Sunday Dessert.

So, I made these little babies on Sunday night.

Here's How:

FIRST: Combine the peel and juice of one blood orange, a cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. After cooling, refrigerate mixture overnight.

SECOND: The following day, strain the peel from the syrup and measure out a 1/4 of the syrup. Set aside.

THIRD: Half one blood orange and scoop out the fruit, leaving only the 'shell' of the orange.

FOURTH: Toast 1/2 cup almonds.

FIFTH: Whip 2 cups of heavy cream with the measured 1/4 cup of syrup mixture, until forming stiff peaks.

SIXTH: Fill the orange 'shells' with mixture & top with almonds.

SEVENTH: ENJOY!

Notes: The instructions I gave differ from the actual recipe because I only wanted 2 servings for hubby and I, instead of the recipe's yielding of 4 servings.

I followed this how-to for toasting the almonds.

xoxo,
Heather

Egg Cream Recipe.

Without further ado, here is my egg cream recipe.

I used my Junior's glass to measure this all out tonight, so I could let you all know. :)

You need:
A bigger type drinking glass, like a Pilsner.
Milk (I used Horizon Fat Free Organic milk, because that's what I drink. :))
Chocolate, Strawberry, or other flavored syrup (I have only used chocolate, so far.)
Seltzer Water

FIRST: Measure 1/4 cup of syrup, pour in glass.

SECOND: Measure 1/4 cup of milk, pour on top of syrup in glass.

THIRD: Fill the rest of glass with Seltzer water.

FOURTH: Use a thick straw to stir and drink.

FIFTH: ENJOY!

I also determined the calorie count in my egg cream, using regular Hershey's chocolate syrup and my fat free milk.

200 calories for the syrup used
22.5 for the milk used
0 for the Seltzer

222.5 calories for this sweet treat.

xoxo,
Heather

Soup & Sammies..

Tonight was a grown-up grilled cheese and homemade onion soup, topped with provolone cheese night.

And, boy, was it good!

Tomorrow? More winter weather. I am less than thrilled, so to 'brighten' my day when there isn't much sun..I am painting my nails HOT pink! I love hot pink nails, every time I look at them, I can't help but smile!

xoxo,
Heather

My First Award! :)

I got my first blogger award!

And, it is from one of my closest friends in the world! What an honor! Thank you my sweet ITB friend! I can wait until we take DC by storm in a couple of weeks!

Yay!

A little history: I started this blog because I love reading blogs and sharing stories and my photos. It is also an easy way for friends and family back home to keep up with our life!

With this award, I am supposed to tell you seven things about myself. So, here goes:

1. I LOVE Texas! I miss it everyday. I miss my small town. I miss my friends and family. I miss listening to Texas Country music, in Texas! I miss Blue Bell ice cream! I miss the beautiful land. I miss the weather. To be honest, there isn't a lot I DON'T miss about Texas. As my wonderful friend Natalie commented when I told her I have been nostalgic for Texas lately, 'Texas has a lot to be nostalgic for.' I completely agree.

I recently bought this necklace in sterling silver, and love rocking it around DC, and it always reminds me of where home is and where a part of my heart will always be.

2. My Dad's death is something I will never get over. I miss him everyday. I miss him on good days and bad. I am sad about everything he has missed and will miss. His death has taught me to relish and enjoy every single day and take nothing for granted.

3. I love shopping at Ross and Marshalls. I love going in and finding a gem and giving it a home at my house. :) Shopping at these stores has made me very frugal in certain areas. For instance, I really have to love something to pay over 12 dollars for any type of shirt or 20 dollars for a pair of jeans.

However, I make up for this 'saving' of money in purses, shoes, and other random items.

4. I am a photographer. Photographers are artists. You don't tell an artist you don't 'get' their art. You don't have to. People view the world in all different ways, and it takes all of us to make it what it is. :)

5. I love, love, love fashion. I am finally finding my own style. I love looking through magazines or browsing blogs and seeing how people pair things. I love seeing a person's personality through the things they wear. I have a 'look book' to reference for ideas I want to try or how to pair things.

That said, I am a Texan through and through, so sometimes you will find me in cowboy boots, jeans and a sweatshirt/t shirt, and that's okay, too.

6. I love baking and cooking. I try harder things, just to see if I can manage them. Surprisingly, I have found, there is nothing I haven't been able to tackle. It's really exciting!

