{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of everyday life ~

Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

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These photos aren't actually from this last week, but when my friend had her baby last week, I was reminded that I promised photos of the gifts I gave her.

(Not that you probably remember. I've been a pretty lame blogger lately...)

Seven Strategies for Dinner with the Barbarians.

So far in the Eating Dinner Together series:

1. Destruction-proofing your family.

2. When they are little.

3. Three things you need.

Sometimes I get into arguments with people about whether housewifery is drudgery. It's funny to me, because it seems obvious that just about every job has a drudge aspect. I suppose that even a top executive sometimes does nothing more exciting than rearrange the paper clips.

Once, in a gathering of friends, one person was really badgering me about this. He kept saying, "Your life is cleaning bathrooms -- just drudgery! There is nothing redeeming about that job!"

Since the bathrooms need to be cleaned, and slavery doesn't seem to be the answer, I don't find it a big deal. But I was interested to know what he thought would be a job without drudgery.

"For instance, what do you do for a living?" I asked.

"I'm an accountant."

After the riotous laughter in the room died down, it was generally acknowledged that I had won that round.

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of everyday life ~

Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

{pretty}

Here is Marie-Thérèse with her new quilt. Isn't she beautiful? And wasn't I right about that rose pattern?

You know, somewhere out there, a young woman maybe is having a hard time. Things can't be easy for her right now. But she was so brave, and she did such a generous, good thing when she gave her baby to our friends, who will take care of her and love her in their family.

I was wondering if you could say a prayer today for that person? That she find healing and happiness and the knowledge of the love of God, and that in heaven we may all be able to embrace her in person.

Thank you!

Babies need quilts....

So some kee-razy person decided that we need to boil maple sap this season -- this wedding season when we, and I use the word "we" advisedly, that is to say, approximately, to mean I, with generous hand-sewing help from others, am on the hook to make a bunch of bridesmaids' dresses -- not to mention that suddenly there's yard work to do, what with all the sun.

Not that I'm complaining about the sun! Far, far, far from it. 

Or anything, really. I gave up complaining for Lent, remember?

But, you will understand that I am not quite ready to post about the next stage of Eating Dinner Together -- the Outnumbered Years. Just not ready. I am promising that I won't let a series paralyze me (too much) into not posting at all.

A little Lent-cation: In which I tell you some good news.

 

Every Lent I am so grateful for what we call our "Lenten Triduum" -- the Feast of St. Patrick, our own Will's birthday (21 yesterday!), and the Feast of St. Joseph, all in a row. I'm not super good at fasting. In fact, I think that my oral fixation increases with my determination to abstain from indulgence. The more austere the day, the greater my need for ice cream.

So it's just a blessing not to have to think about it on these three glorious days, smack in the middle of Lent.

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of everyday life ~

Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

{pretty}

My sister-in-law and I some fun cooking together while she was here -- these are mushroom-leek ravioli we made for a meatless Friday dinner. We used a pasta dough recipe from Smitten Kitchen and decided that we could make up the filling, despite our inexperience in the ravioli-making department. As far as I can remember, we caramelized the leeks and mushrooms with some fresh herbs, deglazed with some white wine before adding a little cream, ricotta, and parmesan, and then we broke it down using the immersion blender to make it easier to fill the pasta. They were delicious.

I don't have much to add to my mother's excellent advice regarding dinnertime -- our family is still very young and besides, what tips and tricks I have, I get from her!

Dinner together: 3 things you need.

So far in the Eating Dinner Together Series:

1. Destruction-proofing your family.
2. When they are little, the first phase.

Now things are getting busy for you!

I remember when Suzanne (aka Sukie, aka Suki -- our "house style" for her name is "spell it the way you want to") was born; Nick was four, Rosie was two. For whatever reason I suddenly realized that I was a "real" mom and had to make dinner at a certain time! I hadn't yet developed my system for menus (see the sidebar), and my friend hadn't yet told me I just had to know what was for dinner by 10 am, but at least I was getting a clue that "dinner" meant more than "Wow, it's 5:30! Maybe we should eat!"

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

 ~ Capturing the context of everyday life ~

Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

Well, I don't have pictures of Pippo to post here, but I do have pictures of Christopher! Christopher is Rosie and Philip's nephew, our littlest out-law (you know, an in-law with the in-laws sort of left out).

Little Christopher needed a cap, don't you think? Auntie Leila is only sorry it took her so long. It does fit, though.

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Christopher is handsome. The cap is pretty, I think!

Frugal wedding: Race for a dress!

I've been wanting for a while to share the story about how I found my wedding gown because, well, it's a fun story. Also because several people have told me that I should tell you about it. And mostly because I wanted to post my experience for any future brides who might go about the process the same way I did.

You see, I didn't go a reasonable, civilized, elegant route. I Ran with the Brides.

Chicken Lightly Seasoned, an easy family favorite!

I think what I'm making here was actually called something like Chicken with Mustard Breadcrumbs, out of some long-forgotten cookbook, but sometime when Deirdre was about seven, she referred to it as Chicken Lightly Seasoned, and that name has stuck! (The recipe is at the end of the post.)

{pretty, happy, funny, real} ~ San Diego Botanical Gardens edition!

~ Capturing the context of everyday life ~

Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

{pretty}

My mother-in-law and two sisters-in-law are in town, kicking off a string of visitors coming to stay with us this month. (It turns out that when your husband deploys and you tell your friends and family to visit you, they do! Especially if it's winter, they live in Massachusetts, and you live in San Diego.)