Just 5 More Minutes

Santa is coming and soon.

It’s hard for me to believe his arrival is only one week away.

“Should we go for one night or for two?” Hubby asks me over dinner the other night.

“I’m Sorry?” I asked . . . not understanding .

And then it all comes back to me — we had discussed taking a ski trip to the mountain pass with our Airstream that I had completely forgotten about. The trip was planned right in the middle of this upcoming week. This week when I was supposed to be getting my act together and getting everything ready for Christmas.

{ which I wasn’t }

At that moment, both of my boys sat there looking at me, forks down, with their questioning eyes waiting for what I will say. It was very obvious I had forgotten and it was very obvious they were excited to go.

All of a sudden my mind starts to fill with panic. There is so much that needs to be done and now a trip in the middle? Luckily the next day was Sunday and it dawned on me that I would be able to have it all to myself to begin to (finally) prepare for Christmas.

I spent the entire day baking shortbread cookies in the Airstream and making simple gift tags all while listening to the *plink, plink, plink* of the rain drops falling on the aluminum roof.

It was a nice cozy day in the Airstream and I was very thankful for the peaceful moments I was able to have. After the recent passing of our beloved dog “Buddy,” who was with us for 12+ years to the passing of B’s special mouse “Moose” who also decided it was his time to go — to the horrible news from Oregon to Connecticut, it felt good for a moment to have my mind somewhere else.

“Home Made” Cookie Stamp

Here are the shortbread cookies (that slid to one side of the skillet due to my Airstream not being level – really had me fooled for a minute!) that I eventually filled with white chocolate ganache and then rolled in miniature chocolate chips.

Tis’ the season ♥

While they were baking away I made some gift tags using my Instagram photos (copy and paste from “statigr.am” into Word and then printed and cut out) and some fun decorative road map, polka dot and film tape I found at my local craft store.

I’m pretty sure Grams and Gramps will love these tags XOXO

This is where we will be spending our weekends coming up. Hopefully the RV parking lot won’t be this crowded but if it’s a great powder day, I wouldn’t be surprised! I will admit, it’s kind of fun to be camped this way (not so much leaving though….)

Here we were two years ago. Looking forward to new memories with our new Airstream.

Sending love and hugs to you all, my friends xoxo

Happy Holidays!

Shortbread Recipe
White Chocolate Ganache

Rest In Peace Our Sweet Buddy. 6/21/2000 – 12/7/2012

“How many more days until we go zipping mommy?” B asked

Over and over, every day this question came from him.

Finally I was able to tell him that today was the day!

“Yaaaaaaaay!”

I will admit it, I was nervous. Heights are not something I am fond of. As a matter of fact, I am quite terrified of them.

But do you want to know something? It was AWESOME. Thank you Zip San Juan for the memories and the most exhilarating experience. Ever.

Our day started off with a very fulfilling breakfast complete with soft boiled eggs the way B loves to enjoy them.

“I’m so full mommy.”

Perfect — now it was time to go and catch our ferry. We were “walk on passengers” this morning en-route from Orcas Island to San Juan Island where Bryan of Zip San Juan was waiting for us near the ferry landing.

“Let’s go!”

~ We were walk on passengers. A nice change of pace.

~ Megan, Bryan and Candace — our awesome, funny and “make you feel comfortable” guides :)

~ This was the last line in the zip line series. It was the “slowest” line of them all :)

~ A stewed berry dessert prepared in my Airstream kitchen for dessert that evening

After our Zip Lining experience we headed back to the ferry, but not before stopping by to say hello to Popeye down at the Friday Harbor marina.

~ Popeye, the local resident harbor seal. She will capture your heart, forever.

~ Here in the Friday Harbor marina you can take a leisurely stroll and pick out your dream boat. Which one would you choose?

~ Grilled tender lamb chops with rosemary buttermilk dipping sauce (I omitted the mayo and used non-fat Greek yogurt in place). Basil oil vinaigrette (minus the chili) for the thinly sliced potatoes and red onion salad. This was a dinner to celebrate our incredible day.

