Technology and the love of Sisters!

I love technology....for a LOT of reasons.  I've always been an early adopter.  Palm pilot?  check.  Motorola StarTac early upgrade?  You bet!  iPad Original?  Got it.  Convert the house to all Apple devices?  Oh yea.

Let's face it.  There are some pretty amazing things we can do now with technology.  And even though I've always been an early adopter, I'm certain I no longer begin to scratch the surface as to the modern marvels available to a lay-person.

One of the top reasons I love technology???  It's ability to keep my family connected and simultaneously sharing our wicked sense of humor [at least you'll finally see, it's genetic!]  Last night, after a late work dinner in Columbus as we were walking back to the car, Sweet Sarah says, "well, your sisters are out of control again."

Why?, as I glance down at my phone and see 43....FORTY-THREE!!!! text messages.

so, dear readers....brace yourself.  And here's your fair warning:  you have to get our sick sense of humor to appreciate it.  

Here's the transcript, condensed to eliminate break in conversation but the play by play none-the-less [with my comments to help keep you up to speed....good luck!]


AMY:  Poison oak again! 

[NASTY!-- my comments, not included in texting] 

AMY:  Ugh. My doctor 

[MY BEAUTIFUL NIECE!  HOW CUTE!!!]

JULIE:  Your dr is adorable. Perhaps she should prescribe some leaf identification classes for you 

AMY: Got it from the goats. Was petting them! [Amy and her family have goats]

MOM:  Julie that is funny 

JULIE:  I am funny. Amy, as a mountain woman you need to find a way to build up some immunity to such ailments. Maybe quit shaving your legs or something. 

AMY [in her best southern pioneer accent]  Perhaps. Tis true , indeed to survive under these conditions it will be necessary for my body to build some immunities Of some nature... The prospect of this continuing indefinitely leaves me to wonder how it can be that I shall endure... I dug some roots to make a salve to which I applied to my skin but the fire ants took hold of my hind end and I now find myself with root sap on my front and fire ant bites on my rear...what a sight indeed... 

JULIE [not missing a beat]  Endure you shall. Wondering what next may come 

AMY:  For dinner because of my condition, we are having leftover biscuits with beans cooked in bacon fat leftover from last year 's hog...oh this wretched itch! 

MOM:  Caution is best exercised when gathering supplies 

JULIE:  Thus try a tincture made of nectar of the slithery vine from yonder, coupled with a salve made from the goats milk This shall ease your suffering 

AMY:  Tis true. I was in such a state of panicked itchiness that caution was left on the doorstep next to the bowl of milk fat I was making butter with. Oh dear... 

MOM:  WD 40 if you're a real mountain woman 

JULIE:  Best to send the young one to fetch more lest your husband come home to find you in such a state of disheveledness 

AMY:  I hope that the grasshoppers do not visit...the spring garden is in and our plans include slaughtering an animal of some sort... Oh yes...I must gather myself and put my britches on & not continue to wallow in suffering as I would hate for him to think I was wallowing with my britches off for any other reason! 

JULIE:  Well you better figure out the animal so you can get to raising the beast in time for the fall harvest Lest he is the one you are wallowing with I suppose 

AMY:  He already thinks the reverend Harlow visits too much. But I only have a heart for him on Saturday nights after his bath If he hasn't been pulling on the jug 

JULIE:  Blessed is he that has the opportunity to bathe at least one day per week in time for the lords day 

AMY:  Thanks be to God. We are so blessed to have a tub, barrels of corn pone, smoked meat in the smokehouse, flour & sugar, and a donkey [they do not have a donkey]

JULIE: You can thank god all you want but I know he's punishing you with that poison oak for all the things you've been brewing in that still up on that mountain. John boy has already written about it in for the Richmond paper [note the Walton's reference for those of you still following along!]

AMY:  A woman's got to make a livin...either a still or...I chose the still. Hell be damned John boy. Cookin hootch is better than usin your c----! I am a woman of The Lord! Thanks be to God! He gave me the recipe! [continuing now with the Walton's reference]

JULIE:  Oh I never heard such unladylike language in all my life You mountain women are all the same Uncouth 

AMY:  Well reverend Harlow doesn't think so! 

