i Heart

 A very sweet thank-you surprise, indeed.

Our nephew visited a few weeks' back; and we received the sweeetest thank you notes and drawings and chocolates and ivy and love and . . . .

He simply makes my heart swell.

I've just about lost my boys as they begin to fly the coop. Sniffle.

But they're never far. The teenager is here for a long weekend visit from DC. Needless to say, we've been figuring out ways to get ALL that yummy chocolate into our growing bellies.

It's been wonderful having him home with us. 

I have to admit, I miss the sound of rambunctious boys tearing through the house.

Miss ya, Big D. All the dinosaurs have been MIA since you left. It's too quiet. 

Labels: Ann, Daniel, Teenager

All That Remains

Miss ya, Big D!

Labels: Ann, Daniel, Family

Summer Love

Family arriving tomorrow! End-of-summer love.

Labels: Ann, Daniel, Summer, Flowers, Fairhope

This-n-That

First of all, I have to send out warm thanks to those who picked me as a winner in One World--One Heart. A big thank you to Tricia for the sweet baby boy plaque. I think I'll put it in the teenager's new room. You think he'd appreciate it? Actually, it will more-than-likely end up in my bedroom as I have baby stuff in there. Isn't it precious! And speaking of bedrooms, look at what Sonia made. I never enjoyed eye masks when I was younger, but now I've come to appreciate them. Does that mean I'm getting old or just getting too fancy for my own britches? Either way, I adore this one. Thank you Sonia!

I finally got my OWOH winnings out to Linda Sue. I hope she doesn't see this post and I ruin it for her. The package is supposed to arrive on Monday. I enjoyed getting it ready for her and am so happy that this finally made me finish up last year's pysanky just in time to begin anew this Lent. I don't even know if I will make any.

I mentioned earlier in the week the hub had made some flounder for his and the kid's dinner. Ew. (I'm still traumatized!) Doesn't he know a watched pot never boils? The kid snapped this while he was cooking. I love when the kid takes pictures and I find them later when I download.

Another kid snap.

After the fish incident, the hub and I went to the pub around the corner for dinner a couple of nights this week. It was fun to get away by ourselves (no kids allowed in the pub--as it should be!). We're like two old souls going in at early-bird hours. ha.

I got all my paperwork done early in the week. My trusty old sidekick is never too far from my side. Thank you Bella for keeping things straight for me.

But, I've really been busy making baby bibs for a new nephew arriving home tomorrow! How exciting for my SIL and BIL! Yay! I will fill you in more once the magical moment arrives and I hear more myself.

Who knew that I could sew? Well, to tell you the truth, it takes a big momentous occasion to get me to bring my dad's old sewing machine out. And, of course, this is quite exciting! It's been about four years since we've had a baby in the family!

I had some fabric left over from my last batch way back when but, of course, I had to find some wonderful boy fabric to use for this new arrival. I just love making baby bibs. Well, sometimes.

What are you all up to? Any big plans for the weekend??? I think ours will be nice and quiet, as usual.

Friday's Favorite Corner

Today's corner is going up our back staircase. I have started a collage of photographs, mostly taken and given to me by my brother Jim. I really need to add some more because all of these are quite old, the latest being at least 8 years old! Oy!

These are two of my many sweet nieces. It was taken many years ago as both are almost 12 years old which just baffles me. Samantha (on the right) is one of three daughters from the hub's brother and Madeleine is one of two daughters from my brother. One time, Samantha's family was visiting and Jim threw a BBQ; and we all went over. The girls were so sweet together. Jim captured this photo of Madeleine applying lipstick to Samantha. Is it not one of the sweetest pictures? Jim captured the moment beautifully.

This is another one of Jim's works. We were visiting him one spring at the Capitol where he takes group photographs. This is the kid. Just too cute. I really came to appreciate this photo once we moved away from DC. Funny the things you take for granted when they are in your back yard.

