The County Fair

Last week, my mom and I took Nina on an outing - to the Washington County Fair. We had a great time going through the animal barns, checking out the 4H projects, tasting some food (corn dogs and snow cones - my fav) and going on Nina's first carousel ride. Our county fair is the perfect size - not too big, not too small and full of small town fun. I think our photos speak for themselves. :)

Nina was very clingy around the horses. And we are both looking very hot - sorry.  For clarification, I mean temperature hot. :)

She takes tractor driving very seriously. 

Don't mess with me, momma!

Grandma and Nina checking out the animals!

Ahhh - her first carnival ride. She loved it. I have the most adorable video of her, but we'll keep that for my own records. 

Summer tomatoes

I've been harvesting radishes, arugula, spinach and herbs from my garden for weeks now. But this past week, I harvested my first three tomatoes. They were delish! I like to eat mine plain - sliced with sea salt and some good olive oil. 

How do you prefer your summer tomatoes? Salsa? BLT's?

It's Official...

It is official. I've earned my Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership and Communication through Gonzaga University. Yipee! My diploma comes in the mail in a few weeks and then it becomes truly official!

After turning in my final paper yesterday, Mr. Evans and I went to Poplar Inn to celebrate. A bottle of wine later and pretty roses... I'd say that caps it off nicely!

I couldn't have done these past two years of classes without you, Mr. Evans. I'd say starting back up in the program when Nina was only six weeks old was challenging at the time, but looking back I'm so glad I kept chugging through.

Phew... I'm done. with. school. forever. Yikes. But learning never stops. Right?

Happy Weekend!

My love affair with bread

I confess. I have a love affair with crusty, chewy bread. Some good bread, a plate of olive oil and balsamic, and a glass of red wine. Summer or winter. I'm set. Pretty much my whole life. (Thanks, Mom.) Maybe in a former life I worked at a boulangerie. 


I'm sure I have many more vices, but bread is a good one. What is your vice?

via

Question taken from this show - The Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet... Did you watch it? If so, let's talk. Also - Glee Project anyone? The new season of Project Runway? Hello!

Door County Triathlon

This past weekend we traveled to Door County for Mark's half Ironman triathlon. You may remember my post from last year about the DC tri (keep in mind I was mega-preggo)! I always love being a spectator for his triathlon events. They are so inspirational, full of positive energy and such a fun way to spend the morning. I'm glad Nina is getting in on the action at an early age.

Mark did great (as usual), as did my Uncle Mark who participated in the sprint tri. We had a large crew this year - my parents, my aunt and uncle, Nina and my in-laws - all ready to cheer everyone on. And, we were fortunate enough to stay in a beautiful home perfect for bike gear, a baby, beer, lots of delicious food, picturesque sunsets and good times! The weekend flew by and we were home Sunday night before we knew it. Luckily, I managed to sneak in a bit of shopping with my mom for DC items such as a Sweetie Pie, cherry items, a homemade supper club-esque Old Fashioned mix and some wine. Otherwise it was all swim, bike and run... see the photos below!

Pretty view from our home for the weekend. 

Ignore my crazy look, but Nina's pose was too funny not to share. 

Mr. Evans skipping rocks, enjoying a beer and watching the sunset.

We stayed two nights and had two perfect sunsets!

An angel and captain from my Team Triumph. Learn more here -  http://myteamtriumph-wi.org/. So awesome. I bawled my eyes out.

My uncle Mark headed out on the bike course.

Mr. Evans returning from his 1.2 mile swim. Don't you love the wetsuit strippers?! :)

Spectators on the bike course. :)

Mr. Evans looking strong on the 56 mile bike ride.

Mr. Evans and NINA (and my mom) on the 13 mile run. He carried her for a few steps - she (and he) looovved it.

Nina and Daddy are hot and tired... 

And with his finisher's medal...

Next stop... IRONMAN WISCONSIN 2012. 

Wahoo!!

p.s. Wahoo is easy for me to say since all I do is "spectate" but still - I'm a proud and excited wife. :)

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who is the fairest of them all?

These photos are too silly not to share. Have a happy weekend!

DIY Hair Bow Frame

Nina has (aka I have) started to accumulate numerous hair bows. I know our collection will only keep growing. Based on how my hair was done as a kid, I know my mom (Grandma) will tease, curl, crimp, primp and spray Nina's head of hair until her hearts content. So bows and bands it will be! :)

Here's my DIY solution for a hair bow holder. I saw some on Etsy easily fetching $40 and since I am cheap I thought I'd make my own!

