Sunday, December 15, 2013

40 Recipes | # Salted Caramel Chocolate Shortbread Bars


Recipe Source: Pinterest
Made : November 30, 2013

Ingredients:
For the shortbread layer:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup sugar

For the caramel layer:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup sugar
4 tbsp. light corn syrup
2 (14 oz.) cans sweetened condensed milk

For the chocolate layer:
8 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tsp. light corn syrup
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Fleur de sel or sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions:
To make the shortbread layer, preheat the oven to 325° F.  Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.  In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir with a fork to blend, and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until well blended, about 1-2 minutes.  With the mixer on low speed blend in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.  Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan and press in an even layer over the bottom of the pan.  Bake 15-18 minutes or until golden.  (If the crust puffs up a bit while baking, just gently press it down while it is cooling.)  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.

To make the caramel layer, combine the butter, sugar, corn syrup and condensed milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted.  Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, stirring constantly.  Continue simmering and stirring until the mixture turns an amber color and thickens slightly.  Pour the mixture over the shortbread layer, smooth the top, and allow to cool completely and set.  (I chilled at this stage to ensure that the caramel layer would not melt when the warm chocolate was added.)

To make the chocolate glaze, combine the chocolate, corn syrup, and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.  Pour evenly over the caramel layer and use an offset spatula to smooth the top.  Allow to cool for a minute or two and then sprinkle with fleur de sel.  Chill, covered, until ready to slice and serve.
Thoughts:  These were very time consuming to make.  There was a lot of down time between each layer.  They were also very rich tasting.  And the caramel layer was 5 times thicker than the other layers.  I'm wondering if I didn't make the caramel correctly.

Verdict:  Make again?  No.  Not a fan.  And these were a bit of a let down.

Saturday, December 7, 2013

40 Recipes | # Homemade Thin Mints


Recipe Source:  Pinterest 
Made : November 30, 2013

Ingredients:
Ritz Crackers
1 bag of Andes Mint Baking Chips

Directions:
1.  Melt 1/4 of the Andes Mint at a time.
2.  Dip the crackers and let dry.

Thoughts:  I melted the baking chips on the stove over low heat.  I placed the chocolate covered crackers on waxed paper on a baking sheet.  Then I placed the baking sheet in the freezer to harden the chocolate.  I think next time I would use the reduced fat crackers.  Some of the cookies had a buttery taste.

Verdict:  Make again?  Yes.  Thin Mint cookies are still better, but these are are great when you need a quick fix.  And they are super easy to make.

Friday, December 6, 2013

Go to a Concert


It was the first night of ‘winter weather’ this year.  It was cold and rainy (which turned a little icy) and we had an hour and a half drive ahead of us to go to a concert.  D was supposed to go with me but couldn’t so mom took his place.   She was not happy about driving in the bad weather, so my dad decided he would drive us and hang out in Lawrence while we went to the concert.

When we got ready to leave the house, our car had a nice layer of ice covering it.  Mom and I decided the trip wasn’t worth it, but dad was adamant in going.  So we all hoped into the car and prayed we wouldn’t hit any ice as we drove to Kansas.  But that is the kind of dad I have.  The one that will drive an hour and a half just to wander around a little town and sit at a diner for 3 hours while mom and I go to a concert.  And then drive us back home.  (Mom went to college there and she began dating my dad while she was there so it was fun for them to see how much the town has changed.  And it made the 3 hour wait for my dad a little more bearable.  But still….)

The concert was for Matt Nathanson, one of my favorite singers.  I had seen him in concert 4 times prior to this concert.  When I bought the tickets back in June I had no idea that another one of my favorite singers, Joshua Radin, would be opening.  Double plus!

So, we get to the concert and the opening act, Joshua Radin, was already singing.  He was incredible!  And after he performed he told the audience to come see him at the back table, right where mom and I were standing.  So we hop in line and get a photo with him.  IT.WAS.AWESOME!

A few minutes later, Matt got up on stage and rocked.  Out of all 5 times I’ve seen him perform, this was definitely my favorite.  He sang all my favorite songs and you could tell he was having a lot of fun with our audience.  It was an awesome night!

