The Kiddos

Here's a few pics from my visit last week with my sister and her kiddos. My niece Liv and nephew Jack are ridiculously adorable, smart, funny, charismatic, ridiculous, loud, loving, annoying, tiring and fabulous! I love them to the moon and back! Here's the lowdown on our visit....

• If you were ever wondering what I looked like as a child please see the picture above. It's actually quite eerie. Although I'm pretty sure I didn't have the appetite of a truck driver, which this one does. 
• Jack and I had another epic sleepover and apparently I make the best scrambled cheesy eggs in history. 
• I went to Water Country and probably got SARS.
• We also made it to the river which was beautiful on a rainy morning.
• When they light the food on fire at a Japanese Steakhouse I still get a little scared.
• They're so much more fearless than I was, I envy them that.
• If I see another pizza I'm gonna get sick.
• Livvie looks so adorable when she pouts I kept taking pics of it which she hated.
• I wish they lived closer.
• I'm a bit hoarse because they made me sing Single Ladies like 95 times.
• They're fabulous dancers, they get that from me.
• I'm gonna sleep for a week!

It's Friday, Love

{ Contrary to popular belief I actually hate having my picture taken }

A minor miracle has occurred over the last few weeks. On numerous occasions, while I've been working in my front yard, total strangers walking by have told me how great my yard looks and that they wish they knew how to make theirs look as good. The first couple times I thought I was being punked. It's taken six years of trial and error, wasted money, dead plants and frustration to figure it out. SIX YEARS! Now, when I sit on my porch and admire my handiwork, I wish I could transport that girl who felt like she would never get it right to today and let her know she would. It helps to remind me that that day will come in a few other areas too. I just have to be patient.

{ Roast Chicken + Watermelon and Arugula Salad = The best Summer lunch }

{ Miss A writhing as if she's in pain because I was a horrible mother and made her take a bath }

{ Summer Colors }

{ A great pinot and girl talk at Secco }

Best Laid Plans

Today's post is dedicated to just that, best laid plans. I actually plan my blog posts quite far in advance, at least a month I'd say. I tried letting things just happen spur of the moment, but that never worked and stressed me out even more. I realized if I wanted to fit blogging into my self-induced busy life, I had to be more deliberate about it. I also hate, in ever facet of my life, putting something out there that I know I could have done better. I know that perfect is the enemy of good, but I always want to feel that I've done my best.

This brings us to last Sunday. I invited my mom over for dinner because we always like to do something special for Father's Day even though my Dad's been gone almost six years. My mom is a trooper when it comes to this kind of thing, and I appreciate her genuine enthusiasm for always wanting to help us remember my Father in small ways even though they'd been divorced for almost twenty years when he passed. The plan was to photograph dinner, I make a mean Roast Pork Loin, and then post those photographs today.

Here's the deal....I forgot. Sunday was beautiful, I went on a long bike ride, sat by the river and soaked up some sun with a friend, made dinner and then promptly forgot to take the photos. In retrospect, photos of raw pork may not have been my finest idea anyway. So the one photo above is all you get:)! I literally laid the platter on my kitchen table and went "Crap"! The pork was damn good though. Happy Father's Day Dad. Miss you!

Philly

Waddup Philly! Work conference meant a looooooong week in the city of brotherly love, but I had a little fun and explored some parts I hadn't before. Hope you enjoy the pics!