A + M + D = :)

[11-in-2011] The End

2011-12-31T22:35:00.000-06:00

I had a great time completing my "just for fun" list this year. 2011 was definitely the year of books and yoga! I feel so blessed and grateful to have a life where my biggest problem is looking for new ways to spend my days and enjoy life. I can't wait to see what fun the new year brings.

11 Things in 2011 Challenge:

~~Take a camping trip or two~~ Eisenhower State Park, Lake Sam Rayburn, Big Bend
~~Make homemade biscotti~~ Yum
~~Practice yoga 52 times~~ 118 practices (and over 200 hours of teacher-training too)
~~Read at least one book every month~~ At 57 books it looks like I grossly underestimated the amount of adult "just for fun" reading I do, guess it just never seems like enough! My favorites ended up being A Painted House, Little Bee, My Lobotomy, and The Year of Magical Thinking - all great, especially if you love the "sad memoir" and "troubled childhood" genres as much as do. :)
I also read around 500 titles to consider for the 2012 2x2 Reading List, and dozens more children's and young adult books for work and fun too - yes, that was a crazy amount of reading and I really only remember about half of it, nature of the beast I guess.
~~Spend a month as a vegetarian~~ January
~~Listen to live music somewhere~~ Arboretum Concert & Picnic
~~Celebrate a few food holidays~~ Bundt Day and others too
~~Spend some time on water~~ Lake Grapevine (Who wants to go again this year?) and Lake Sam Rayburn
~~Do a No Spend Month challenge~~ April
~~Go on a picnic~~
And continue to post a photo of the week:
January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December

Adios 2011!

Beautiful Big Bend

2011-12-30T16:24:00.000-06:00

We spent the first week of winter break out west this year and had a blast. Winter is officially my favorite time to travel, just like our Virginia trip last year, nothing is crowded and you really get a front-row view to all the attractions.

We knew Big Bend would be worth the drive, but it really did exced our expectations. The park was beautiful and diverse with plenty to see and lots of great hiking trails. I would love to go back and see the cactus in bloom. The trip totalled 1,700 miles of easy, scenic driving (complete with lots of West Texas windmills) with David Sedaris audio books and Bon Iver to pass the time.

Highlights...

Sand-surfing at Monahans Sandhills State Park
An upgraded suite at Alpine's historic Holland Hotel and a fancy dinner at Reata the first night
A fabulous view of the park from our room at the Chisos Mountain Lodge in Big Bend (and no TV, Internet, or phone-reception either!)
All-weather days - it seemed we felt every season everyday (freezing, AC-required, and in-between)
Amazing star-filled nights
Animal sightings: deer, javalina, roadrunners, and rabbits, no bears or mountain lions though!
Exploring the unusual Terlingua Ghost Town and a fun dinner with Christmas bluegrass at the Starlight Theatre
Impressive Fort Davis National Historic Site on the way to New Mexico
And since we were in the neighborhood (meaning only 5 hours away) a quick trip to the awe-inspiring Carlsbad Caverns National Park before heading home

[Miles and Miles of Texas]

[Monahans Sand Hills]

[Chisos Basin, Big Bend]

[Window Trail Pouroff - Matt's Favorite]

[Boquillas Canyon Trail - My Favorite]

[Mule Ears Trail]

[Santa Elena Canyon Trail]

[Tuff Canyon Trail]

[Lost Mine Trail]

[Fort Davis]

[Carlsbad, New Mexico]

More Photos

And don't forget to add Big Bend to your list of places to visit soon - it's just ten quick hours from DFW. ;)

Challenge :: 2012

2011-12-28T09:22:00.000-06:00

I'm looking forward to starting something new this year...

Reading Challenges!

I've tried a few different challenges in the past with fun results (11 Things in 2011, 30 Before 30, Project 365) and now that the obscene amount of 2x2 committee reading has come to an end I'm excited to add new reading goals to the to-do list for 2012.

On par for the new year...

British Books Challenge @ The Overflowing Library
Read 12 books by British authors from any genre

E-book Challenge @ Workaday Reads

Read 25 e-books from any genre [DVD Level Challenge]

Mystery & Suspense Challenge @ Book Chick City

Read 24 books from any mystery or suspense sub-genre [Level 2 Challenge]

YA Challenge @ The Eclectic Bookshelf
Read 20 young adult books in any genre [Fun Size Challenge]

YA Historical Fiction Challenge @ YA Bliss
Read 10 historical fiction books written for young adults [Level 2 Challenge]

I'm sure most of the books I read will qualify for more than one challenge, but if I read each title separately the count comes to 81 books. Plus I plan to still read other books for fun and work too. The challenge for me will be to read genres and authors I'm not used to more than anything else.

I'll be posting updates throughout the year and have added a page to this blog to keep track of everything. I'm looking forward to a great year exploring new books. I've already got my to-read lists forming and my library digital wish lists packed full and ready for checkout. If you want to join in the fun visit the A Novel Challenge blog soon for dozens of reading challenge ideas.

Happy New Year & Happy Reading!

[Weekly Shots] December

2011-12-26T20:26:00.000-06:00

49 | Welcome Winter

50 | Window Paint

51 | Big Bend

52 | Advent

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

2011-12-26T13:23:00.003-06:00

Celebrating the holidays this year has been a treat. Parties with friends, fun at work with cutesy elementary-school stuff, stockings at home, and a fun trip to Waco with my family has made the season happy and bright. Plus we still have a few fun things to look forward to before the new year begins.

This was our first year spending Christmas in Waco and everything turned our great. Maggie and Jimmy were excellent hosts, the late service at St. Alban's was beautiful, and my mom and dad brought lots of thoughtful gifts (as usual).

Highlights from the menu included delicious tamales, tortilla soup, and queso on Christmas Eve; fancy cheeses and dijon pork loin for lunch, Cowboy Cookies, Walnut Fudge, Gooey Pumpkin Bars, and coffee galore - yum!

Duncan even got to travel too and celebrate with Lady Dog.

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with family and friends as well.

Merry Christmas!

To One Cool Dad...

2011-12-22T09:51:00.000-06:00

Hope your day is great. Love ya!

57
56

Pomp and Circumstance

2011-12-06T20:28:00.001-06:00

It's official, I'm a 200-hour certified yoga teacher.

I complete my last yoga teacher training workshop last weekend and passed my teaching practicum and exam. After six months of training, hours of home study, and a few years of yoga I am "ready" to teach.

I completed my training through Purple Lotus Yoga and had a great experience. I'll admit it was a little more intense than I was expecting, I would actually compare it to a graduate course when you factor in all the reading and homework hours plus time spent taking yoga classes (and time spent exercising in general so you can keep up in all the yoga classes). I learned a lot about the body, mind, and spirit, and truly feel like my yoga journey is just beginning.

A few "a-ha's" and highlights:

Your yoga is your yoga. Practicing yoga should be fun, not a chore. It's OK not to like all styles and types of yoga. Turns out I like teaching kids-style classes the best and enjoy practicing yin yoga and guided meditation just as much as the usual vinyasa-flow classes.
I had never given much thought to the way people felt in the past and, of course, they felt the exact same emotions and stresses we feel today in the same way back then. Yoga was originally developed as a tool for coping with human challenges approximately 5,000 years ago, so being "stressed out" is definitely not anything new, it's just part of being alive. More people really do need to give yoga a try, if only for the stress-reducing benefits.
Obviously yoga is not a religion, but the 8-limbs of yoga compliment Christianity (and I assume most religions) quite well. Yoga's influence on life and health is everywhere too once you know how to recognize it.
If you're looking for some good yoga-reading I recommend Journey into Power, The Guru in You, The Heart of Yoga, and The Key Muscles of Hatha Yoga just for the great illustrations.
I finally got Matt to give a home practice a chance after complaining about low back pain. He was "just going to try some stretches instead" - um, that would be yoga. :)
Connecting with your breath, controlling your movements, living with intention, and staying in the present moment is always a good idea!

What's next? I completed teacher training because I wanted to learn more about yoga and challenge myself, not because I want a second career. My plan for now is to start looking into teaching children's yoga classes over the summer and possibly substitute teach for other yoga teachers. I am open to other yoga opportunities too, but I don't want to take on too much or lose the fun of doing yoga on my own. I might start teaching tomorrow or maybe not for five years - we'll see I guess. In the meantime, hooray for yoga!

[Beautiful Sedona, Arizona where Matt encouraged me to "go for it" with yoga teacher training after watching a mountain-top yoga class.]

[11-in-2011] Camping @ Lake Ray Roberts

2011-12-02T16:30:00.000-06:00

Last weekend we decided to extend our anniversary celebration (and enjoy the Thanksgiving break by doing something opposite of Black Friday) with a fun quick campout at Lake Ray Roberts. You will have to double-check but I'm pretty sure it was the best experience of Duncan's life.

