Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts

10.12.11

(1)year-ago

roaming through pictures and found this....


it was a whole year ago and james has grown up so much.  he is interactive, playful, and growing up so fast.  i love watching him grow up and learn knew things.... but also miss having a little baby around.  however, i am excited for baby calhoun to arrive in april!!


21.8.11

sunday bbq

Today we are celebrating Abby (my sister) and David (brother in law)!!  It is their birthday.... well technically David is one day older than Abby or Abby is one day younger, either way we are celebrating!!!  And it is going to be a blast.  We got a fun evening in store and delicious food.  I attempted my first twice baked potatoes and super excited to see how they turned out.  They were fairly easy to prepare.  I am always nervous to make something the first time when you are serving multiple people but think they will turn out so yummy.


But enough about that.... Happy Birthday David and Abby!

16.7.11

cherry adventure

yesterday.... my mom and I took a drive up to Hood River looking for cherries.  It is one of my favorite things about summer.  The best part is when you can find a u-pick.  The cherries though this season are about a whole month late in ripening, so we struggled to find any once we first arrived.  We made a few stops and finally found some to purchase.  We were looking for a u-pick but out of luck.

The best thing happened.... as we headed out of town we found a sign saying U-Pick Cherries... we figured why not just try and see where it leads.  The road took us to a farm not listed on the map that had lots of treasure.  It was packed full of cherry trees.  The best site I have been ever.  It took us no more than 10 minutes to pick 10 pounds of ripe, beautiful, sweet cherries.


My weekend is COMPLETE!

5.6.11

ending....already??

my weekend thus far as been exceptional.  the best part was the SUN!  finally it has arrived.... and it's already june.  slow start to summer i see.

but moving on.... i had a wonderful weekend.  it started with a good happy hour on friday with my mom and steve down at the deck.  it's a fun local spot on the columbia river, down near the airport.  it's a floating house boat that has the best outdoor atmosphere and fun festive drinks.  the evening continued on with a bbq and ended with a few card games.

saturday was awesome.  the sun was out which seems to put everyone in a good mood.  don't you agree?  i got to spend time with my mom, abby, and james out in the sun.  james is just the best and his smile is contagious.  i cant get enough of him.  my mom, sister, and i always have such a good time together.  i love being with them.

sunday i woke up to gorgeous weather, enjoyed coffee and a delicious piece of french toast, and then spent the day doing little things, ya know?  and it's ending with a grub bbq of pork and grilled veggies.

why does the weekend go by so fast??

4.6.11

some things....

doesn't this look perfectly cozy for a fun time with family and friends.

like these.

my favorite part about summer.... fresh cherries.

dainty and cute.  cool and refreshing.  light and simple.

21.5.11

what what!

BE HAPPY, JOYFUL, MERRY, TICKLED, JOLLY, ECSTATIC, and DELIGHTED
SIMPLY, JUST SMILE

Looking for something to do this weekend? 
--Check out happy hour at Noble Rot 
--Go to the Portland Farmer's Market at PSU Park Blocks
--Take a hike through Forest Park
--Rent a good movie and get a pint of Ben and Jerry's Mud Pie

16.5.11

1890:bed


A few weeks ago I was on a stroll with (James) and (my mom) in our neighborhood and we stopped at a garage sale just to look.  I immediately spotted an antique farm house bed frame.... and feel in love.  It is the exact bed I picture in my house one day.  I was so excited I couldn't take my eyes off of it.  The owner approach me because she could tell I was in love.  She explained that the bed was a 1890 antique bed she purchased years ago but no longer wanted it.... she went on to say that it was not marked for a price because she was waiting for the right offer.  She asked me what I would pay for it and I said I had no idea (because I knew it was worth a lot of cash and I would have felt stupid saying anything under $500), so she said well I will give you what you think it's worth.  I kept explaining that I had no idea what something this unique and rare would cost, so she said well how about $100.  I thought what??  I couldn't pass it up.  She said she had tried to sell it on craig's list but never did and she just needed to simple get rid of it.

          

So this weekend I spent time stripping it down to it's original wood and then applied a clear wood finish.  This bed frame is a beauty and I am so lucky to have found it for such a great deal.  It took many hours to strip it down to the original wood but so worth every second.  My mom and I were exhausted and in a lot of pain by the time we finished.  However, it is something I get to enjoy for many years.
FINAL PRODUCT

11.5.11

Mediterranean Bell Pepper Salad

Made this on Mother's Day and it was a hit!
So fresh, So Good....  and it requires NO LETTUCE!

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
                                                     
1/4 cup cold water
                                                                
1 tablespoon kosher salt
                                                      

2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 red onion, chopped

3 bell peppers (any work great, but color is always fun)                                                                  
1 cucumber                                                     
1 carrot, chopped into thin strips
1/4-pound crumbled feta cheese                                                
1/4 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh Basil, finely chopped


Swish together the red wine vinegar, water, kosher salt and sugar in a small bowl until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Add the red onion and set it aside.

Core and seed your bell peppers and chop them into 1/2-inch pieces. Chop the cucumber into similarly-sized chunks. Cut carrots into thin strips.  Put your peppers, cucumber, and feta in a large bowl.

By now, your onions will have lightly pickled, both sweetening and softening their blow. Drain them and add them to the other vegetables in the large bowl, but reserve the vinegar mixture. Pour a quarter cup of the vinegar mixture over the salad, then drizzle with olive oil.  Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper, or to taste. Add chopped basil.  Toss evenly and serve at once, or let the flavors muddle together in the fridge for a few hours.