I purchased this old frame at St. Vincent de Paul's for only $4.99. It is solid wood and already had the glass and backing removed. Mr. Evans knocked out the white canvas matte with a hammer so we could easily spray paint the wood. We sanded the frame so it was rough and...

Then, we spray painted the frame with two or so coats of raspberry colored spray paint. Once it was dry, we staple gunned some ribbon evenly to the back to create rows. I used green ribbon with raspberry colored polka dots.

Voila. How easy is that? Hang it up, hang on your bows. :)

Here it is hung up in her room. Sorry for the different lighting in all of these photos. They were all taken at different times of day. 

What do you think? 

Embroidered Dish Towels

No, I am not 85. However, I do envy the wisdom and knowledge of 85-year-old women! They live life large, work hard, and are usually great at cards, cribbage, canning, cooking and crocheting. Hehe. Anyway, as you may remember when I was preggers I kept my antsy self busy with cross stitching. I am not preggers, but am now keeping my self busy (well busier) putzing around with embroidery. Not sure why, just thought why not?

My mom has dozens of old pillowcases, tablecloths and dishtowels hand embroidered by women from her family. These items must be decades old and are beautiful relics of these crafty women.

I thought I'd take a stab at a few flour sack dish towels of my own. Here are my hand embroidered designs so far. I am still learning stitches, but have enjoyed playing around.

If you're interested in becoming an old lady with me, here are some great resources:

http://www.needlenthread.com/videos
http://soseptember.blogspot.com/2010/02/free-pattern-just-for-you.html (my next project - a nod to our trip to Ireland)
http://pinterest.com/peeputt/embroidery-and-c-s-patterns/
http://sarahjanestudios.com/blog/
http://wildolive.blogspot.com/
http://pinterest.com/peeputt/embroidery-how-to-s/

Some are just beautiful, aren't they? So modern and colorful!

Ten Months

Can you believe Nina is ten months old?! I surely cannot.

Nina now loves to pull up on things, play with her curly hair, be outside and active, and try new foods. She loves life! And so do we. We count our blessings each and every day. We love you, Nina.

Shrimp Swim Certificate

Nina finished up her swim lessons a few months ago, but missed the final class due to a bout with pink eye. Nonetheless, I've finally received her little diploma. How cute, huh?

Note: Nina cannot climb out of the water?! Lol.

Have a great weekend!

p.s. I want this. If you read her blog, do you too?

p.p.s. You should read this if you are mother, have a mother, and/or have a Pinterest obsession. I read it months ago, but recently came across it again and thought it was worth sharing.

p.p.p.s. If you like to travel, check this out (scroll to the bottom). Omg. I was simply lost in the one for Dublin. We're headed there in September! I need to start shopping for a trench or great hooded jacket in case it rains. Any suggestions?

DIY Bunting Addition

I recently added this homemade bunting to Nina's nursery. I like the little pop of color and love bunting, so why not? I had leftover craft paper and some white twine, so it was free. What could be better?

Stay tuned for another DIY project I'm making for Nina's room. If you have a girl, you'll probably want to make one as well. :)

The Olympics

Via

Have I expressed my secret love for the Olympics? No, well... I love them! I watched the trials non-stop. I love watching the nation and the world come together. Only do the Olympics bring so many people from so many different parts of the world together for one event. I'm not an extreme sports lover or participant, but something about the nostalgia, teamwork, camaraderie, respect and hard work of athletes is so inspiring and fun to watch. Whether it's synchronized diving, Michael Phelps, women's gymnastics, rowing, track and field, or whatever other sport... I'm in. I can't wait for them to begin. :)

Do you love them too?

Ok, that's all for today. Happy Hump Day!

North Carolina Trip

The weekend before the Fourth of July, Mr. Evans and I flew to Durham, NC to visit my cousin and her husband. A trip with my husband to have a weekend of fun - I was on board! And, my parents graciously watched Nina. Win win!

My cousin Melissa (Missy) isn't just my cousin. I'm an only child, so she's like a sister. We were even each others Maid/Matrons of Honor. :) Here's a bit about our trip...