[enter stage right, just now getting caught up]  ME: Oh sisters sisters. Here I am trying to make something of myself. I've gone and left for the big city attending a function of the senior most Vice President in the state's capital city only to return and find such dreadful drivel of middle sister's sipping of the recipe and tempting the right reverend. Oh the delightment and hilarity of it all. Did it ever make my evening after being surrounded by such a serious nature of insuring lives and protecting others from life's unforeseen such as you have found yourself in a state dear little Amy.

JULIE:   YeS, littlest sister Holly, it is not looked upon fondly when you delight in the desparity of others. Especially, the likes of those birthed from the same mother of thyself


So....there you have it.  A brief glimpse into the wicked sense of humor of the Spann girls all shared over text messaging all because of poison oak.  And the only parts that are true????  The poison oak.  The Goats.  And my meeting.

I.  LOVE.  MY. SISTERS!

A Fun Surprise Date Night

Even though this was an easy one to plan, we had a GREAT time!

There's nothing better than a beautiful spring night and baseball.  

We went to see the Akron Aeros on a Friday night.  It was beautiful weather, great seats, bad-for-you food and rounded out with fireworks. 

Sweet Sarah gave it a thumbs up!

The view from our seats

Fireworks!!! 

And then there was one....

Within one week I have lost/broken two earrings.  Both times were discovered in that moment of quick reflection, "Oh Dear LORD!!!! I just sat in front of that person for the last hour with one DANGLY earring and one NAKED ear! Why didn't they say something?" I would've said something.  I mean, it's important.  This is an observation you should clearly share with someone who knows well enough that the David Bowie style long ago met its demise.  ---Unless, of course, that person is also wearing a banana clip, a braided in feather and a firenza v-neck sweater backwards...then by all means practice some self-restraint.  After all, where would you begin?  The single earring would NOT be priority in this conversation.

Mmmmmkay, back to me!  

Sometimes I wonder if I'm particularly harder on jewelry than others.  For instance, my white gold wedding band needs buffed/re-coated at twice the rate of Sweet Sarah's.  And I have an entire drawer full of single earring survivors who's partner jumped ship, broken chains that practice sailor's knots in the darkness of the armoire, and collected beads from bracelets that made their percussive debut on some poor soul's dinner table as an uninvited guest.   [I know, I know....if I were a true crafter I'd be on Pinterest inventing some cute bling to cha-ching badda-bing sellin' it on ebay somethin' somethin'. ]

Whaddya say readers?  Do you have drawers of single earrings?  

Does this belong in the lost sock category or is jewelry widow-maker something that stands on its own? 

Survival Race

My sister convinced us to sign up for this.....

Holy Cow!  Looks  like killer fun, no?

So, we've started this....

Yes, that's a potato on the couch!

It's totally feeding my competitive drive.  So, dear sister Julie....if you're reading this?  THIS IS YOUR WARNING.  I WILL BEAT YOU!  hugs!  <}

When words are not enough....

image: Huffington Post

I will come to you in the silence 
I will lift you from all your fear 
You will hear My voice 
I claim you as My choice 
Be still, and know I am near 

I am hope for all who are hopeless 
I am eyes for all who long to see 
In the shadows of the night, 
I will be your light 
Come and rest in Me 

Do not be afraid, I am with you 
I have called you each by name 
Come and follow Me 
I will bring you home 
I love you and you are mine 

I am strength for all the despairing 
Healing for the ones who dwell in shame 
All the blind will see, the lame will all run free 
And all will know My name 
-Hymn written by David Haas


Praying for all of those in the wake of this destruction.

Everything but the Kitchen Sink

We're coffee snobs.  Admittedly.  No, no, not those "our monthly budget includes a 401k distribution to support my grande, skinny, soy machiatto, no whip, extra foam, extra hot, with one packet of splenda, sprinkled not stirred, add a lid but don't seal it" kind of snobs.  [that's not snobbery, that's foolishness]  And besides that's not coffee, that's sugary burntness with a whisper of coffee [now that there?  that statement I just made.....THAT'S snobbery!]

Anywho, moving on.

We're coffee snobs in such a way that we make special trips to Trader Joe's to buy our coffee en bulk.  [nothing worse than running out of said coffee at The Drayer!]

Crack in a Can!!!!  Get you some!

 And we're coffee snobs in such a way that we have a ridiculously expensive coffee machine [yeah, kinda negates my rude comment above about the 401k distribution, huh?  well, don't judge.]

Mmmmmkay, back to me!