It was too windy to bike, but we had a great time hiking and spotting deer, and the trails even had fall color too! For dinner Matt was a genius by making hobo dinners with Thanksgiving leftovers followed by smores. I think we almost earned a polar bear patch at night, but since (the best part about the Isle du Bois campground) we were home and warm in the morning in less than 30 minutes being cold didn't spoil any fun.

[Weekly Shots] November

2011-11-30T19:16:00.000-06:00

45 | Flowers

46 | Invaded

It's a hard life for Lake Texoma = drought + zebra mussels + blue-green algae.

47 | Thanksgiving

48 | Celebrating Six Years

Sympathy

2011-11-28T18:00:00.000-06:00

Unfortunately, a month ago today Matt's dad passed away. We first learned Bob was suffering from liver failure on October 9th. After a few weeks at the hospital and at home, his doctors were able to warn family on the 27th that he wasn't going to be able to make it another day. Complications of type-2 diabetes had led to liver cancer and any effective treatment just wasn't possible. Gone at only 57, Bob is definitely missed.

Star-Telegram Story

Three of Bob's four sisters

Thankful

2011-11-25T12:54:00.000-06:00

A few photos from our fun family Thanksgiving in Carrollton...

My mom made a great dinner, as usual, Grandma Evelyn rode the train up from New Braunfels to join us, and Matt & Betsy got to watch lots of football. Life is good.

Maple Walnut Pumpkin Pie

Happy Thanksgiving!

A + M = 6

2011-11-21T21:58:00.000-06:00

Somehow our anniversary already came around again this year, so we celebrated six years of fun with a quick day trip to Denison last weekend.

We spent the day biking and hiking at Eisenhower State Park on Lake Texoma, explored downtown Denison, enjoyed a great meal at Jones Family BBQ, and visited the campus of Grayson County College, where Matt started teaching online in August.

Since we bought a bike rack for our anniversary gift, we had to give it a go before our big trip to Big Bend in December. Eisenhower is a great little state park with nice trails. We'll have to go back and camp there soon - just like I did on father-daughter campouts with Girl Scouts as a kid.

Mmmm...

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Bundt Day!

2011-11-15T18:50:00.000-06:00

I'm celebrating National Bundt Day again this year, a food holiday made famous (to me) by the fabulous Food Librarian. To celebrate you simply make and/or eat cake - that's my kind of holiday!

It was tough to pick which bundt to bake (gingerbread vs. snickerdoodle!) and ended up trying Martha's Cinnamon Streusel. Great with coffee and as a breakfast treat it definitely did not disappoint.

Cinnamon Streusel Bundt Cake

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Ultimate Streusel Cake - I used just a little less butter and sugar.

Ingredients

Streusel

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Cake

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon slat

1 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup light sour cream

Directions

For the filling: In a medium bowl combine sugars, cinnamon, flour and salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut in butter until crumbly. Store in refrigerator while preparing cake.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease bundt pan with cooking spray or butter (I like Baker's Joy with Flour).

In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In your electric mixer with a paddle attachement, or a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla. In alternating batches, add flour and sour cream to mixer. Beat until just combined.

Add half of the cake mixture to the prepared bundt pan. Cover with two-thirds of the streusel mixture. Spoon in remaining batter, smoothing the top, then cover with remaining streusel.

Bake until golden brown, between 45 minutes and 1 hour depending on the capacity and shape of your pan. Allow to cool on wire rack for 20 minutes, then invert and remove pan before continuing to cool. Cover with a confectioners sugar glaze or dust with powdered sugar if you like too.

Enjoy (on bundt day or any day)!

Love ya Mom and Dad

2011-11-05T08:19:00.000-05:00

32
31

[Weekly Shots] October

2011-10-30T15:00:00.000-05:00

40 | Polo Picnic

41 | iPad Library Fun [Instagram App]

42 | Same Old Spot, Brand New Hair

43 | Visiting Author Fun

44 | Redheads

Brothers + Mom

Recipes Worth Repeating

2011-10-26T19:08:00.000-05:00

A few new favorite recipes in the Hamilton house...

Chipotle Sour Cream Enchiladas - awesome, easy sauce

Chocolate Meringue Cookies - a not-too-sweet summery cookie

Crunchy Asiago Chicken Strips - panko-perfect

Cubed Cheesy Potatoes - a great new side

Easy Guacamole - fresh and quick

Matt Sliders - mini pan-fried hamburgers served with sauteed onions and provolone on toasted French bread

The Pioneer Woman's Shrimp Pasta - delicious, of course

And National Bundt Day is coming up soon. Pick a new bundt to bake and join in the fun. :)

Fun fall food (pictured): brats, hot German potato salad, pretzel bread, and fresh roasted sugar pecans at the McKinney Octoberfest

A Bucket List

2011-10-22T13:47:00.000-05:00

I'm not usually big into entering giveaways but I just can't pass up this one, post a life list for a chance to win a trip plus raise awareness for cancer screening.

So, 15 things I'm going to do someday.... (And, of course Matt gets to join in some of the fun - yay for you!) You know I like lists, so I'm sure some of these will end up being my 2012 goals too.

Donate my hair - only a few more inches to go!
Throw my husband a killer graduation party
Take a big road trip in an RV
Hike the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim
See Europe via river cruise
Go to a drive-in movie
See the Andes mountains, THIS is definitely my "dream vacation"
Watch a Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans
Drive the overseas highway to Key West
Start a (very) small business (kids yoga classes and camps coming soon??)
Vacation somewhere with my mom and sister
Keep taking a photo-of-the-week
Drive to Alaska again
Go to a luau in Hawaii
Live to be 100!
Bonus: Matt wants to add "Learn how to groom Duncan at home" - ha!

See you again soon Grand Canyon!

This is my entry in the Just Ask Bucket List Getaway Giveaway. Just Ask offers a breast and ovarian cancer screening and is encouraging people to share 15 things that I want to enjoy in my lifetime as a reminder to be aware of my health. Want to enter? Head over to TodaysMama.com to get the details.

Hamilton Chili

2011-10-16T17:11:00.000-05:00

I'm spilling the beans on Matt's famous chili recipe, passed down from his dad - a favorite enjoyed on campouts, football weekends, and with college friends. No matter what new chili recipes we try, we always come back to this one...the original, easy and naturally-flavored.

Matt Hamilton Chili
Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

2 pounds chili meat or lean ground beef
1 medium white onion, diced
1 teaspoon diced garlic
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 bunch green onions, diced
2 cans diced tomatoes, drain excess liquid
1 can Rotel, drain excess liquid
2 cans chili beans
1 can kidney beans
Salt and pepper

Directions

In the bottom of your chili pot, season meat with salt and pepper, brown completely along with garlic and onion on medium heat. After cooking drain excess grease if needed.

Add beans and tomatoes and bring to a simmer while preparing vegetables. Reduce heat to low and add peppers and green onions. Allow to simmer for "the longer the better" - or at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and saltine crackers or french bread.

Combine leftovers with cooked macaroni noodles and shredded cheese for another meal.

Enjoy!

[Weekly Shots] September

2011-09-25T21:15:00.000-05:00

36 | Shaggy

37 | Let's Read

38 | Book Basement

39 | Fall Feast

Dinner with my parents: home-smoked brisket, sausage, heirloom tomatoes and homemade guacamole. Adios summer!

Waco Birthday Fun

2011-09-12T19:17:00.002-05:00

I swear I'm not that big into birthdays, but somehow I ended up celebrating 31 three times this year - not that I'm complaining!

I spent the weekend before my birthday with my mom and dad in Carrollton and had a great time. A trip to the awesome Penzy's Spices, lunch at Snappy Salads, shopping at Northpark, my first trip to Sprinkles, and a nice dinner at Agave Azul in the Carrollton square with a stop at the Perry Homestead made it a fun-filled day.

Then, over Labor Day we celebrated on my actual birthday with a quick trip to Waco to visit Maggie and Jimmy. We had a great time staying at their cute new house and playing with Lady Dog. On Saturday we hit up Rosa's, visited the Red Caboose Winery & Vinyards in nearby Meridian, and enjoyed great pizza, ice cream cake, and football at home.

On Sunday we visited St. Alban's and were treated to a lecture from the great Jimmy on "Old Chicks without Beards" before heading out to Czech Westfest again, where sausage + polka = fun.

Thanks for having us M+J!

