Summer summer summer time...(Do you remember that Will Smith song???)

It is SUMMER!  My favorite.  All around the best season for me; it means fresh food from the farmer's market, looooong days, good sunshine (I even like the heat, don't judge or wrinkle your nose, I'm allowed to like the heat), LOTS of birthdays...including mine, and a bustling social calender!  The hubs and I have been packing every week/day/month with lots of food, friends and activities, which is why I haven't explained yet why dads are just as great as moms, what our meal plans have been, or shared any marriage anecdotes. 

Summer activity=Chicago Contemporary Art Museum

Good food a good husband makes before a good outdoor date....SUMMER.

Cute summer Hubby...it's blurry, but so what? It's summer.

But the past two weeks of meals have been too good NOT to share :)  Thank you Ferguson Farmer's Market!  We love you...like, truly.

Look at the bounty!!  For only $20!!

July 11th-15th (a true feat of brain power as I recall the last weeks food. Go me.)
All veggies and some fruits from the F.M.

Monday:  Delish grilled turkey burgers on toasted bread with fruit salad and chips.  Made even better by the company of Foleys.

Tuesday:  Scrambled egg hash that included potatoes, kale, and cheese with whole wheat toast

Wednesday:  Birthday dinner surprise for Mrs. Dukes; crispy chicken, with sour cream mashed potatoes, and green and white string beans.  Dirt Cake for dessert :)

Thursday:  OH YUM!  Grilled pork and hot pepper enchiladas that Hubs baked on the grill...We heart our Weber.  


Friday:  Vegan coconut curried kidney beans, mustard greens and carrots over rice.  We so healthy.


July 18th-22nd

Monday:  Margarita Pizza; fresh basil, mozz, and tomato on home made pizza dough; and a blue cheese dressing, bacon, squash and red onion pizza.  It was worth turning the oven on....

Tuesday:  Another egg scrambled/hash thing with potatoes, mustard greens, bacon and red onion with toast.  It's our new favorite meal.  Really.

Wednesday:  Hubs made the most amazing pesto he's ever made, and we ate that on a grilled chicken sandwiches that I can't even talk about because you won't understand how great they were.  Along with grilled squash and chips.

Thursday:  Grilled ham steak, potato pancakes (from last weeks leftover mashed potatoes), green beans

Friday:  FOOD TRUCK FRIDAY in Tower Grove!!!!  The possibilities are endless...

~The Wifey 

 

Someday We'll Have Kids Reason #6

Everybody else is.  Might as well join the club! (Eventually, like, not next week or anything, but eventually)

When 2011 comes to a close I will know nine couples with new additions to their families.  And one of those couples are getting double the fun with twins : ) 

With all this baby making going on, we're bound to catch the fever.  Eventually. 

~Wifey

Court in Session

"Well, I guess you're a grown up now."  Hubs said this to me on the car ride home from downtown where I'd been serving my civic duty as the member of a jury for the past three days.  Clarification, I was selected to serve on a jury Thursday after the day long affair on Wednesday when you're moved all over and told to wait a lot and sit for many hours on end.  It's the sitting that gets me.  My knees start to ache.  I'm not made to sit.

Twelve other upstanding citizens and I were selected to jury a criminal case involving drugs and possession of drugs and police officers.  Honestly, it was really interesting.  I learned more about the judicial system than I thought I would, realized I knew more about the judicial system than I thought I did, and met people I would probably never have met otherwise.  As an inquisitive, people person, all that adds up to a good time for me. 

But, it definitely threw off the schedule of our lives for the week, and it made me reflect on the domestic/life system Hubs and I have in place...and how great it is.

Things I Realized about My Marriage and Life While Serving Jury Duty; a Brief Account:

--Hubs wakes up everyday to drive down town and work in an office.  After day two of getting up and going down town to 'work' in an office type setting (indoors, sitting a ton, bad lighting), I WAS EXHAUSTED.  My hubby works hard for us.  I'm blessed to work part time at a job where I can be active and look out a window whenever I want to.

--being away from the house for the hours between seven a.m. and five p.m. make it difficult to maintain order and lack of clutter throughout the home.  I'm usually home enough during the week to keep things pretty tidy and clean, the way I like it.  I like to tidy and clean when Hubs is at work, so that I can spend time with him when he gets home.  I know that many wives don't have this luxury.  I am so blessed to be able to maintain our home on my schedule with plenty of time leftover for being with Hubs.

