cupcakes made out of choc covered peanuts and pretend/candy food hoisted on top of their backs from my new cupcake book book.

Does anyone have any cool, yummy, traditional, celebratory ideas they can offer? I'd love to hear some recipe ideas and also what your plans are to celebrate with your family on this truly American holiday.

A new take on Tuna Salad

I really like tuna salad but was looking for a way to dress it up and make it a little less plain (and preferably without mayo) so we could take it on our picnic to the Telluride Bluegrass festival yesterday. After looking for several recipes, I managed to come up with a mixture that was pretty darn good. You may want to tweak the measurements to your liking.

Mediterranean Tuna Salad

Dressing:

1/8 cup olive oil

1/8 cup lemon juice

2 Tbsp spicy mustard

Mix well with a fork until blended.

Combine:

3 cans albacore tuna, drained mostly but not squeezed

(don't bother with chunk lite, it will make a huge difference.)

1/8 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

1/8 cup calamata olives (I found these pitted, quartered and in a jar)

1/4 cup parmesean cheese

2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped

Spike Seasoning (or season salt) to taste

Fresh cracked pepper

Mix all this together and toss with dressing. Fill a tortilla with mixed greens, slices of tomato and spoonfuls of tuna salad. Roll it up, cut in half and serve!

Sweet Inspiration

I was recently gifted the book "What's New Cupcake" which is ridiculously inspiring.

And the other day I happend upon the blog for Bakerella who has created and mastered the art of what she calls "cake balls."

photo courtesy Bakerella

And between the two of them, I'm beside myself with sweet inspiration. Now who can help me figure out an excuse to make some. The next birthday outside of my own in our immediate family is 5 months away!!!

The River Why

I read this book years ago at my husband's bidding. After having lived in Montana for two years relishing in God's great testimony of his existence in his unsurprising beauty of the wilderness, I always equate the book to some of my experiences there. We just returned from a trek back north and back through some of the secluded wilderness of the Rockies and it's silver threads of rivers and streams that bring life to their sandy and rocky banks, and I find myself with this book in hand once again, pouring through it; devouring it; reliving it.

If you love the outdoors, you'll love it. If you love fishing, you'll love it. And if you can appreciate the quest of finding meaning to life and wrestling with such in the life of a person setting out on his own, then you'll love it. (I'm certain we've all been here at some point in life and know even more friends either wrestling with the same things now or in the past.) It's laugh out loud funny at times to boot. Take a look and perhaps join me in reading The River Why by David James Duncan this summer.