Spending time with my nieces

This past week I had the pleasure of spending time with 2 of my nieces.

On Tuesday, I went on a field trip with my 4-year old niece and this weekend my 15-year old niece spent the weekend with us.

Sofia

She rode a horse.

We rode on a train.

She touched a cow and fed some cows.

She enjoyed a snow cone.

She picked out a pumpkin.

I'm so glad I was able to go on this field trip with her. We had a lot of fun!

Gabi

We had such a great time. We went out to eat, did some shopping, had snow cones, made pizza and played some board games & video games.

Dan taught her how to make pizza.

I think she did a great job!

She wanted canadian bacon and cheese.

She said it was better than some chain pizza joint. :-)

I'm so glad she still loves spending time with her Tia. :-)

I'm thankful for my family.

Garden Update: Japanese Sweet Potatoes

Remember when I blogged about this mess...the Sweet Potato Plant that took over our yard?

Well...

It produced!!!

We have Japanese Sweet Potatoes!

I love that we can see fruits, vegetables, and herbs grow in our backyard and we get to pick them ourselves.

It's so fascinating! :-)

Happy Halloween from our "kids" to you!

Garden Update: Eggplant

Here's the eggplant I blogged about a month ago.

Isn't it cute? :-)

Yeast Doughnuts

Warning: You may find yourself craving a doughnut after viewing these pics. :)

Dan has made cake doughnuts before and in June (yes I forgot to blog about them) he made yeast doughnuts for the first time.

Yeast doughnuts are my favorite. :)

He made the dough and let it rise.

Then he turns it out and rolls it out.

Here are the doughnuts all cut and ready for frying.

After they are fried he dips them in the glaze.

Make sure you get it all around the doughnut.

Some glazed doughnuts and doughnut holes.

He dips one side of the doughnut in chocolate.

Chocolate Iced and Glazed

Close up of the Chocolate Iced

Close up of the Glazed

Sooo do you want a doughnut now? I know I do. :)

Garden Update

June was my last garden update.
It's been a long, hot summer with very little rain and a lot of our vegetables/fruits didn't produce anything.
The seasons in Houston are not like other parts of the country. Summers are ridiculously hot, triple digits and high humidity. Fall is nice. Winters are pretty non-existent. We don't have those harsh winter temps so that helps our garden and we can grow a lot of things during that time.

We're finally seeing some things grow in our garden!

See our little eggplant?

This was our watermelon, but it didn't make it. :(

This is what your garden looks like when you grow Japanese Sweet Potatoes.
Dan swears he planted 6 plants...I don't know.

Okra plant. We can always grow okra.

Lime

It's Dan's Birthday!!!

It's the big 3-0 for my hubster!

I think 30 is going to be the year for all things great. :)

Wednesday night we had dinner at Reef with Dan's parents and brother.
We had yummy birthday drinks--Milkshakes "No Minors".

Wednesday night birthday dessert--Buttermilk Cheesecake

On Thursday, I made him a Key Lime Pie with graham cracker and hazelnut crust. Delicious!

On Friday, we went to Blue Bell Ice Cream (The Best Ice Cream In the Country) for the tour of the facility!
He wanted to go when he was little boy and I thought it would be a great 30th birthday treat.

This year was obviously the year of cookbooks!

Tonight we went out to dinner with my parents.
Dan wanted to go back to Fogo de Chao.

I can't believe I've celebrated 13 birthdays with this wonderful man!
Happy Birthday Hunny! Love you!

Once Upon A Time...

we were really young. :)

I had some pics scanned awhile back of me and Dan. I thought I'd share some with y'all.

Homecoming Game 1996

Homecoming Dance 1996

Our 1st Christmas (1996)

My high school graduation (1997)

Dan's Prom (1998)

Cozumel 1999

2000

My Birthday-2000

Aspen 2000

2001

House of Sweets

I seriously need to lay off the sweets, but it's sooo hard to do when Dan makes such great desserts.
I wish I had more friends that lived nearby so that I could give all of his creations away. That would help me a lot. :)

Vanilla Ice Cream w/Cherries and Chunks of Chocolate

Yummy Eclair

Dan's first try at a cherry clafoutis

Yogurt Custard Nectarine Tart

Delicious Peach Pie w/vanilla ice cream

Silly Bubba

See anything wrong with this picture?

How about now?

Poor Bear...the bed was upside down, but he make it work. :-)