For the final celebration, I met Megan for a birthday patio lunch and pedicures, then ended the day with an impromptu cookout on Shannon and Andy's sweet patio on Monday. What a treat! I'll say it again - I love that my birthday always comes with a three-day weekend. I guess this means we'll need to do Matt's birthday up big this year too - I'm thinking an ice skating party. ;)

[11-in-2011] Summer Wrap-Up

2011-09-07T17:14:00.000-05:00

As usual, summer was fast and furious. Matt spent it studying and working a few hours a week at UNT. I tried my best to keep busy with lots of 2x2 reading and yoga activities. Duncan didn't even try to be productive, but he did do a good job of sleeping lots and looking cute.

Since we didn't take a big trip we did our best to enjoy lots of daytrips in DFW: the Bishop Arts District, Shakespeare in the Park for As You Like It (ye olde fun), the Dallas Arboretum, downtown McKinney, frequenting our favorite haunts on the Denton square (Greenhouse, Love Shack, Recycled Books), plus polo, cookouts, bike rides, and movie-watching.

So far the fall is off to a fun start too. Junior League is up and running and has been a blast, yoga teacher training is halfway done, and I'm enjoying a smooth start to my second year at the new library. Matt is teaching two classes at UNT, two classes at Tarrant County College, two online classes at Grayson County College plus studying for comps and working at the UNT History Help Center. Yes, he's counting down to the spring semester already. I'm counting down to cooler weather!

Junior League Provisional Retreat [Left Front Row]

And here's another update on the 11 Things in 2011 list too...

Take a camping trip or two: Big Bend planned for December, and hopefully a weekend trip sometime this fall too
~~Make homemade biscotti~~ Yum
Practice yoga 52 times: 88 as of today and 4 teacher training weekends to go too
Read at least one book every month (not counting work-related reading): 30 so far...
~~Spend a month as a vegetarian~~ January
~~Listen to live music somewhere~~ Arboretum Concert & Picnic
~~Celebrate a few food holidays~~
~~Spend some time on water~~ Lake Grapevine & Lake Sam Rayburn in June
~~Do a No Spend Month challenge~~ April
~~Go on a picnic~~
And continue to post a photo of the week: January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August

Goodbye summer, come soon fall...

[Weekly Shots] August

2011-08-31T17:29:00.000-05:00

32 | Wild Flowers

33 | Just one of many...

34 | Back to Work

35 | Sprinkles!

For my Sister

2011-08-08T16:40:00.005-05:00

Have a great day Mags!

[Weekly Shots] July

2011-07-29T09:04:00.001-05:00

27 | Hot Roses

28 | A Duncan Day

29 | Arboretum

30 | Summer Games

31 | House Guest

[11-in-2011] Two For One

2011-07-26T15:23:00.005-05:00

Thanks to winning free tickets from Art&Seek online, I was able to check two fun things off the 2011 List in July - listen to live music and go on a picnic - with a trip to hear Monte Montgomery at a Concert in the Garden.

Since it's been 100+ I probably would have waited until it was cooler to spend time outside, but free is free and the Dallas Arboretum is always beautiful. The concert was great and I definitely recommend our picnic supplies from Market Street too: jalapeno-stuffed olives, smoked gouda pimento cheese with pita chips, chipotle chicken salad on fresh bread, and macaroni salad.

Yay for summer!

A Duncan Day

2011-07-12T13:56:00.006-05:00

Just another Monday in the dog's life:

As you can see, he's not letting my presence over summer break disturb his tough life. :)

Recipes Worth Repeating

2011-07-12T13:06:00.002-05:00

A few new favorites from our kitchen...

Banana Muffins (pictured) - moist and delicious, plus not too unhealthy (unless you add a handful or two of chocolate chips)

Broccoli Rice - Matt's new favorite

Creole Potato Salad - perfect with burgers

Gooey Butter Cookies - best ever, just as good as the cake!!!

Homemade Lemon Squares - rich and tasty, and I dare to say these might even better than the ones from Corner Bakery too

Mini Meatball Sliders - easy and filling

[Weekly Shots] June

2011-06-30T18:01:00.001-05:00

23 | Welcome Summer Break!

24 | Pink & White

25 | To-Read

26 | Lemon Bars

From the Barefoot Contessa, make these ASAP!

Mike's Cherry-Filled Chocolate Cake

2011-06-23T16:50:00.002-05:00

My dad's favorite, and one of my favorites too, this is a simple twist on chocolate cake - just pick up a can of cherry pie filling the next time you make a chocolate layer cake.

Bake your favorite chocolate cake and cool completely. Before frosting spread half a can of pie filling between each cake layer, reserving a few cherries for decoration on top of the cake. Cover sides and top with chocolate frosting. Enjoy!

Love ya Dad

2011-06-18T22:11:00.003-05:00

Your special dessert is on the way!

For Maggie + Jimmy:

2011-06-12T09:06:00.006-05:00

I can't believe it's already been a year since your special day. Congrats on your first year of marriage sister, it only gets more fun!

Welcome Summer!

2011-06-10T09:12:00.002-05:00

Summer break has arrived. Matt's working 4 days a week, and I still have several days of professional development and fun work events to come, but with almost 10 weeks off I definitely can't complain.

Lake Grapevine

On the agenda:

Polo-watching, fireworks, reading a book-a-day
Work retreat to Lake Sam Rayburn
Lots of yoga practicing and more yoga teacher training (one LONG weekend a month until December)
Junior League of Collin County activities - I'll be in the provisional class of 2011-12 and am especially looking forward to new community service opportunities.
Some trip-planning:
Hopefully Galveston, Waco, New Braunfels, and Oklahoma City this summer
Hiking Big Bend in December
Patagonia in ??? - forget Europe, I think we're going to head to the deepest south for our first international tip, THIS just might be our big trip after Matt finishes his dissertation.
Selling our house? Maybe? Please? We've been on the market since February but it's just not looking good.
And mostly lots of Netflix, reality TV, internet-ing, cooking, watching Duncan sleep all day...

Hope you're planning a fun summer too!

[Weekly Shots] May

2011-05-31T21:39:00.001-05:00

19 | New Air

20 | Yoga

Fun at YogaFit teacher training in Fort Worth.

21 | Magnolias

Everywhere in Denton!

22 | Scan Me

Somebody's 5

2011-05-19T20:15:00.000-05:00

Our favorite Scottie had a birthday this week. He's definitely still a bundle of fun...

Love ya Mom

2011-05-08T09:15:00.000-05:00

Sausage-Stuffed Jalapenos

2011-05-04T16:28:00.008-05:00

My mom and I took a productive trip to the Dallas Farmers Market last weekend after the Etsy Bash, meaning I came home with everything Matt needed to make delicious stuffed jalapenos.

I thought these were perfect, Matt still prefers the bacon-wrapped version though. This is another nice jalapeno variation - not too spicy and very filling.

Matt's Sausage-Stuffed Cheesy Jalapenos

Ingredients
1 pound low fat ground sausage
1 package low fat cream cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 pound (about 25) fresh jalapeno peppers
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup breadcrumbs or Panko
Salt and pepper

Directions

Prep grill or preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare peppers by removing tops and seeds. Cut into halves lengthwise or keep whole if you prefer.

In a skillet cook sausage and garlic completely over medium heat, drain grease. Combine sausage, salt and pepper, and cheeses in a bowl.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon sausage mixture into each jalapeno. Dip cheesy side of each pepper into a shallow bowl of bread crumbs then arrange in a baking dish.

Grill peppers for about 15 minutes or bake for 20 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.

Enjoy!

[11-in-2011] Spring Update

2011-05-02T16:52:00.007-05:00

So far so good with the 11 Things in 2011 list...

Take a camping trip or two
~~Make homemade biscotti~~ Yum
Practice yoga 52 times: Definitely ahead of schedule and even decided to start yoga teacher training too, my first weekend workshop toward 200 hour registered yoga teacher is on May 14th.
Read at least one book every month (not counting work-related reading): 16 so far...
~~Spend a month as a vegetarian~~ January was all-meatless, all the time.
Listen to live music somewhere: On the lookout for a new concert after the Denton Jazzfest was rained out :(
Celebrate a few food holidays: Of course Chip & Dip Day has been my fave so far :)
Spend some time on water: Planning a little river float trip for August, hopefully with M+J.
Do a No Spend Month challenge: In progress... since April was much more expensive than planned (expected: paid taxes, unexpected: new fence, new roof, and the air conditioner repair man is coming tomorrow!) this month seems like the perfect time to save more than usual.
Go on a picnic
And continue to post a photo of the week: January | February | March | April

Looks like we're not vegetarians: delicious venison with blueberry sauce and smoked ribs by Mike and Matt.

[11-in-2011] Homemade Biscotti

2011-05-02T16:45:00.002-05:00

I've always wanted to try making biscotti and it really was nothing to fear. Simple and tasty!

Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti
From Annie's Eats.

Ingredients

Dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1.5 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg lightly beaten

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until lightly and fluffy, 3-4 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Blend in the egg and then the egg yolk, beating well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla until incorporated. With the mixer on low speed, blend in the dry ingredients just until incorporated and a dough is formed. Dough will be dry and sticky.

Divide the dough into two halves and shape into two logs, 1 1/2 inches wide, on the tray. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon for the topping and stir to blend well. Lightly brush the tops of the logs with the beaten egg, and sprinkle generously with some of the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake for 40 minutes, rotating halfway through baking. Top should be golden brown and slightly firm. Remove from oven and cut logs into 1 inch slices, then return to tray and sprinkle with more of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes, until crisp and golden.

Let cool. Enjoy with coffee or tea!

[Weekly Shots] April

2011-04-30T11:06:00.038-05:00

14 | Book Review Season Begins Again

15 | 2am Clean-up

90 mile hour winds + golf ball-sized hail = adventures in insurance claims

16 | Librarians Unite! TLA Conference in Austin

17 | Book Fair Carnival

Yes, our PTA parents are unbelievable.

18 | Window Watcher

Author! Author!

2011-04-17T16:11:00.002-05:00

Well, actually just a contributor, but congrats to Matt on the recent release of the The Handbook of Civil War Texas by the Texas State Historical Association. Matt wrote over 20 articles for the new handbook and fact-checked dozens more as a graduate project last summer and a side job over winter break.

A few of his entries:
James R. Burns
John R. Diamond
Chaplin Good
Philip Fulcrod
Harris A. Hamner
Abraham Harris
Thomas R. Hoxey
Fifth Texas Infantry
Seventh Texas Cavalry
Tenth Texas Cavalry
Tenth Texas Infantry
Fourteenth Texas Infantry

Yay Matt! Bonus: If you ever have a Civil War Texas question you know who to ask.

[Weekly Shots] March

2011-04-03T19:46:00.000-05:00

10 | Gotta Love Recycled Books

11 | South Rim Spring Break

12 | Matt's Birthday Art

13 | McKinney Square

Spring Break Out West

2011-03-24T20:33:00.002-05:00

Guess who needed another road trip? Us of course! Well, actually Matt had an opportunity to present a paper with a panel from UNT at a history conference in Las Vegas which I convinced him to turn into a road trip to the Grand Canyon too. Gotta love spring break!

We loved Sedona and the Grand Canyon - beautiful with great hiking. Las Vegas was more of a been there/done that kind of thing, glad we went but I don't feel the need to go back. I'd love more time in Arizona though, Matt wants to go back to the Grand Canyon and hike from rim-to-rim - who's in??

Check out our itinerary below and more photos here.

Day 1 - Saturday, March 12th - On the road again...

Left home early and headed west, began the trip on a fun note with lunch at Rosa's (my college-favorite for fast food) in Amarillo
Made a quick stop in Old Town Albuquerque to stretch our legs, explored the markets and art scene and a dinner break on the square

Day 2 - Sunday, March 13th - Sedona, Arizona

Woke up early at our cheapy hotel in Gallup, NM and finished the drive into Sedona
Explored the cute/mystical hippy downtown Sedona, including watching monks make beautiful sand mandalas in a local gallery
Hiked the steep and beautiful red rock vortex sites at Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock - I'm still not quite sure we felt the metaphysical restorative spiritual vortex power though, good thing we were just there for the pictures
Enjoyed our fanciest dinner of the trip (complete with cactus fries!) on the sweet patio at the Barking Frog Grille, then rested at our quaint hotel nearby, The Baby Quail Inn

Day 3 - Monday, March 14th - Grand Canyon

Began the day with an awesome sunrise hike at the Airport Mesa vortex site
Took the scenic two-hour drive from Sedona to the Grand Canyon, stopping for breakfast in Flagstaff to plan our day
Began the Grand Canyon fun with a stop at the park visitor center, then explored the rim a bit, hiked to Ooh-Ahh Point on the Kaibab Trail (steep but beautiful, watch out for mules)
Enjoyed a special meal at the historic El Tovar Lodge, walked the rim until sunset, then rested up in our room in the park at the Maswik Lodge

Day 4 - Tuesday, March 15th - Grand Canyon

Started the day at the classic Bright Angel Lodge (who knew chicken fried steak, grits, and biscuits was a breakfast specialty?)
Hiked the nearby Bright Angel Trail into the canyon until it got too icy to continue, then spent the rest of the day taking the park shuttle buses out and hiking the rim trail - including a uranium mine??, historic buildings, and amazing scenic lookouts

Day 5 - Wednesday, March 16th - Hoover Dam and Las Vegas

Woke up early to start the 4.5 hour drive in Vegas - a surprisingly scenic route and make a quick stop at the Hoover Dam
Made it to The Riviera and waited in a crazy line to check in, then headed out to The Strip for dinner, drinks, and casino-exploring - I especially loved the outrageous flower arrangements at the hotels

Day 6 - Thursday, March 17th - St. Patrick's Day, Las Vegas-style

Rested our sore legs by relaxed at the hotel during the day then headed out on the town and gambled a little
Met up with our group (Brett, James & Kristy) for another evening out - and especially enjoyed the crazy green-wearing St. Patrick's day crowd

Day 7 - Friday, March 18th - Presentation Day

Matt was up early for his main event, the session at the Southwestern Social Science Association's Transformative Power of the Social Sciences Meeting:
ASPECTS OF SECESSION, CIVIL WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION IN TEXAS
1. “The Secession Commissioners to Texas, 1860-1861: A Case Study in the Motives for Texas’s Secession,” Matthew K. Hamilton, University of North Texas
2. “Education of the Former Slaves in Reconstruction Texas,” James A. Hathcock, University of North Texas
3. “Prison Cloth: Textile Production at State Penitentiaries in the Trans-Mississippi during the Civil War,” Brett J. Derbes, University of North Texas

Hopped in the car by noon and headed east, making it just past Albuquerque

Day 8 - Saturday, March 18th - Home again...

Left before sunup and made it home by 4:00 with minimal stops - unfortunately we ran out of David Sedaris audio books and music we weren't sick of about halfway through the drive!
Ended the day in McKinney cooking out with friends (thanks Shandy!) to wrap up a great spring break

Hope you had a great spring break too!

[Weekly Shots] February

2011-03-01T21:02:00.000-06:00

6 | Snowed In

7 | Puppy Bowl!

8 | Beams

At quaint Homestead Heritage on a quick trip to Waco for a history conference.
PS-Tacos at Sam's are yum. Thanks M+J!

9 | Foil Folks

For Rozan

2011-02-14T17:04:00.005-06:00

Hope your day was great. Love ya bunches!

Recipes Worth Repeating

2011-02-09T13:42:00.003-06:00

A few new favorites...

Black Bean Chili - a great Crock Pot recipe

Hershey's Best Brownies (pictured) - just as easy as a box mix and better tasting, sprinkle nuts and chocolate chips on top to make it extra fancy

Spicy Chipotle Meatloaf - I love this, it is probably the spiciest thing I've ever made though

Spicy Crunchy Chickpeas (pictured) - an easy chickpea snack

Tortellini Spinach Soup - one of my favorite soups, quick and tasty

Made anything good lately? Leave a comment and share with me. I'm always on the lookout for new recipes to try.

Cabin Fever

2011-02-06T15:49:00.003-06:00

Ice + snow in DFW = one day work week! I still can't believe we didn't have school except for Monday last week. The first day off was fun, but four days in a row trapped indoors got a little slow. Duncan Dog thought it was the best week ever.

How did we spend our days snowed in?

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Plus:

Non-stop coffee drinking, reading, internet-ing, and TV-watching (yay for Jeopardy!)
Easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Homemade Chick-fil-A Sandwiches - baked Panko-breaded chicken on a bun with pickles
Pumpkin Donut Muffins
Perfecting Matt's bartending skills
And celebrating Lunar New Year with Chinese food delivery

[Weekly Shots] January

2011-02-01T14:21:00.003-06:00

1 | Carrollton Christmas

2 | Snow

3 | Farm Fresh

4 | Book Bash

5 | Big Foot

Stylish...