So a few weeks ago, just before going to bed I ran down to the basement to retrieve another can of crack, I mean coffee.  I immediately found myself standing on a wet basement floor.  [insert appropriate response here!]  It was 10:30 PM and that's really not what you want to find at that hour.  I quickly realized it was coming from the CEILING!

Now at this point you should know the kitchen faucet had been seeping water for quite some time.  You know the seep.....turn it on and it just ever so slowly weeps at the joint, runs down the handle and makes a puddle that constantly needs sopping up?  Yeah, that kind of seep.  One easy gasket replacement away from dry deck.

I open the cabinet doors below the sink and EVERYTHING was soaked.  Standing water beneath the sink.  SIGH.  I quickly realized that it wasn't the faucet that had taken another step towards its doom.  Alas, it was the RO System.  It was drip, drip, dripping very steadily from the inlet tube.

So, what's a girl to do but contort herself under the sink, turn her head ever so slightly to get past the garbage disposal and try and tighten the tiny little nut to make the dripping stop.  [Did I mention it was 10:30 PM?]

As SOON as my fingers touched the tubing it came losing, immediately releasing the five gallon reserve tank on me in a steady stream!  Nooooooo!!!!!!!!!  I ran downstairs to turn everything off, yelling at innocent Sweet Sarah the entire way down the stairs.  [I have NO idea what I was yelling.  She had no idea why she was being yelled at!]

I grabbed a wrench and once again forced myself passed the garbage disposal and under the sink.  Once I got under there I realized my arm was about three inches too short to actually be in a position to fix the problem.  I would need to remove the garbage disposal in order for me to get up in the cabinet.  [have I mentioned I'm claustrophobic?]

And then.......then.... I decided it was TOO late and I was TOO tired to start a plumbing project. Once we got everything dried up and fans blowing.....we went to bed.  I was headed out of town the next day for work and so this little project would have to wait.

But I do recall Sweet Sarah suggesting...."well, since you're going to pull the garbage disposal out, we might as well replace everything anyway, don't you think?"  [delivered with the ease of a woman who has years of plumbing installation projects under her belt.  Yes, she's sweet and no she doesn't have plumbing experience].  "I mean, we don't like the faucet, the sprayer isn't even mounted correctly, the garbage disposal is really on its last leg......don't you think it makes sense?" [delivered with the convincing tone of a woman with a professional sales career.  Yes, she's sweet and no she's not in sales.]

And now.....now you know where this story is going, right?

If you've been living in Northeast Ohio this past winter/spring, you know we haven't had the best of spring weather.  [just make a mental note of this as its a critical part of the story].  Also note, that I pretty much become a six year old when the weather is nice.......do NOT, I repeat, do NOT make me stay inside.  It's like grounding me.  Worse.....like, well I don't know what, but if the weather is nice I want to be OUTSIDE!!!!!  [Also, note....I always, and I mean always have a Spann Plan.  ALWAYS.]

Now at this point in the story I feel it's only fair to define my level of plumbing expertise.  I know enough to be handy around the house----replace a commode, fix a leak that's NOT behind a wall, I installed our RO system, etc.  But by absolutely no means could I get a job as a plumber in the event my sales gig falls through.  In other words, thanks to my father and some very good, kind and patient friends I know the basic rules of thumb of plumbing.

Fast forward to the first Saturday morning after the ROleakingintothebasement debacle.  The Spann Plan included:

• Breakfast on the way to Lowe's, no time to linger the forecast was calling for 75 and sunny!
• Lowe's
• Plumbing repair and installation
• FREEDOM to myrtle in the yard however I wanted!!!!!!  [FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST!!!!!]

We are at Lowe's by 8:15 AM, breakfast consumer and list in hand.

We buy a new faucet, matching RO faucet and a new garbage disposal.

We're home by 9:00 AM.

Garbage disposal removed by 9:45 [no, no.  settle down.  it didn't take that long to remove the garbage disposal....I had to gather tools, drink another cup of coffee and get set-up.  sheesh!  give me some credit!]

RO faucet removed.

Sprayer removed from sink.

Sweet Sarah opening new faucet box and preparing to move to next phase of project.

And then......THEN?????

Well, what ensued thereafter I have tried mostly to block from my memory....but I'll give you some of the highlights.

