Hi Ho, Hi Ho

I mentioned yesterday that there have been some changes around here. The most notable of them all is my return to the working world. After 17 months at home with our little fella, I have decided to return to my old position managing a boutique part time. Timing is everything. Until now I wasn't ready, opportunities were not appealing, and we felt that being home with Oliver was the best place for me. But now, here I go. I feel ready to make this change. My parents are going to be with the baby most days and we have to adjust to the life of two working parents. Getting us ready, him ready, and out the door on time has been ok so far but it's a rush. I'm most excited about having some adult time and feeling like myself again. Wish me luck!

The Best Laid Plans

Things have been crazier than usual here the past few weeks. All in this small amount of time we've had three different sets of family in town visiting, a few house showings, a sick baby, and a new job. So I may have had high hopes of sharing a new project with you using this awesome spray dye but alas, I have not had the time. I'm hoping to get some more time to myself soon so I can get my ideas out to share. Until then, bare with my light posting on light topics. I hope you have had a cool place to be during this country-wide heat wave!

A Festive Fourth

It was a festive 4th of July for us! Parades, flags, ice cream, swimming and a BBQ all in one day. Our neighborhood hosts a fun parade and ice cream party every year. Oliver thoroughly enjoyed himself!

As the parade kicked off Oliver finally got his chance to walk in the street. It was a dream come true and he completely missed the oncoming celebration. We hung up our giant flag and prepped a dozen ears of corn for the grill.

After the parade we headed over to the school for treats and friendly neighborhood fun. It was hot and humid and Little Man cooled off with some snacks and then it was time to hit the crib. Just look at that ice cream covered face. He was too tired to even care about the awesome fire truck that was there.

We built a new grill, cooked for our friends and family, and had a grand old time. I think the mini pool/sprinkler combination was an incredible hit! We cleaned up and were ready for the incoming storm just in time to stay dry. 

But I was pretty sad to have this amazing patio renovation wash away. Good thing I captured it. I hope you had a safe and happy holiday!

We Are Family

We had the pleasure of taking Oliver to his very first wedding last weekend and it was so much fun! My husband comes from a large family of very close-knit cousins so this wedding was filled with a lot of love. His cousin married an amazing woman and we are just so happy!

The wedding took place about two hours south of us on a beautiful and huge farm with an amazing greenhouse filled with hundreds of hanging baskets, a koi pond, and tropical plants galore! The ceremony was outside on picturesque land in some pretty sweltering heat. Luckily it was simple and lovely and we were able to escape indoors quickly to cold drinks and large fans.

 




Our little guy is pretty lucky to have so many adoring older cousins. They danced, played, and kept him giggling all night! And as the family photo above shows, Oliver discovered a new favorite food, pizzelles! His Great Grandma would be so happy.

Here he is with his Grandma and his Great Aunt, the mother of the groom. They all looked so beautiful!

Stylin' in his bow tie and suspenders. The bow ties will be available for purchase very soon! Not so subtle plug...

After an amazingly fun afternoon and evening, we took the long and winding road back to Cleveland. Congratulations cousins, we love you! Thanks for baring with me those of you that have already seen this photos.

That's a Quick Pickle

Yes indeed, I really like pickles. Which is a really good thing because at this very moment we have 8 giant cucumbers growing in the garden. I picked up what looks to be English cucumbers this year, but I can't be certain at this point since I threw away the marker, oh well. This is seriously the simplest pickle recipe I've ever tried. It would be perfect to make the morning of your backyard BBQ. They would be tasty on burgers or chopped up as relish for some grilled hot dogs or sausages. Ours are getting eaten up just as they are though. Here's how it's done.

Ingredients

1-2 large cucumbers

1/2 cup white vinegar

2 tsps sugar

1 tsp salt (or just a little less, ours were a little salty)

1 bay leaf

1 tsp dried dill

1 cracked clove of garlic

2-3 juniper berries

Dash of cayenne/dried hot pepper (optional) 

I found the recipe here but of course didn't have quite the right things so I improvised. Slice the cucumbers on a diagonal in 1/2" pieces and place in a heat proof bowl with dill and bay leaf. Pour vinegar and remaining ingredients into a pan and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Add the pickle liquid to the cucumbers, stir, and allow to cool to room temperature before refrigeration. Stir the mixture periodically throughout the day to a insure complete cover. Once you are ready to eat, bring them out and impress your friends!