--Hubs doesn't use drugs of any kind and doesn't lie to me.  This is great.  Once again, I am blessed.

--My life was interrupted for three days, but the man who was convicted of the crimes he committed will spend a long time with his life interrupted.  Perspective in place, check.

--I can talk to anyone.  Like, it's okay to talk to anyone. 

--Everyone has a story.  Each story is unique and beautiful in its own way, just like the person each story is attached to. 

--I also had all kinds of thoughts about my relationship with God in comparison to what I was a part of in the judicial process...but that went way deep and would be way long to write about here. 

--I don't get tired of being with husband.  I can do anything and go anywhere with him.  He's good company, that guy.  Even at seven in the morning when he doesn't like to talk much.

~the wifey

Moms Are Good

Me, Mom, Bryan, and Ben some time in the 90s when Mom almost had a mullet.

Moms are good.  I'm pretty partial to the one I have.  Probably because she gave birth to me and changed my diapers for a while and fed me and all.  I have three brothers (BJay is not pictured above, because he wasn't born yet when that picture was taken), she also gave birth to them, changed their diapers, and fed them for a while too.

My mom is really cute:

Especially in a sombrero.

She has also taught me things.  Directly and indirectly.  This morning I was reflecting on some of the mom wisdom I've gained over these past twenty-five years, and I thought I would pass some of it on...

1. A lady doesn't spit.  Brushing your teeth is different.  It's okay to spit then.  But generally speaking, a lady doesn't spit.  
2. A lady also doesn't say the 'F' word.  I'm not talking fart here, I'm talking the big 'F' word.  (I admittedly, completely failed at this for about three years from 18-21ish, but I'm back on the train now)
3. Wear nude color underthings with white blouses and bottoms.  White shows through white and you look silly.
4. Live simply, live within your means, balance your checkbook and know what a budget is.
5. She taught me how to make a good meatloaf.  I honestly crave meatloaf sometimes because she made it so well....yum...I might want that for dinner now.
6. It doesn't have to be hard to have four kids.  Raising children is what you make of it.
7. Playing outside is fun.  Don't know what to do out there?  You'll figure it out.
8. Homeschooling can result in perfectly normal and likable people i.e. my brothers and I.
9. You don't have to wear makeup everyday; you're pretty enough without it.
10. Open windows in the house whenever you can, let the fresh air in
11. Be nice to your husband, he works hard for the family
12. Take care of your neighbors, especially the elderly
13. Mixing vinegar with milk makes buttermilk
14. Separate your laundry by color and weight of the cloth (really, she does this, and really, I do too)
15. Planting things in dirt doesn't have to be complicated or intimidating, just do it.  If it fails the first time, try again with something different.  Do a little homework, but don't tell yourself you can't do it.
16. Take a jacket.  You might need it later.
17. Always pack extra underwear, because you never know...
18. Try hard to use correct grammar in writing and speaking.
19. Look at art.  Appreciate it.  Think about it.  Talk about what you saw, felt, experienced.  But ultimately, just enjoy it for what it is.
20. Slow down, read the instructions.  Something I heard often in my early days of school, and it comes in handy to this day.  
21. How to make a "K" turn.  No, it wasn't the one I was supposed to know for my driving test (oops), but I still use that skill from time to time and think of her whenever I do!
22. It's okay to laugh at yourself.  You're not perfect and you never will be, and that's okay.
23. Love Jesus.  Read your Bible.  Pray. 

I could sit here all day adding to this list, but I'd like to hear about what your mom taught you!  Do share : )  Then we'll all be learning and growing together.  That's a grand idea.

Thanks for all the years of wisdom and love, Mom!  Happy Mother's Day!

~Wifey

Side by Side

Hubs

Wifey

Amusing myself while the hubby is making dinner.  YAY!  I like it when he does that for us.  So sweet.  I think I'll keep keeping him; he's super handy.

Bathroom update for those who knew about our BR woes.  It's Fixed!!  We're back in business!  (TMI?  Maybe.)

