mary - senior pictures

I am so excited to share some images from my very first photo shoot!  Last Friday I took pictures of Mary, a friend from church.  She is graduating from highschool and wanted some special pictures that she couldn't get from Sears.  After being extremely honoured to be asked, my mind went into creative mode thinking of  fun things I could do with Mary.  I was thrilled to find her totally game for our 3 hour photo shoot.

We started things off in her bedroom.  I love the casual feeling of this picture.  Also love the cross in the background of the shot.  An important momento for Mary.

Mary is a phenomenal musician.  She's off to university to study piano performance and will blow everyone's socks off when she gets there.  Of course we had to get some shots with the beautiful piano.  I'm having a hard time deciding which one I love best.

I think this one. 

Our last stop.  A grassy area by Mary's house.  I like this one because it was a rare moment to pause during our time together.  The light was also beautiful.

Mary was open to anything.  Even laying down on the grass.  I got her to sit in one spot and then realized I had just made her sit under a mulberry tree.  Mary was still a trooper!  Gotta love her for sticking with me and not be phased by all the berry stains on her skirt.

The only thing I was nervous about was taking pictures of someone wearing glasses.  I don't know why I even worried.  Mary kept reassuring me that she was used to glare in her glasses and didn't mind this at all.  This was exactly what I needed.  It allowed me to see the beauty of an image even with glare. 

Probably my favorite.

This one is at the top of my list too.

I love how this picture just happened for me.  I was planning on getting a side profile shot of Mary facing the setting sun.  As I looked around I saw the beautiful shadow on the grass.

  

I came knowing that I wanted some shots of Mary throwing confetti.  I was waiting till the end when the sun was just on the horizon.  Unfortunately clouds took away the pretty warm sun we had for the previous shots.  But I still love how they turned out.

Thank you Mary for giving me this opportunity to capture your energy, your talent, your beauty!  

piano recital

Abigail had her first piano recital yesterday evening.  It was held at the pavillion in our local park.  Such a pretty venue - windows on both sides of the building.  Of course I had to take some pictures before things got started.  Thank you Abigail for always being willing to get your picture taken.

We were one of the first there which was perfect for getting the best seat for taking pictures but not so good when having to wait.  

Abigail performed "Spooks".  She was nervous before playing but was so confident in her playing you'd never know.  

This shot is extremely overexposed (I tried fixing it up) but I love the look of how pleased she is with her performance.

Before heading home I got a few pictures of her outside.  This one is my favorite.  Hmm...do you think we have a future performer in the family?

strawberry lemonade

My family came over to celebrate Father's Day.  Unfortunately, I wasn't in the mood for taking pictures.  Frankly, I was too busy preparing food and watching the soccer match.  But I did remember to get a few photos of two new recipes that I tried.   I've always wanted to make homemade lemonade and found a great strawberry version to try.  I had a quart of slightly overripe berries which were perfect for this drink.

Thanks to my sister Christine for being a willing model for my photos!

Strawberry Lemonade - adapted from Canadian Living website

2 1/2 cups hulled strawberries (overripe strawberries are perfect!)
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (5-8 lemons)
1 cup granulated sugar
4 cups water
4 cups ice cubes

In a food processor, puree strawberries.

In a large saucepan, combine pureed strawberries, lemon juice and sugar.  Simmer over medium low heat for 3 minutes.  Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth, pressing out liquid.  Let syrup cool.  (This step can be made ahead.)

In a serving pitcher, combine syrup and water.  Stir in ice to chill.

crash hot potatoes and the making of supper

I'm pretty organized when it comes to menu planning.  Before I go grocery shopping I sit with the grocery store flyer and plan what is for supper for the week.  I'll usually need to do one extra trip during the week to pick up something I forgot or ran out of.  My planning always changes when our weekly local food pick up comes around but my picks are always based around what meals I plan to make.  This method, one that I think a number of us use or aspire to use, is foreign to many people living in other countries.  First off, they don't have fridges to keep food for a whole week or two.  They have wonderful markets, bakeries and specialty shops right in their neighbourhoods.  Doesn't this sound romantic?  And fresh!  Most of us in North America do not buy food this way.  We're too busy working and living in suburbs.