2011-02-01T13:28:00.004-06:00

Many thanks to my friend Jill for the Stylish Blogger Award - you made my day. Jill is so good about blogging all the fun events of her life for her family, she's definitely inspiration for me to blog more - and she's a cool librarian too. :)

So, 7 Things About Me:

I love Mexican food! I could eat chips and queso or enchiladas for every meal. Abuelo's (especially the original Lubbock location), El Fenix, and El Guapo's in Denton are my favorite spots to grab dinner.
I'm almost always listening to an audio book when I drive. I prefer titles under 5 hours - my commute is fairly short at 15-20 minutes, so long books take forever to finish. For the past few months I've been downloading library books to my iPhone and using the auxiliary cord to listen on the car speakers - no more returning overdue CDs.
I don't like rice or watermelon - blah! I've never liked either and never will.
I would love to own a bunch of vacation cabins or an inn. We've been saving to do this for a few years, I think it would be a great way to spend retirement (or sooner!).
I've been meal planning for almost 3 years and I love it. I have an online calendar where I keep track of recipes I've tried and want to try in the future. I try to post the ones I've deemed worth repeating every once in a while.
I rarely watch a movie or TV show more than once.
I prefer driving to flying. The more I travel the more I like going by car - I credit this to family road trips as a kid plus Matt's dislike of flying. The longest (and prettiest) trip I've ever driven was from Dallas to Anchorage, Alaska with my dad for a summer job during college. I've gone more miles on road trips this past year then ever before. From March 2010-March 2011 Matt and I will end up going over 11,000 miles by car just for vacations and family events - we are living the "year of the road trip" right now for sure.

And 15 Favorite Blogs:

Food!
Annie's Eats
Our Best Bites
Pennies on a Platter
Tasty Kitchen
The Food Librarian

Home Inspiration
Chez Larsson
Johns Journal
Life in the Fun Lane
Making it Lovely
Small Notebook

New Favorites
17 and Baking
The Daily Bunny
The Frugalista
Jane Deere
Today's Letters

Welcome to 30!

2011-01-28T19:53:00.006-06:00

It's time to celebrate! For Matt's big day we're adding a new piece of art, going to a hockey game with his mom, and making our way to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas over spring break. I couldn't talk him into a 30-Before-30 Challenge, but we are going to learn how to make Embury's Six Classic Cocktails (inspired by Mad Men) for a birthday challenge soon.

I hope your next 30 years are just as wonderful, I can't wait to see what fun they will bring. Love you bunches!

A few Matt moments...

Big Brother Rob and Little Brother Matt

2nd Grade

Boy Scout Days

High School Hockey

Virginia Vacation

2011-01-02T18:34:00.025-06:00

We had an action-packed winter break this year. After a weekend trip to Waco for Jimmy's ordination we packed up and headed north with Matt's mom for a 10-day trip. Matt's brother moved his family just south of Alexandria in the fall so of course we were all over spending Christmas in the DC area this year. It was cold and got dark early, but the upside of visiting in December is that you really do have the places to yourself - I will never go back to DC in the summer again!

The itinerary is below and more pictures are here.

Day 1 - Tuesday, December 21st - Driving Day

Left around lunch time after dropping Duncan at Woof City for his pet vacation
Drove from DFW to Tennessee, stopping late in Hurricane Mills, just west of Nashville after 620 miles

Day 2 - Wednesday, December 22nd - Driving Day 2

Left our cheapy hotel early then attempted a quick stop at Andrew Jackson's home - but it was still closed and nothing was visible from the gate :(
Drove through foggy Smokey Mountains and snow-covered hills with a quick stop Charlottesville for a walk around the pretty University of Virginia campus
Made it to Rob & Melissa's around 8:30 and had time for a quick visit before bed after 690 miles

Day 3 - Thursday, December 23rd - Family Day

Took a neat tour of the FBI Academy where Rob works
Went on a snowy hike in the neighborhood to Government Island, where stone for DC buildings was quarried in the 1800s
Trekked to Maryland for dinner and a Christmas concert at the LDS temple and got our first taste of DC driving - crazy!!

Day 4 - Friday, December 24th - Richmond

Drove to Richmond to check out the sites
Visited the Museum of the Confederacy and toured Jefferson Davis's home, used as the southern White House during the Civil War
Explored downtown, Monument Avenue, and Hollywood Cemetery filled with soldiers and notables from the Civil War
Lunch at the Capitol Ale House - I recommend the pretzel bun bratwurst sandwich, yum!
Stopped at the Tredegar Iron Works/American Civil War Center on the canal
Enjoyed fun Christmas Eve activities with the family

Day 5 - Saturday, December 25th - Mount Vernon Christmas

Enjoyed a fun Christmas morning with the nephews - who knew Stinky the dump truck was the toy of the year?
Visited George Washington's Mount Vernon complete with great holiday decorations and a soft scenic snow fall after our tour
Walked King Street in Old Town Alexandria stopping for tapas and sangria
Ventured into DC to and checked out a few memorials at dusk - very fun!

Day 6 - Sunday, December 26th - Snow Day + Fredericksburg

Woke up to snow so relaxed at the house, ran errands and watched football while waiting on the weather
Drove south into Fredericksburg to check out the battlefield and cute downtown area in the afternoon

Day 7 - Monday, December 27th - Monticello

Drove into Charlottesville and explored the town and UVA campus a bit
Grabbed a traditional lunch of old Virginia at historic Michie Tavern (almost as good as Babe's!)
Spent the day at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello - Matt and Betsy's favorite activity of the trip

Day 8 - Tuesday, December 28th - DC

Made it into DC and parked at Union Station (just getting there was definitely an adventure) and spent the day on a trolley tour walking, exploring, and enjoying the...

Air and Space Museum
National Archives - and got an up close view of the founding documents and a surprisingly good lunch at the cafe
Natural History Museum - Hope diamond!
American History Museum
Ford's Theater - a show was going on so we only saw the lobby :(
White House and National Christmas Tree - and saw the President's helicopter practicing landing on the lawn
High-tailed it home on the HOV lane before traffic got too horrible

Day 9 - Wednesday, December 29th - DC

Made it back into the city for the second day on our trolley pass and saw plenty more...

Library of Congress - my favorite, so pretty!
Capitol Visitor Center
Botanic Garden - complete with a great holiday display of monuments made from plants and tons of poinsettias and trees
Enjoyed lunch at the neat Mitsitam Cafe at the pretty National Museum of the American Indian
Jefferson Memorial
Franklin Roosevelt Memorial
Took another trolley line out to Arlington Cemetery and were of course impressed with the changing of the guard
Korean War Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
Vietnam Memorial
Lafayette Square and the north side of the White House - definitely the better side to visit!
Hopped down to Old Town Alexandria to wait out rush hour traffic - grabbed pizza and shopped for art at the Torpedo Factory and took home an etching of the city by Mary Morrison

Day 10 - Thursday, December 30th - Driving Day

Got up early and headed home - left at 5:00am, arrived at our house 20 hours later - who says you need two days to drive 1,300 miles?!

2011!

2011-01-01T20:43:00.003-06:00

I hope everyone's year was filled with joy and that 2011 will be a year of peace and joy for all.

A fun-filled 2010 zipped by for us. What's in store for 2011?

Celebrating Matt's 30th birthday
Hopefully a few fun little weekend trips - maybe Galveston or Hot Springs, definitely Waco and Austin
Matt will be finishing his Ph.D. coursework in May, then studying for a few months to take comprehensive exams and hopefully be ready to work on his dissertation full time by the year's end
I'll start my 8th year working in education
Duncan turns 5 (I've heard that's when he'll magically become calm and well-behaved!)

Plus, I'm missing my 30-Before-30 List (and obviously work well with written goals) so I'm starting a new challenge list too. Just for fun, and some much easier than others, I've picked out 11 tasks to try this year.

The 11 Things in 2011 list...

Take a camping trip or two
Make homemade biscotti
Practice yoga 52 times
Read at least one book every month (not counting work-related reading of course)
Spend a month as a vegetarian
Listen to live music somewhere
Celebrate a few food holidays
Spend some time on water (kayaking maybe?)
Do a No Spend Month challenge
Go on a picnic
And continue to post a photo of the week

Here we go! :)

52/52 Photowalks: Capitol

2010-12-31T21:02:00.003-06:00

View from the Washington Monument at dusk.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T18:53:00.006-06:00

Celebrating the season at Mount Vernon.

For Mike

2010-12-22T07:42:00.003-06:00

Hope your day is great!

51/52 Photowalks: St. Alban's

2010-12-20T17:23:00.012-06:00

St. Alban's in Waco, Jimmy's first church and site of his fun ordination festivities last weekend.

50/52 Photowalks: Cards

2010-12-20T17:01:00.000-06:00

49/52 Photowalks: 2x2 Wrap-Up

2010-12-20T16:32:00.002-06:00

My top ten picks for the new 2x2 Reading List have been submitted - I've been celebrating by getting rid of books! As part of my job on the 2x2 committee I've been reading hundreds of brand-new books and narrowing it down to precious few favorites. I'm keeping a few for myself and friends but most ended up at Together We Learn and Children's Medical Center.

