small things...

70 years and counting

This past weekend most of my family gathered to celebrate my grandparent’s 70th wedding anniversary.

We stopped by their apartment (yes, they still live on their own at 93 y.o.) before the big party and they shared with us some photos and receipts from their honeymoon

$5 stay at the Ambassador Hotel in NYC

40 Cent martinis

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What do you do when you’ve got an afternoon to kill in Moline, IL.?

JOHN DEER MUSEUM! 

(Don’t be jealous)

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highlights of the weekend:

• kid races down the Radisson halls
• Getting busted for running kid races down the Radisson halls (for the record:little miss in the pink dress was the fastest)
• The grandparent’s radio playing P-funk while we were visiting. Totally normal
• The family motto, “No Decision Until it’s Time” in full effect all weekend long
• A family photo, a pending storm and the heaven’s parting just as the photographer said “Cheese!”  (I only wish there’d been a photo of all 30+ of us scattering to take cover)
• Learning my Grandma’s new swear word (“Oh Murder!”)

Thanks, John & Betty!  Can’t wait for the 75th!

(you in a good mood now?  don’t forget to vote!!)

I’m ready for my close-up

Did you vote yet?  It’s easy!…just click on the button to the right

I just got back from a full weekend with my extended family to celebrate my grandparents 70th wedding anniversary…photos to come.  but now I need to rest my weary eyeballs

Until then a few photos from my kitchen last week:

Both a friend and a foe. damn you, coffee

I like my carrot cake without frosting

Oh, Cabbage Rose, why do you have to smell so much like St. Patrick’s Day dinner?

  you sure are pretty though.

The Sam-E Good Mood Blogger contest

You may notice a new little widget to your right with my happy mug plastered across it..see it now?

I came across this opportunity pretty much by accident, but that’s how these types of opportunities seem to show up in my life.  The prize – a position as “Good Mood Blogger” for NatureMade Sam-E Complete for 6 months and $30,000.

The basic premise: share with readers of the blog what makes you happy or keeps you in a good mood.  It’s a chance to share all the funny, sweet, charming little bits of life that show up for us every day.

I totally want to do that!  And I think I’d be good at it.  And maybe you would like to read about it….yes?

So I’m about 3000 votes down….whadya think? Wanna help me out? 

Vote as many times as you want.  Vote every day, for pete’s sake?  Get your mama to vote.  Tell everyone you know!

it’ll be fun, I promise :)

See my entry here: http://www.sam-e.com/job/entries/511

THANKS!!!

(I think you’re cute.)

xo

Erin

Messages from the other side involving Buddhist monks

A few nights ago I dreamt I was in the kitchen with my father.  He was standing near a window and had several small bowls in front of him.  Each was filled with a healthy food: pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, almonds…etc…In real life, my dad was a foodie before anyone knew what a foodie was, but he was not into health food.  Like actively not into health food.  I remember him refusing to eat broccoli once after being told it might be good for him, you know it being cancer-fighting and all.

So it was, you know, noticeable that he was eating all these foods in my dreamlife.  I asked him about it and he turned around and showed me this little packet of papers he had in his hands.

I’m following the Thich Nhat Hanh diet. He informed me.

Just for a year. He said, and then I’ll re-evaluate.

I woke up with this dream still fresh in my mind and shuffled over to my computer to see if such a thing existed.

And this is what I found

(source)

wha-what??!?

I have to read it, right?

You probably shouldn’t ignore messages from your dead father involving buddhist monks. Like as a rule.

It’s the Napa of the Midwest!

I have described my little bit of heaven in SW Michigan as “The Hamptons of the Midwest!” and “The Cape Cod of the Midwest!” and now it’s wine country, baby.  Seeing as how I’ve never been to any of the cities/areas on which I make my claims you can probably take these statements with a barrel of salt.  What I’m really trying to say (shout) is that it’s lovely here too, folks.  Really lovely.

My pal Leah and I headed to New Buffalo, MI this weekend for a girls trip/wine tour/spa visit/relaxathon.  Before we even checked into our hotel we hopped on the Fruitful Vine shuttle for the local wine tour.

Rocky, a local grape grower, was our guide.  He was full of information and bad jokes and we had fun with him.

First stop: Tabor Hill Winery

Apparently Bob Hope was a big fan of Tabor Hill wines and inspired the motto that lives above the entrance. 

The wines here are super sweet and I was not a big fan of any of them.  But Bob Hope was and he lived to be 100 y.o. so…I don’t know if that means anything.

The next winery on the tour was The Round Barn Winery.  Complete with Round Barn:

This one was my favorite by far.  The wine was better AND they served us beer and bourbon. Way more up my alley.

The bourbon & The beer

Once the tour was over we headed to our hotel to check in.  We were right on the harbor and had a great view.  I admired it morning, noon and night…see?

(Okay, so that was really morning, evening and night…but whatevs)

The weekend went quickly, but was filled of good stuff.  Here is a taste of the rest:

See you next time, Michigan!  I *heart* you!