A year.......

Are you there? Wouldn't blame you if you didn't answer. After all, I left without even leaving a note, after 2 years of being together. It wasn't you, it was me. Really. Life happened, the good & the bad. I needed a break. My plate was full.

I am back now & hope you'll have me again. I'll make the dinner, if you just help me with the dishes. K?

See you shortly with something delicious....and it just may come from my newest addition to the family...

Wine, Dine, Peace of Mind ~ 2009

Happy New Year everyone! 

For the past 6 months I have shared less personal pictures & info with my recipe posts because I simply have had less time for posting. I also know we all have a place to go after this one so I've tried to make for brief posts. But I do miss sharing the woman behind the apron & I have to remind myself this is my blog, an expression of me not just eating but living & loving as well.

So let me catch up on what I have been missing & then we'll move on.

It's been a good year. We've.....

Become friends with neighbors...

And closer with existing friends.

Exchanged numerous gifts in the mail with a blogger friend turned real life & forever friend.

Shared with others the joy of a quaint town in which we love.

Did some window shopping.

Watched our newest addition to the family slowly outweigh our most precious member of the family...

And not so patiently waited for these two to simply co-exist.

Visited some really cool restaurants I can cross off my list.

Shared, for the 10th year, the very same birthday with best friend Tammy

Rented a river cabana at an awesome little spot...

Had an amateur but successful & fun photo shoot 

And YES....it happens MORE than you think....

Endured many flops in the kitchen, even if they are pretty flops.

Happy New Year everyone!!!!!! Being here is always a joy & a big part of my life. Thank you for not only letting me share myself but also letting me in to your life.

Coming Soon :  Brandied Shrimp, Grilled Chicken Provo Arugula Panini, Coconut Shrimp, Buffalo Chicken Dip & How I Got My Woman Card Back!

Movin' on up!

I have been feeling down. Nothing in particular has me there but that's where I have chosen to be, down. They say it's a choice, right? Either way, I don't like it. While I feel like I am on my way back up, it was important for me to give myself a few reminders of what's making me happy lately:

Wonderful recipes marked & ready for me to try:

Old photos recently found, of me:



And my mom:

The "Perfectly Chocolatey" Chocolate Frosting, so easy to make you'll never want to buy store bought, recipe here:

Seeing Tristan's face & name in a printed book:



And being able to picture what he'll look like in a suit some years from now:



A wine glass swap & gift from Casey:



Meeting a blogger friend, Ronda, for the 1st time & enjoying one another's company as much as we do eachother's blogs:

Ronda & Me

Working so close to home & school where I can have lunch dates with this little guy:

And lastly, to you all - I am sure you know the feeling, when you're just not quite right, yet you know you'd be worse if you didn't have bloggy friends & wonderful inspirations just a click away!

Brought to you by Angie & Wordful Wednesdays from:

When One Door Closes...

Although I wasn't begging for it to be me, I was a bit relieved today that it was me. After 3 1/2 years of being miserable in a place I didn't really belong, this can only be a good thing. Right?

Brought to you by Angie & Wordful Wednesdays from:

The End of a Birthday - A Wordful Wednesday

A card labeled “Mom,” sitting there on the shelf

With his beautiful little handwriting, a present in itself





Flowers from a lover, husband & dear friend
All the beautiful colors of a love that’ll never end



A dinner celebration at a quaint & charming spot
A gourmet paradise, no other place could top


A hidden treasure nestled in a beautiful little town
A boy taking after his momma, exploring what’s around



To add more sweetness to a most lovely night
Shared among family, a confectioner’s delight


So all in all a happy birthday indeed
It feels so good to be only 23!!
37

Brought to you by Angie & Wordful Wednesdays from:

Wordful Wednesday

Before 30 minute meals, Rachel Ray ran her own gift basket business. Prior to Everyday Italian, Giada was a food stylist for the Food Network.

Well, way before Live.Love.Eat, 4 1/2 years to be exact, I, too, set out for greatness. Take a look my friends. This is the woman behind the apron.

I never did get to Hollywood that day but I received something far greater. The ability to incessantly laugh at myself no matter how many times I watch this over the years as well as the joy & laughter from my son as he watches me do the robot to one of his first loves in music, The Wiggles. And a reminder that if I ever stop being silly, to just start right back up again. Toot toot chugga chugga my friends.

Brought to you by Angie & Wordful Wednesdays from:

A Meme for Youyou

Today, I combine a meme (list about me) passed along to me from Another Online Mom with my Wordful Wednesday contribution hosted by Angie. The meme requires me to post a picture of me & my beautiful child followed by a series of questions & answers below.

This is really one of my favorite pictures of the two of us from November '07. It was at a park in Mt. Dora where they were having a Thomas the Train event. I remember feeling good because I was just getting into these jeans again after not wearing them for way too long. I was actually on a cleansing right at this time. And Tristan, my dear Tristan, looks happy as he always does! I have about 6 more lbs on me now so I need to keep looking at this pic for motivation!

