Milk and Honey

Happy Me, in my Specks

2015-09-18T14:39:00.000-07:00

After years of squinting on purpose, (helps to simplify what you see in your subject when you are painting), I finally have the advantage of losing my eyesight! I think I can credit all the hours that I am spending staring at my computer monitor (learning new graphic design skills) on sites like Lynda.com and Skillshare.com. I have wanted to need to wear glasses since I can remember, along with wanting braces, a cast and a tattoo. I have never done the later, though I have found and love Tattly tattoos (not permanent) and I will be attempting, in this graphic design art-venture, to create my own line. Presently, painting and learning surface pattern design in higher on my teuxdeux list.

Wood type and letterpress

2014-11-10T22:00:00.000-08:00

When I lived in England I bought some old wood type letters that I found on Ebay. I believe the seller was from Sheffield. I had to have them. I did not know why really, but I was not going to allow anyone to outbid me for these, they would be mine. AND, when we were headed back to live again in US, getting the moving boxes packed with the assistance of a crew of many handy helpful men, my husband asked why we had spent money for a huge box of inky old stinky heavy wooden letters and I could not articulate anything better than "I wanted them?" Well, I have finally had an epiphany and connected the dots.

I love everything paper, always have. Inks and paints and pens and brushes. Letters and flourishes and swashes. I have discovered recently how to incorporate my painting and drawing background and combine it with Type. I guess you could say it is my new found passion.

So for now these lovely little antiques are for my inspiration and my collection. I am currently designing stationary utilizing digital and hand created letters and I am also creating hand lettered art pieces. The next step is to market what I am creating. I adore these little pieces of history and want to work with them and bring them back to life by letting them touch ink again.

2012-04-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Sandwich Creme Cookie Smoothie

Blending in a Blendtec blender, a Vitamix or something similar is essential, these ingredients will not break down properly in a regular blender, so just keep that in mind.

And here is the result of unbelievable speed and blending capability of this type of machine. I would bet that any child, or for that matter, a particular adult would be hard pressed to notice much difference between this smoothie and a cookies and creme type milkshake at any fast food type place or your own kitchen.

This smoothie is out of this world and loaded with so much goodness.

List of the ingredients

Chocolate sandwich Creme cookie smoothie

8 oz. low fat milk or milk substitute like almond milk or soy

2 oz. coconut water

1 scoop protein powder (36 grams)

1 scoop Greens Superfood (8 grams)

1 banana

1 T peanut butter

10-15 Dark Chocolate nibs

1 T little date chunks

1-2 good squirts of flax oil

1 chocolate sandwich creme cookie

approximately 450 calories

(good substitute for a meal or a treat after a hard workout)

she's 11 and she's a chef

2012-02-13T11:48:00.000-08:00

One of my best New Years resolutions was to get over myself and allow my kids to learn to cook. I used to hold all my cooking utensils and equipment so precious that no one was allowed to touch them for fear that they would be somehow destroyed or damaged, what was that about???

so,

I decided to make change, and ask them to join me in one of my favorite places in the home,

the kitchen.

This is the room where families join to nourish, sustain and feed their love for each other.

If you have little cooks in your house you are ahead of the game, if not, consider it for your family too. Wonderful and lasting memories are created in this warm place, not to mention, good healthy habits can be formed as well and it is just a great place to get closer.

She is 11, and she is a chef, I am so proud.

Blending in nutrition

2011-11-19T10:59:00.001-08:00

all the ingredients you see went into these yummy bright red/purple smoothies

and the best part is,,,

all these healthy ingredients ultimately went into my twins tummies

coconut water

frozen beets

banana

grapes

bee pollen

flax oil

spinach

kale

orange juice

lime juice

carrot

this may very well be the first time my boys have ever had

kale, flax oil, bee pollen, beets, coconut water

and all of this is a"Victory"

leading to a future of good healthful eating

this blending of whole foods is a new practice in our home and so far we are blending something up at least once a day.

look for more recipes to follow

Ride your bike to school day

2011-10-17T09:37:00.000-07:00

Our children's elementary school has special days that encourage everyone to ride to school on their bicycles or scooters. Fall, thus far, has not been too cold here in Colorado, and the participation is still going strong! Here on this day, almost all the children walked, biked or scooted to school. We feel so very privileged to live in a community where kids can safely make it on their own, with parents lending a watchful eye,

The boys had a great time during this event, stopping at the park along the way, and then headed home. They have since travelled on their bikes with their sister many days to school.

