Catching Up, Quick Takes Style

Linking up with Jen for another set of Quick Takes, since my scores of adoring fans only two readers (shout out to Jenny and my husband) have been after me to post.  Here are seven snippets of what's been going on around these parts.

1.  We went down to Memphis for P's high school reunion. 

Rita Mae loves a road trip.

The weekend was a ton of fun.  We went to the football game on Friday night, where RM had a great time watching her beloved "Purple Thing" (even though the team lost on a heartbreaking last-second field goal).  On Saturday we watched Paul's youngest brother play soccer and then went down to the Audubon Center in Holly Springs, Mississippi.  We watched them band and release hummingbirds, and Rita Mae got to have one held on her hand.  So neat!

On Saturday night we left the girls with their Grandmother and Granddaddy and went to Beale Street for more the reunion festivities.  It was great to see some old friends, meet some of his classmates I've heard stories about, and have an evening out on the town.

2.  Paul had a birthday.

The cake is a simple white cake topped with homemade applesauce.  There was supposed to be another layer of cake and some frosting, with the applesauce just as a filling, but I ran out of eggs.  Whoops. 

3.  I made bouef en croute for said birthday.

You'll just have to take my word for it.  The pictures of the interior of that golden bundle of deliciousness didn't turn out.

When I asked what he wanted for his birthday dinner, Paul (jokingly, maybe?) said Beef Wellington.  Our larder/grocery budget is light on foie gras, so I didn't fully meet his challenge, but I got pretty darn close.  Seared fillet mignon topped with mushrooms sauteed in sherry and wrapped in puff pastry?  Yes, please.  It was staggeringly easy to make, especially for how impressive the end result was.  I more-or-less followed this recipe.

4.  We went up to Notre Dame for a weekend.  Our first stop when we hit South Bend is always Rocco's for a tomato and basil pizza.

On Saturday morning we hit the Farmers Market before we went over to campus.  On the way, we saw the most amazing rainbow.

 Then we made our way to campus.

MM found her first trip to the Grotto overwhelming.

I think Trumpets in the Dome might have been RM's favorite thing all weekend.

5.  RM went to the game with Daddy while MM and I watched it on television in LaFortune.

"Look!  It's the Football Boys!"

 

On Sunday, we went to Mass in Alumni (where our children were The Worst) and then brunch in South (where our children continued to be The Worst, but at least it wasn't interrupting Mass this time).

Who knows what's going on with the light in this shot.

On our way out, we had to take the obligatory tourists-standing-in-the-street ND Avenue picture.

The girls were pretty much over it by this point.

We also got to spend some time with Uncle Patrick, which was so nice.

It was exhausting, but a good time was had by all. 

6.  Last Sunday was Michaelmas.  I made Archangels on Horseback.

The recipe couldn't be simpler:  wrap bacon around scallops and stick under the broiler for 10 minutes.  Yum.

7.  I have most of a new kitchen sink. 

Baby is an excellent plumber's assistant.

I say "most of," because the nut that holds the under-counter soap dispenser together managed to roll down that pipe you can see above, through the hole in the cabinet, and into the depths behind the dishwasher.  RM couldn't manage to retrieve it (and no one with better reasoning skills had a small enough hand even to try).

She made a valiant effort.

Look for posts on our adventures in baby feeding and kangaroo petting, coming up soon(ish).  For now, everyone is awake again...

Click on over to Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes!

Seven Quick Ones

Linking up with Jen for another installment.

1. I was all set to write a picture-heavy post about what an awesome week it's been, but in the process of moving pictures from my camera to the computer, every last file on my SD card went poof.  So now I just want to cry/throw up.  I think everything that was on the card had already been copied to the computer except the pictures from the last week...but I'm giving myself a pep talk about the spiritual importance of detachment all the same.

2.  Since typing Take 1, I found a data recovery program that was able to pull the pictures from the ether.  Unfortunately, you have to pay to actually recover the files.  Fortunately, there's a "Preview File" option, and I know how to make a screen cap.  It's painstaking, but I'm getting my pictures back, dagnabit.  There are a few that didn't make it (boo!), but I got back most of the ones I hadn't already backed up.  Phew!  (I'm really not very good at the detachment thing.)

3.  So, back to my awesome week.  On Tuesday, we went out to my great aunt's house for the afternoon.  We went swimming; the girls got to ride on the tractor [kicking my self for not bringing the camera for this!], and we picked apples.  Oh, did we pick apples--four 5-gallon buckets' worth.  They are amazing, and it will be so nice to be able to pull them out of the freezer this winter.

About 1/10 of our haul.  I'm s-l-o-w-l-y getting them washed/cored/frozen.

4.  Wednesday morning brought a playdate with our favorite ladies.  We are so, so blessed to have such amazing friends.

(Rita Mae clearly needs her friend to teach her how to look normal in pictures.)

5.  Behold the two happiest babies there ever were:

6.  Daisy had her first solid food last night.  We gave her some chunks of roasted sweet potato and just let her go to town, baby-led weaning style.  She did really well! 

(The picture for this one is on my husband's phone...)

7.  This infographic was amusing.  The Merlot entry hits me close to home.

Be sure to hit up Conversion Diary for more Takes!

7QT

Happy Friday!  It's Seven Quick Takes time!

1.  Today is the feast of St. Rose of Lima, and therefore my nameday (thanks to my middle name).  I haven't settled on what treat I'm making for the occasion, but a pecan version of Smitten Kitchen's crisped peaches is a strong possibility.  I'll report back.

2.  It's also Mary Margaret's half birthday!  How in the world have six months gone by already?  Craziness.

(That dress is a 12 month...)

3.  This right here?

Trouble.  She's not actually pulling up to a stand yet, thank goodness, but she is yay-close, and she's figured out that Rita Mae keeps stuff she doesn't want Lil' Grabby to get on the hearth.  Guess it's time for a new hiding spot.

4.  Today RM asked for a "headtail."  I love it when she lets me put her hair up!

5.  In that picture, we're playing "Oopeeker" (RMish for Zookeeper), which involves RM climbing over/around/through my legs.  I'm the zookeeper; she's some combination of Curious George and the gorilla from Goodnight, Gorilla, and my legs and the exercise ball are the cage.  But sometimes she's on top of a bus (like George, again).  It's quite complicated.  Her imagination these days is just fascinating.

6.  Mary Liz is right that 5 Quick Takes is enough.

7.  Your prayers for St. Joseph of Cupertino Academy, a new tutorial program serving the Nashville Catholic homeschooling population, are appreciated.  Prayers accompanied by a little cash are even more appreciated.  Check out the website for more info (and the PayPal button)!

Be sure to hop over to Jen's for more Takes!