 Meal Plan 5/2-5/8
Monday:  Tilapia-Oros Style (this just means we saute it then add garlic, capers, and lemon juice...sooo good), kale, and creamy barley

Tuesday:  Picnic fare, spinach artichoke dip, leftover Mexi-style pork, hummus, and "fancy" Triscuits

Wednesday:  Tomato soup and grilled cheese

Thursday:  Happy Cinco!!  Mexican inspired pesto, chicken fajitas, couscous, avocados, sombreros, Jarritos etc. etc. etc.

Friday:  Cherokee Street Tacos with the Foleys : )

Saturday:  Dinner with the Waites : )

Sunday:  Mother's day!  So whatever the moms want, it shall be done!

 

Making Lots of Lists

Aren't lists great?  Visual representation of thoughtful tasks or goals.  Maybe I think lists are great because I am a list maker.  A list conqueror.  A lover of lists.  Usually, I will title my list, even if it doesn't require a title.  Take today for instance.  Today is Friday.  I knew that today would be Friday.  I was in no danger of forgetting that fact.  I know, per Rebecca Black, that yesterday was Thursday and that tooodeeyee it is Friday.  Friday. 

I titled my list for today.  It said 'Friday'.  And that, my friends, is what list makers do.

This is what my list looked like today minus what's in parenthesis:

* Friday *
-Register for summer conference (checked that one off)
-Book hotel (for the conference...this one got a check too)
-research health insurance for me, and fish fries (heehee those are funny things to write together, BUT in my defense, both items needed to be done on the internet, so that's why they share a line.  And, yes, I do have health insurance now, but it's pricey, and I don't have lots of health needs, so we're thinking of switching me to something that fits better.  Of course, I researched fish fries.  Don't you?)
-Pay Garcia late fee (that one got a big slash mark through it when finished.  I forgot to add 'pay rent' to my list for April 1st.  See what that got us?  A big, fat late fee.  Two points Garcia, zero points Wifey.  boo.)
-tithe check, Pay ATT (I group things that correlate.  Pay day=tithe+bills.  Math.  These also got slash marks)
-Haircut 4pm (I've been thinking about and have been excited for this one since I made the appointment last week.  It's just on here so that I could continue to anticipate it until the time came.)

So, yeah.  Anyway.  Let's be amused by something.  Here's a tribute to Awkward Family Photos

Hooray Marriage!!!  Right?

 ~The Wifey

Fifty in Kentucky!

This past weekend, Hubs and I drove out to my 'ol Kentucky home to visit the fam.  My mom turned fifty.  She can kick.  She can also stretch.  Did I mention she could kick?

 

 

Check her out!  I hope I have that dexterity when I hit fifty.

Hubs and I have a church filled weekend.  City Lights Spring Conference starts tonight and goes through Saturday afternoon, then we'll be at church come Sunday morning.  Good thing we like it there ; )

~Wifey

Meal Plan 3/28-4/1

The bounty of last season's Farmer's Market in Ferguson.  Only a few more weeks and it will be back!!!

Monday, 3/28:  Creamy Risotto with chicken, and green beans sauteed with black pepper and lemon

Tuesday, 3/29:  Home-made chicken pot pie (I roasted a chicken last week, and this will be the last of four meals that I got out of it...we'll be done with chicken for a while after this week)

Wednesday, 3/30:  Penne pasta tossed with garbanzo beans, tomatoes, and yellow and red peppers

Thursday, 3/31:  BBQ pork ribs with roasted sweet potato wedges and steamed broccoli

Friday, 4/1:  We are volunteering for the Erin Bode concert at Crave coffeehouse...so, it's gonna be leftovers or picking something up.

SATURDAY!!!  Hubs is making THIS!  We love Bon Appetempt as much as we love Bon Appetite : )

~The Wifey

Monday

First waking thought, 6:05am:   I wish Hubs could come back to bed.

Second thought:   Now, I am cold.

Third:  hmmm, I love the sound of trash pick up early in the morning...
                               

Conclusion?  Today is Monday.  Have a good one everybody.

~The Wifey

Shark Attack!!!!!

SHARK ATTACK.  Pow.  (I am a nerd...self professed.)

Sometimes a Hubs will take a half-day off work; telling his boss, "I'll be leaving early today to go spend time with my wife."  