Unpacking, reading, sorting and storing was fun at first (between two-five book deliveries arrive every week!), but for now I'm just ready to have the bedroom back.

A typical week - a new history journal for Matt, a giant stack of children's books for me:

48/52 Photowalks: Someone Loves Christmas

2010-12-07T19:24:00.001-06:00

It's a tough life...

47/52 Photowalks: Luckenbach

2010-11-29T16:37:00.002-06:00

Where Everybody's Somebody

Fredericksburg Anniversary Trip

2010-11-28T13:25:00.001-06:00

We celebrated our 5th anniversary with a quick trip to cute Fredericksburg. Cooler weather, a break from work, and light crowds always make Thanksgiving week a nice time to travel. In Daytripper style, the trip consisted mostly of eating, drinking, shopping, hiking, and more eating.

Monday

Headed south after a day of teaching for Matt, dropping Duncan at Betsy's along the way
Arrived in Fredericksburg 5 hours later and checked into our cool cabin - the Loeffler-Weber Haus, a neat German home built in 1846
Started our trip off right with a German dinner and music at the Auslander Biergarden

Tuesday

Coffee and awesome breakfast tacos at Mahaley's on main
Explored the Nimitz muesum grounds and shopped on Main
Headed to Luckenbach for a quick t-shirt and music break
Scooted down the 290 Wine Road past the peach orchards with stops at Torre de Pietra and Grape Creek Vineyards (great patio), and Wildseed Farms
Grabbed a light lunch back in town at the Fredericksburg Brewery and explored more on Main, my favorite shop: Red, Matt's: Rustlin Rob's (turtle fudge break!)
Enjoyed an impressive dinner at Kelly's Cafe, right across the street from our cabin
Watched a few movies and explored the neat lot behind the cabin, complete with koi pond and heart-shaped hot tub

Wednesday

Headed to Enchanted Rock to hike the hill (in super windy conditions)
Made our way back to DFW to celebrate family Thanksgivings in Carrollton and Aubrey

Find a few more photos at the end of the album here.

A + M = 5

2010-11-27T16:30:00.001-06:00

Wow - it's already been five years since our special day in Denton at the Little Chapel-in-the-Woods. Time flies when you're having fun!

Recipes Worth Repeating Sweet Edition

2010-11-21T19:36:00.000-06:00

My new team at work has a fun tradition - Fridays are dessert days. We've been taking turns bring homemade desserts to enjoy with lunch (from the school cafeteria!). Between dessert day, treats for parent volunteers and Matt getting in the cookie mood I've found a few new favorite sweet recipes lately.

Give these a try...

Bakerella-style Cake Balls - I've made red velvet with cream cheese and spice cake with coconut frosting and they both were great.

Cinnamon Chocolate Bundt Cake

Homemade Easy Cinnamon Rolls - no yeast needed!

Lemon Box Cookies (pictured) - Matt's favorite, easy, tart and tasty

Martha's Jumbo Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

Old-Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin Spice Mini-Muffins

46/52 Photowalks: Bush Lecture

2010-11-20T14:02:00.001-06:00

The Former President made a stop at UNT last week and Matt was lucky enough to snag a few tickets. Bush's lecture was interesting and not exactly what I was expecting. His speech was very casual and rambling but when he answered student questions he was well-spoken and knowledgeable. Complete with anti-war protesters and a rowdy liberal student crowd, the 45 minute lecture and Q&A was definitely a memorable event.

From the Denton Record-Chronicle:
Bush: Principles Matter in Life
Former President's Visits Draws Protests
Photos

Memories

2010-11-15T20:10:00.075-06:00

A look back as we celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary...

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

My, how we've aged??

Happy Bundt Day!

2010-11-15T20:04:00.000-06:00

Inspired by The Food Librarian (she's making a bundt every day in November!) I'm celebrating National Bundt Day this year. I made her favorite cinnamon chocolate bundt and it is delicious. Light and fluffy and not too rich, the taste reminds me of when I'd sprinkle cinnamon on chocolate ice cream as a kid. I can't wait to have more for breakfast tomorrow. :)

Cinnamon Chocolate Bundt from the Food Librarian

Hope you're having a happy bundt day too!

45/52 Photowalks: Smile!

2010-11-15T19:13:00.000-06:00

44/52 Photowalks: Gladiolus

2010-11-09T21:27:00.000-06:00

43/52 Photowalks: Smokin'

2010-11-08T21:27:00.003-06:00

Matt's smoked brisket and sausage at my mom and dad's - yummmm...

32 Years and Counting...

2010-11-04T18:23:00.001-05:00

Happy Anniversary!

42/52 Photowalks: Pansies

2010-10-21T20:01:00.002-05:00

41/52 Photowalks: Lights

2010-10-21T20:00:00.000-05:00

Kitchen Tour

2010-10-10T18:41:00.006-05:00

Welcome to our kitchen! It's nothing fancy, but after looking at everyone's homes linked on Kelly's Korner I figured it's about time I participated.

It's just a regular little kitchen, and looks a little more pink/dark in these photos then it does in person. We could use just a tiny bit more cabinet space, but all-in-all it's a great place to cook. It's the kitchen where Matt first made chicken-stuffed jalapeno poppers, where I discovered the magic of sausage-and-spinach stuffed shells and homemade shredded chicken verde enchiladas, and where the crockpot reigns supreme.

Things we've done:
Painted the basic builder-white walls a light tan
Upgraded the light fixtures
Added the bistro table and wine cabinet, both from World Market

The sous chef/floor cleaner, probably looking for Matt:

40/52 Photowalks: Pumpkins!

2010-10-03T17:33:00.000-05:00

Fall at the Dallas Arboretum = flowers and gourds, cooler weather, live music, brats at the Oktoberfest Garden, and the world's only pumpkin village.

39/52 Photowalks: Cemetery

2010-10-03T14:35:00.013-05:00

From the neat National Cemetery in San Antonio. Notice two Navy members in white and the honor guard ready for the 21-gun salute under the trees.

89

2010-10-03T14:32:00.005-05:00

We made a quick trip to New Braunfels this week after my Grandpa Earl passed away on September 24th. Earl was a wonderful grandfather and I have lots of special memories of spending time with Grandma Evelyn and him during summers and on vacations. He had a nice funeral in New Braunfels and, because he served in the Navy during World War II, he was honored with a special ceremony at the National Cemetery in San Antonio too. While it was a sad trip, Earl had a great life and catching up with everyone at the events was pretty nice. Read more from his obituary here.

38/52 Photowalks: The New Place

2010-09-19T20:49:00.008-05:00

I've been working lots lately opening a new library. I definitely feel fortunate to work in such a lovely space named for an inspiring family, even though it has been a busy, busy year so far!

Lots More Photos

Austin Photo Session

2010-09-12T18:32:00.011-05:00

Since it was my birthday Matt agreed to a few photo shoots via the camera remote in Austin last weekend. The cool little sitting area in our suite made a great studio and Matt even smiled in a few pictures. As for which one is the most "us" - probably one of the goofy ones.

37/52 Photowalks: Irises

2010-09-12T18:21:00.000-05:00

Texas-Style Birthday Weekend

2010-09-07T19:49:00.007-05:00

A fun thing about having my birthday in early September is that labor day weekend is always nearby. This year, Matt and I celebrated my big 3-0 with a quick trip to the Hill Country.

Waco Friday

Dropped Duncan at Betsy's and drove southbound-35 after a full week of work
Caught-up and celebrated with a cute cake at Maggie and Jimmy's "place to be" - the fun patio at their new townhouse

Austin Saturday

Enjoyed coffee and Jimmy's breakfast burritos in Waco then made our way to Austin where Matt got in some quick research at the Dolph Brisco Center
Headed to SoCo for window shopping and lunch truck treats at Mighty Cone and the Cutie Pie Wagon
Did some hiking and hanging out at Zilker Park
Relaxed at our neat petite suite at the Casulo Hotel
Wrapped up the evening with a tasty dinner at El Arroyo and drinks at our favorite Austin patio, Opal Divine's

West Sunday

Joined M+J and my parents in West for our first trip to Texas's best Czech polka festival - Westfest!
Listened to Denton's own Bravo Combo while enjoying beer bread sandwiches, sausage, sauerkraut, fried green tomatoes, bbq, snow cones and more
Back to DFW to pick up Duncan and break in my great birthday gift from my mom and dad: an awesome kitchen aid stand mixer!

Czech out more photos at the end of the album here.

Recipes Worth Repeating

2010-09-07T18:36:00.003-05:00

You know I love trying new recipes. A few favorites found lately...

