Small Group Trip

I had been looking forward to this year's Memorial Day Weekend for a really long time. This was our second time to Tessa and Andrew's family home on the Hood Canal. They graciously hosted our Bethany small group for what would be a pretty perfect weekend.

After work on Friday, we packed up our slippers, sweats, food for our designated meals, and headed to the Canal. On Saturday morning we filled our coffee cups and sat in one of the best places in the house--the large sitting room with huge windows that let the light spill in.



After breakfast we headed to the beach. Josh shucked oysters and we introduced baby Greta to baby crabs.




It was so fun to have the first baby of the group on the trip with us. Greta fits right in. :)


There was also a lot of wiffleball on Saturday. I tried out Jenny and Jeff's zoom lens (thanks for letting me borrow it guys) and had a great time capturing our days in the sun.

Each couple was assigned one meal to make. We also had a guys-make-dinner-night as well as a night where the girls were in charge. This is the way to go. Each meal is so carefully prepared and is bound to feature someone's favorite recipe.

There were so many highlights, funny moments, great conversations, and lots of playing with the baby time. On our last night we built a bonfire on the beach. Thank goodness Steve brought his headlamp.


Here is a little highlight video of our time at the Canal. :)

Scared. Awkward. Excited. "Normal."

Directions for a photo booth session according to Steve. We had a great weekend in California (can't wait to post more soon).

P.S. Jenny's photo booth set also made me smile today :)

10 on 10: May

Vacation in Mexico

Trudelle family video #2 - Mazatlan, Mexico - April 2011

Sharing

There are so many things I want to share. I want to share that we are back from an amazingly relaxing week in Mexico, but that I wore a ton of sunscreen, so it won't seem like I went at all. I want to share that it was beautiful yesterday in Seattle, and I managed to consume 3 of my favorite foods: a double shot latte, frozen yogurt (a new favorite), and pizza. I also want to share with you my deep happiness that today is Easter, and that perhaps more than ever, I am understanding the significance of this day, mostly because of what it means for my life...and for yours.

Music has transformational power. Sometimes I try to explain my faith myself, and it just doesn't come out right. But then, I hear a song and the lyrics are exactly how I am feeling, or the melody touches me and makes me feel deep happiness...or sadness.

I want to share a few of these songs with you. To me, they are what Easter is about. Faith. Love. And sharing this love with others.

10 on 10: April

A very happy day: breakfast with Steve, flashmobbing with Mckenzie, and dinner with my family (Robin's back to visit!)
See more 10 on 10 sets here!

Crispy Treats

When it comes to snacks, I always choose sweet over salty. Steve is the opposite. When I saw this recipe for salted brown butter crispy treats (ok fine, not a snack, but a dessert), it seemed like the best of both worlds. Pretty easy to make (although waiting for butter to brown, not burn, took some focus) and really yummy too. I chose to use a little bit less cereal so that they would be extra marshmallow-y. And since I know my husband likes salt, I sprinkled a little extra sea salt on top too.

Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats
via Smitten Kitchen
makes 16 2 inch squares

1 stick unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan
1 10-ounce bag of marshmallows
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) an 8-inch square cake pan.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do.

As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.

Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. Quickly spread into prepared pan. Let cool.