I have to say that this picture of the (pre) teenager has to be one of my all-time favorites. I remember the day as if it were yesterday. It was Father's Day, again at my brother Jim's house. I was meeting his new girlfriend (later to be wife) for the first time. I was pregnant with the kid at the time. An old school chum of my brother's and mine was there; and I remember him having so much fun with the pre-teenager. Jack (our friend) and Jim were in the back yard with the pre-teenager and came back in just chuckling. They said my son had seen a squirrel and had proceeded to tell them to stay far away from them because they were very dangerous animals. Poor little kid. You know how overly secure you are with your first child. I was always so afraid he would get bitten by one that I told him some terrible story about how dangerous they were! Anyway, look at how cute he was!! My brother Jim had bought him the DKNY (excuse me!) suede jacket and my father always brought him back cowboy boots and hats from his visits to Texas. I don't know where the sunglasses and gun came in. (Of course, he was never allowed to play with guns either--hehe.) Those were the days!

This is the pre-teen, yet again. (The kid is always asking why there are so many more pics of his brother! Isn't it always the way?) Look at the sweet face looking at his Aunt Ann (see previous post on sisters). This is her wedding day. In the background, you can see little Santina (Samantha's older sister) in the high chair. The pre-teen is telling Aunt Ann some tale, I'm sure.

I used this photo for a Christmas card in 1993. I know that only because the kid was only a couple of weeks old here. I had my cousin James come out to our house in Falls Church and shoot a roll so I could make a Christmas card. I remember it was after Julia Roberts had just wed Lyle Lovett (what was she thinking?) and she was married barefoot. I thought I would go barefoot in this picture--which you can't even see--since we were sitting on the floor. I don't know why I was sitting Indian style in a dress--ain't got no couth! The pre-teen is making his usual age-appropriate face, which I thought was so cute, and the kid is looking at his momma. I loved our little cottage-type rambler. The little fireplace was so sweet. I was so proud of our little family that I had to share it with all our friends. That was the only time I ever had a family portrait done and the only time one was sent out. Oh well.

After thinking about how special these pictures are, I really am going to have to get some more photos matted and framed. It's kind of pitiful I don't have more hung.

Sisters

Even though I don't have blood sisters of my own, I have been blessed with two very special sisters that were brought to me by both my husband and my brother. I don't like the sound of in-law, so I just refer to them as my sisters, lovingly. Both have always been very dear to me; and both have been on my mind lately.

My one sister lives in Virginia and will be coming down for a week next Friday. We will be celebrating her 60th birthday while she's here -- shhhhhhh. I simply cannot wait for her to get here. She was kind to offer her house to me when I was working at my mom's the last time I was there. We had so much fun. We sat around and looked at old pictures of my brother (her ex) and their two children that I had found; and it was just so nice to have that connection.

My other sister lives just outside NYC. She has always been one of my favorite people, ever, regardless of family ties. Even if we don't see each other or talk for over a year, we pick right up where we left off. I always think of her and her husband and smile. They are just the best people on earth. Just want them to know I'm thinking of them.

It's always rare that you can find those special ties when you're only connected by a marriage. I am so fortunate to have them both as my true sisters.

Easter Supper 2006

Full again, full again, thank God, we're full again. (This is what mom and I say to each other after we have lunch everyday.) Today, we are all really full, for sure! What a feast.

I started out setting our kitchen table with my pysanky and an old Ukrainian embroidered breakfast cloth (that I found at a YARD SALE!!) and some bee's wax tapers. Since Grammy and Grandpa get up way before any of us on weekends, I had their breakfast plates out for them to enjoy a nice Easter breakfast together. Later in the day, I made my BLT deviled eggs from Paula Dean's magazine. (If anyone is interested, I'll post the recipe.) I mixed them on an egg platter with some of my naturally dyed eggs. It looked so pretty. I was amazed I had some left after the teenager has been eating them all weekend!! He'll probably be sick of eggs come next week!! ha. I also opened Ann's Easter gift to us which was the cutest little chocolate nest (chocolate covered almonds) with a beautiful small bunny and some gum balls (not chewing gum). It was so sweet! (Thank you again, Ann & G, we've been nibbling all day on it!)