~ Home Sweet Home – West Beach Resort, Orcas Island.

Strawberry Clafoutis fresh out of the Airstream's oven

It was hubby’s last weekend teaching skiing at Alpental. I can’t believe how quickly the time has gone. It just seemed like the winter activities were just beginning and now, here we are, entering the Spring season.

Is it me or is time just going faster and faster these days? I don’t know . . .

For three consecutive months, every weekend (except when we were gone on our Big Red Cat trip) we would bring the Airstream here so hubby could teach and B could ski. This was going to be our last night.

Since it was going to be our last night I decided to make a nice dessert. A Clafoutis to be specific. This was going to be a great recipe to celebrate the beautiful eggs I was given from some really special friends of mine.

These eggs are so special to me. Why? You see, I have known these lovely little “First” ladies for quite some time now.Jackie, Barbara and Ladybird are their given names :) My friends know how special these eggs are to me also as they decorated the egg carton for me in such a beautiful way.

That was very special.

As the boys went about their day, I went about mine happily baking away with this view out of my kitchen window.

Alpental, Snoqualmie Pass

The clafoutis was delicious. It was my first I had made ever and I will absolutely be making it again.

As we woke up the next morning, we had a choice to head straight home, or to take a trip into the country and see how things were coming along at our little cabin.

“I vote for the cabin,” I said.

“Me toooooooo mommy!” declared B from his bed — and I thought he was still asleep! My mother was right, children are always listening when you think they are not. Hah!

Roslyn, Washington

Wow, the snow is gone and Spring is definitely here.

That is our little cabin you see. We don’t sleep in it, but a very, very long time ago a family once did sleep in it. It was their home. It is on my list to try and figure out exactly who this family was, I think it would be very interesting to share what I find out with B. I do understand it was built in the 1800′s but that is it.

Fiddler's Green Forever :)

Spring was most definitely in the air. I could smell it — the sweet yet earthy scent of the ground coming alive. I was truly at that moment excited and ready for the warmer weather ahead.

Pasture in Roslyn, WA

As we walked around and checked on things I was full of inspiration. How I would love to start a garden here and how wonderful it is going to be spending lazy summer nights under the stars listening to the chirping of the crickets.

There are so many crickets here in summer.

I was also thinking about my most amazing night I had attending Amanda Hesser’s lecture at Benaroya Hall. What an inspiration she is to me and for her to think my site is “Fabulous,” and then write about it? I felt so happy and so honored.

This recipe that I prepared on the Airstream in “The Tiniest Kitchen,” is from the New York Times of which Amanda was a food writer for (in addition to many other amazing endeavors). I accidentally used three eggs instead of two, but it still turned out delicious.

For you my readers, a Strawberry Clafoutis :)

Clafoutis with Strawberries

Summertime has officially arrived and not a moment too soon. High’s were in the mid 80′s that afternoon and I have been itching to make a frozen concoction in my ice cream maker that hasn’t seen the light of day since last summer.

While the boys were out fishing, I prepared this incredibly simple recipe of vanilla frozen yogurt. I’ve been wondering how this recipe would turn out and well, it was delicious! Sweet and creamy with a bit of tang.

If you do happen to make this, I would love to know what you think.

homemade Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

After a chilly day of skiing up at Alpental, this Mexican hot chocolate warmed hubby and I right up and took no time to make.

I’ve never made hot chocolate this way before using a solid block of chocolate, but I can tell you, once you make it this way, you will always want to make it this way. It was really rich and delicious! The added amaretto and dark rum weren’t too bad of an addition either, lol. I did find it to be on the sweet side but since I did not sweeten the whipped cream, it really balanced out very well. Even hubby approved (and he’s not a big sweet tooth kinda guy).

A Zip Lining Adventure with Zip San Juan

A Spring Strawberry Clafoutis and a Trip to the Country

Vanilla Frozen Yogurt and a Warm Summer Day

Mexican Spiked (or not) Hot Chocolate