Recently we decided to switch up movie night by checking out an old movie at the Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto. First, though, we started the evening with happy hour nosh across the street: cheap spring rolls, chicken satay and tacos, and don’t forget a pitcher of margarita to share. Then we went to see “His Girl Friday” which is one of my favorite movies. It’s full of charming Cary Grant — what’s not to love? The theatre is a blast from the past: tickets are only $7, popcorn’s $5 at most and there’s even an organist playing songs before the show. I was enchanted the entire time. It was a simple night, but one I’ll never forget.

Locals, I highly recommend Stanford Theatre. Non-locals, you should try to find something similar near you. It’s fun to get out and do something different for date night. Do you have a fun way to spice up date night?

Grill Time!

I am still developing a taste for seafood, but this recipe made the shrimp so tasty! It came together pretty quickly; and since the shrimp was already cooked, it just needed to be heated up on the grill!

Served alongside a salad and corn on the cob (not pictured), this was an amazingly delicious meal. Matt does not like apricots, and he really liked these skewers (although I did notice a few leftover apricots on his plate). Ready for the recipe? Let’s get this party started..

Apricot Shrimp Skewers

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Ingredients

Skewers

• 24 large Shrimp (pre-cooked, deveined and all that jazz (mine did have tails on though))
• 12 small Mini Peppers (I found them in a three pound bag)
• 8 thin slices Proscuitto (I used a 3 ounces package)
• 6 Apricots (quartered)

Sauce

• 1/2 cup Sweet BBQ Sauce
• 1/4 cup Apricot Jam
• 3 tablespoons White Wine
• 3 cloves Garlic (minced)

Directions

1.	Prepare your barbecue by getting the coals started -- if you are going to gas route, then I guess you can just wait until the skewers are ready. Prepare your wooden skewers by soaking them in water. This way it will be easier to get the food on and you will not end up with slivers in your shrimp.
Sauce
2.	Combine the barbecue sauce, jam, wine, and garlic in a small stockpot and bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Once everything is well combined, bring to a low simmerk. Let thicken while you prep your skewers.
Skewers
3.	Cut your proscuitto into thirds, lengthwise. Wrap around your shrimps and set aside. Now it's time to assemble those skewers. Start with an apricot quarter, then a proscuitto wrapped shrimp, followed by a mini pepper, another shrimp, and one final apricot. Once all twelve of your skewers are assembled, you can brush with the apricot barbecue sauce. Since all of your ingredients are either pre-cooked (shrimp) or don't need to be (proscuitto, everything else), you will not need to separate serving and basting sauce. If you are a germaphobe, go ahead and set aside a bit of your sauce (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup) for later.
4.	Grill! My grill was super hot, and some of my skewers burned really fast! However, if they were too far from the heat then they took forever to cook and get grill marks. Find your happy medium. The shrimp is already cooked, so your goal is to get everything hot and the peppers roasted. Grill marks are awesome and tasty. Now. Enjoy your skewers! I served mine with a salad and corn (which was still cooking when I took the picture).

This was a totally random skewer combo, but it worked. What different combos have you tried for barbecue skewers?

2. A better idea never existed. Caramel Brioche Croutons paired with strawberries, ice cream and a bit of mint. I tried to grab a spoon and sink it into those pictures.

3. Sweet reads. Bakerella has compiled a list of cookbooks to check out. Barnes & Noble, look out. I’m armed with my list and on my way!

That said… it’s not for the weak! Here are some helpful hints that I’ve learned along the way.

• Wear comfortable shoes. There is a lot of walking just to get from your car to the front entrance, and let’s not forget the weaving through the aforementioned rows and rows (and rows!) of booths.
• Dress in layers. It can be breezy, so you’ll want to be prepared.
• Protect yourself from the sun. There isn’t really much shade there, so put on sunscreen, a hat or carry a parasol! I saw a bunch of parasols last weekend, but as cute as they are, you’ll want to have your hands free to browse!
• Stay hands free. Opt for a cross-body bag or backpack to carry necessities like water and fat wads of cash. I find it nice to be able to pick things up without worrying about leaving my purse somewhere.
• Cash only! Don’t get stuck paying the ATM fee at the front — bring cash. I usually bring a little more than I want to spend in case I land on the deal of a lifetime. This hasn’t happened yet, mostly because I have the self-control not to overspend. I do, however, kick myself for not buying those vintage bocce balls I saw on my first go-around!
• Haggle! It’s not entirely fair for me to suggest this, because I’m terrible at it. Take a friend who is good at it or psych yourself up beforehand. Most sellers expect to negotiate.