Grandpa and I did all the cooking. He prepared the kyshka and kobassa for me. I made sure to watch him this time, so I know exactly how he does it. He's the masta. I did the pyrogi (sauteed in onions and garlic) and the green beans (steamed with a little lemon, butter and salt). The hulubtsi (stuffed cabbage) was frozen, so no biggy there. We also had a honey baked ham which we just reheated. I made a salad, which no one touched. Hey, at least we got the green beans in us! We also had yeast rolls and of course, all the trimmings--horseradish, red horseradish (mixed with cranberries--but normally made red with beets) mustard, sour cream (for the pyrogi), half sours (not fully done pickles) and of course eggs, lots and lots of eggs. We did begin supper with a prayer and a piece of kryshanky (hard boiled egg) and paska. The paska was dry and Grammy said to cut back on the cooking time, which I will do next time. So if you took the recipe down, check the paska at 40+ minutes and go from there. Grandpa said it is what he is used to, so we were all happy with that response! (Gee with all the cooking, I forgot to put the Easter lamb butter on the table. I just remembered. Isn't there always at least one item you forget?? OY!)
The table was set with our finest. Our "wedding" china was used with some silk napkins that the hub had picked up in Bangkok from Jim Thompson's. I used Ukrainian tapers I had bought at Surma's years ago (waiting for that right time to use) and the kid put out some small bunny tapers too. This is the cooked holubtsi, kyshka and fresh kobassa. It was delicious. I will definitely order from Polana's again. The skinny kobassa was good too. We nibbled on that all day.

Here's the two mothers at the head of the table. Looks to me they started their prayers early.

Mass was nice. We went to the 5:30 mass which is the normal Teen Mass. It is the first year our church has held it at this time on Easter Sunday. It was not crowded and I just adore our priest (no pinch hitter was brought in). He makes it fun and interesting always. We were finished by 7. Of course, we came home to my carrot cake. Soooo sweet--a little too sweet. Ouch. Good thing we waited a bit after supper.

Now I'm tired. Think I may hit the hay early tonight. The "kids" (in-laws) are still awake. I think I may go to bed before them tonight! Well, it is a school night! Good excuse, eh!

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter also.

Preppin'

All of our Ukrainian goodies came in on Friday. The kobassa, kyshka and skinny kobassa are all here! Hurray! It was shipped frozen so I've had it out the last couple of hours thawing. We're going to have an early supper, probably around 2ish and then hit 5:30 Mass tomorrow. This is the first year our church has held 5:30 Mass on Easter Sunday. It's a blessing because they only had two Masses in previous years and we have a huge parish. Of course, they were so crowded, you couldn't even enjoy it. I find it very frustrating to attend Mass and have to watch it on a TV monitor in the hallway crowded with parishioners shoulder to shoulder or getting there so early, you're bored by the time Mass begins. (I'm so bad.) Obviously, I don't get a whole lot out of a Mass of that sort. So, I am so happy that they finally added one. We only have one priest, so I'm wondering if they will "borrow" one from another parish.

I was busy yesterday and Thursday making my krashanky (hard boiled eggs in onion skins) and tried something a little different this year. I used cabbage to dye some eggs light blue and beets to dye them pink. They turned out pretty. I love the natural marbelizing in all of them (although the cabbage ones do look more uniform in color).

We received a pretty little package from Ann, my sister-in-law, the hub's sister. It's a box of chocolates that I will not open until tomorrow. I can't wait. They are so sweet to think of us. They (her and her hub) know how much we all love chocolate!! How sweet. I love all the suspense of everything revolving around Easter. It's nice to wait for the good stuff. It really does make everything taste so much better. Thank you Ann! I'll share photos tomorrow!!

Today I made my carrot cake for Easter dessert. Yumm. And, as I mentioned, yesterday, Grammy showed me how to make the family Paska. Before eating any other food tomorrow, we have a slice of paska with some farmer's cheese and a slice of kryshanka. These are usually blessed. Hmm, I wonder where I put that Holy Water?? I haven't seen it in a while. Oh well. The paska is not a sweet bread. It is usually eaten with butter or farmer's cheese (cream cheese if you can't find farmer's like me).

