storybook romance

i'm not sure if it is the "pretty-woman-esq" fairytale, of the "prince" finding his bride among the common folk, the simple love of weddings or the fascination we all had with princess diana, but the impending wedding of kate middleton to prince william has spurred anticipation and excitement among millions, including me! i don't think of myself as getting overly excited about the daily lives of the "celebrity," but what is it about royalty that is so dreamy?

for me, i think it's tradition. i adore tradition, etiquette and the poised ways of yesteryear. looking back on the photos of this royal family, reading about the english traditions and centuries of grand weddings is a peek into a fanciful world most of us will never know except in storybooks. it will be fun to sit back, this week and watch the story unfold, perhaps with a glass of bubbly in hand and cozied up to my prince.

royal proposal woodcut

queen elizabeth coronation royal family

designers guild fabric collection, inspired by bukingham palace

queen elizabeth & prince philip - coronation

ladies of yesteryear at high tea

princess grace of monaco

princess diana and prince charles, wedding day

chocolate biscuit cake, by daren mcgrady
 chosen by prince williams for his grooms cake

cake designer fiona cairns was chosen for kate and william's wedding
to create a traditional multi-layered fruit cake similar to tiers seen here

raw mother earth

today is earth day. we're pretty darn conscious in our household about the effects we have on the planet and are constantly trying to make a positive difference in our daily routines. today, in an effort to recognize the beauty and resources that our planet provides, i thought i would set some goals for myself. walk more on this earth, eat more raw and non-processed foods from this earth, get my hands dirty more from the dirt of this earth. 

this sunday we'll celebrate easter and of course will be contributing dishes to the wonderful feasts held with our families. i tend to eat more than i need to around any holiday and am always motivated to bring something fresh and sometimes raw to the table. my thanksgiving contribution wasn't the yummiest dish at dinner, but it was full of good stuff...bok choy, kale, collards, pomegranate seeds and roasted pepitas - with a pomegranate molasses dressing. this holiday i'm going to try and make use of the papaya we have on hand and attempt to make these mango cone papaya salad works of art below. aren't they lovely? please share with me, what you'll be making this holiday. would love ideas!

mango cones with papaya salad from gliving, green chef golubka

haute hats :: kentucky derby style

this year my birthday falls on churchill down's famous kentucky derby. my grandpa frank was an avid fan of the races. in fact one year, in honor of him, my dad placed bets on any horse in the derby my sisters and i chose. i won that year! "silver charm" was the name of my blue ribbon choice. the horse races have since held a special place in my heart. i've always wanted to go to the derby, wear a big hat and feast southern style. this year, i may make my own celebration at home...sip mint juleps under a fancy brim and put down a bill or two on my favorite thoroughbred. here are a couple of beautiful images:

Kentucky Derby 1926

Beautiful Marilyn

Mint Julep by Martha Stewart

VonUnwerth Archives

Mint Julep Panna Cotta by Leites Culinaria

Arturo Rios Etsy

Silver Charm

backyard bliss

with our little e on the move, private outdoor space has become even more important than it was before. thankfully we are at a point where making our backyard our oasis has become a reality and the patio is in progress! i can't help but dream of the decor aspects of the patio - as it's completion is so near...pillows, plants and pots, umbrellas (we're being frugal and sticking with the current outdoor furniture). several years ago we purchased a wrought iron vintage set from a friend's roommate - a round table and five chairs for a mere $45. i painted it an eggshell white which has since chipped and a little rust has shown through, but i'm going with it. 

thought i would share some of the fun images i fancy! would love to carry the "french" garden theme we have in the front yard, of gravel, roses, rosemary and lavendar, but with less water...so perhaps succulents or drought tolerant native plants. we're using flagstone and sand as our surface and i would like to throw in some bold colors like yellow and maybe stripes and prints. yellow is my new fav this season - can you tell? before and after photos to come.

our *one* and only

i feel like i need to start this post with a confession, "forgive me father it's been two months since my last post." how do mom's find the time to post to blogs on such a regular basis (?)...ahh they have babies that sleep... well for posts so few-and-far between, they're going to need to be good ones. i think little e's first birthday is a perfect quarterly post!

i had given her birthday party some thought. i wanted her to enjoy herself as much as possible, but also knew the party was more for the adults at this age that our sweet little one. keeping that in mind, i left the hubby to do what he does so well - barbecue (and does he do it right - slow over oak fire...mmm so good) and socialize with the guests over a frothy cold one. i wanted to take care of the decor and dessert (my favorite aspect of party planning!). i was fortunate enough to have a lot of helping hands. from mom doing the beautiful belly button florals, becca picking up balloons, em keeping a watchful eye on e, side-dish preparers, set-up morning-of and clean up crew. we invited our closest local friends and family, that have a special place in e's little heart. which consisted of so many dear friends that we've known a good percentage of our lives.

happy first birthday sweet girl. you continue to astonish us with your beautiful soul. here are some things that you do, at the tender age of one, that we get a kick out of:

*call out "papa" every morning when you wake

*wave your hand across your face and say "whooowhee" when we change your diaper 

*put your hand on your chest when we say your name and ask where you are

*high fives

*say: hi, bye, mama, papa, nana, pampa, nayna, daki, emi, ana, codyyyy, e-i-e-ohhh, papaya,  manana, baba, burrriyo, daaaaug, dauyyi, baybi

*the animal sounds of: cow, sheep, horse, cat, dog, bird

*facial expressions of: bunny and fishy

*stand excitedly when mama say's "no hands." as you balance on two feet (and even take a few steps)

*crawl circles around the house

*cruise the furniture, the walls, the windows, cabinets - anything you can

*laugh as mama holds you up the mirror after your bath and we sing our funny little song

*play peek-a-boo

*give kisses and hugs as often as possible

*make others kiss (our little cupid!)

*hold mama's neck tight as you fall asleep

*wave your hands so delicately as mama sings the itsy bitsy spider

*point out the picture window at the birds and say "birrrrrr"

below are a selection of photos taken by no other, than my talented sister anna. i'm lucky enough to have a built-in pro in the family. and how happy are we that we have this special day captured.

 {dessert table}

 {yummy cupcakes by grandma lu}

 {sweet e's profile created by joe}

 {beautiful pompom's handmade by rina}

{straws make all drinks more fun}

{rosemary lemonade, pinwheels and belly button florals}

 {best bbq'r i know}

 {wiped out. confirmation it was a fun time!}