Bits & Pieces
Summer Bucket List 2012 Update!
Summer Bucket List Item: Make pitcher drinks
Done! As you know I went to Mexico a few weeks ago. I brought back some duty free tequila. A nice blanco to make margaritas with. I made a whole pitcher for a Rick Bayless cookbook inspired dinner with some friends. My brother from another mother was in town- hadn't seen him in 3 yrs- and it was good times all around. I made my broke arse strawberry margaritas and even a watermelon drink. I love a good smashed fruit drink. I love them even more when there's been an herb muddled into the mix! Smash some fruit with a nice fresh herb and add the booze of your choice= AWESEOME SUMMER DRINK!Summer Bucket List Item: Take a family vacation
Summer Bucket List Item: Go to the beach
I was able to know off two things in one weekend! My family took a mini-vacation together! For the first time in a long time 5 generations of us got together somewhere that wasn't my PaPa's house. We rented a place in Michigan City, IN near Lake Michigan for a long weekend. I am now convinced this is the way to do things. We're already talking about doing it again next year. The weather didn't always cooperate but we all still had a great time making memories and spending quality time together. Be forewarned... the recap below can be so adorably Huxtable-esque that you may throw up in your mouth a little.
The beach house we rented.
My PaPa in front of said beach house.
The man-made beach. Lake Michigan was just down the street.
The fam! Back row (left to right): My nephew w/ his son, his fiance, my brother, his daughter w/ his youngest son, my niece w/ her daughter & my sister.
Front row (left to right): My sister, my mom, my nephew, & PaPa,
One night we had a fish fry.
My brother maned the kitchen so I got some time off.
The next morning I organized a pancake bar. The choose-your-own-mixers included: butterscotch chips, pecans, coconut, and chocolate chips. We ate all the blueberries the day before.
At some point I used the fresh multi-grain baguette and tomatoes from the market to make a panzanella salad... I roasted the tomatoes in balsamic vinegar first though.
Biggest let down? No charcoal grills on the beaches so we had to settle for oven s'mores.
I mixed it up and included some Reese's along with the classic option.
You can see Brandon helping hurrying the task along.
They were a hit! Amari loved his.
And a little food porn close-up to make you jealous if you weren't already.
Another afternoon my sister and I escaped to one of the local wineries for a tasting and a plate of fancy cheese. Gotta love that fancy cheese. Why does this snake never get old?
Because it's amazeballs. Oh the power of cheese for realz!
This is one of the many excursions to the beach we had.
Another wholesome fun family activity was our own version of cupcake wars. We split up into three teams. Each team had to enter 2 cupcakes. Each cupcake had to include one "Michigan ingredient." In the made dash to plate I couldn't find my camera so once my niece sends me her instagram photo of all the entries I'll include more info.
Aren't we adorable?! I think so. I hope we can make this happen again next year! Well, summer is winding down and I still have so many things left to do. Here's hoping I can cram a few more Bucket List activities in before it's apple season.
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