Soon, it will be snowing here, the "ride to school" days will be few and far between. Bermuda shorts will be replaced with long trousers, tennies with snow boots, short sleeve tops with layers and coats, mittens and scarfs.

pumpkin patch

2011-09-29T21:06:00.000-07:00

a trip to the pumpkin patch every fall is a lovely tradition

kids go with their schoolmates and learn about the circle of life in the garden

a pumpkin seed becomes a pumpkin plant, and a pumpkin plant becomes a pumpkin

the pumpkin has seeds, and so on and so on

we watched a video in the old schoolhouse, called the pumpkin circle narrated by Danny Glover, before heading out to the fields

and seeing this film, I found myself wanting to grow my own pumpkins next year with the kids

We really enjoyed going through the corn maze

then we proceeded towards the pumpkins to select our own special treasure to take home

Overall a wonderful fall day spent with my son

in the high plains of Colorado

cream of mushroom soup

2011-09-26T14:22:00.000-07:00

Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 stick of unsalted butter

1 small onion

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup beef broth

2 cups half-and-half

salt

pepper

1/4 teaspoons nutmeg

1 bay leaf

Thinly slice the mushrooms.

Melt the butter in a heavy saute pan

Add the chopped onion and saute until golden

Add the mushrooms and saute until brown

Stir in the flour, and them slowly add the broth, stirring constantly

Warm up the half and half very slowly in a saucepan

Add to the the mushrooms, along with the nutmeg,

Add the bay leaf

Cook gently over low heat for 10 minutes, do not boil

Remove bay leaf and add salt and pepper to taste

Serve

This is the perfect soup for fall

a wonderful way to bring comfort to a rainy or cooler day

I had mine here with a spanish tapas olive salad

deliciously satisfying and healthy

Hello Fall

2011-09-23T07:59:00.000-07:00

Time to buy the Mums in all their fall colors, yellows, oranges and deep reds

Take down the summer wreath

dig into storage boxes for everything "fall"

out comes the autumn decor

Just one more look in my rear view of the last day of summer,,,

goodbye summer of 2011

hello fall

hoping for a happy, healthy, and hearty harvest

for all

PS: I love the fall, I love the changes, I love the weather, I love the celebrations

a weekend in Vail

2011-09-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

When we first arrived we took in the view of the mountains from our room. The hills were flushed with sun, flowers and the scent of pine. Vail is just beautiful!

There was some time for an afternoon swim ,,, also a chance to get the wiggles out before going to dinner in the Village.

Walking around and taking in the sights, sounds and of the Village

searching for a fairly "kid friendly" restaurant

Vail is very happy to accommodate all that is needed for kiddos, we had pizza and ice cream, happy smiling faces.

The next morning we wanted to see Vail and all it's glory, so up we went in the Gondola, up, up, up!!!

At the top we found ourselves at 11, 500 feet in elevation, thinner air up there for sure

What a beautiful view of the Mountains and the entire resort once you get to the tippy top. We hiked a bit, and then we had a little fun with all there was to offer.

Going on the stationary bungie cord bouncy thing was especially thrilling, for all of us! We could not believe the boys did it!

We really enjoyed it at the top so much, but it was time to come bcak down to the Village for a little more exploring before setting off for another evening in Vail

The boys and I took the Gondola down, Tim and the Girls hiked all the way down along the mountain bike trails

Can you see them walking down?
They are at the top of the open green patch

What a wonderful adventurous day!