7. In the last year, I have been to the hospital more times for myself than in the past 20 years combined. (Which means, I went more in my first 4ish years.)

And, I now award and tag:

Hannah from [That Officer's] Wife

Mrs. Southern Bride

Britt from Whimsy

&

Guitar Hero's Princess from A "Cheery" Disposition.

xoxo,
Heather

Sunday Egg Creams..

Jason and I used the glasses he brought me back from his trip to NYC, tonight. Homemade egg creams are so easy with these little glasses. :)

xoxo,
Heather

A Murphy's Saturday Night..

Jason and I spent our evening enjoying company of a friend, listening to Ceann, and of course, having some delicious food.

I ordered a special for the first time. Duck with a cherry demi sauce with rice and veggies. So good!

It was a wonderful evening.

xoxo,
Heather

You know how to make me smile. :)

How well does my husband know me? :)

My surprises from his trip down to Maxwell AFB, Alabama were a yummy cupcake from the USO Lounge at the airport in Charlotte, NC. Most of the food they have there, is donated from a nearby culinary school, so, though the cupcake make look a little cheesy with the way the frosting is done, it was one of the best cupcakes I have ever had. And, believe me, I have had more than a few. :)

AND--he brought me back some blood oranges! I discovered these delicious oranges when we visited Natalie, the kiddos and her parents in Florida, in December. I love them, and the oranges they sent us back to DC with. :)

I love you, husband. I am so glad you know what makes me smile.

xoxo,
Heather

Frame Fun!

How fun are these frames?

I made these tonight at Serena's.

Wanna know how? Okay, I'll tell you. :)

You'll need:

a wooden frame
scrapbook paper of your choice
brown paint
Modge Podge

1. Trace your paper around frame and cut out center.

2. "Stain" your frame with brown paint diluted a bit with water. (It is really only neccessary to "stain" the back and sides of frame, since your paper will cover the front of frame.)

3. Let frame dry.

4. When frame is dry, brush Modge Podge on front of frame (unstained side). As well as the sides and inside of photo area.

5. Place fitted and cut paper on frame and press down to stick to Modge Podge.

6. Brush Modge Podge over paper on frame.

7. Let dry.

8. Fill with cute photo and hang.

Have fun!

xoxo,
Heather

..Bags are packed, I'm ready to go..

Right now, this is how I feel.

Not that it's a bad thing.

I am just anxious.

I want to know where we are going.

I want to know when we are going.

I want to know how we are going. Via plane or car?

I just want to know something.

But, I know, we are where God wants us to be. I am just excited about the next step! I know where we go, is exactly where we are supposed to go and when we are supposed to go. Until then, I know there are reasons for us being here. And, because of that, I relish in all the time we have left and all the wonderful people we have had the blessing to get to know and love. And, we will continue enjoying all the wonderful things we are and have been blessed with, living in this place. :)

xoxo, Heather

photo via here.

Roman Holiday

I just watched 'Roman Holiday' for the first time, all the way through.

A few interesting things:

The film was filmed in black and white, so that the actors (Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck) would not be upstaged by the city's (Rome) romantic setting.

It was the first American film to be made in its entirety in Italy.

The Embassy Ball sequence featured real Italian nobility, who all donated their salaries to charity. The reporters at the end of the film were real too.

Audrey's name she was christened with was Audrey Kathleen Ruston (her Mother changed it, during the war, to Edda, fearing that "Audrey" might indicate her British roots too strongly). Hepburn comes from her father finding records of Hepburn being a family name, causing him to add it to his name. This caused Audrey to have to legally add Hepburn to her name, as well, making her name Audrey Kathleen Hepburn-Ruston.

Ruston is also the name of the city in which Jason (Mr. Uniform) attended college at Louisiana Tech University. And, where our first home was.

[All above information from IMDB.com]


Gregory Peck is very handsome.

I love Audrey Hepburn!

I absolutely cannot wait to get over to Europe!

Heather's Funnies..

Just a couple of funny stories.

Background: Husband and I, fancy restaurant, about to order dessert. Me: lightweight, especially after not having anything to eat or drink all day, before going to dinner.

Waiter: Have you decided on dessert?

Husband: I think so.
He looks at me and says, go ahead.

Me: I would like the banilla..

Wait, what?! What is banilla? I was trying to order the banana creme brulee tart and somehow banilla (a mix between vanilla and banana, apparently..) came out of my mouth. This, after getting a bit of my drink on my new sweater. Ah, he can dress me up, but taking me out? Not so much. :)

And, today.