First.....remember the Spann Plan and the spring weather?  Yeah, well.....throw that out the window.  And extend the plumbing project to EIGHT full hours, SIX of which were spent on my back.  [four of which were spent losing my salvation in verbal assault of those who came before me below the sink!]  Add in FIVE trips to Ace Hardware and you have the makings of a nearly ruined Saturday.

So now you're getting the picture.  What should've been a 2 hour plumbing project on a Saturday morning, followed by a rewarding "I completed another project" lunch was not to be.

Somehow at sometime, someone place a wicked hex nut in a position that was a mechanical impossibility to remove.  Now......before you go judging me, take into account I brought over the next door neighbor who has restored his entire house on his own.  --"Well, ladies, I think you're screwed!"---a direct quote.  And consulted TWICE with the Ace Hardware Expert---on the second trip, upon showing him a picture on my cell phone of what I was working with...."Who the hell would do something like that?"

Let me show you.....

Here's my view.....See that little hex nut up there?   Yeah.
Also note the lack of space for any sort of tool to get leverage.

Once the neighbor relented that his machisimo alone wasn't going to fix his "neighbor ladies" problems I did what every home improvement person does when they get stuck......GOOGLE.

A basin wrench, that's what I needed.  Off I went to Ace, Sweet Sarah, as I was walking out the door, "You planned this didn't you?  Just so you could get a new tool."  Honey, if I were to get a new tool it would be something cool like a compound miter saw or back-ho or something.  Not a basin wrench.

Basin wrench purchased---I bought the biggest one they had.

Within seconds of folding myself back under the sink it become apparent the basin wrench was not going to work.  It was too small.  TOO SMALL??!!!!!  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  THIS CAN'T BE!!!!!!  IT'S 75 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND ALL I WANT TO DO IS GET THIS STUPID NUT OFF OF HERE!!!!!!!  [by the way, yelling tends to echo when you're under a cabinet]

Back to Ace I went.  That's when the friendly manager said, ""Who the hell would do something like that?"  Followed by, "You're going to have to cut it off."

This CLEARLY was not in the Spann Plan.

Upon returning home and seeing my furrowed brow and generally mad as a hornet's disposition, Sweet Sarah asked, "do we get to use the dremel yet?"  [at some point not too long ago I introduced her to the dremel.  Consequently, she believes deeply in her heart that every project should include some dremel work.]

"Yep it's time to dremel.  AND use the sawzall."


Oh, yes people.  The story has suddenly taken an interesting turn.....a dremel AND a sawzall!


Now I know what you're thinking, "Man, most women couldn't handle that."  Well, luckily, I'm not most women.  You may also be thinking, "Holly, you should've called. I know exactly how to fix that problem."  Well, again....I'm not most women.  Because you see, my friend?  Now, it's a competition.  Me versus the sink and I. WILL. WIN.

So here's how the rest of the story goes.....

Several cuts in to the nut.  And 16 cutting wheels, which Sweet Sarah dutifully replaced like a trained surgical assistant.  [one of the five trips to Ace included purchasing another package of cut-off wheels]  Note there are not any horizontal cuts.  Why?  Oh, well, because that would have been too easy for me to just move the dremel into a different position and get right to it.  No, no.  What fun would that have been?  Instead, I prefer to work in spaces in which I can only use a tool in one direction.  You should try it!

This is actually my view as I'm dremeling.
Pretty much fishing in the dark hoping to make progress.  Meanwhile, all of the debris from the cutting is falling directly onto my face causing me to look like a Kentucky Coal Miner at the end of the night shift.

Getting closer.  Salvation lost.
Neighbors have poster For Sale signs and the locals have been
detouring the cute children on tricycles three blocks around our house for hours.

I know, I know....not flattering at ALL!  But can I score some sympathy points?
SIX HOURS, PEOPLE!!!!  [When I asked Sarah why she took this picture she said,
"I thought you'd want to remember this." pffffft!]

Enter Sawzall.  Do note the delicate backsplash and granite
 I'm attempting to not damage with a sawzall.

VICTORY is mine.  Victory is mine!  Bring me all the finest bagels in the land!
 Feel free to zoom in here and note the disaster on the counter!  
PS-the wine was NOT consumed during the duration of this project.

So, now it's 4:30.  The Spann Plan is shot to hell in a hand basket.  The neighbors are enjoying a nice sangria in their backyard after an enjoyable day of myrtling in their yard.  The other neighbor is in her gravity free chair basking in the sun, asking why we've been inside all day.  And we still don't have running water in the kitchen.  Not to fear, I have sent Laura and Nellie down to the well to get a fresh bucket before Pa comes in from the field.