Gotta go get ready for our last night

a great last night in the Village, margaritas with a beautiful view of the slopes, kids playing on the green grass and my sweetheart and I relaxing, enjoying our holiday.

Vail did not disappoint us in any way
You really must try to visit Vail in Colorado yourself

Drop 7 pounds

2011-08-27T08:36:00.000-07:00

I think I have put on 7 pounds this summer, no, I know I did!
How did it happen?
I did not stick to a very good workout schedule
I nibbled on every meal that I made for the kids as well as my own
Lack of sleep
And, I have been worried about life, very worried.

Everyone is back in school and this will provide for a regular schedule for all.
Now,,,
I love summer, days of sleeping in, no calendar, spontaneous planning,
And,,,
I love holidays, seeing the world, exploring, learning about new things,
But,,,
Having a regular wake up time on the alarm clock, making your bed, getting everyone off to school, working out, having to be somewhere on a regular basis responsibly, well there is great comfort in that.
I have never been a naturally organized person, so I have had to learn from others. I have read books on the subject, and also watched closely how it is done from those who seem to have their act together.
Also, I have learned about myself that when I have somewhat been more organized, it gives me such a great feeling of accomplishment.
So , perhaps, my uneasy feelings of not having a regular place to be over the summer had contributed to these 7 pounds.
Which means that they will soon be gone again.
I am counting on it!
I refuse to go out and buy new clothes that fit better, no I WILL NOT do that!

So, today is the 2nd day that I am just eating less,
NO snacking on the kids meals,
Half of the portions,
And I will eat more fruit and vege and tiny bits of carbs if any.
Water, water water!!!
Walking walking walking.
I will go back to my regular workout schedule,
No beer, limit my wine to one glass or none with dinner
and SLEEP, go to bed earlier

and I will fill out my Macbook calendar as well, I love that part of my laptop and phone

I will let you know of my progress. I really want my thinner body back very soon.

And I will try not to worry.

date night

2011-08-25T18:44:00.000-07:00

It starts with a little primping

Grab your shoes that make you feel pretty

Make a booking at a lovely restaurant

Order your favorite wine

Select a starter that you can share

Grilled artichokes from California with a garlic and caper aioli

Spilt a caesar salad

more wine consumed in slow motion

Dinner is served and we are going to share this so we do not eat too much

smoked bbq ribs

peanut and cabbage slaw

delicate french fries

this is not for a first date

but fine when you know each other as well as we do

we love sharing

more vino

finish with a coffee

a romantic evening

so important to take these breaks from the day in and day out of work

carpool, laundry, meal planning at home, cleaning up, errands

homework, ironing, kids sports events, play dates

and all that goes with running a family household

Couples need to reconnect to why they got together in the first place

"Date Night"

is on my calendar and is something I really look forward to

Thanks honey, Loving you!!

baking with kids

2011-08-22T11:25:00.000-07:00

Baking with your kids can be so simple and fun! You may already have baking mix in your pantry and the recipe could not be any easier. It is a great way to introduce your kids to creating something yummy entirely on their own. It is also a great way to build their confidence as bakers for themselves.

Buttermilk Drop Biscuits

fish tacos, de California

2011-08-19T09:10:00.000-07:00

Good ingredients are key for a successful tasting fish taco.

Always buy fresh fish and cook that day

I bought mine at Whole Foods where the fish monger already pre mixed fresh Cod, cilantro, bell peppers onions and mexican spices.

One lb. should make about 6-8 tacos

Saute fish mixture over hot olive oil

Cook for 3-5 minutes, fast and easy!

Warm up corn tortillas gently

top with cold shredded cabbage
and then your favorite salsa or spicy sauce

These tacos are so light and healthy, a perfect meal for these last days of summer and so easy to prepare!

swim, sun and summer fun

2011-08-16T16:14:00.000-07:00

We learned how to swim

We learned how to ride a bike

We learned that we like to picnic

We got to stay up late, and wake up late,,,

Summer was so nice. I cannot believe that it is almost over.

School starts next week!