Donut Muffins (pictured) - these would be great as mini muffins too; DO NOT make these if you are home alone, they are impossible to resist!

Oven Fries - easy and healthier than the fried or frozen variety

Penne Carbonara - pasta + bacon = yum

Hasselback Potatoes - the Swedish alternative to baked potatoes, Matt really liked these

Maggie Mochas - just add a splash of sugar-free Nesquik and milk to your morning coffee, mmmm

Enjoy!

36/52 Photowalks: Boots

2010-09-06T16:47:00.002-05:00

Just a few of the choices at the awesome Allen's Boots in Austin.

35/52 Photowalks: Aloe

2010-09-06T16:45:00.001-05:00

Yay 30!

2010-09-03T07:00:00.010-05:00

It's my birthday and I'm happy to report I have a wonderful family, fabulous friends, a great job, a thoughtful husband (and silly dog), and my 30-Before-30 List is complete. I've had a blessed life so far and can't wait to see what fun the next 30 years will bring.

A few favorite memories from the past 30:

Girl Scout Days

Summer Family Road-Trips

Drill Team in High School

Sorority Fun

Archaeology Field School in Menard - back when I wanted to be a museum curator.

Meeting Matt (thanks Megan!) and starting our relationship.

Driving to Alaska with my dad and working for the National Park Service for the summer in Anchorage.

Graduating from Texas Tech, followed immediately by library school at TWU.

Tons of fun times with Kirk & Megan and other Tech friends - and can you believe I don't have a single decent picture of the 4 of us!

Lots of happy weddings...

Special times with family...

and many more.

30-Before-30: Boeuf Bourguignon

2010-09-02T20:19:00.016-05:00

For the grand finale of my 30 things I attempted Julia Child's famous Boeuf Bourguignon. After watching Julie & Julia, like everyone else I wanted to give this dish a try. This was also my first time cooking with wine and I've got to admit it was a little strong at first - guess there's a reason it's called beef + burgundy.

Inspired by Dining with Debbie - I did alter Julia's original a bit by using the slow cooker instead of the oven, but since it's summer in Texas leaving the oven on for 3+ hours just wasn't an option.

30 down, 0 to go... :)

Spring & Summer Wrap-Up

2010-08-28T11:17:00.002-05:00

2010 has flown by - I can't believe September is right around the corner.

Highlights from our spring and summer include...

A fun winter vacation to Mississippi
Celebrating Matt's 29th birthday
After lots of TA experience, Matt started teaching college courses. He spent the spring teaching United States History through 1865 to undergraduates while also working as a teaching assistant for another course, spending 10 hours/week at the department's history library and 20 hours/week at the Rare Book Room at the UNT library while taking his own PhD classes too. Yes - he's busy.
I joined the Texas Library Association's 2x2 Reading List Committee - a 2-year appointment to help pick the best books for children from age 2 to grade 2 with 4 other librarians from across the state
Library fun for me at the TLA conference in San Antonio in April and TLA assembly in Austin in July
Matt was named to the History Department Graduate Committee as the student body representative and was one of two students to receive a tuition waiver for 2010-2011 - yay!
Ending my time year as the librarian at Bright Elementary after 4 fabulous years
Maggie's graduation from TWU and fun wedding events for her and Jimmy in Austin
Visiting with lots of Matt's extended family at a Hamilton Reunion in July
A great road-trip mountain vacation to Wyoming and Colorado
Playing with Duncan, cookouts with friends, tons of reading, and watching lots of Law & Order and reality TV over summer break
Opening the library at Purefoy Elementary, a beautiful brand-new school with 630 students, a fun job that has monopolized quite a bit of my time lately
Working on my 30-Before-30 List and 52 Photowalks project
And - finally finding a groomer for Duncan! He does have to be sedated but he sure looks good. :)

Upcoming fun: Cooler weather, fantasy football and more teaching and studying for Matt, a few camping trips, our 5th anniversary, and holiday travels

34/52 Photowalks: Hanging On

2010-08-28T11:05:00.002-05:00

After dozens of 95-105 degree days, I can't believe the climbing rose is still in bloom.

33/52 Photowalks: New Addition

2010-08-28T11:00:00.005-05:00

We've been working on filling our home with more unusual art pieces and finally found something from Denton to add - a drawing by Kelly Stribling Suterland, a local artist and elementary school art teacher.

32/52 Photowalks: Succulent

2010-08-15T18:18:00.003-05:00

31/52 Photowalks: Summer Sun

2010-08-15T18:17:00.002-05:00

It's been a hard, hot summer in the backyard.

For My Sister

2010-08-08T08:00:00.007-05:00

30/52 Photowalks: Boxes and Books

2010-08-01T20:06:00.000-05:00

Just a few of the 300+ boxes involved with setting up the new library - fun times!

30-Before-30: Dr. Pepper Picnic

2010-07-26T20:56:00.002-05:00

Because they're fun, I wanted to have a picnic for one of my 30 things - but when I made the connection that it's not going to get cool outside again until after my birthday has passed, a Dr. Pepper picnic was the next best thing.

While visiting my sister in Waco we stopped by our family-favorite, the Dr. Pepper Museum, for a fresh soda-fountain creation. We even enjoyed our tasty drinks at a picnic table on the patio to make it official.

29 down, 1! to go...

Abbott Beer Bread

2010-07-26T20:08:00.004-05:00

While visiting my sister's cute new place in Waco she shared an awesome simple bread recipe I can't wait to repeat. Best part - you don't need any special ingredients and it only takes a few minutes to prep.

Abbott Beer Bread
From Maggie via her mother-in-law Chris.

Ingredients

3 cups self-rising flour
1 12oz beer (any kind will do, we used Shiner Smokehouse)
3 teaspoons (or packets) Splenda or sugar

Directions

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir. Pour into a greased pan. Cook for 60 minutes or so until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Enjoy!

29/52 Photowalks: Rangers

2010-07-24T16:34:00.002-05:00

A win at the Ballpark in Arlington.

30-Before-30: Expand our Art Collection

2010-07-21T15:15:00.037-05:00

Starting on our honeymoon in Santa Fe, we've collected small art pieces as souvenirs of all the places we visit or live. As one of my 30 things, I wanted to buy one piece of unique art to add to our home and ended up with several new special pieces.

A hand-painted image of the Dallas skyline by Marianne Gargour purchased from the artist at Taste Addison:

A fine art photograph of aspens in the fall from the Illustrated Light Gallery in Fort Collins, Colorado:

And, a wonderful gift from my mom and dad - four new book-inspired art prints by Matt Hinrichs of LitKids to display at work:

I can't wait to see the book art in the library, there's only a month until school starts so it won't be too long until it all comes together.

28 down, 2 to go...

30-Before-30: Pimento Cheese

2010-07-21T15:09:00.003-05:00

After several tries, I just couldn't give up TV for a week for one of my 30 things. It was just more fun to make a tasty new dish instead. Guess I should have tried giving up TV on a week I was busy, it's too temping when I'm home on summer break. :)

I had never thought of pimento cheese as something you could make at home until my friend Ruth mentioned it. It's super easy and something I'll definitely make again - I didn't even know Matt liked pimento cheese, but it turns out he likes it even more than I do!

"Healthier" Homemade Pimento Cheese
Adapted from Macaroni and Cheescake's Party Pimento Spread.

Ingredients

2 cups shredded 2% sharp cheddar cheese

2 cups shredded 2% medium cheddar cheese

4 ounce jar diced pimentos, undrained

3/4 cup light mayonnaise

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir, adding more mayo if desired.

Refrigerate until cold, storing in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

27 down, 3 to go...

Mountain Vacation 2010

2010-07-16T16:02:00.007-05:00

For our big trip this summer we got smart and headed north - where the temperatures are cooler and we don't have to worry about sunburns 24/7.

We immensely enjoyed almost all 3,156 miles of the trip; Colorado and Wyoming are amazing states full of everything we like: scenic views, cute towns, tasty food, and lots of green. If you haven't been, make your way to Wyoming ASAP. PS - everything in the park books a year in advance!

The itinerary is below and more pictures are here.

Day 1 - Monday, July 5th

Drove from DFW to Colorado Springs, after only planning to make it to Amarillo!
After originally planning to leave Tuesday, we took it easy Monday, packed, and left at lunch to get a head start on the trip - somewhere along the way Matt got the driving bug and 11 hours later it was bed time in Colorado Springs.