So, for a couple of months, I have been using a natural toothpaste. It is made with anise and is very strong when brushing.

Husband: Did you brush your teeth today?
Me: Well, yes, of course I brushed my teeth today. Why? Does my breath not smell like I did?
Husband: No.
Me: Really?
Husband: I am serious. (Laughing, as he says this.)
Me: I need to know if you are really serious right now, this is really important. I need to know if I have been smelling people out with my breath since I started using this toothpaste.

Well folks, apparently I have. Crest, I am coming back to you. Apparently, Nature's Gate toothpaste just ain't cuttin' it.

Wow.

xoxo,
Heather

February Fourteen (or rather, Thirteen)..

My Saturday evening was full of Valentine's surprises! :)

Jason wouldn't tell me what he had planned for us for Valentine's Day, so I was completely clueless as to what we were doing or where we were going.

I was told I needed to wear a dress. And, that I needed to bring my Metrocard. So begun our evening...

We hopped on the Metro and got off at the Navy Memorial/Archives stop. It was sooo cold! The snow is still hanging around, and we are getting a little bit more tomorrow. Anyway, we ended up at 701, a sweet little restaurant just outside of the subway station.

We were a bit early, so we sat at the bar and had a little pre-dinner beverage. :) I ordered a blood orange martini and Jason a gin and tonic. So, we sipped on our drinks and enjoyed each others company. After our drinks, we got seated and looked over their menu, which was chock full of total deliciousness!

I decided on potato ravioli with cheddar, scallions, malt vinegar onions, sour cream and a poached egg, with a blackberry lime fizz to drink, along with water. And, Jason chose seared duck breast with sweet potato, cranberry, sauteed spinach, and orange-balsamic reduction. (Jason and I don't go out for fancy dinners often, we normally end up at Murphy's for some Irish grub, song and beverages. :) So, this was a nice little treat for each of us.) We really enjoyed our dinner and the bread that we got pre-meal. Then came time to decide ondessert. And, if you know me, I am all about desserts! I ordered a banana creme brulee tart with a cappuccino. I had no words, except for 'wow'! Jason had waffles with apple and raisin compote with a maple custard. (His was really good, too. Oh, of course I tried his! :))

Between dinner and dessert, Jason gave me a sweet Valentine's card with another gift inside. Tickets to see the Off-Broadway version of Grease at the National Theatre, following dinner! I was so surprised and very excited!

When our waiter brought our check, he also brought mini raspberry French macarons. Which is kind of funny, because macarons have been all I have talked about for the last couple of weeks, because I wanted to try some. We had no idea that they would serve the mini macarons as a sort of 'after dinner mint' without the mint. :)

A few VERY cold blocks later, we got into the theatre and ready for the show. It was a great show! Taylor Hicks and Ace Young were stars in the show. Taylor as Teen Angel and Ace as good ole Danny. Taylor sang 'Beauty School Drop-Out' and put his own spin on it, by playing a little harmonica! Amazing!

Post-show, Taylor met fans and signed autographs, and Jason and I took advantage of that. ;)

Here is a photo of the three of us.



I hope your Valentine's Day was lovely and you were blessed. :)

xoxo,
Heather

Texas on my Mind..

I woke up this morning,
with Texas on my mind,
thinking about my friends there..

[Pat Green, Texas on my Mind]



My Maya Brenner Texas necklace came in, today! I have been searching for a sterling silver Texas necklace to wear for a while, that way I can wear it and show my state pride. :)

I did have Texas on my mind today...I was listening to some good 'ole Texas Country and dreaming of my next trip home. I sure do miss it!

I miss Ochoa's Mexican food restaurant [mostly their hot sauce.] I crave it, regularly.

I miss beautiful, scenic back roads.

I miss going to see Madre at work.

Even though it is so hard, I miss being in a place with so many memories of my Dad.

I miss taking sister to Wal-Mart.

I miss Grey's Thursdays with Mel.

I miss dinner with Grandma and Granddaddy.

I miss Wal-Mart SUPERCENTER. We don't have those here.

I miss listening to Texas Country in the place the songs were written.

I miss Blue Bell ice cream! Homemade vanilla, alone. Or, in a Coca-Cola float.

I miss the REAL small town feel. Which is actually kind of funny, because my whole life, I wanted to leave, now I wish I could be there more often.