Then, on this beautiful spring-like Friday, sometimes a Hubs will take you to lunch at Osage Cafe. 

THEN, sometimes a Hubs will take you to the Zoo, because its fun and its fresh outside and smells like spring for the first time in a LOONG LOOOOOONG time.

We saw this ape.

Steve took this picture while he was walking...very talented.

We are happy and at the zoo. 

This is a big, slobbery camel....

Steve and this camel are not friends....ask him why, maybe he'll tell you the story.

~The Wifey 

What happened to the Pork Chops

Stupendous.

~the wifey

Domesticity is...

Pretty cool.  Can I say 'pretty cool'?  Does that make me a little like Miley Cyrus?  Do you watch SNL?  Do you know what I'm talking about?...

Back to the relevant point.  In college, when I was super single and really into being an independent, fierce woman, I used to use the phrase, "I'd go domestic for _______(insert random whomever guy's name here)" to show the amount with which I admired whomever random guy I had a crush on at the time.  In other words, I had it in my head that it would take a pretty spectacular someone to make me want to cook, clean, and balance a check book all week long.

Enter Hubs:

Obviously, he's a pretty special guy...gosh, I just love him, sigh, blush, swooooooooon, be still my beating heart!

Since marrying my wonderful guy, I have, in fact, gone quite domestic.  No shame, no complaints.  In fact, I enjoy mopping the floor, going to two grocery stores to save money, and folding loads of laundry (that's a lie, I actually do not like to fold laundry, but I'll do it because I love my husband, and because I like my clothes to be non-wrinkled after spending hours washing them).

One thing I'm beginning to like the more I do it is cooking.  Before marriage, I had little interest in learning how to cook and little knowledge of making my own food.  Marriage gave me a great reason to start trying to cook, and I must say, it's been a fun journey.

The part that has become more difficult as the months and weeks go on is creating the ever needed, ever looming Weekly Meal Plan.  Dum Dum DUUUUUM!  To balance flavor, creativity, nutrition and staying in budget can be hard.  Some weeks are great!  It just comes to me a like a luminous gift from God.  Sometimes, like this week, I put it off until the very last minute because NOTHING sound good, nothing seems right, nothing seems fun.

Soooo, what's the answer?  I'm not sure, but I'm going to start posting my weekly meal plans in an effort to support the other wifeys out there who might need some inspiration or help every once in a while.  Maybe those same wifeys could post their own on our comments to help me out every once in a while : )  Yes?  Thanks.  Sounds good.

For March 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th:

Monday: we had dinner at the Oros parent's house, so I was able to skip a day ; )
Tuesday: Turkey burgers on sesame seed buns, oven baked sweet potato fries, spinach salad with feta, dried berries and candied almonds (Hubs made those almonds and they're almost TOO good)
Wednesday: Fussili pasta with garbanzo beans, diced tomatoes, & green beans tossed in olive oil and lime juice
Thursday:  Pork chops and broccoli with rice  (Hubs is making this meal, he usually makes dinner once or twice a week, and since he's making it I'll find out more of what it is once it's made.  He is super creative and thinks about how he's going to prepare the meal all day long....it's going to be good whatever he does with it!)
Friday: Chicken wings, some hot some sweet, celery and carrot sticks, and Cabot's sharp cheddar cheese with crackers
Saturday:  Hungarian Dinner with the Fam!  I'm making Hungarian Lentil soup and peasant bread

UPDATE: And this is what I did with them there chops --
Pork Choooooops

Man vs. Storm (aka, 'The Protector')