And so, without further delay, the family's paska right off Ann's blog: (With my pictures from our masterpiece.)

Here's the family Paska recipe. Keep in mind that it creates something closer to a batter than something that resembles dough.

Grammy's Ukrainian Easter Paska

• 1 package yeast, active dry or compressed
• 1/4 cup warm water (lukewarm for compressed yeast)
• 3/4 cup milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm--add saffron to it
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 eggs at room temperature
• 4 cups regular all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 pkg saffron

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water, add cooled milk, and stir until blended (if using saffron strands, strain them. If using powdered saffron, you don't have to).

In large bowl of electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light; add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the yeast mixture and beat until well blended. Sift flour again with salt into mixing bowl. Beat at medium to low speed until batter is smooth. Stir in raisins.

Butter a large kugelhopf mold (or a 10-cup mold). Turn the batter into the mold and let rise in a warm place until batter comes to within 1/4 inch of the top of the mold. This could take 2 or 3 hours. Before placing in oven, brush batter with a lightly beaten egg yolk.

If using a kugelhopf mold or another 10-cup mold with a tube center, then bake in a 375 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes. If you use a 10-cup tubeless mold, bake at 350 degrees. Check at 45 minutes and go from there. Bake until cake tester comes out clean. Let cool in pan; turn out.

We had a lot of fun last night. We stayed up late talking at the kitchen table about Ukrainian foods. I had pulled my Ukrainian cookbooks out to compare notes with some other recipes for paska; and grandpa began telling about how it all brought back memories of when he was growing up. (Note to self: grandpa's name was spelled Prokup.) It's always so fascinating to hear the in-laws' stories of when they were growing up. I find the ethnic traditions of the Ukrainians and the Italians fascinating. On our way to bed, I peeked in the refrigerator (I don't know why) and noticed that we had a lot of skinny kobassa. I mentioned it to Grammy and we got to giggling naming all the things we could cook with skinny kobassa. Our favorite was skinny kobassa quiche (or egg pie as she calls it). For some reason, it cracked us up and we went to bed giggling. We even woke up this morning giggling about it. I think it sounds good. I may end up making that next week if we have as much left over as I think we will! Next weekend is Ukrainian Easter, so we can save some for then. Grammy suggested I try one of the other recipes for paska that calls for kneading for next week's dinner and compare the two breads. I think I may just do that!

It's Official

I suppose it's now official; I'm a blogger. I've passed my Blog address on to a few select (and I do mean select!) friends and family. I wouldn't want ALL of them knowing this much about my life! (Lord forbid!)

First of all, let me thank my friend and sister-in-law Ann for my new found addiction (good addiction, I think). Ann has a wonderful food blog she began writing a couple of years ago. When she started, I don't think I even knew what a blog was. I came home from New York and tried my hand since our trip (Super Bowl Sunday) was such a pleasure. Well, the bug didn't bite and I forgot all about blogs and blogging.

While we were in NY this last time, late at night, the teenager goes ravaging through the fridge of the grandparents for something to eat--you know, always hungry. Everyone was gathered around the TV and I was sitting at the table crocheting. My bad, because he comes up with a raw onion and proceeds to eat it. Yowza. I knew he liked onions, but not this much. Ew. I think most will agree, the smell of raw onions isn't high on the list of pleasant aromas. After a few bellowing blows my way, we began our usual "stop it.....waaaaaaaa....smack smack." Yes, my friends, my teenage son has picked up where my brothers left off. If there is a way to irritate me, he's going to do it. Of course, we broke up the calm of the house and Ann tells me that she has just put a post up about some onion rolls she had made. This post tells about how her father (grandpa) and brother (Uncle Tom) love to eat raw onions. Gee, I guess there's an onion gene out there.

Of course, when I got home, I had to look up Ann's blog and catch up on this onion tradition. YUM.

And so, this is how my blogging journey began.

Thanks Ann! We love you!!!

Since I don't know how to post links, this will have to suffice: www.grannyanny.blogspot.com
Enjoy!