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Go to a Football Game


I know my list said a high school game, but I went to a college football game instead.  It was a big rival game between the college Dakota graduated from and the town we live in.  Dakota’s school won, beating the other school by 30 points!  It was a great game and we had a lot of fun!

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

40 Recipes | #17 Chicken Pot Pie Cupcakes


Recipe Source: Pinterest : Tastebook.com
Made : November 5, 2013

Ingredients:
1 chicken breast, poached and diced
1 (14.5oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup frozen mixed veggies
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbs Herbs De Provence
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic salt
2 (10oz) cans Pillsbury biscuits

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.  In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, cream of chicken soup, frozen veggies, cheese, herbs and spices.
3.  Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin and place the Pillbury biscuits into each cup, pressing into the bottom and up the sides.
4.  Evenly spoon the pot pie mixture into each biscuit cup.  Slide into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes.  Check at the 12 minute mark.
5.  Let rest for about 3 minutes and dig in!

Thoughts:  I am my mother’s daughter.  I get a recipe and I alter it with what I have in the kitchen.  I used one large can of cooked chicken.  I only had a 10 oz can of cream of chicken soup.  I didn’t have an Herbs De Provence so I added about ½ tsp of Thyme leaves.

I thought this was good and I really liked the idea of having a chicken pot pie with a little less work.  To me, it was a little cheesy.  Next time I think I’ll cut back on some of the cheese and add more veggies and maybe more chicken.

Verdict:  Make again?  Overall, it was a success and we will be keeping this recipe (with a few modifications!)

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Paint the Front Porch


Well, I don’t have photos from this event because I really didn’t participate in it.  One day while mom and I were at work, dad scraped off the old paint.  And one day during a weekend last month, dad and mom  put a new layer of paint on the porch.  When I went to get a photo of them they were done.

Pretty easy  :)

#45 of 101
Completed : October 19, 2013

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

40 Recipes: Snickerdoodles



Recipe Source:  Dakota’s Mom
Made : September 29, 2013

Ingredients:
1 cup soft shortening (part butter)
1 ½ cup sugar
2 eggs
2 ¾ cup flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1.  Set oven to 400 degrees
2.  Cream shortening, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
3.  Add dry ingredients and mix well.
4.  Roll into balls and roll in sugar/cinnamon mixture.
5.  Bake 8-10 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet.

Thoughts:  These are one of Dakota’s favorite cookie and he begged me to make them for him.

Verdict:  Make again? Yes! And I’m sure I will be making them a lot in my future.

Friday, October 11, 2013

Be in a Parade


Not quiet a parade, but participating in something just as great. Our Junior League has a 5K walk/run and 10K run that benefits our community.  It is a fun event and something I always look forward to!

#44 of 101
Completed: September 28, 2013

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Adopt an Animal


Meet the new fur-baby, Rory.

My neighbor found him on the street and took him in for a few weeks.  She checked the animal shelters and the newspaper to see if anyone was missing their kitten, but nothing surfaced.  She already had numerous cats and didn’t want to take in another so she began to look for a new home for him.

She called mom to see if we wanted a cat.  Dad is not a cat person and we knew he wouldn’t let us take him in, but Dakota wanted one (as long as we found one that I wasn’t allergic to).  So I went over to meet the kitten and fell in love with him immediately.  I told Dakota about the cat and he agreed to meet him.  I don’t think it took him long to fall in love with the kitten either because about ten minutes after meeting the kitten, Dakota said he would take him.

The kitten has adjusted to his new home really well.  He seems to be quite the cuddler at night and has had some frisky moments.  He has discovered the shower curtain liner and has poked a few holes in it.  (We will be getting him declawed soon.)  He is pretty precious!

#43 of 101
Completed: September 27, 2013

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

40 Recipes | Ginger’s Salsa


Recipe Source:  Family Friend
Made : September 17, 2013

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh tomatoes
1 can rotel
1 can green chiles
¼ large onion
2 clove garlic
½ cup cilantro
salt

Directions:
1.  Cut fresh tomatoes into large chunks.  Add to food processor.
2.  Add remaining ingredients.  Pulse food processor until desired consistency.

Thoughts:  Pretty simple to make.  Very tasty!