(adopted and adjusted from original recipe found on SmittenKitchen)

26.4.11

(Sprout)


My mom and I recently took a cooking class at Sprout, located in Hawthorne.  It was such a fun experience.... all the ingredients were fresh and locally bought, healthy, and the dishes were so tasty.  Skylor, the instructor, did majority of the work, while we sat, ate, and had the opportunity to ask questions.
Skylor, Sprout Cooking Instructor
If you dont know I have a passion for health and for eating.... therefore, this class was perfect.  I learned four new healthy recipes.  We used many different ingredients I have never used before such as, lemongrass and tea tree oil.  We also learned many different ways to prepare foods and why certain utensils, etc. are needed in the kitchen.  The class is offered many times throughout the week.... all with different themes.  I attended Lunches and Dinners, however, they have Dinners and Desserts or Brunch classes to chose from.  If you are looking for some good ideas, I highly recommend this place!

Check out their website, BLOG, class schedule, or even attend a yoga class they hold at the location.  It was a fun, enjoyable experience, especially if you love cooking as much as I do!

24.4.11

the (MOMENT) has come....

Scott + Holly = LITTLE CALHOUN


Yup, that's right..... baby on the way.  We are so pumped and excited!!!!!
Scott and Holly are going to make wonderful parents and the little Calhoun is going to be loved unconditionally.  
It is so exciting to have another addition to the family.  The news was some-what unexpected, however, I was expecting something soon!  It's going to be a wonderful December!!!

19.4.11

yup... it's good news!


yup!  just received some good (ooo much better than good)

GREAT, EXCITING NEWS!

stay tuned for the update.  you wont want to miss it!

17.4.11

Birdie's Nest



Found these {birdie nests}.... thought they were so fun and cute.
Simple little treat and a fun decor for Easter.

Use them as place settings, an after dinner treat, or a fun favor for your guests.

28.3.11

celebration for (HOLLY)

My brother recently got married to a girl name Holly.



And it is her birthday today!  

so we threw a little celebration for her over the weekend.  it was a lot of fun to spend time with family and friends.  we enjoyed great appetizers and drinks, the conversations with others were so wonderful, and most importantly we all were there for one person, Holly.  she is a wonderful person and i have been so lucky to have her join my family!





24.2.11

snooowday.



anticipation and wondering is exciting but it happening is a magnificent  feeling
(especially because we had no school monday, 3 day work week).

I feel like a kid again... I love teaching everyday but a unexpected day off is always delightful.  Getting the wake up when I was younger from my mom saying, SNOW DAY, was always great, but now getting the call from an administrator saying the building is closed is even better!

24.1.11

magic happen...


I need a miracle to happen.  These days of substituting are getting long and old.  Some days I work other days I don't.  I need some routine in my life!!  A miracle needs to happen and a job needs to magically appear..... and SOON!!  

I do enjoy my days off because I get to spend it with James.

13.1.11

{a glance through the years}

take a look back through years of great memories and generations with a family tree.

for great ideas go here.


2.1.11

Celebration

It's James' HALF birthday today!  He is 6 months old.  

We are celebrating him tonight!

24.12.10

Christmas is Approaching...

It's almost here.  Christmas is almost here.... and then it will soon be over.  The day goes by so fast and each year once it's over I think to myself, wow it's already over.  But for some reason the years go by so fast that Christmas always seems right around the corner.


I think for all of us we can say as kids that one of the best parts about the holiday season was the presents.  Who doesn't like receiving gifts?  I know I enjoy it (But not as much as I like giving).  Watching the tree skirt slowing disappear because of all the gifts was so exciting and thrilling.  However, the best part was truly spending time with my family.  



Growing up Christmas Eve was the best night of the year.  My mom, sister, and brother, and I would spend much of the day doing a puzzle, then head off to church, return home to eat dinner and then head out to look at lights.  Upon return we would continue working at the puzzle with the one goal in mind... to finish it by the end of the night.  While we completed the puzzle my mom was in the kitchen cooking up a late night snack of chicken wings and chex mix for us.  While the wings were baking we (finally) got to open gifts.  We always took a break half way through to have our wings and chex mix.  And continued on opening gifts.  And then once the gifts were all opened and tree was empty we worked at the puzzle until every last piece was in place.



Christmas Eve was our special night as a family.  It was the best night of the year.... for some reason all the problems and worries went away for that one day.  As a family we enjoyed each other so much.  Over the past few years our traditions have changed, however, our time as a family hasn't.  Christmas Eve is still a special day together and we make a point to be together on this day.

2.12.10

(BEST)day


Waking up to James is the best way to start my day!  Looking at him makes me smile and my heart is filled with joy.  He is the most special person in my life.  Abby has gone back to work and I had nothing to do so James and I get to spend the day together (and James is 5 months old today)!!

28.11.10

It's Christmas at the Calhoun's


The tree is up, the inside is festive with decorations, and the bright lights outside add the extra touch of the Holidays!  


It has always been a tradition to go as a family during Thanksgiving weekend to hunt for the perfect tree for the house.  This year we met at David and Abby's and ventured out to a tree farm out near Boring.  We have been there the last few years and have always left with the perfect tree.  It's funny how each year we can say.... "That's the perfect one" or "This is the best tree ever".  Today we had three trees to hunt for... my mom's house, Abby and David, and Scott and Holly!  We found three perfect (for this year) trees!