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Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts

Friday, December 2, 2011

pumpkin pumpkin pumpkin


I made these pumpkin muffins the night before Thanksgiving.  Even though at 10pm I decided that it was to late to make the apple pie I promised to bring (that would wait till the morning), I thought "there's plenty of time for muffins!  And they can be breakfast!  Now I have to make them!"

Muffins are actually really easy to make, and this recipe from Smitten Kitchen made such lovely fluffy, light muffins... I think I need to make them again...

Pumpkin Muffins
Adapted from the American club, in Kohler, Wisconsin via Gourmet Magazine
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15 ounce can)
1/3 cup vegetable oil*
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar**
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1) Put oven in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Put liners in muffin cups.
2) Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined.
3) Stir together cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in another bowl.
4) Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about three-fourths full), then sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake until puffed and golden brown and wooden pick or skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
5) Cool in pan on a rack five minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

the new ones in town

March 27, 2010
Isabella Eleanor Chrobak


May 9, 2010
Elwyn Ashton Park


Wednesday, January 6, 2010

ginger-bread

one of my favorite parts of this Christmas-
constructing the incredibly colorful, incredibly crowded, incredibly unstable gingerbread farmyard :)

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

fossil box

This weekend SJ was able to present his Dad with his long awaited and anticipated birthday present.... (drumroll please)... his fossil box!

SJ designed, scavenged and handmade this box exactly to his Dad's specifications.

Complete with moveable boxes inside to house the rocks!
Isn't it great?
My husband is very skilled :)

Thursday, November 12, 2009

early christmas

Got a very nice, very early Christmas surprise from CJ today :)
Ain't it purdy?

Monday, February 23, 2009

sophy

my honorary uncle Paul has a new puppy. a very cute little girl who now has the name of Sophy, after the word Philosophy, which is his study of choice.




She is 2 months old, very active, yet wise beyond her years.  Last night after getting her puppy jitters out I managed to get her to sit a few times, and then watched as she passed out to the classical music.

Monday, February 9, 2009

60s mom

I really like to look at my mom's high school yearbook

she went to a very artsy school where many students (like my mom) learned and lived

years later she found out that she was thought of as the 'mysterious' one 
(she missed this class photo)

I like this photo because it is taken with the wooden statue who has been mutilated to only have a middle finger...

the boys look very smart yet nonchalant...

... and the girls all have their individual 60s style

... and my mom is the beautiful mysterious one.

this is one of my mom's friends who now lives in London and who has had multiple lives

what a school, what a school

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

new year new start

this past year was crammed with lots of events, both happy and sad, but being back home in PA (I flew back on December 11) reminds me how many wonderful people are in my life, and it is a comfort to know they will be there for me as much as I will be there for them.  

I don't really believe in resolutions, just living your year as best as you can.  With that being said, 2009 should be filled with just as much as 2008.  Hopefully (for my friends' and family's sake) the events of this new year will be filled with happiness (and hopefully I can contribute to the happiness!!! but more of that to come later ;) ).

One thing that I do want to accomplish in 2009 is a road trip driving across America with SJ.  I really like these vintage postcards from different sights to see.  It would be fun to try and visit some of the same places and take a photo of what the views look like now.











Sunday, November 23, 2008

snow and questions


it snowed a bit this morning, the first snow of the season that I have witnessed :)

some nice news today as well ;)

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

more tuesday inspiration: mum




where I get my baking from


getting married in the dress she made

because I've been thinking about her a lot lately, and, well, she's beautiful and inspirational. love you Mom.

Monday, June 30, 2008

i'll take a quiet life

back in London. great weekend.

It took us 4 hours to get to Manchester from London, complete with moody conductors and train changes, but luckily we were whisked from the station and taken home where the smells of a grand home-cooked meal were already emanating.

Saturday night we went with SJ's Mom to see the new Narnia film, which I really enjoyed. Seeing it reminded me of reading to books when I was younger (and shyer) and imagining the possible fantasy world that I could live in. I was lucky enough to grow up in a magical landscape for a young girl with a wild imagination, and I would often pretend that the ruins of our barn were of an old civilization and that fauns and talking animals would emerge from our woods.

Sunday morning we woke up earlier to go off on a walk with SJ's Dad and girlfriend Martine. We ended up in Styal, a former cotton mill site surrounded by beautiful countryside.


vegetable garden in Styal


old cotton mill with water wheel


After a pub lunch (and praying for the rain to end) we went to see Radiohead at the LCCC! The weather finally cleared and the crowd was massive and really into everything.

Best songs: 2+2=5 and No Surprises for sure.
Best Radioheader: Thom Yorke (you can tell that he makes music he loves)
Best guest band: Bat For Lashes
Best non-music moment: SJ kicking a guy in the ribs after he tried to steal our "brolly" :)


Thom Yorke


Thom Yorke


Bat For Lashes (her clothes rocked as well, I want a sheer jacket)


A taste of the crowd


Now I'm back in London after a smooth train ride and catching up with everything. More updates later :)

P.S. Happy Canada Day

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