Verdict:  Make again? Yes! And we have!

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

40 Recipes | White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies


Recipe Source:  Blog
Made : September 5, 2013

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened but still chilled.
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp hot water
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups white chocolate chips
4 oz macadamia nuts

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.  Using a standard mixer, beat the butter and shortening together until well mixed and smooth.
3.  Add the brown sugar and sugar. Beat for 1-2 minutes, until nearly creamy.
4.  Add the eggs, one at a time and mixing in between additions.
5.  Dissolve the baking soda in the tablespoon of water. Add both the baking soda and the vanilla to the mixer and mix well. Mix in the salt.
 6.  Add the flour and mix until dough forms.
7.  Mix in the white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts using a wooden spoon or spatula.
8.  Scoop dough by heaping tablespoons onto a parchment lined or silicon lined baking sheet, 2 inches apart.
9.  Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely

Thoughts:  These cookies were incredible!

Verdict:  Make again? Yes!

Thursday, September 19, 2013

40 Recipes :: Creamy Garlic Pasta


Recipe Source:  Blog
Made : August 31, 2013

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
¼  tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
3 cups chicken stock
½ lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
¾ cup heavy cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley


Directions:

In a pot, bring the olive oil to medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir, allowing it to cook for 1-2 minutes. Mix in the butter until melted. Add the salt, pepper and chicken stock. Raise the heat to high and let it come to a boil. 
Once it is at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook for as long as the box’s directions indicate. Reduce the stove to medium heat and mix in the parmesan until completely melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream and parsley. Serve immediately.
Thoughts:  Really good.  The heavy cream we bought was bad (we bought brand new that day).  So we had to make due and use milk.  Ours was a little cheesy, definitely needed the heavy cream.  But it was still good!  I think in the future it will be a side dish to chicken or shrimp.

Make again? Yes!

Friday, August 23, 2013

#29 | Watch Best Actor Oscar Movies




I’m impressed mom and I got through this list much faster than the Best Picture category.  I was hoping to watch all these movies before the Oscars for 2012 was announced, but that didn’t happen and that is ok.