I miss movies and shopping with Madre.

I miss seeing friends and having dinner and drinks, shopping, working-out together, & just doing things that other people take for granted. Being able to call someone and see them within 30 minutes, and just doing silly things, like late night food runs or Wal-Mart time.

I miss fun photoshoots and time with Stacey.

I just miss it ALL.

I miss you ALL.

BUT...it won't be long and I will be back! Dates to follow, when we know something, anything, about a deployment for Jason, or if not that, a PCS. :)

Until then, take care of my favorite place in the world.

xoxo,
Heather

In the Merry Month of March

March,
I can't wait to see you. When you come, you are bringing many wonderful things.

HOPEFULLY, if not before, you will be bringing my Maya Brenner sterling silver Texas necklace
that I ordered a LONG while back.

You will bring this wonderful little lady.

And, a visit with crazy Miss Chris.

You bring dinners at Murphy's with the ladies & a St. Patrick's Day dinner.

Guinness cupcakes.

St Patrick's Day Parade and festivities in DC.

Alexandria's St Patrick's Day Parade.

A trip to NYC!

The start of the Cherry Blossom Festival.

Sunnier, warmer days (at least no more 20+ inches of snow!)

Cute little dresses, even if the weather still warrants sweaters and jackets, and of course, it will.


OH! And, I almost forgot, my 24th BIRTHDAY!

Please hurry March! I am so anxious I don't know if I can make it!

Thanks,
Heather

Streets of New York

A few reasons I can't wait until Chris' FIRST trip to NYC, my SECOND, and Jason's THIRD trip to NYC.


I can't wait to

see the city from this view

eat a Hummingbird cupcake from Magnolia Bakery

egg cream from Junior's

see the lights of Times Square

browse at Tiffany & Co

eat Belgian waffles from this traveling kitchen

shopping on 5th Ave

ride the Cyclone at Coney Island and have a Nathan's hot dog

walk, run or skip across the Brooklyn Bridge (and take a few pictures, of course)

look at fun toys at FAO

take a walk in Central Park

have cannoli in Little Italy

eat Dim Sum in Chinatown

go up and down the wooden escalators at Macy's

visit Grand Central and New York Public Library

have a frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity 3

AND, to take tons upon tons of photos!

AND, enjoy the surprises I have a feeling Jason has in store. :)

xoxo,
Heather

It's A Whole New World..

Perhaps it is the fact I have not left my house since last weekend, or just because I wanted a change..

MY BLOG HAS A WHOLE NEW LOOK!

I really love it. I had fun making all the fun little graphics.

I also started a photography blog to showcase my work, that will be unveiled along with my photography site, hopefully in the next couple of weeks. In addition to that, I am starting a recipe and cooking blog, because I love finding and cooking new things, and I thought some of you might be interested as well.

That's all for now. Enjoy!

xoxo,

Heather

Snowpocalypse?

If you don't know about all the snow we have been getting, you've been living under a rock! ;)

They are calling all the snow the Northeast has been getting 'Snowpocalypse.'

All I know is, this is the most snow this little Texan has EVER seen!

Here are some fun photos from today.

xoxo,
Heather

Hello, Gorgeous!

We booked our rooms, for New York, today!

Here is where we are staying.

I can't wait!

xoxo,
Heather

Happy Birthday, Husband!

Birthday boy!

I spent today preparing a special evening for Jason's birthday. :)

I decided a couple of weeks ago to do a Disney themed evening. We had such a wonderful time at Disney World, that it was only fitting. :) I found recipes from different restaurants at Walt Disney World, that I decided to make for his birthday dinner.

The Menu:

Pepper Pot Pork
from Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Sweet Bread with Macadamia Honey Butter
from Kona Cafe at Disney's Polynesian Resort

Peanut Butter Rice
from Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge

Guinness Cake
from Rose and Crown at Epcot's World Showcase.

I also made little cards with hints on them, for Jason to find Hidden Mickeys. I made a homemade 'Happy Birthday' banner out of Mickey heads. And, played some Disney tunes. :)

Here are some photos of our evening. :)

Pepper Pot Pork.


Peanut Butter Rice.

Sweet bread with Macadamia Honey Butter.


Sweet treats from Natalie, Joe, and the kids. :) Yummm! There are peppermint iced brownies and chocolate-cherry brownies. Both are AMAZING!

xoxo,
Heather