1. How many kids do you have? 1
2. What is their age? Just about 5
3. What time do you usually start your day? 5:45am
4. What do they eat for breakfast? Combo of either Turkey bacon, waffle, raisins, banana
5. Do they get to watch T.V.? Yes
6. What's their favorite activity? Although limited, Playstation with daddy
7. Do you get a break during the day for some "you" time? Lunchtime
8. How do you end your day? Saying the prayer, reading & falling asleep with Tristan
9. What's your best parenting advice or tip? Love with all my heart, laugh a lot & have patience!

Wordful Wednesdays hosted by

I Got Tagged - 7 Things I Am

Kimmers tagged me to write 7 things about myself. If you read only one, jump to #7 because this one was unexpected & gave me hysterical laughter. Thanks Kimmers, this was my first Tag & I enjoyed it!!! I tag Jennifer, Buried with Children, Deanna, Angela, Sassy Stephanie, Courtney & Tam. If you've done it before, no worries.

1) I don't love chocolate like many women. I can pass it up a million times & if there was no chocolate left in the world I would be ok. Sorry to my PMSing Choco-Loving sisters! If they made a movie about me it would be called Like Water for Cheetos. I just love my chips! 2) I have struggled to like my present job since the day I got here, 3 YEARS AGO! But I do believe I am here for a reason, other than learning time goes by WAY TOO FAST! I feel like if I can make it here I can make it anywhere. Seriously, God is testing me & once I can prove to be a more patient & gentle soul in this crazy place, where NOT being a more patient & gentle soul is understandable, then I can move on.

3) I cry about 3 times a week, whether it's from a true story of loss I heard about, a touching moment with my family or a movie or book. I was planning to write this morning that I haven't cried since Friday night when we watched Rambo (the awful things they did to the villagers/children) but I forgot about my tearjerking experience reading Anne Brashares' The Last Summer (of you and me) on Sunday. I read it in less than 24 hours, crying all the way. THEN, this morning I was surprised by some tears on my way into work as I listened to what sounded like a sad autobiographical song off of Jason Mraz's new CD. Great CD by the way.....

4) The only fantasy/dream I have connected to my passion for cooking & entertaining would be to own a quaint cafe like this one pictured here. A charming space where I can serve up delicious nibbles along with beer & wine, & make people feel the things that I do when I walk into a place like this: comfort, happiness, guiltless indulgence, strong friendships, exploration & discovery, life dancing on my tongue, beautiful music in the air....

5) I LOVE to grocery shop, & I don't ever look at the prices. If I want it, I get it. Before you hate me, a big reason for that is while the visit is one of necessity, it is also my main luxury. Ya see, I don't ever buy myself shoes or clothes. I own 3 bras - black, white, beige, because that's all I need. Luckily, my husband buys me most of my shoes & some of my clothes (without me around (he's got great taste)) so I don't go around naked. Me? I just love me some gourmet goods.

(This morning, I dropped off the pail with the napkins & Peruvian grilling sauce, to Tammy in an effort to cheer her up. She loves food in pretty packages too & I thought this pail would go great with her adirondack chairs on her patio)
6) I LOVE the family I have. Terry & I talked about having 2 children but once we had Tristan we found ourselves perfectly content. We have the time & resources to do the things we want to & life is just good, so why change it. We're also very lucky to have both of Tristan's grandparents living 25 minutes away, & on the same block!!!!!
7) And for the final thing about me. I am laughing as I write this because I had to email my sister asking if it was true if I almost got kidknapped once or was it a twisted story in my head. After all, I once grew up thinking I went to Mt. Rushmore when in fact there was a place we visited in New Hampshire that had a little Indian statue on the mountain. I get confused.....
Anyway, while my sister confirmed it was true someone walked off with me when we were little but I was retrieved shortly thereafter by my big brother, she suggested a few other things to write about myself. I laughed so hard at her delivery that I just needed to copy & paste her response. I guess this final one has quite a few facts about me.

"I would say almost getting kidnapped is on the list. I can also say these 2 things:

you picked up a baby squirrel thinking he was sooo cute; maybe not so cute when it took a few of us to pry his claws out of your skin/shirt. Tears began to fall from your eyes.

you decided to ride your bicyle on a family day outing with your father and sisters, and really had no clue how to use the brakes yet. Driving a bike downhill, towards perpendicular traffic, when all of a sudden, dear old dad rode past his two older daughters riding on one bike with a banana seat, like lightning, and in the nick of time, grabbed your handle bars before the on coming cars clocked your ass.

Or you can write how in a game of Manhunt, you got scared by someone who jumped out from behind a car, tripping over the concrete walk, busted your chin open, and your older sis carried you up 3 flights of stairs!"

And this is my dearest sister Lauren who shed further light on who I am:

Chocolate