wedding day

Today is the day that my son, Benjamin, marries Lindsay Marie.
I look forward to sharing photos with you very soon.

wedding webpage

pomme

Overheard during lunch . . . 

"Grandma Mary, how do you say farted in Kuh-mai?"

I guess the answer is "pomme". 

{Two years old and traveling between two languages}

A comment from one of my friends . . . 

"There is a lot of beautiful mischief in those eyes!" (RD)

Also overheard . . .

@ 5:30am - Phnom Penh 99 / Brockport 56

While letting the cat in a sweet little two year old voice says:

“Ooooo Grandma Mary, America is so cold”

Cedar: “Can I try on your ring Grandma Mary?”

GM “It’s stuck I can’t get it off”

C: “Just suck it like this 

{putting his knuckle in his mouth}. 

That’s what Papa does.”

Cedar: {Looking at a pizza in the oven} “Grandma Mary what is that?”

GM: “What does it look like?”

Cedar” “It looks good”

Cedar {talking to Blaine's dog}: 
"Cooper do you want to race?
. . . . He says no"

groom and mother dance

My son asked my opinion on a song for our mother son dance at his wedding.

Here are some of my thoughts.

How about your thoughts?

Forever Young - Bob Dylan

My Wish for You – Rascle Flatts

She Loves Me Like A Rock - Paul Simon

In My Life – Beatles

I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack

Find Your Wings - Mark Harris

Ordinary Miracle - Sarah McLachlan

A Mother's Song - T Carter

A Song for My Son - Mikki Viereck

The Man You're Become - Molly Pasutti

She’s Got a Way – Billy Joel

sloppy moussaka

Sloppy Moussaka

Browned lamb beef seasoned with Greek herbs and spices in a

tomato sauce makes for a new way to serve Sloppy Joes.

Adapted from a Rachael Ray Recipe

Serves 4

{photo from www.rachaelrayshow.com}

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

salt and pepper

1 small onion, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

2 teaspoons tomato paste

14 ounces beef stock

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup milk

freshly grated nutmeg

small handful of grated Parmigianino cheese

4 ciabatta or other rolls, split and toasted

Preparation

In a large skillet add the beef and cook, crumbling the meat, until well browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and drain. Add the onion and garlic to the same pan and sauté until soft. Return beef to the pan. Season with salt, pepper, cinnamon, red pepper and marjoram. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste for a minute. Stir in the stock and simmer over low heat until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.

Sauce
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook until thickened slightly; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the cheese.

To serve, spoon the meat mixture onto the rolls. Top with the sauce.

new smile

I shy away from having my picture taken for many reasons

but the biggest reason is that I have had a crooked tooth.

If I have control of the photo I immediately Photoshop that 

awful tooth so that it doesn't look quite so bad.

After a discussion with my dentist and 

some cosmetic bonding

I can now smile for the camera . . . 

Just in time for Benjamin and Lindsay's wedding!

fast-food toys

While my grandson is visiting he will get to 

play with a few toys that were his mother's.

Perhaps they may look familiar to some of you . . .

hip hip hooray

Today this little family arrives from Cambodia for a month long visit.

 I can't begin to tell you how excited we are.

  Phnom Penh International Airport.

Incheon International Airport (Seoul Korea)

)

skillet chicken souvlaki

Skillet Chicken Souvlaki

The quick-cooking chicken and simple homemade yogurt sauce make this a perfect dish for a busy weeknight. Serve with a simple side salad.

Yield: 4 servings

Total: 20 Minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

3 boneless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 medium sliced onion

1 thinly sliced green bell pepper

2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 cup grated English cucumber

6 oz 2% Greek-style yogurt

4 oz reduced-fat sour cream

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 (6-inch) soft pitas

2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced

Preparation

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Add chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until done. Remove from pan.

2. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté 5-10 minutes until tender.

Add garlic, oregano, and cook cooked chicken. Sauté 30 seconds.

3. For sauce combine cucumber, yogurt, sour cream, parsley, lemon, and salt.  

Serve chicken mixture with yogurt sauce, warmed pita, and tomato slices.

adapted from: Cooking Light August 2009

five kinds of friends

My June 2013 issue of Real Simple has an article called 

"Five Friends Everyone Should Have"

I am already picturing where each of my friends fit into this list . . .

the comic relief
{laughing helps you get through so very many challenges}

the challenger
{the ability to be brutally honest}

the loyalist
{she hangs in there even when you are not at your best}

the life coach
{recharges your emotional battery and reinvigorates you}

the risk taker
{an adventurous one who nudges you out of our status qou}

Now I am also wondering which kind of friend am I?

pool ducks

Every spring before we open our pool a pair of ducks visit each evening and each morning. Recently the female duck stopped coming so we assume she is nesting somewhere and the male duck comes alone.



Then one day he brought a friend.



Then the next day he brought two friends.



So . . . dad is swimming and having fun
while mom is busy hatching those ducklings.



same story year after year . . .