Sheesh!

Needless to say, the rest of the project was a piece of cake.

Install RO faucet.  Check.

Install new Faucet.  Check.

Install garbage disposal Check.

Check for Leaks.  Dry as the Arizona desert.  BAM!

Order take out.  Check.

Here's Sweet Sarah after she successfully removed and installed the garbage disposal flange.
If you look closely you can see the new faucet and RO faucet.  A beauty, eh?

Just another day at The Drayer folks.

Real coffee snobs would've called a plumber.....

Virtual Cocktail Hour

Virtual Cocktail Hour continues to be a success!!!

It's a lot of fun anticipating an evening cocktail with friends we don't see nearly often enough.  And we've gotten so adept at it now, it really is just like hanging out with them in the living room for an hour once a month.

Since my last VCH post update we've had two virtual cocktail hours.  

April and May.

April's drink o' the month was a daiquiri.

May's was mint julep.

Here's post-prep, pre drink prep of the daiquiri.  [this picture is reminder to me of the reasons I'm incapable of capturing every.single.step of the process like some of those other blogging divas.  SERIOUSLY!  Look at all the crap clogging up that counter!  sheesh.]

Post drink and right before sign-off.  This image of Shelley and Robin is SO typical of much of the conversation.  Shelley needing to be REALLY close to the ipad camera, Robin laughing at her from behind.

In honor of the Kentucky Derby May's drink was the Mint Julep.

Here's Shelley trying her first drink.

Sweet Sarah and I never even attempted to MAKE the mint julep, opting instead for a nice cabernet.

Up next for June.....MARGARITAS!!!!!! The Virtual Cocktail Hour may never be the same!

Overhead at The Drayer

Just after passing a nice funeral home....

Sweet Sarah:  So, I've just about decided it's ok for me to be cremated [referencing an earlier conversation as to our last wishes upon death].  PAUSE.....But you have to do something with my ashes.

Holly:  Why do you care what happens to your ashes?  It won't be you anyway?  Besides, what am I supposed to do with your ashes?

Sweet Sarah:  I don't know.  Put them in a fancy yearn or something? [yes, she was referring to urn, but pronounced it YEARN]


Holly:  Yearn?  Is that like Urine without the -ine?  Or is that a fancy version of a Yurt?

Cue tear induced laughing from both of us.

Baby Update

Looks like the babies are ready to leave the nest!

As I was trying to take this picture Mama came out of nowhere to let me know she wasn't happy---flying and swooping and yelling DON'T MESS WITH MY BABIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And so even though I've watched this process very closely over the last few weeks, I continue to be amazed at the development and growth and instinct in these young new living things on this earth. Sounds like the makings of a good sermon.

Kolaches Recipe

A few of you have asked for the kolache recipe I used the other day.

Since I left Texas in 1998 I have looked for a recipe that guaranteed kolaches at least closely resembling those proud Texans boast about---the ones found in West, Texas.  Home of the Czech Stop.

Oh, the memories.

With all of the media coverage of the West Fertilizer plant explosion, many memories of my time in Texas came flooding back.  Ironically, I was in Dallas on business when the explosion happened and from the best we can tell, I was actually TALKING about WEST when the explosion happened.  I was sharing with those around our table how I LOVED going to West when I lived in Waco.  When I got back to my hotel room that night, one of my friends called and said, "Weren't you just talking about West?  Turn on the TV, there's been an explosion."  [the timing of that conversation is weird.  and the events....HORRIFIC.  Absolutely, awful]

Since I've left Texas I usually have an annual kolache craving.  and up until last Friday I have yet to quench it.  Until now [cue dramatic background music]. And in the words of Fat Amy, "I nailed it."

I got the recipe from Homesick Texan.  If you read the comments of this recipe, it appears I'm not the only one craving kolaches from far away.

Enjoy!

My Baby Nephew

My little nephew is growing fast!  Ok, he's grown.  Sigh.

We caught one of his baseball games and I got some fun pictures.

Here's a little slideshow I put together.

Staycation Day #4

Well, well, well.....I SURVIVED!  More importantly....Sweet Sarah Survived ME on a staycation.

Today was a good day.  Good food, sunshine, gardening all at our own pace.

There aren't any action shots [honestly, why am I incapable of remembering to take pictures in the midst of a project?]