1928    Emil Jannings – The Last Command | Pretty good movie for a no talkie.  Jannings makes some of the funniest faces.
1929    Warner Baxter – In Old Arizona | BORING!  Hard to understand what they were saying too.
1930    George Arliss – Desraeli | CAN’T FIND MOVIE
1931    Lionel Barrymore – A Free Soul | CAN’T FIND MOVIE
1932    Wallace Beery – The Champ | Really good movie.  However, I think the kid in the movie should have won the Oscar instead.
1933    Charles Laughton – The Private Life of Henry VIII | I was dreading watching this movie, but it really wasn’t too bad.  And Laughton was great in this movie.
1934    Clark Gable - It Happened One Night | Very cute move.  Loved it!  And who doesn’t love Clark Gable?!
1935    Victor McLaglen – The Informer | This movie was alright.  It was fascinating to read about how the director got McLaglen to perform his drunken scenes.  However, it discredits his acting ability a little.
1936    Paul Muni – The Story of Louis Pasteur | This movie was a little slow, but not too bad.  I did sleep through the last part of it though…
1937    Spencer Tracy – Captains Courageous | I was not looking forward to this movie and I ended up loving it.  Tracy was wonderful!
1938    Spencer Tracy – Boys Town | Cool it was a true story.  The kids did a good job acting, but Tracy’s acting didn’t stand out to me.
1939    Robert Donat – Goodbye Mr. Chips | This movie didn’t hold my attention much at the beginning, but the ending was pretty good.  The acting was decent.  But knowing that it went up against Gone with the Wind, I think it should have won Best Actor instead.
1940    Jimmy Stewart – The Philadelphia Story | Chick flick that wins an Oscar…I’ll take it!
1941    Gary Cooper - Sergeant York | Movie was very boring, especially for a war movie.
1942    James Cagney – Yankee Doodle Dandy | Very slow at the beginning, but got better.  Really liked Cagney as a person.
1943    Paul Lukas – Watch on the Rhine |
1944    Bing Crosby - Going My Way | Ok.  Not sure why it won though.
1945    Ray Milland - The Lost Weekend | A pretty good movie.  It had some funny parts, but the story line is a little sad, especially since I have a few family members who have suffered from alcoholism.
1946    Fredric March - The Best Years of Our Lives | Definitely one of the best movies ever.
1947    Ronald Colman – A Double Life | Decent movie.  I was more excited to see a movie that had him in it just because they mention him in dad’s favorite movie, A River Runs Through It (and dad and I had no idea who he was.)
1948    Laurence Olivier  - Hamlet | I had to study way too much Shakespeare in high school so I think I’m still burned out.  But this was a really good rendition of the story.  The acting done by Olivier was pretty good.  I think Jean Simmons did a really good job too, but she didn’t win an Oscar for her performance.
1949    Broderick Crawford - All the King’s Men | Didn’t keep my attention
1950    Jose Ferrer-Cyrano de Bergerac | Boring movie.  Decent acting though.
1951    Humphrey Bogart-The African Queen | Kind of a strange movie.  Not sure why anyone would chosen to see this movie.  Bogart’s acting was decent.  This role was much different than anything else he has done.
1952    Gary Cooper – High Noon | Took a while to get into the movie.  I was completely wrong on my prediction of how the movie would end.
1953    William Holden – Stalag 17 | Loved it!  My guess on who the bad guy was wrong, but I have a good idea 
1954    Marlon Brando - On the Waterfront | Good movie.
1955    Ernest Borginine - Marty | Short, cute, and sweet.
1956    Yul Brynner – The King and I | Another movie I grew up watching.
1957    Alec Guinness - The Bridge on the River Kwai | Very unrealistic.  I can guarantee being a POW in WWII was not that easy.
1958    David Niven – Separate Tables | Not too bad.  Simple story.
1959    Charlton Heston - Ben Hur | I’ve seen this many times when I was little.  Very good.  3 ½ hours in a little long…
1960    Burt Lancaster – Elmer Gantry | Kind of weird.  Especially at the end.
1961    Maximillian Schell – Judgment at Nuremberg | Good movie and acting. Surprised Schell was up for main actor, but he did do a good job.
1962    Gregory Peck – To Kill a Mockingbird | I grew up watching this movie too, one of mom’s favorites.
1963    Sidney Poitier – Lilies of the Field | I love this actor!  Mom and I have done a few Sidney Poitier movie days before.
1964    Rex Harrison - My Fair Lady | I grew up watching this movie.  Been a while since I’d seen it and I remembered a lot of it.
1965    Lee Marvin – Cat Ballou | Slightly strange.  If someone was going to win an Oscar for this movie, it should have been Jane Fonda.  However, the best part of the movie was when Marvin sings Happy Birthday at a funeral.
1966    Paul Scofield - A Man for All Seasons | I listened to this movie…
1967    Rod Steiger - In the Heat of the Night | Good movie.  Seen it multiples times.
1968    Cliff Robertson – Charly | Robertson’s acting was great, worthy of this Oscar.  I read this book in middle school, didn’t realize it was turned into a movie and won an Oscar.
1969    John Wayne - True Grit | Much better than what I was expecting.
1970    George C. Scott - Patton | Pretty good movie.
1971    Gene Hackman - The French Connection |
1972    Marlon Brando - The Godfather | Excellent movie
1973    Jack Lemmon – Save the Tiger | I love Jack Lemmon.  He is one of my favorite actors, but this movie stunk.  However, the acting he did in this movie was different, more serious than what he normally does and he did a good job.