When I have a yard, this metal orb -- made from wine barrel rings -- would be perfect as a yard ornament.

The 'W' with stand that I took home with me this time. I like it next to the picture of my Grandpa on the mantle.

And lastly, here is my little checklist on how I decide to purchase something at antique fairs.

• Have I seen it before?
• Do I have a personal connection to it? (Sometimes it’s a favorite color, shape, etc. Above I mentioned bocce balls, I’m in a bocce ball league and think it goes along with my love of mostly-unknown sports.)
• Is the price reasonable? What is the value to you, not just the expert who knows the market value.
• Would you be happier with something new for the same price at Target or someplace else?
• Would you later kick yourself for not getting it?

It’s also helpful to know that even if you do regret not buying something, it’s not the end of the world. There’s always eBay or if it’s meant to be, perhaps you’ll stumble across it some other time.

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My mom and I enjoying a shared hobby — wine tasting — at a wine event.

It’s a difficult task to say just one thing that is special about your mom. Is she loving, compassionate and kind? Yes. She also made my lunch every day from first grade through senior year and always had the knack for picking the funniest movies for family movie night.

The thing that sticks out in my mind is how she always puts others before herself. See above about the lunches everyday? Selfless. She is one of the most, if not the most, thoughtful people I know. She’s very quiet about how she cares for people and doesn’t expect praise. Mom, it doesn’t go unnoticed. We are grateful for what you do for us, and I particularly am grateful for the example you’ve set for me. I can only hope to live up to it. Love you, mom!

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Mom & I at the Fire Academy Family Night

My Mom has so many wonderful qualities, but one that really sticks out to me right now is her supportiveness. She has always supported my brother and I in whatever we endeavor to do. She has lovingly welcomed my husband into her circle of support as well – Currently she is at our house to celebrate his graduation from Fire Academy. I know that when we have kids, she will fully support them as well! Thank you for your constant love and support, Mom, I can only hope that I love and support you in the same way — and that someday I will do that for my kids!

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What is it that makes your Mom special? We would love to hear your stories in the comments!

I will cultivate a peaceful home where everyone can sense God’s presence not only through acts of love and service, but also through the pleasant and grateful attitide with which I perform them.

This is not my best area. I tend to get all riled up and uppity. Not a good thing, right? My main takeaway from this chapter was to have peace in my home and to have a graceful / peaceful / “you want to be around this person” attitude. That does not go hand in hand with riled up and angry.

I have to choose peace daily. I have to remember that tripping over boots is not the end of the world. When there are six giant pairs of boots in all places of the house, this can happen (sorry for snapping yesterday, babe). [Sidenote: in Matt's defense, his boots are usually put away and not a tripipng hazard, but this week has been crazy busy.] I have to choose joy (like Ashley) and be peaceful. I cannot control the circumstances around me, but I can most definitely control my reaction. Listening to calming / positive music pushes me in that direction, as does prayer. Hopefully Matt has noticed a change in our home, and hopefully it is a peaceful place where we both want to be. How do you cultivate peace in your home?

In this post I reference the book The Resolution for Women by Priscilla Shirer

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For the past few weeks, I’ve been in wedding mode. Yeeeeah, I realize this lovely blog is about the post-”I do”; however, two great friends of mine are getting married this summer. For one, I’m heading up the wedding decorations and co-hosting a shower for the other. So fun! And even though I’m already in the post-”I do” category, there was one craft I made recently that I was sure to do double on so we could have one here at home. I just loved it that much.

My friend wanted a card container that she could re-use in her house post-wedding. When she came across this basic crate at Micheal’s {also available at Joann’s} for only $9.99 {get it for less with a coupon!!!}, she knew we could work some magic on it.

The Supplies…

Don some gloves and mask then grab your brush and stain.

Lather the crate up with the stuff. If you go with wood stain, it’s a bit soupy so it may help to cover the surface a bit before brushing it into the wood. And don’t forget to get the tiny spaces between the wood pieces on the side.

It’s best to start on the inside and work your way out until the the crate is covered.

All those nicks and scrapes that you could barely see before will finally show nice and pretty.