Captain's log -

Last night, we felt the icy grip of fear come over our household as we settled down for the night. Conducting my nightly bedtime scan of the dopplar radar, I was alarmed to find that the usually peaceful weather landscape was suddenly overtaken by a raging cold front, and embedded in that cold front...chaos. Being a weather man, I've seen my fair share of severe weather, but what I saw on my radar screen that night was both unsettling and weirdly exciting...I couldn't help but join the numerous other 'porch onlookers' in the neighborhood as eyes were adjusted skyward to the impending storm. But alas, cooler heads did prevail. My emergency sensors quickly reminded me of what was at stake, my feeble wife lying inside in the living room, trembling in fear of the doom that lay ahead...and the future children that we will bare. Simply put, their lives depended on me jumping into action.
     After alerting the authorities and local news stations that disaster was sure to come, I was able to focus my thoughts and energies on doing what every strong, noble, valiant husband shall do...run for cover. Taking wifey's cold, trembling hand, we made our way to the dimly lit basement. Using my cunning senses, I was able to locate the only light, engage said light, and thus illuminate our new home. Wife practiced her gift of wisdom and hospitality as she pulled out a boogie board in order to rest our weary bodies...she truly is remarkable, always providing comfort in times of need. Outside, the storm approaches...quietly, and with much stealth, the tiger is upon us. The lights flicker, winds howl, and outside the small dusty window, a feable tree whips its branches back and forth...it whips its branches back and forth...it whips its branches back and forth. Wife...is scared. She may have wet herself just a bit, but would never let on...however, her keen iPhone skills would in a few minutes alert us that the storm has passed. I muster the energy to make my way, slowly, to the small window. Peering out, the wet landscape gives way to a calmer, gentler sky. We are safe, everything will be ok now.
     Taking wife by the hand, we make our way back to the apartment. I alert the government that all is well and the city is safe to return home now. My job is done...my future is protected and my wife shall once again rest soundly knowing that hubs is on guard at all times, in any weather.

And now...some pictures of the evening:

View looking west from our balcony.

Looking east down Pernod Ave. We always have a Time Life photographer on hand.

Janele, flying the rescue copter. I took this as I parachuted into the danger zone.

- the Hubs

Home Buying

Did you know that Hubs and I talked to a real estate agent last week?  We did, and it wasn't scary or disappointing like I thought it might be; my fears of the unknown were unfounded, because it was actually really encouraging and enlightening. 

We like Garcia Properties a whole whole lot and would recommend them to anyone looking for an apartment, house, loft etc.  We're currently renting from them and have never had any problems.  Hubs and I both feel like we can trust the company and the people who work there.  That's always a plus, right?

So, it's not like we're moving anytime soon, but it's in the near future.  Nearer than I would have consider before, which is a good thing. 

We're considering this little gem in the county.  It doesn't have an indoor pool, but I guess every house has its pitfalls.

This one has a pretty nice view, but only a three car garage...I don't know if I can live like that.

Happy Friday!
~Wifey

Quick, Simple, and Delicious

This weekend, Hubs and I had some dear friends over for food and laughs.  Our couples combined are very good at eating food and laughing.  Needless to say, it was a good night.

Sooooo, this happened.  heehee...card games can get pretty intense sometimes, and Tate would tell you, 'girls are mean'.  I can neither deny nor confirm that statement.

What helped make the night over-the-top great were the delightful and simple bars pictured below.  Hubs recently received his first two issues of Bon Appetit; the subscription was part of my Christmas gifts to him.  Now, we're kind of preoccupied by it and want to make everything we see.  So far we've had two huge successes.  Many more are sure to come : )

I made these: Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars ala Bon Appetit Magazine

Do you even need convincing??? (unless you're allergic to peanuts.  In that case, don't even think about it.)

Be Mine?

Valentine's Day 2011.  Hubs surprises Wifey with an at home date day/night.  Wifey cries.  It's because she feels really loved and blessed.  This is what it looked like...

The pretty picture that I saw when I got home from work and rehearsal.

Pretty things...Hubs has a good eye for making things fresh and appealing.

The DELICIOUS menu Hubs carefully crafted for us.  He's kind of a culinary genius : )

Hubs working his magic. Note the candied pecans in the foreground; those ended up on a fresh Spring inspired salad later...

Hubs made a pastry for dessert.  A Pastry!!  He hates to bake.

Lamb stew with apricots and chickpeas on a bed of minted couscous. 

Dessert...yum

All done :)

 Conclusion?  I married a wonderful man.

~Wifey

Sometimes a Hubs will...

Stay awake, when he's really tired and has to get up early to go to work the next morning, to tell you a story he'd been waiting ALL day to share.

Here's a link to the stories my hubby shared with me last night:
http://www.radiolab.org/2011/jan/25/

This is Hubs' take on Radiolab:  

Anyone who is a fan of 'This American Life', NPR, science, awesome things to listen to, or not lame things...check out Radiolab! Just listened today to the 'Lost & Found' episode and it was blowing my mind!

