Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Camping in WVa


Over Memorial Day weekend, we went camping in West Virginia. I had not been camping in probably ten years. My brother-in-law's family has a large tract of land. There is an old farm house on the property, but no running water--just a lovely outhouse and hand pump. I actually was really excited. I wasn't sure how the two-year-old would do in the tent, but he was fine.

Incredibly blue skies. We could not have asked for better weather.


Buttercups. Trying out some new settings on the camera.

Baby Shower Mania

My sister and I are hosting a surprise baby shower for our other sister on Saturday. We have been super busy making decorations, setting the menu, and orchestrating events, so the day goes off successfully. My sister was the kid who hunted down her hidden Christmas presents, opened them, and retaped the wrapping, so she could find out what she was getting before Christmas morning. If we are able to keep this shower a surprise, it will be a major accomplishment in our family. (She doesn't know about this blog yet either :)

As with most things I undertake, I did a lot of research. There are hundreds of baby shower sites out there. Some of the most helpful were other blogs, such as Alpha+Mom and Homemade by Jill. We are having about fifteen people, and here is the menu. Nothing too fancy, but I think it will be nice.
  • chocolate raisins, mints, nuts, jelly beans
  • yummy crab dip (I confess that this is store purchased, but I have not been able to find a recipe that beats it.)
  • cheese/crackers/chips
  • fruit salad
  • mini chicken salad sandwiches
  • deviled eggs
My sister does not like cake, so we are going to have assorted sweets instead.
  • homemade banana bread
  • strawberry mousse (thank you Simply Recipes)
  • Special K bars (this is my mother-in-law's recipe. simple and always the first to go at a party)
  • Angel food cupcakes
For beverages, we are going to have just punch and water. When I first set up house, my mom got me a 1973 copy of the Betty Crocker cookbook. While some of the recipes look totally disgusting and mayonnaise heavy, it is great for recipes like punch.

That's about it for now; I will post pictures of the shower and more information about the decorations we made later.

Starting Out

There are thousands and thousands of blogs, so why should I add another to the mix. The short answer is, Why not? As an adult, I kept a detailed journal during two important times in my life--while I backpacked around Europe and while I was pregnant. I have a mediocre memory and a terrible sense of direction (I wonder if the two are related), so this blog is my attempt to capture some of the events, thoughts, and projects in my life. If someone finds some of the information helpful/interesting, that's an added bonus.

I have a lot of interests and expect the topics of the blog to vary quite a bit. Crafts. Sewing. Recipes. P90X. Web 2.0. Archives. Motherhood. Gardening. Travel.

Here we go.....