Enjoy....I'm off to rest up before going back to work.

Sweet Sarah's famous French Toast waffles.  Yes Please!  Holy moly these babies are GOOD!  Not a bad way to start the morning.

Some of the planting work....some still not done, ala the box o' plants on the ground.

Bed cleaning and container creating.  Yes, yes.  that's my big fat finger in the way.  Disregard.  Do note, however, that GINORMOUS hosta!

Seriously!  Does this give you more perspective?  And it's only MAY!!!!  Good Lord, she's taking over the side of the house.  We named her Audrey after the Little Shop of Horrors.

Just in case you thought I was exaggerating!  

Here's a baby update.  This is more a picture of their sh%$ than of them.  [as cute at these little things are, that pile of poo on the front edge of the nest is disgusting!  OH!  and do you see the egg that wasn't?  Somehow mama missed the nest.]  They very much look like birds now and are stretching and sunning themselves often.  

Our last staycation meal. [bring on the cleanse tomorrow!]  Ribs Rendezvous Style.  They were fabulous!  Paired with homemade sweet potato mashers and some corn bread....home cookin' at its finest.

Staycation Day #3

Well, another successful staycation day.

We headed out early for Mother's Day Brunch with the fam---a good time was had by all!

Here's the picture story of the rest of our day....

Basically, there was a LOT of this.  Check out the cats.  They are REALLY into the stay cation!  Don't be fooled by the two computers.  We weren't working.  I was researching VACATION destinations!  How fun is that?

We decided to crack open a bottle from our favorite winery.  SO good! 

Because we bought a half-pallet of strawberries the other day I decided I'd better do something with them.  Sweet Sarah's favorite dessert is strawberry shortcake.  I went a bit healthier and decided on angel food cake.  [sidebar: seriously, is anyone else as fascinated as I am by the whipping of egg whites?  It's AMAZING!!!!]  Also, I attempted a series of pictures during this little event.  Oi vey!  I definitely won't win any awards with these photos, the props or the background.

I took this of our bottle of homemade vanilla.  Picked up the kit at TJMaxx for around $4.99.  Add your own vodka,  place under a cabinet for 6 months.  WOWZA! If you ever see one of these, buy it and try it.  It's pretty awesome stuff!

Again, note the disaster on the counter, the cabinets open [wine on the counter--:)]  Maybe I should take the time to EDIT these before posting.  Nah.....then you would have nothing to zoom in on and snoop around the house!

This?  This?  Well this is just disgusting!  One dozen yolks.  blerg.  N.A.S.T.Y.

Here's the work of art going in to our easy bake oven.  Not kidding around here people!  When we moved in we had to buy new pans to fit the tiny size.  It's cheap and it's tiny.  It's so cheap, it doesn't even self clean [I'm guessing the 75 watt light bulb can't handle it]  Hence the nastiness on the bottom.  Don't judge!

Finally, we decided to leave the comfy confines of the family and get some nourishment. Sweet Sarah is pulling homemade gnocchi from the water.

Aren't homemade meals wonderful?  Caprese salad, baked chicken and gnocchi with vodka sauce and fresh broccoli.  [oh, and WINE!]

And the piece de resistance----Strawberries with angel food cake.  And here's a little tip....the white sauce???  Made it up last night.  I melted a little bit of canned white frosting [about 2 TBS] in the microwave and stirred it into a plain greek yogurt.  It tasted like melted white chocolate.  Try it, you'll like it!

Even though staycation has been an overall success, the native is getting restless.  Today will probably involve something active and project oriented.....stay tuned!

Staycation Day #2

Yep, I'd say I'm pretty much settling in to this staycation thing---you know, taking it easy, relaxing, no projects.  Sweet Sarah contends that it's because it's 49 degrees and drizzly.  [she's probably got a point]

Nevertheless, here's how we spent the day....

Sweet Sarah made her killer apple pancakes.  These are the leftovers.  [again, I'm just not that girl that remembers to take each step of the way.  Make for a pretty duddy blog, I suppose.]

And we tech-ed it out.  And had coffee.  YUMMY!

Then we headed to our niece's 1st birthday party.  Yes, it's May.  And yes [deep, deep sigh] I'm wearing a coat and Sweet Sarah has on a sweater.  Lovely, lovely Ohio.]

And here's how we spent the most important part of our day!!  Happy Birthday, Keira!!!