Did You Just Say Audrey?

On Saturday I went shopping for black pants. I wanted cropped for summer, something that didn't wrinkle for traveling, a bit dressy for the holidays. Basically, I wanted it all. Last stop was the Gap where in desperation I tried the new skinny cropped style.

I took them home. Many reasons, including the following: they fit, the clerk told me they were slimming, then she told me they were very Audrey Hepburn, they can be worn with heels or flats, I had a 30% off coupon and $10 in rewards, I had no where else to look in Bellingham, and every clerk that saw me carrying them to the counter told me about the amazing fabric of the pants. Apparently, Gap had this fabric in the 90's and customers never stopped asking for it to come back.

Definitely, feeling a little trendy, edgy and scared. But slimming and Audrey-like tipped me over.

I also bought black leggings to wear with skirts. Love that look. It has taken two years to get up my nerve to even try them on. You may remember this.

Leggings are probably going out of style. But it's kinda cold here this summer and I still want to wear my skirts.

I'm no fashionista but I can try.

Honey, I Made Dessert

After running errands on Friday morning I hit the patio for some R & R. One of my stops was the library where I loaded up for some serious reading.

After my break I had some house cleaning, laundry, strawberry jam making and a bit of cooking to catch up on before Hubby got home from work. I decided to whip up a healthy dessert and found a recipe in one of the magazines I had picked up at the library.


Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
1/3 c. mini chocolate chips
1 1/2 tsp. orange flavored liqueur
1 1/2 tsp. water
8 large strawberries
2 T. white chocolate chips

Line a baking sheet or container with waxed paper or parchment paper. Mix the min chips, liqueur and water in a small microwavable bowl. Microwave on med. for 30 seconds; whisk until smooth.

Hold one strawberry by hull, dip halfway into chocolate and and set on paper covered sheet. Repeat with the rest of your berries. I had more than 8 because they were medium to small berries.

Put the white chocolate chips in a small microwavable bowl. Microwave on medium for 40-45 seconds, stirring once halfway through cooking time. Whisk until smooth. Dip a fork into the white chocolate; drizzle over berries.

I found this recipe in a Weight Watcher's magazine so it must be good for you. Two large berries have 3 points, if you care about stuff like that; which I don't.
Obviously.

Cake Toppers and Such

Last week when I hosted a bridal shower for Kristin my Mom contributed to the Something Old table. She had their wedding cake topper. I think it is really sweet and if I had a daughter I would encourage her to use it. But I don't have girls.

Mom also had all of the little gift cards from her bridal showers. They were perched in with the cake topper, pearls, beaded purse and pink roses as a centerpiece. It was fun to see my great aunt's signatures on these cards filled with best wishes.

Hubby and I had a Precious Moments as a cake topper. Dad and Mom's topper got me to thinking about what we keep and what we discard. Since I don't have daughters I sometimes wonder why I am keeping my topper, my wedding dress, my wedding shoes and more.

Will someone want them? What do you keep and why?

Max on the Farm

Before Hubby, Kassie and I left George, WA on Monday morning we drove out to the field where Max was swathing(cutting alfalfa) to say good bye. Hubby knew where he was working. Max was at the Nolan circle as opposed to the home place, 78, Dippery's, Joseph's etc. Good thing Hubby knew because I would have been lost. The alfalfa is pretty and so green compared to the desert around it.


Max works with Cruz. Cruz and Max have a mutual admiration society going on and it's fun to see them together. Cruz was doing the cutting in, the first round to show Max how to do that and then Max swathes the rest of the field.


Max has farmer jeans. Apparently, his holey Gap jeans were a disgrace in the community to Uncle John's farm, so Aunt Marie took Max into town to get some new duds. Nice!

Hubby and Cruz were chattin' it up, probably talking about what a spud Max is. But they both love him so it's okay. Cruz is a nice guy and is patiently showing Max the ropes. They can't say enough good things about each other.


We said our good byes and hit the road, not far and we ran into a real cattle drive! With real cowboys and a cowMom moving their herd to a different field. I felt like I had stepped into Ree's blog. It brought back great memories of when my folks, Sam and Max and I were driving through Wyoming and got behind cattle and cowboys. That was when Max was obsessed with growing up to be a cowboy and was so excited.

The cowboy on the gator had a hay bale in the back and baited them right a long. The Mom was in the truck and the kids on horseback, as was the Dad who was yelling instructions like no bodies business. It was fun to watch, Kassie and I were just a tad excited about the whole thing.

We hit the interstate and got home by three. We had a good visit with Max. He loves what he is doing and it shows.

2010 4th of July

Hubby and I enjoyed fireworks three nights in a row. Hubby's Dad is a licensed pyro-technician so two of the shoots were his. On the 3rd he had a shoot at Sunland Estates on the Columbia River. The echo off the cliffs makes this one my favorite.

Since we were in George , Washington for the 4th this year we jumped in and took advantage of their celebration. Laura, Marie, Paul and Laura and their girls and myself came early and did the two mile Cherry Bomb Run. Some of us placed and some of us didn't, but we all finished. After the run we went to breakfast at the George Community Hall. At ten the parade started and everyone was in town by then. Brooke rode in the back of a decorated pick up and threw us lots of candy.




Laura and I went home to shower and then returned for the horchata and the el Salvadora treat, pupusas. The pupusas are eaten with a coleslaw called curtido. I would have liked to have taken this grandma home with me.


We spent most of the day in the park catching up with family and friends. Lots of games for the kids, live music and a car show.

I wanted to play BiNgO at the community hall at four o'clock but no one else wanted that experience so we went back to the folks. Hubby's Mom made ribs for dinner and then we watched the George fireworks show.

A good time was had by all. Tomorrow I'll share more about our visit with Max.

The 4th of July Celebrating Begins

Last night we went to the Bellingham Bell's game. It was Customs and Border Protection Night which meant the honor guard presented the colors, a fly by from Air and Marine, $2 admission and FiReWoRkS!

We had a good time even though it was verrrry cold. We huddled under lots of blankets and sat close. There are a lot of laughs and excitement at a Bell's game.

The best part was the brawl on the field. It was kind of like Hockey Night in Canada. The Bells won the game, so that was fun too. Winning is always good.