~Wifey

Unexpected Daaaaate

At 3:50pm, Hubs called and said, 'if I leave work right now, we could go to the 4:50pm showing of The King's Speech at Ronnies for only $4 a ticket.  Do you want to go?' Um, surprise date with my hubs on a dreary, winter-yuck, Monday night when I had no dinner planned and no prospects?  Let me think about that...

After a record showering/getting ready on my part we made it to Ronnies just in time for opening previews and enjoyed The King's Speech with approximately five other couples.  All in their mid seventies.  That's how we roll.

Happy Monday everybody : )

Purple Lemon Photography

~Wifey

Exclusive Interview!

My Hubs is a weather man.  Weather makes him excited and curious.  He sees the work of God in weather.  I always know what to wear because I'm married to a weather man.  Today, we'll take a deeper look at this Weather Man, and talk about what keeps him up at night.

Wifey:  Tell us about your first memory of weather.
Hubs: Hmmmm, that's tough because weather has always been a part of my emotional psyche...it's hard to conjure up a 'memory' when the very thing you're supposed to 'remember' has been coarsing through your veins all along, from birth. If I have to, I guess I would say the 'Blizzard of '82.' I was 4 months old at the time...I remember laying in my crib, listening to the 'thunder snow' outside (that's incredibly heavy snow caused by enormous amounts of energy in the upper atmosphere...thus causing thunder and even lightning) and thinking, "Wow...I can't wait for my brain to fully develop so I can learn about what I'm hearing."

Wifey:  How impressive!  So, once your brain fully developed, what steps did you take to learn about weather?
Hubs: You see, I'm a bit of a 'meteorology prodigy' (also the name of my forthcoming band) in that I am mostly self-taught. Just years and years of watching local news forecasts and staring at radar, really. My mind is like a low pressure system climbing out of the south, it picks up any droplet of knowledge it can and spews it on those eager to learn. [Or those simply within ear shot; wifey]

Wifey:  What were your feelings after this week's blown "blizzard warning?"  Any anger or frustration over the lack of snow we saw in the St. Louis metropolitan area?
Hubs: Eh...I can't believe you brought this up, but ok...I'll share. Let me just tell you something; to a weather man like myself, a 'blizzard warning' issued by the National Weather Service is basically my Super Bowl...it's really my time to shine. It's my time to let the tornadic passion that swirls inside of me come out...to share with the world the epic forecasts of history. But alas, it was too good to be true; that dastardly thin layer of warm air in the upper atmosphere just wouldn't let the snow be. I hung on with every inch of my weather loving life...peering out the window for signs of a energy explosion in the heavens, but all was lost. 3 inches of sleet...mounds of sadness. Was I bitter? No. Just disappointed, that's all. 

Wifey: Wow.  It seems that hit you pretty hard.  Sorry about that.  Any hopes for the rest of this winter?  Any predictions for the spring?
Hubs: Well, that stupid beaver saw his shadow, so I guess winter will be over soon...but everyone knows that badgers can't read radar. Four more weeks of winter...and two more storms. One significant. You just got weather served. 

Bam.  Consider yourselves warned, I guess.  Thanks to Weather Man Hubs for all his inspiring words. 

~Wifey 

It's called balance

Today, a truly momentous day in this household, we purchased a television.  A nice one.  It's flat and forty inches and the very first television Hubs or I have ever purchased.  All prior have been hand-me-downs or gifts.  Gifts for, you know, HIGHSCHOOL graduation. 

We feel like grown-ups.

So, hubs is filling up on college basketball right now on this fancy new gem of a television; and in forty five minutes we're going to the Touhill to see Cedar Lake perform. 

HDTV for Hubs, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet for Wifey.  It's called balance.  (and a nice tax return...)

Proof of our holly jollys...

Thursdays

Our blog still remembers our log in.  Huh.  I am impressed.

This marriage successfully celebrated Holiday Season number two, with record joy and merriment.  We were so joyous and so merry, we would have made Santa look melancholy.  Goooooo, Team Oros!

Today is Thursday.  Thursday means laundry.  Laundry means camping out at Mama Lu and Papa Frank's house for roughly six hours, while five or six loads swim away, and we cram our brains with Food Network and the Travel Channel.  Today is Thursday...

~Wifey