Day 2 - Tuesday, July 6th - Colorado

Left Colorado Springs after breakfast and headed to Fort Collins, Colorado
First stop of the vacation - a tasting at the neat New Belgium Brewery, complete with fat-tire decor and hippy families everywhere
Toured Old Town Fort Collins, the cute downtown complete with food, shops, and galleries, and bought our first art piece of the trip - a matted photograph of Aspens yellow in the fall
Made our way to Wyoming and stopped for the night in Rawlins, a tiny town off the highway somehow filled with tons of hotels and almost nothing else

Day 3 - Wednesday, July 7th - Dubios

Drove from Rawlins to our cabin southeast of the Tetons - a fabulous scenic drive with views of rollings hills, mountains, and green fields
Stopped at Independence Rock and hiked to the top (with a few busloads of Mormon tourists traveling the route of the Mormon Trail to Utah and dressed in prairie clothes)
Stopped for lunch in Riverton and made a big grocery run, including supplies for Matt's famous chili as our main cabin food
Arrived in Dubois and made ourselves at home at our cute little Tie Hack Cabin right on Horse Creek, a historic spot once used by Scandinavian woodsmen who worked in the area cutting rail road ties, a common job in this area during the railroad boom in America
Walked around downtown Dubious, a neat little town at the edge of the Shoshone National Forest with just the right amount of touristy-ness
Visited the local hilltop scenic overlook and found out the Prius is pretty good at gravel roads and mountain driving

Day 4 - Thursday, July 8th - Tetons

Drove from Dubious to Jackson Hole - a two hour tour on a scenic byway that was absolutely breathtaking, stopped at several scenic viewpoints and saw bison by the road on the way
Explored the square in Jackson (which was way too touristy) complete with restaurants, shopping, galleries, and way too many t-shirt shops, and enjoyed a tasty brunch at The Bunnery
Enjoyed more scenic driving as we made our way through the Teton Village ski resort and arrived at Grand Teton National Park - and promptly saw a moose calf eating bushes just a few feet from the road
Hiked the Taggart Lake trail and were rewarded with a stunning view of the mountains above the pristine lake
Made our way back to the Tie Hack Cabin and relaxed after a long day with chili and ice cream

Day 5 - Friday, July 9th - Dubious

Relaxed and rested up at the cute cabin
Hiked the pretty Glacier Mountain Trail in the nearby Shoshone National Forest and enjoyed scenic views until we got overrun by mosquitoes
Explored Dubois and had a great dinner on the patio at Piya, a neat pizza shop downtown

Day 6 - Saturday, July 10th - Yellowstone

Woke up early and drove from Dubios to the park, a scenic hour and half drive that went through mountains and parts of Grand Teton National Park
Made it to Yellowstone and stopped first at the West Thumb Geyser Basin and walked the boardwalk on the shores of the lake (my favorite stop)
Joined at least 1,000 other people at the crowded but cool Old Faithful, watched it erupt and explored the area, had a quick lunch at the Geyser Grill
Drove the park road north and stopped along the way at more geyser basins, Mammoth Hot Springs (and ice cream break!), Historic Fort Yellowstone (encountered a West Texas-style dust storm here), Petrified Tree, and more and ran into a little rain too
Stopped to rest for the night at our Roughrider Cabin in the Roosevelt area of the park, just a few miles from Montana. Relaxed on the cool porch and had dinner at the Roosevelt Lodge - along with a big school group of high schoolers and teachers from England and German tourists

Day 7 - Sunday, July 11th - Yellowstone

Left the cabin early and drove southbound through the park with stops scenic at Tower Falls (complete with a bus full of Japanese tourists), the Mud Volcano area, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (Matt's favorite) and Lake Yellowstone along the way
Spent the rest of the day driving the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway from one side of Wyoming to the other, stopping only for dinner in Cheyenne before heading on into Colorado and stopping late for the night in Fort Collins

Day 8 - Monday, July 12th - Manitou Springs

Drove from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs
Took flowers to Matt's Grandma Dottie's grave in Colorado Springs and enjoyed a pizza lunch at Giuseppe's in the depot area - one of the places Matt enjoyed most when visiting family in Colorado as a kid
Explored the nearby Garden of the Gods and downtown Manitou Springs - complete with cute shops, live music, lemonade and funnel cake, and an arcade
Had a late dinner on the patio at the Red Mountain Bar & Grill, a neat restaurant in The Cliff House at Pike's Peak, the fancy historical hotel where we stayed in Manitou

Day 9 - Tuesday, July 13th

Enjoyed a gourmet breakfast at The Cliff House then jumped in the car for a long day of driving back to DFW

Wyoming Wildlife Spotted...

Pronghorn Antelope

Chipmunks

Deer

Ground squirrels

Moose calf

Bison herds
Countless rabbits and birds

30-Before-30: Take a Hike

2010-07-15T20:28:00.005-05:00

Hiking always brings back good memories of time in Girl Scouts as kid so it was an easy choice to add as one of my 30 things. On our mountain vacation in Wyoming last week we got to take several wonderful hikes, all over the top compared to Texas trails.

My new favorite hikes:

Taggart Lake Trail at Grand Teton National Park (3.2 miles) : an easy walk through an alpine forest with beautiful views of the snow-covered Tetons ending at a small pristine lake tucked in the hills

Glacier Mountain Trail in the Shoshone National Forest (2 miles) : a vertical trail through pretty red rocks and trees with fabulous views of rolling hills and mountains - plus we had to drive 7 miles on gravel through the Fitzpatrick Wilderness to get to the trailhead, which ended up being an adventure in itself

Tower Falls Trail in Yellowstone National Park (1.2 miles) : a steep but easy walk through thick trees and down a valley along the Yellowstone River

26 down, 4 to go...

30-Before-30: Give to Someone New

2010-07-15T09:00:00.079-05:00

I give to several charities regularly, but wanted to donate $100 someplace new for one of my 30 things. Even after searching Charity Navigator, with so many great causes out there I had a hard time picking just one. The right fit ended up being close to home and I gave to a local family going through a lot.

Though I don't know her directly, Katherine Parker often consults at the school where I recently worked. On March 26th of this year she and her husband welcomed their first baby, Maxwell Allen, 16 weeks early at 1 pound 8 ounces. Baby Maxwell has been in the NICU for 100+ days now and has grown to over 7 pounds. I've been following his progress on their blog and I can't even begin to imagine what they all must be dealing with daily. Keep growing Maxwell!

Follow his story here: http://maxwellallenparker.blogspot.com/

25 down, 5 to go...

28/52 Photowalks: West Thumb

2010-07-14T16:07:00.003-05:00

Fishing Cone Geyser in the West Thumb Basin on Lake Yellowstone.

A + M + D = :)

[11-in-2011] The End

Beautiful Big Bend

Challenge :: 2012

[Weekly Shots] December

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

To One Cool Dad...

Pomp and Circumstance

[11-in-2011] Camping @ Lake Ray Roberts

[Weekly Shots] November

Sympathy

Thankful

A + M = 6

Happy Bundt Day!

Love ya Mom and Dad

[Weekly Shots] October

Recipes Worth Repeating

A Bucket List

Hamilton Chili

[Weekly Shots] September

Waco Birthday Fun

[11-in-2011] Summer Wrap-Up

[Weekly Shots] August

For my Sister

[Weekly Shots] July

[11-in-2011] Two For One

A Duncan Day

Recipes Worth Repeating

[Weekly Shots] June

Mike's Cherry-Filled Chocolate Cake

Love ya Dad

For Maggie + Jimmy:

Welcome Summer!

[Weekly Shots] May

Somebody's 5

Love ya Mom

Sausage-Stuffed Jalapenos

[11-in-2011] Spring Update

[11-in-2011] Homemade Biscotti

[Weekly Shots] April

Author! Author!

[Weekly Shots] March

Spring Break Out West

[Weekly Shots] February

For Rozan

Recipes Worth Repeating

Cabin Fever

[Weekly Shots] January

Stylish...

Welcome to 30!

Virginia Vacation

2011!

52/52 Photowalks: Capitol

Merry Christmas!

For Mike

51/52 Photowalks: St. Alban's

50/52 Photowalks: Cards

49/52 Photowalks: 2x2 Wrap-Up

48/52 Photowalks: Someone Loves Christmas

47/52 Photowalks: Luckenbach

Fredericksburg Anniversary Trip

A + M = 5

Recipes Worth Repeating *Sweet Edition*

46/52 Photowalks: Bush Lecture

Memories

Happy Bundt Day!

45/52 Photowalks: Smile!

44/52 Photowalks: Gladiolus

43/52 Photowalks: Smokin'

32 Years and Counting...

42/52 Photowalks: Pansies

41/52 Photowalks: Lights

Kitchen Tour

40/52 Photowalks: Pumpkins!

39/52 Photowalks: Cemetery

89

38/52 Photowalks: The New Place

Austin Photo Session

37/52 Photowalks: Irises

Texas-Style Birthday Weekend

Recipes Worth Repeating Sweet Edition