1974     Art Carney – Harry and Tonto | I strangely liked this movie.
1975    Jack Nicholson - One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest | One of dad’s favorites.  Good, but so sad.
1976    Peter Finch – Network | He was good in this movie, but I think William Holden should have won.
1977    Richard Dreyfuss – The Goodbye Girl | I’ve seen this movie before, but felt I needed to re-watch it.  Loved it the second time around too!
1978    Jon Voight – Coming Home | Really liked this movie.  And I really liked Voight’s character.  Interesting ending though.
1979    Dustin Hoffman - Kramer vs. Kramer | Good.  Classic.
1980    Robert DeNiro – Raging Bull | DeNiro was excellent in this movie.
1981    Henry Fonda – On Golden Pond | A family favorite.
1982    Ben Kingsley – Gandhi | Much better than what I was expecting.  Parts of the movie were slow, but overall it was pretty good.  Really creepy on how much Kingsley looks like the real Gandhi.
1983    Robert Duvall – Tender Mercies | Boring and the acting was nothing special.
1984    F. Murray - Amadeus | Kind of funny; loved it when the characters were describing the music.  It was fascinating, especially coming form a musical family.
1985    William Hurt – Kiss of the Spider Woman | Boring.  Strange.  Weird. I could have done without seeing this movie.
1986    Paul Newman – The Color of Money | Movie wasn’t too bad.
1987    Michael Douglas – Wall Street | I don’t like seeing Michael Douglas as a bad guy.
1988    Dustin Hoffman - Rain Man | So good! On the Top 10 list!
1989    Daniel Day Lewis – My Left Foot | The acting in this movie was amazing!
1990    Jeremy Irons – Reversal of Fortune | Interesting.  I wish I knew what really did happen.  Both Irons and Close were excellent.
1991    Anthony Hopkins - Silence of the Lambs | Creepy
1992    Al Pacino – Scent of a Woman | I like this movie; I’ve seen it many, many times.
1993    Tom Hanks – Philadelphia | Great movie.  Sad.  Great music.
1994    Tom Hanks – Forrest Gump | Seriously?  Who hasn’t seen this one? Of course it’s good!
1995    Nicolas Cage – Leaving Las Vegas | I can’t believe I had to watch this movie.  About an alcoholic and a hooker.  Very graphic and disturbing.
1996    Geoffrey Rush – Shine | The person Rush portrayed was crazy, but Rush’s acting was incredible.
1997    Jack Nicholosn – As Good as it Gets | Decent movie, but I think Leonardo DiCaprio should have gotten this for Titanic.
1998    Roberto Benigni – Life is Beautiful | Didn’t realize this movie was not in English and had to change the settings before watching.  It took us about 10-15 minutes to figure this out.  Oops!  The beginning was really strange but the last half was really good.  It was heart breaking when they have to go to the concentration camps.  I can’t imagine what that would have been like, especially with an innocent young child.  This movie had a very interesting way expressing what was going on in the camps.  It wasn’t until the end of the movie before I appreciated Benigni’s acting.
1999    Kevin Spacey – American Beauty | Strange.  Makes me want to keep my windows shut at night so people can’t see in.
2000    Russell Crowe – Gladiator | Great movie!
2001    Denzel Washington – Training Day | It has been a while since I’ve sent this movie, but Denzel definitely deserved getting this Oscar.
2002    Adrien Brody - The Pianist | This movie is about the Holocaust, so of course it is depressing.  But it is also incredible because it is a true story.  I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to live through that time.
2003    Sean Penn – Mystic River | Another family favorite.  This came out right around the time dad lived/worked in Boston for 3 months.  In fact, we saw it in Boston when mom and I went to visit him over Thanksgiving.  (Seriously, one of the best Thanksgivings we have ever had.)
2004    Jamie Foxx – Ray | Really good movie.  I think Jamie Foxx definitely deserved this win.  I read that he really did play the piano in the movie and he wore fake eyelids which made him blind.  His acting was extremely authentic and is shows.
2005    Philip Seymour Hoffman – Capote | Hoffman’s acting was incredible.  The only other movie that I really know him from is Along Came Polly and his character was the polar opposite of what he played in Capote.  I wasn’t sure how I’d like the movie since it was about a gruesome murder, but I actually really liked it.  It was a little slow, but that was ok.
2006    Forest Whitaker – The Last King of Scotland | Great movie.
2007    Daniel Day Lewis - There Will Be Blood | I liked this movie up until the last 30 minutes.  The ending just seemed strange to me.  But Daniel Day Lewis was amazing in this movie, just like everything else he is in.
2008    Sean Penn – Milk | Penn was phenomenal in this movie!  It was like I was watching the real Harvey Milk, not an actor trying to portray him. Definitely one of the best acting I’ve seen in this category.
2009    Jeff Bridges – Crazy Heart | Not my favorite, but ok.
2010    Colin Firth - The King’s Speech | Really, really good.  Totally understand how it won Best Picture and Colin Firth was great.  And I really liked the cinematography.
2011    Jean Dujardian – The Artist | I was skeptical, but I really liked it!  And the acting in it was wonderful!
2012    Daniel Day Lewis – Lincoln | I was surprised at how boring I found this movie.  However, Daniel Day Lewis was amazing in it, so that’s all that matters.