Now it’s time for some personalization. Grab some craft paint and stencils. I went with a mix of black and silver paint.

I used my Cricut to print out some letters and numbers to fit on the sides of the crate. I set the stencil up and held it in place with some sewing pins {push pins would have been better, but this is what happens when said pins share a room with your already sleeping baby: PLAN B} And don’t worry about imperfections…it’s all in making the crate’s character!

Let the paint set for just a minute or two, then remove the stencil. You don’t want the paper sticking when it drys. Repeat on the other side. Let ‘em dry.

And there you have it — a storage crate! Great for storing all sorts of stuff or maybe even mounted to the wall for a shadow box or shelf? Or a personalized alternative to a gift basket? I just knew I could tie in Mother’s Day somewhere in this post. It being May and all! The possibilities are endless!

Here’s the final card crate I made for the wedding…She loved it so much we’re rustifying yet another to turn upside down as a cake stand!

{this one was done with shoe polish and a sponge}

Recipe número uno is from David Lebowitz and is a simple apricot jam. I thought it was very sweet — this recipe called for more than three times the amount of sugar as the next recipe. Whoa.

Apricot Jam

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Meal type	Breakfast, Condiment
By author	David Lebovitz

This recipe filled one four ounce and two eight ounce jars. It was super sweet, as the high amount of sugar would lead you to believe. Tasty, but sweet!

Ingredients

• 1lb Apricots (halved, pits removed)
• 1/4 cup Water
• 3 cups Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

Directions

1.	Combine apricots and water in a medium sized pot. Cover and cook, stirring frequently until the apricots are cooked through and have turned into complete mush. The stirring helps this process -- and you can use the back of your spoon to help break them up.
2.	Add sugar and cook to thicken the jam. Make sure you stir often, so that it does not burn on the bottom of the pot. Once it is thick enough for your taste, turn off the heat and add lemon juice. David Lebovitz suggests adding a 1/2 tablespoon Kirsch, but I did not have any / did not find it at Staters.
3.	Ladle into jars and wait to hear that lovely pop. However, I put mine in a hot water bath for ten minutes to try and seal the lids. Then I put them in the fridge and they all sealed. Not sure if you are supposed to do it that way, but I did it anyways!

The second recipe is from Coconut & Lime. I liked the unique twist that putting sage in the jam created. It was somewhat savory, and I was super excited to use ingredients from my own garden! The sage is not over powering, just adds a little something special to the jam.

Apricot Sage Jam

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Serves	5 jars
Meal type	Breakfast
Website	Coconut & Lime

Ingredients

• 1lb Apricots (halved, pits removed)
• 3/4 cups Sugar
• 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 10 - 12 Fresh Sage Leaves

Directions

1.	Combine first three ingredients in a medium sized pot. Bruise the sage, place into a tea ball, and add to the pot. Bring to a boil and then slightly reduce heat. Stir occasionally and smush up the apricots with a fork. Taste as you go, until it reaches the consistency that you like!
2.	Pour into sterilized / boiled jars and leave about a 1/4 inch space at the top of the jars. screw on lids and then process in a boiling water bath for ten minutes. Then you can remove from the hot water with tongs. Hopefully you will hear the lids pop as they seal. That is the most amazing sound, I promise!

Note

This recipe made enough to fill five small canning jars -- I think they are four ounces each.

Now we are totally set to make lots of apricot filled recipes. I have at least once shortbread cookie recipe pinned from Martha. Do you have any great apricot recipes to share?

2: Sundae Yummy Sundae. Kahlua Hot Fudge ohmygoodness that sounds amazing. It reminds me that we need to clear some space in the freezer for the ice cream maker.

3: Office of Cuteness. Samantha at The Brunette One has a cute office nook look. I know I could be productive in that space!

Matt in his uniform. Lots of ironing for those bad boys.

Matthew helped lower the California flag - his job was to fold it and then carry it back to the classroom.

Lined up in their turnouts. It was cool to see them marching in uniform and yelling their cadences. "I don't know what I been told...." (Those are their instructors inspecting their gear and such!)

Putting out a propane fire. Matt was first on the nozzle. The only way I could tell was the reflective #21 on the side of his hat.

Matt and I, right after he came out of the fire drills. I just had to give my firefighter some kisses!

Thanks for letting me brag about my man for awhile! Any exciting accomplishments in your life lately?