Arugula. Aruuuuuuugula.

So, if you've run into me in the last week or so, you've probably heard me crowing over my new favorite sustenance. But now that I think about it, you probably haven't run into me in the last week, as some ridiculous cold has moved in and refused to leave. Therefore, I take to the interwebs to tell you about it.

For most of the summer, I lived on a salad of baby field greens, blackberries, strawberries, goat cheese and a thick gooey balsamic vinaigrette. I nearly cried when I bought the last of the truly in-season berries. But little did I know that I would soon be experiencing winter salad splendor.

It all started with a visit to Souper Jenny. Oh, Souper Jenny. It's where any self-respecting soup-loving Atlantan heads for incredible soup, plus creative sandwiches and salads. It's also where my friend Marcie works. Hi Marcie! Anyway, one day last month, I found myself enjoying an arugula, red pear and brie sandwich on their patio. I could not stop thinking about that sandwich. But I had no success recreating it at home. Instead, it began to take on another life in my head and ultimately, in my salad bowl.

So here it is, my winter salad. Try it. You'll like it.

Start with some arugula,maybe 2-3 cups. Say it. Arugula. Aruuuuuugula. Fun, huh? Just a little side entertainment while you make the salad. Arugula.Add some sliced brie, maybe an ounce, maybe a little more. I like brie, so I lean toward the little more. I add this first, cause I like it to soften just a bit before I eat it.

Add half to three-quarters of a just-ripened red pear, sliced, and about 2 T of pecans. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil, plus a little sea salt--not much, the brie and pecans already added some good saltiness of their own.

Enjoy solo, with some soup or just a slice of hearty bread.

Then say it again... Aruuuuuugula.
Lindsay

Escape

Last week I was able to escape with the girls for a couple of days to my friends Amy and Vinnie's house. I have known them since long, long before any of us were married, and the home they've built together is truly one of my favorite places on the planet. They are now the proud parents of three girls, plus they are caretakers to their house and a small piece of property on which they have been known to raise chickens, rabbits, bees and as many vegetables as they can. Here's what our little retreat looked like.

This is one of my favorite doors. Amy and Vinnie used to have two wonderful dogs, and I miss their noses being pressed up against the glass:
Some of Amy's front porch decorations. Eat your heart out, Martha Stewart.

We roasted smarshmallows, as Ada calls them:

One of Amy and Vinnie's girls.
Chicken V. Roxy.

I love their breakfast table. The girls love hamming for my camera. It works out.
Baby Claire. We decided she and Roxy are kindred spirits. They look alike, but they are also very similar in temperament and, for lack of a better word, spirit. Even one of the older girls asked why Roxy looks like an older version of Claire.
Dress Up. And Playing.
Okay kids! Smile!

Thank you thank you thank you Amy and Vinnie for all the delicious meals and good talks and years of friendship! It was JUST what I needed!
Lindsay

Halloween Recap

I have been busy, busy, busy with family sessions and traveling and such (more on those later), but wanted to quickly post a few pictures from our Halloween marauding. This Halloween was actually the first that David has been able to spend with us. November sweeps (an all-hands-on-deck situation in TVLand) always starts the last week in October, and since he doesn't get home until 7... it's been no dice the last three years. This year, since it was on Saturday, and with a lot of events the weekend before, we were able to make up for any fun he may have missed in the past. Here's what we did:

First up, a trip to Zoo Atlanta for Boo at the Zoo. Both girls were butterflies. Roxy's sheep costume had not yet been completed by her custom seamstresses (that would be my sister and I), so she had to make do as a butterfly. Since I was too lazy to give them antennae or anything, everyone thought they were fairies. They got candy, so they didn't care what people thought they were.
Doesn't Roxy look like a big girl here?
Carousel happiness:
ANGELIC carousel happiness:
Train happiness:


Oooooooo scary!


Now, for the main event. Roxy's seamstresses worked for a good long while to sheep-ify her, only to have her repeatedly refuse to wear it. Only when we agreed to leave the bottom unfastened and told her she had to wear it to get candy (not really true; who's going to refuse candy to a two-year-old, even if she is only wearing a black leotard and sheep ears?) did she consent to putting it on. And isn't she a dear in it? Baaaaaaa...