Back to the routine

We will be soon be meeting our new teachers and making our potential life long friends

Time to dust off the alarm clocks and prepare the backpacks

Put away the flip flops and bathing suits

Summer was lovely and though it is not quite over even when school starts, it will feel over

the focus will soon be on fall,,,which happens to be my favorite time of the year

goodbye summer

Hiking at Red Rocks

2011-08-15T10:48:00.000-07:00

Can't you just feel the heat? The sun bounces off these amazing natural sculptures and toasts your skin as you marvel in the beauty surrounding you everywhere. This is a hike in Colorado that is fun and family friendly for all the gang.

Red Rocks is a beautiful spot, just 15 or 20 minutes from the city center of Denver. Tim surprised me one afternoon for a family outing with the kids. We all loved what we saw, the rich and dark remarkable red rocks that burst out of the ground and the incredible views of the city. The walk itself was not too hard for the little guys, so not to many complaints about the level of difficulty. Though one of us was a bit warn out towards the end of the hike.

Would love to go back for a concert. I heard that many musical artists find it to be one their favorite venues to play at.

Another lovely day in the Rockies.

Family BBQ: Beer Bratwurst & Football

2011-08-10T07:39:00.000-07:00

Brats simmering in beer, boys is the backyard playing football, Dad is lighting up the BBQ, the girls setting the table and washing the arugula, all doing their part to preparing for a fun family dinner together. Everyones laughing and having a good time time together. Football season is coming and what goes better with football than Bratwurst.

I was first exposed to this beer soaked deliciousness at a friends pub in Los Angeles. My husband and I were dating at the time, and were invited to watch football in which the Green Bay Packers were playing someone else, here I go, admitting it, I cannot remember. In Wisconsin, football and Bratwurst go together very much as a tradition, something I learned that day. They love their packers and they love their Brats. I did not watch football all that much, but this was going to be a date out with my boyfriend with beer and brats, sounded like a good time. I was not at all disappointed.

How do you make these yourself? First, get your bbq hot and ready. The pork brat sausages need to cook in simmering hot, not boiling, cheap beer for at least 10 minutes. Leave them soaking in the hot simmering liquid, and bring them to over to the grille. After they had a nice sizzle over the hot coals, serve them up with warm crusty and crunchy rolls. A must is to have hot spicy mustard on hand, and cold tangy sauerkraut to pile up on top. The combo of the hot and spicy, cold and sour, sweet brats with the crusty rolls is really delicious. Served up with potato salad, arugula salad too, and ice cold beer in frosty mugs. Yummy. Ready for the game!

Farmers Market with the Girls

2011-08-08T06:17:00.000-07:00

AHH! The sights and sounds and flavors of a good Farmers Market.

The Girls and I grabbed our shopping bags and baskets and headed over to Cherry Creek, rated one of the best markets of the Colorado fresh markets.

We entered and right away there were beautiful pastries looking like they do in France and yumm! Warm and sweet, creamy and crunchy all at the same time. We then passed by a chef making hot and spicy Paella in a huge and quirky pot. I would have gotten some at the time, however it was quite warm outside, so we would stop by later. It smelled delicious though. garlic, smokey paprika, shrimp and other hot spices, it was crazy good. We proceeded to walk and take in the whole of the market. We saw all kinds of interesting items for sale. Handmade clothes and aprons, pillows all from local start ups and lotions and potions and the like.

The Market is a wonderful way to get to know what is available in your community and a great way to meet people. Being new to Denver, we now feel that much more familiar with the community. We even saw a great share of very interesting four legged friends. There was a lovely "mopped" dog that we followed for a bit just to see it close up.

We were thirsty and hungry after our long walk and wanted just a little something to share. So we went over to The Biscuit Bus. We ordered "the Elmer" biscuit sandwich and some sweet tea and cheesy grits and we each had a taste. Oh MY! It was so good. The BBQ pulled pork was sticky and sweet and spicy and with the cole slaw, that cooled it off, and the giant slice of pickle, it was a combination perfection. The cheesy grits were salty and creamy and the sweet tea was cold on loads of ice.