But I had a taste of this last Sunday when I took Abigail to visit Herrle's, a local farm market in Waterloo.  I didn't know what I was going to make for supper and let myself decide based on what looked fresh and delicious (most of it!).  Here's what I bought.

All local.  All fresh.  All tasty.

Nathaniel was on board to help shuck the peas.  He also loves "cracking" the asparagus.  I told him that it was actually called snapping off the ends.  He looked at me, giggled and said "that's silly."

I also purchased some sausage for all the carnivores in my family.  Also local.

I  bought some white potatoes (US grown) to make crash hot potatoes.  Here's the recipe.

Bring a pot of salted water to boil.  Cook your potatoes until fork tender.

On a sheet pan generously drizzle olive oil.  Place tender potatoes on the sheet pan leaving plenty of room between the potatoes.  With a potato masher, gently press down on each potato until it slightly mashes.  Rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again.

Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.  Sprinkle each potato with kosher salt, pepper and chopped herbs (thyme, rosemary, chives, whatever you like).  Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. 

Enjoy.

This was Andrew's plate.  What a great husband for letting me take his plate outside for a quick photo!  The veggies were quickly sauteed with olive oil, butter, salt and pepper.  As a quick protein for me, I fried an egg and enjoyed this over top of the potatoes and veggies.  Yum!

Crash Hot Potatoes - from the Pioneer Woman Cooks

 Ingredients

• 12 whole New Potatoes (or Other Small Round Potatoes)
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt To Taste
• Black Pepper To Taste
• Rosemary (or Other Herbs Of Choice) To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender.

On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.

With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.

Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh chopped rosemary (or chives or thyme or whatever herb you have available.)

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. 

my new project update

It has been a week.  7 full days.  After day 4 I was trying to remember how I did this with 2 other children.  How did I persevere?  How long did it take them to finally get it?  How many hours in a day can I spend sitting beside Jesse on the potty while reading books?  My patience was definitely fading.  I wanted to be able to go out without the fear of an accident.  Jesse was showing no sign of knowing when he needed to go.  Zero.  Then came day 5.  And something clicked.  (Insert singing angels.)  Jesse had a great day with actually sitting on the potty and going a number of times during the day.  Previous days looked like one successful potty sitting and lots of wet underwear and pants on my radiator.  By the afternoon he actually initiated needing to go pee.  And there have been no accidents (of the wet kind) since.  We've had to sweeten the deal for more serious potty contributions (yes, we had to pull out the ice cream bribe).  So far Jesse hasn't had any ice cream.  But I'd say that this project is going along just as planned.  I couldn't be happier!

favour

What is everyone reading right now?  Did you just finish a great book?  With summer almost here I feel the need to get myself some great reads to get me through the next few months.  Have any great books to recommend?  I would love it if you would leave a comment with some great book titles.  I would really appreciate it.

And since I love having something new to look at, here are some pictures that I never got around to blogging about.  Just another morning of getting muddy for my Jesse.  I really love the one where he is squinting.  He's started doing that recently.  Especially when he is thinking about something.

tomato sauce with onion and butter

Wow, another post.  That's four in a row.  I guess I'm making up for my bad blogging last week.
I felt it was time for another recipe and wanted to share what I made last night for supper.  This is a simple and pure tomato sauce from a great cookbook, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan.  This is one of those cookbooks that often gets listed as a favorite and must have for any kitchen.  I personally love this sauce because of its simplicity and ease to make.  But it is not a spunky, complex tasting tomato sauce, so don't expect that if you make it.  Frankly it was the perfect thing to make when I needed to be at Jesse's side all day (see previous post).  Plus, I haven't been able to go to the grocery store to pick up any groceries (also see previous post).

