Senior Mom's Luncheon {part one}

 

Each mom was sent home with a note saying, "I LOVE YOU..." to write a note to their senior. The note was placed in a white cookie bag {CASH AND CARRY} and wrapped with DIVINE TWINE!

 
 

Menu:

Lemonade
Cheese and Crackers
Willamette Valley Salad with two dressings
Croissants
Pitas
Almond Chicken Salad
Curry Chicken Salad
Strawberry and Pineapple Fruit Salad
Lemon Devonshire Cream
Carrot Sticks
Lemon Cupcakes with Buttercream
Fudgy Espresso Cupcakes

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Senior Parent Dinner

I am not quite sure who came up with this AMAZING idea, but I think it is worth passing on!


It has become a tradition at the school where our children attend that every year, the parents and their senior have a special dinner out. I know it sounds like just one more "thing" to do, but it was so NICE!


We all met for dinner on the waterfront and enjoyed the evening talking with other parents and feeling blessed that our children all get along so well and that they will be friends into their college years!


The SENIORS all sat together at one big, long table and the parents sat in small groups at tables around them.


At the end of the evening we listened to their plans and some of their school memories. OH.WHAT.FUN. they have had together!

Happy Thursday!

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A Little Hint

 

I have a secret. A GIVEAWAY is coming soon. You aren't going to want to miss it! Keep your eyes open for details!

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Home is...Finding a Bargain!

I am completely sentimental by nature. I just can't help it. Especially these days with a daughter graduating from highschool!

If I had to choose between old dishes or new dishes I would pick old. There is just something about using older dishes that have chips, dings and scratches. They are most likely there because they have been used.

I inherited my Grandma's old VERNONWARE mixing bowls awhile ago, and I love to get them all out on baking day and use each one of them for something. It is fun thinking about the things she would make in them for my Dad when he was young.

A couple of weeks ago my hubby and I went out for a date to have an early lunch at the Portland Food Carts {we loved the NATIVE BOWL}. After dining alfresco under the canopy, we shopped at PORCHLIGHT...our favorite old time shop.

There, nestled away in an old hutch was a tiny glass cream and sugar set complete with a little serving tray. My hubby assured me it was too adorable to pass up and that it was a bargain, too!

I think that old dishes make any house feel more like a home. It adds a bit of sentiment and history. And who doesn't love having things in their home with a story for conversation purposes.

This one of a kind find is now at the top of my favorites list and I am saving the tippy, tippy top favorite for the fun memory with my hubby. Best of all I will think of our fun day together every time I enjoy a cup of tea with cream and sugar.

{Thank you, honey for the sweet gift!}

Today I am linking up to Reluctant Entertainer. Hope you get a chance to see what bargains others have found. Thank you, Sandy for the fun topics!

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Baking in the Spring

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

Mix together:
2 eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp. soy flour
1 cup canola oil
2 ¼ cup organic sugar
Zest from 1 large lemon

Add:
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. pure lemon extract
2 tsp. butter flavoring
Add:
1 ½ cups soy milk
Stir together:
3 cups flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. sea salt

2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients
Mix for about 2 minutes

Pour into mini loaf pans. Fill about 3/4 full.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until done in the middle.
Glaze:
¾ cup organic sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. pure lemon extract
2 tsp. butter flavoring
Pour glaze over hot mini loves and let cool.
Wrap in sheets of wax paper.

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HOME is...Aprons

my friend Carolyn wearing my apron and copying down a recipe!



In my life {of 40+ years} I have been blessed in so many ways.

I have always had a best friend {my twinsie},always had parents who love me and support me, and my own family that I absolutely ADORE!

Some of my earliest memories are of our cheery yellow kitchen and my moms aprons.

Whenever we would help in the kitchen we would wash our hands and put on an apron. It was second nature.

I remember putting my mom's apron on when I was in the third grade. I followed my very first recipe all by myself. The moment I opened the door and pulled out the freshly baked loaf of banana nut bread was sheer wonder and excitement! I couldn't wait to share it with my family at dinner that night. It was a feeling of accomplishment.

Have you ever wondered what it is about aprons that make them so endearing? I know some are beautiful, some are cute, there are those that are funny and others are almost as fancy as a prom dress {NOT REALLY!}.

I don't think it is the apron itself, but the act of nurturing the family and creating an atmosphere of caring for others that is associated with wearing an apron.

To me there is still something special about going to my Momma's house and seeing her open the front door with her apron on. It is the very first hint that she is working on something special for her family...in the kitchen!

Not too long ago, my week was extremely busy and my friend called to get together. I knew I wasn't going to be able to sit still long enough to sip on a steamer while we chatted about everything under the sun, sooo, since baking is always at the top of the list and laundry is at the very bottom, I invited Carolyn over to do Easter baking together.

I met her at the door with my apron on. She walked in with her coffee, washed her hands and put on one of my aprons and we got to work. Since I am the bossy one, I just told her what to do and we had more fun than we should be allowed to have. We made Banana Italian Cream Sodas and Lemon Poppyseed Bread...and it was way better than baking alone with the sounds of Norah Jones and Michael Buble in the background. Not only did we get to cross baking off of the to-do list, but we made one more memory to be able to reminisce about when all we have to do when we are in our 90's is to sit on the front porch sipping our lemonade...I mean Banana Cream Sodas...remembering how we took care of our families in the "good old days". I love you, Carolyn!

Today I am linking to the Reluctant Entertainer. You will have to take a look at what others have written about Aprons.

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Let's Picnic! {part two}

Since I got more than one e-mail wondering who else carries the containers I had mentioned in the picnic post, I decided to follow up with a second post.

Garnish carries a large selection of containers that you will LOVE! You wont even have to leave the comfort of your own home at o-dark-thirty to head out to Cash and Carry hoping the whole drive over that all of the solid white containers are not gone {AGAIN!} and to be left with the containers that still have their original "SWOOSHY" design that was all the rage in the 70's. Who knows?! I personally am in love with white, because even if you don't embelish it, it still looks classy!

If you don't purchase the products, I can gurantee you will be on the lookout for produce etc. that comes in these fancy little packages! You will become a Treasure Hunter in your own right! Just dont't drive to the GOLDEN ARCHES and park your little self by the trash bin and ask people for their drink carriers, leftover napkins, ketchup packages and straws...oh and the adorable condiment containers. I'm just saying.

However, there is NOTHING wrong with asking your family and friends to save their packaging for you, though.

Now that business is taken care of here are some things I love to use:



COOKIE BAGS: great for cookies, bars, chips, some veggies etc.



DELI CONTAINER: Great for extra soup, apple slices, veggie slices, BBQ beef, ice cream


CONDIMENT CONTAINER: So nice for Ketchup, mustard, mayo, salad dressing, salsa, sour cream


SOUP CONTAINER: Can be used for packing soup, ice cream, cobbler, pasta salad, trifle etc.


PRODUCE CONTAINER: Fun to package a sandwich a lunch in. Think of it as a lunchbox. {No time? Go buy a bag of french fries, bake 'em. Line the container with wax paper or a paper towel, put the fries in it along with a condiment container with ketchup and let your little athlete have a snack on the way to the game!}


BOX CONTAINER: This is awesome for everything! I even take gifts in these boxes!


P.S. These containers are amazing for picnics, but I use them for taking meals to people as well. The recipient of a delivered meal will not only be grateful for a night of no dishes, but I am pretty sure the happy dance will be taking place when it comes to having one less 9x13 in the back of the car to return!


All Photos courtsey of GARNISH

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