We flew out of O'Hare on Friday late morning and arrived in Durham in the early afternoon. After a quick tour of their home, a visit with their new puppy Magnolia and some delish snacks, we headed out to Raleigh (the state capitol). It was easily 105+ degrees, so our first stop was a local brew pub (naturally). Later, we headed to dinner at Poole's Diner. It was fantastic with a capital F. I would go back monthly if I could! Check out Missy's blog here for a recap. In the evening, we went to a local art museum for an outdoor playing of the movie E.T. Popcorn and some candy topped off a great night! 

The State Capitol building, the gang at the brew pub and Missy and I at E.T. 

On Saturday, we spent the day in Durham. Missy made yummy Ina muffins for breakfast, we wandered around Duke's campus (including stops at the Chapel, famous Cameron Indoor arena/gym, and sampled Locopops). We also stopped by the beautiful Duke Gardens (see photos below). For lunch, we went to the Q Shack. OMG - it was delicious. I was stuffed, but every bit was well worth it (see photo below of my lunch plate). The boys then settled their stomachs with an afternoon scotch while Missy and I did a little shopping. Later that afternoon, we ventured to Fullsteam Brewery and to the American Tobacco District. Dinner was made by Missy and then the fun continued into the wee hours. It was a full (and hot) day and we enjoyed every new sight and taste! :)

Missy and I in our TOM's (we did a lot of walking!) and playing with puppy Magnolia. 

Duke campus sights.

Duke gardens and the boys climbing in a Magnolia tree.

My lunch at the Q Shack (pork butt, cole slaw, macaroni and cheese and hush puppies) and the American Tobacco District.

Sunday, we went to brunch at a great little place in Chapel Hill. We also saw the UNC campus, did a little more shopping, etc. When it was time to head home, our flight was delayed four hours so it was late arrival! I didn't mind... we had a very memorable trip, experienced many new things and were grateful for such wonderful hosts. If you're ever looking for a unique weekend trip to "the Triangle."

Fourth of July Recap

We had a nice Fourth of July! I thought I'd post just a few pictures to recap. I somehow managed not to capture the most fun moments or a photo of myself or Mr. Evans. Perhaps my New Year's Resolution will be to be in more photos! :) Hope you and your family had a nice day.

How patriotic! My parents always place flags all over their yard and gardens. 

Our little Miss Liberty prior to her face rash due to harsh sunscreen. 

We've had heat into the 100s and full sun. While I love the warm weather, it makes for hot days (especially when I have a cold/sinus headache non-stop!). Isn't this picture pretty? :)

On Tuesday evening, we spent time at lake with my cousins, Aunts and Uncles. We heard the party went into the wee hours of the morning fueled by some Italian Liquor!

On Wednesday, we celebrated with summery cocktails (a fresh sangria, fresh juiced pineapple mango concoction, etc), delicious food (Ina's Grilled Salmon Burgers, Caprese Salad, Rhubarb Custard Kuchen, etc), a nice boat ride and swimming. We finished off our day with a pool party and dinner at a family friend's beautiful lake house. What could be better? Well... fireworks were cancelled this year due to the heat/drought, but Mr. Evans and I watched a bit on tv live from NYC. Not quite the same, but it will suffice. :)

Happy Weekend!

Hot Hot Hot

Someone is wiped out! Our busy schedule and the steamy temperatures are to blame! I just love her crazy curls, hands behind her head and belly peeking out! This picture makes Mr. Evans and I giggle so I thought I'd share. Don't you wish you could just take a nap sometimes?

Happy Thursday!

Fourth of July

(Photo taken on July 4, 2011 at Big Cedar Lake)

The Fourth of July is my favorite holiday of the year. I love everything about our traditions. Time by the lake kayaking, paddle boarding, jet skiing, and pontooning. Going to the parade to show our patriotism and gratitude. Eating yummy summer salads and desserts. Drinking refreshing cocktails on the pier. Viewing the fireworks at dusk in a sea of honking boats on the lake. The smell of suntan lotion, the sounds of boat engines puttering by, booming fireworks lasting late into the night, sights of neighbors trying to out do one another with the best show. It's the best.

This year, I am so happy to include Nina in our traditions. And while things may be different (earlier curfew, less cocktails - haha), I know it will only get better with her along. As a mother, I love nothing more than centering upon the honor I feel to be able to raise my little girl and along the way include her in our traditions while also making new memories.

I am a proud mama, wife, daughter and American. Life is good. Happy Fourth of July!