Here's what you need...  28 oz. can of plum tomatoes (San Marzano if you can get them), cut up, 5 tablespoons butter (I ended up using a bit less), 1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half, salt, 1 to 1 1/2 pounds pasta.

Put the canned tomatoes in a saucepan, add the butter, onion, and salt, and cook uncovered for a very slow, steady simmer for 45 minutes, 

or until the fat floats free from the tomato.  Stir from time to time, mashing any larger piece of tomato in the pan with the back of a wooden spoon.  Taste and correct for salt.  Discard the onion before tossing the sauce with pasta.

Serve with freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese.  (I happened to have some fresh boccoccini cheese, so chose to tear them up in small pieces, scattered them on the hot sauce and sprinkle with freshly chopped basil.   I'm not sure what Marcella Hazan would say about this, but I REALLY liked it this way.

Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter - from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan

2 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes or 28 oz. can imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juice
5 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half
salt
1 to 1 1/2 pounds pasta (spaghetti, penne or rigatoni are suggested)
freshly grated parmiagiano-reggiano cheese for the table

Put either the prepared fresh tomatoes or the canned in a saucepan, add the butter, onion, and salt, and cook uncovered at a very slow, but steady simmer for 45 minutes, or until the fat floats free from the tomato.  Stir from time to time, mashing any large piece of tomato in the pan with the back of a wooden spoon.  Taste and correct for salt.  Discard the onion before tossing the sauce with pasta.

my new project

I am a girl all about projects.  My photography class that just ended provided me with lots of projects to practice new skills behind the camera.  I am still going strong with my picture a day project for 2010.  Of course I'm behind on the journalling part, but my daily pictures are being captured.  Of course this blog is my ongoing project to document our lives in one convenient place.  (Total tangent here - I discovered a website that will make your blog into a book.  I am loving this idea as I don't have the time to scrapbook all the pages that I would like.  A book will keep these stories in one place that my kids will enjoy looking at in future years.  Plus no fear of losing my blog if it is accidentally deleted.)  My craft desk is usually covered with some kind of project to be worked on.  I have to say that it has been fairly clean during my photography course, but I hope to get working on stuff soon.  I don't even want to get started on my cooking projects, dreams of gardening projects, future renovation projects....But putting all this aside, I have only one focus these days.

Maybe it's just parents out there that will guess what's happening at our home.  Pants and underwear drying on the radiator.  Yes, Jesse is out of diapers.  The diapers were gone yesterday morning and we are in full on toilet training mode.  I have to remind myself that the first few days are the toughest.  I practically need to be at his side at all times.  If he isn't sitting on the potty with me reading him books (spent close to 2 hours doing that this morning), I need to make sure he isn't left to himself or else an accident is usually about to happen.
I really hope this project is completed soon!

three

We were prepping Jesse all week that he was turning three.  When he was asked how old he was turning he would always turn to me and ask "Mommy, how old me be?"  Three!!!

Now being able to show you are three is tricky for a three year old.

Sometimes you need some help from a grown up.

It is not easy.

I remember reflecting on Jesse's personality last year.  Go here to see his second year birthday post.  I wrote about his sunny and content personality as a baby and how he was still this way at age 2.  Well, I can still say this at age 3.  My sunny boy.

As if a trip to the fire station wasn't enough, Jesse also got cake and presents.

He was checking out his new truck puzzle.

Trying to see grandma.

Back to the puzzle.

Grandpa was showing him a card game he received.

And this gift came in a close second to the firestation trip.

He was ready to get down to work.

And this outfit hasn't had much of a rest since last weekend.  He and Nathaniel are almost always playing "workers".  This morning they dismantled and rebuilt a bridge in our family room.  I think we'll have to wait a few years before we build a new deck to fully utilize this fascination with tools and building.