I loved reminiscing our days that we had lived in Charlotte, North Carolina. Some of the best BBQ you will ever have will come from the South. And this was very good.

Another lovely outing and another fun day.

Tastes on Thursdays: Bruschetta with Burrata, honey and citrus infused olive oil

2011-08-04T14:09:00.000-07:00

I love Burrata. It is a rich Mozzarella with cream. Burrata means "buttery" in italian and it is so delicious and live divinely up to its name. I found this recipe that features Burrata with a lemon zest infused honey drizzle on top of grilled garlic rubbed bruschetta. Absolutely YUMM!

Tues. Trends: POP Phone

2011-08-02T17:22:00.000-07:00

Found this POP phone today. I love this! Who would want ear-buds when you can have old fashioned handset instead! I love the idea of a "princess pink" telephone for my iPhone! Or for when I Skype on my Macbook. If you love vintage or have a interest in connecting to the past you really might want to get one of these. I want one!

Trends on Tuesday: booties for fall

2011-08-02T14:42:00.000-07:00

I searched around and found these gorgeous black Jimmy Choos that will go with everything for fall

but,,,,,,they are $950.

I then found something sort-of similar in style, at Target and for $910.10 less, you could express the trend and save up for the choos!

They are not the at all the same quality, not even the same beautiful contour or fabric or construction, no comparison, but,,,,

baby gifts

2011-08-01T16:03:00.000-07:00

It is so hard sometimes to be clever when you are trying to find that perfect baby gift. I found a few cute things in all different price ranges at Uncommon goods. Just a few ideas in case you need to pick up a little something for that little someone. The baby swaddling book really looks intriguing. I had no idea with my first little girl how to wrap her in a proper swaddle, and I know that she would have loved that. I did finally master the art, and it really did make a difference for my little ones when they were tiny and so very fragile and needy of a good snug hug. FYI, every Mommy and Daddy would love that book as well.

so pretty

2011-07-30T10:36:00.000-07:00

Is there anything as pretty as a peony? I think all flowers are lovely, but a peony is my favorite. They are large flowers and they are just so very enchanting, exquisite and gorgeous! I brought a bunch of Peonies once to a friend and I paired them with some ornamental cabbage stalks. The colors looked so beautiful together and the bouquet was massive and chunky and it made such a statement, she really loved it!

Planting peonies in best in the months of September of October, and I am adding this to my "to do" list for this fall. They will be expected to bloom the following year in late spring or early summer, something to look forward to.

ornamental cabbage

getting your greens

2011-07-29T07:56:00.000-07:00

I try and try and really try to get some greens, (any vegetables), into my meals that I serve up for my little men, and it is a struggle that really can turn meals into a unhappy time. I have learned that this should not be a place where we argue, food issues worry me. We insist that our kids always try what is on their plate, they have to at least taste what I prepare, but they are never forced to eat something that they don't like. SO, how do we get the green into their diet when they do not like eating green fooods. I sneak it! Here is an example of how I get the job done. I even managed to throw in some flax seed! I have a few other methods, but this is one that works great thus far, no complaints. I really think another good tip is to expose them to foods that are bright in all colors, especially green on their plates and to do this consistently, even if you know they won't eat it. It is just a good practice to show them what you eat and eventually they do like it. I am proud to say it worked with all my daughters. They love their vegetables!!!

relaxing on the beach or the park,,,

2011-07-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

I found this on Esty. I would love this for the beach to lie on or for the park to sit on for a picnic. And there is that "blue" again, my favorite. I took the boys to the park the other day, and while they were happily playing, I laid on my back and took a look at the sky. The clouds were so clean and puffy. I remembered all those years ago when I used to stay transfixed at the clouds and make pictures and shapes come to life, only to change within a minutes time, as the cloud moved and became something else. It seems you can only really see something when you are completely relaxed. We all need to kick back now and then because we all work so hard. Do you see anything here?