Ada as a butterfly. She did have antennae when we left our house, but somewhere between the trip to our friends' house, playing with all the other goblins, and decorating a Halloween gingerbread house, they got lost. She also had pretty makeup on, but it got all smudged. So this is what she looked like and it suited her just fine:

Our motley crew of trick-or-treaters:

All in all, a smashing success. Thank you to Lesley for her mad sheep costume skills!
Lindsay

Pumpkin Pancakes: The Recipe

This morning we started to go out to our fave breakfast place, RiseNDine, but the cold chill outside and some last-minute work got the best of us and we stayed in. I fried up some bacon and made up a new pumpkin pancake recipe. It turned out so good I had to share. As you can see by the serving plate below, it was quite popular here. About 2.3 seconds after I took this picture, that plate was empty. Recipe below.

Tastes Like Fall Pancakes

Mix Dry Ingredients in a large bowl:
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour (if you want do do 1/2 WW flour, that's fine)
3 T Brown Sugar
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
1/4 t cloves
1/4 t ginger

In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients:
1 1/2 C buttermilk
1 C pumpkin
3 T unsalted butter, melted, or 3 T Canola oil
2 large eggs
1/2 t lemon extract

Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Spoon 1/4 C spoonfuls onto hot griddle, turn when top is bubbly.

Serve with butter and heated pure maple syrup. A little bacon and some coffee won't hurt anyone's feelings either.

-- Lindsay

The Brain Cells are Dropping Like Flies

My kids brain cells were dropping like flies last night. Took them to Disney on Ice last night and brought along the Flip. Note the dazed look on their faces. The sheen of popcorn butter on their cheeks. And their ability to both hyperfocus while zoning out. Creepy.

Here, Roxy is fascinated with the flaming luau scene. Then her thoughts turn to water.


Then, Ada sees Tinkerbell, then gets perplexed at...something. It's hard to tell when there are 25 costumed skaters on the ice. Maybe that's why she's disturbed.


Anyway, we survived the trip inside the bowels of the Disney marketing machine without giving The Mouse one cent. Not even for the tickets. What it cost my children in dead brain cells... well, who knows. At least they had fun!

Lindsay

SATURDAY SESSIONS NOW AVAILABLE--The a-MAZE-ing SweetSnaps Portrait Event

Jessica and I are psyched that we have worked with Bucks to secure sessions for SweetSnaps customers on a SATURDAY!!! We had tons of people interested in out event, but wanted the whole family to be able to make it up. So. We will be there next Saturday, October 24th. Join us! And tell your friends!
Lindsay

MORE INFO HERE!

The Butterfly (Party) Effect

Saturday was probably one of the most exciting days of Ada's life, ifidosaysomyself. I am seeing more and more that four is just a wonderful age... out of the cranky uncertainty of toddlerhood, but still young enough to think life is magical. We celebrated her fourth birthday with her requested butterfly party. I baked the magnolia cake as usual and decorated it with butterflies. Made a butterfly pinata. Add Chick-fil-a nuggets and kids and poof! instant party. It was awfully soggy that morning, so we stuffed 23 people into our tee-niny house. The more, the merrier, say I.

Here's what it looked like.

Flutterby Cake!

Butterfly Girl

Blowing out her candles. Note determined Allie in the background, wondering when she'll get her slice. "Hurry it up, already, Ada!"

Yes, I have a BlowPop in my hand...

But I just can't resist...

delicious butter & sugar concoctions.... nom nom nom... (note Ada's hand in the background,not able to resist, either).

Allie takes a swing at the butterfly pinata. And yes, dirty minds, I know what the pinata looks like. Give a girl a break, would you? There's only so much I can do when I forget to start working on it till 36 hours before the party.

David gives Roxy a lesson in pinata-bashing.

Manning is a ham.

Roxy contemplates a chip.

Happy birthday to my Ada! Here's to keeping the magic in your childhood for as long as possible!
Lindsay