Top Ten (Me)
1.  It Happened One Night
2.  Captains Coutageious
3.  Coming Home
4.  Rain Man
5.  My Left Foot
6.  Philadelphia
7.  Gladiator
8.  Ray
9.  Milk
10.  King’s Speech

Top Ten (Mom)
1.  Spencer Tracy-  Captains Courageous
2.  Charlton Heston – Ben Hur
3.  Gregory Peck – Mockingbird
4.  Jack Nicholson- Cuckoos Nest
5.  Daniel Day Lewis – My Left Foot
6.  Tom Hanks – Philadelphia
7.  Denzel Washington – Training Days
8.  Sean Penn- Mystic River
9.  Philip Seymour Hoffman – Capote
10.  Sean Penn – Milk


42 of 101
Completed: August 21, 2013

Sunday, August 11, 2013

#43 | Take an online class

I began this prompt a long, long time ago in May 2012.  I originally decided to do Ali Edwards 31 Things class.  I wrote all my prompts and took about half the photos and completed about 1/8 of the pages and then I lost interest.  I’m not sure why.  I enjoyed the project, but I just couldn’t seem to finish it.

A few months ago, Big Picture Classes announced their phone photography class.  I wasn’t sure if I wanted to participate, but I knew I’d kick myself after seeing other people play along, so I went for it and signed up.  And I’m so glad I did.  I had a lot of fun trying to search for these photos.

The first few weeks I did really well in getting the photo on the same day as the prompt.  But as the month went on, I began to get a little more relaxed with it.  Some days I couldn’t find a photo for the prompt or I knew I’d take the photo later in the month (when I went to the beach).  And I’m ok with that.  The main thing is that I finished it.  And I have intentions to try this again next July to see how thing change/stay the same.  But we will see what I feel like doing in a year from now!


1.  Shoot your Feet
2.  Monogram Collage
3. Summer Projects
4. Summer Harvest
5. Family
6. Hometown Tourist


7. Sunrise Sunset
8. Summer Colors
9. Jump
10. Clouds
11. Perspective
12. At Play
13. Water
14. On the Street
15. Summer Selfies
16. Close Up

17. Far Away
18.  Reflection
19.  Shadow
20.  In Season
21.  What’s Cooking
22.  Routine
23.  Laughter
24.  Bloom and Grow
25.  Summer Shoes
26.  The Great Outdoors
27.  Kids at Play
28.  Lazy
29.  Sky
30.  Summer Reading
31. Green
32.  Quintessential Summer Shots

41 of 101
Completed : August 7, 2013

Friday, August 9, 2013

Learn Yoga


I pulled mom with me to try a yoga class a few weeks ago.  It was a beginner class and not too difficult, but my goodness it still made us sweat.  After the class we looked at each other and both said that we loved yoga.  We both felt rejuvenated and stronger and hope to add it into our routine.  I can’t wait to go back again!

40/101
Completed : July 28, 2013

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Visit a Waterfall

On our last day in Minnesota, we stopped by Minnehaha Falls before we made our trek back home.

The falls were beautiful.
I loved the sound or the roaring water as it made its free fall.

38/101
Completed : July 2, 2013

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Visit a Lighthouse

My favorite part of our trip was traveling north to Lake Superior to see Split Rock Lighthouse.  It was beautiful up there, the weather was a cool 65 degrees.  Abby enjoyed sticking her head out of the car window while we drove around the town.

The lighthouse was awesome.  I was surprised on how small it actually was once we go to the base of it. Granted, this lighthouse was on top of a huge cliff and not at the base of the ocean, but still.

Everyone had a blast seeing the lighthouse.
It was awesome!

We definitely want to come back to this place.

37/101
Completed : July 1, 2013