New to the World

Meet Jack my brand new nephew. Isn't he just the cutest? My dad looks pretty cute here too!

Christmas Eve Adventures

My first iPhone video. Editing courtesy of Leonard, my new MacBook Pro.

Thanksgiving for the Chickens

Naveen is harvesting eggs and feeding the chickens at my parents over Thanksgiving weekend.

Feeling Crafty

Again I have been bitten by the craft bug. I have had the same wreath on my door for about a year and thought it was time for a change. After searching the internet for something different I was inspired to create this out of some type of pine cone pod type center and feathers.

Sleepy Time

Another Project Completed

My new farmers market bag. It folds into the pocket so I can fit it in my purse.

Kitty Love

I came home to Naveen getting some major feline lovin' time from Phineas on Friday night.

Latest Craft Project

Here is the latest craft project that I finished. It is a necklace holder inspired by fellow blogger Anne Dewvall.

Lewis and Clarking Our Way Across Nebraska

This weekend Naveen and I went for a canoe trip down the Elkhorn River. The plan was to start at the Wood Duck Wildlife Management area near Stanton, NE. The plan went bad when we got to the WMA and went off roading in the CRV and found nothing but fireflies, deer, and wood ticks. No canoe access......so much for my research. Plan B was to go up to Norfolk and camp at Ta-Ha-Zouka park and use the canoe access there even though it was going to add an estimated 5 hours on to our canoeing day on Saturday. We got to the park at about 11pm to find a sign that said "No Camping Until Further Notice". FML. At this point it was late and we were crabby and hungry so we stayed at the Holiday in for our first night of our Nebraska outdoors trip, but not after attempting to stay in 3 other hotels. Norfolk was BUSY that weekend I guess.

All of our camping and canoeing gear heaved in the parking lot while we decide how to pack it all and get it down to the river.

River Access! SUCCESS! We found you!


Our canoe did not stay nicely packed for very long. Every pit stop incurred some "re-organization" and by the end all of our bags were open and stuff was everywhere.



This was Naveen's first official canoe trip and my first trip down a river!
(I think he looks so cute in the red life jacket)

The Elkhorn River was running a bit faster than usual due to all of the rain we have had this spring and summer, it was a sandy bottom with the only obstructions being trees and sandbars.
The total trip was 29 river miles and the first 6 hours were the most stressful for me because the first section of river was filled with "S" curves which created a lot of tree debris to canoe around.

Being 1/2 nature and 1/2 Martha Stewart I am making a toilet out of trees and pulling extra bark off to make a nice place to sit.

The end of our journey - River Park in Wisner, NE.

We canoed from Ta-Ha-Zouka Park in Norfolk to River Park in Wisner. There was a rodeo going on that weekend followed by a super terrible band, so camping was not so peaceful.

Our campsite was quickly surrounded by Cowboys and trucks as Naveen and I squatted around a Citronella candle and played UNO.

Our new shiny camping stove. We had chicken quesadillas for dinner. YUM!

Notes for next time: Don't let your ego take over. Just when the adrenaline rush comes over you making you feel like a total river badass because you just navigated around trees and the flow of the river like a pro you will undoubtedly hit a sand bar and get suck. No one looks more ridiculous than a canoe stuck in the middle of a brisk flowing river with two novices in it bitchin' about how to get off the effing sand bar.

Weekend Projects and Global Kitchen - Italy

Whew! What a weekend! Beautiful weather, house projects and gardens!

Continuing on with my Global Kitchen Challenge, I present to you (drum roll please)

Italy - Grilled Asparagus Panzanella
recipe from Bobby Flay - Grill It!

Simply AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!

What you need

• 6 - 1 inch slices of day old country style bread
• 1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 Cloves Garlic - finely chopped
• Salt & Pepper
• 1/2 Cup olive oil*
• 1 bunch grilled asparagus cut into 1 inch pieces**
  
• 8 red cherry tomatoes - quartered
• 8 yellow cherry tomatoes - quartered
• 1/2 Cup Kalmata olives pitted and chopped
• 2 TBSP capers - drained
• 8 Basil leaves cut into ribbons

Directions
1. Heat grill to high
2. Grill bread on both sides until slightly charred. Remove from grill and cut into 1 inch cubes.
3. Whist together vinegar, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and oil. Mix in asparagus, tomatoes, olives, capers, and basil. Let sit 30 minutes.
4. Toss in bread just before serving so that it soaks up dressing but is not too soggy.

*I tried this a second time using only 1/4 cup oil and everything was A - OK!
** note** recipe is using asparagus that has already been grilled

Our veggie patch is finally planted! We have

• Onions
• Summer Squash (in moderation of course!)
• Carrots - regular and Kaleidoscope Mix
• Spinach
• Italian Salad Blend Lettuce
• Potatoes
• Black Beauty Eggplant
• Serrano del Sol chili peppers
• Siberian Tomato
• Black Brandywine Tomato
• Ziegler's Fleisch Tomato
  

And in veggie patch part II which is a garden I can't decide if I want veggies or flowers - so I do both.

• Peas
• Cucumbers
• Oriental Eggplant
• Peacevine Tomato

Hoover's job is to keep rabbits away. So far so good.

The big naked wall got some lovin! It took me FOREVER to put something in this space. I am glad I waited because I think this is exactly what I was looking for.

My dad sent me a painting that he did and I just picked up the mats on Friday!
It is huge and dramatic and I love it!

Added little shelf things to a wall for nicknacks. These shelves are completely irritating to put up.

Found a home for my fern that I got from the Boss.



Even Phineas got to enjoy some sunshine!

Global Kitchen Challenge - Chile & Argentina

This weekend we "traveled" to Chile and Argentina for Pork Charrusco with Roasted Red Pepper Chimicurri Sauce and Dobladitas.

Argentinian Easter Dinner as displayed above - Pork Charrusco with Chimichurri sauce, armadillo potatoes, and grilled garlic bread. Simply delicious!

Pork on the gill always smells awesome especially when there are mondo flames involved!

Chimichurri Sauce - Spicy and Delicious! It is probably good on just about everything.

Chile - Dobladitas

Saturday morning breakfast in bed surprise for Naveen.

Bedroom Before and After

Master Bedroom - Before

The closet and bathroom below are ALL Naveen's...lucky guy!

We went from walls with flat/semi gloss sponge painted walls to Taupe and Coconut Shell.

Phineas was happy to be snuggled in cushy blankets after being banned from the room all night. Everyone was happy to be back in the bedroom. Hoover was also banned due to his tendency to smush his butt on every wall that we have painted.

Action shot!

After painting he went back to work. Looks fun right?

New plants Naveen bought me after I acquired the "fever" when we went to price dirt at Mulhalls.