what we did.

Picture from here. Forgot to take one & didn't want to leave you with no picture!
Also- not the same recipe...but it looks about the same :P 

We made: THIS.

Conchiglione stuffed with roast squash & ricotta

• 2.5 oz butternut squash, cut into large pieces
• olive oil, to drizzle
• 10 unpeeled garlic cloves
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup finely shredded basil
• 3 cups bottled pasta sauce (discovered how unhealthy bottled pasta sauce is and next time will make our own!)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 56 regular or 32 giant conchiglione
• 1 cup grated parm 

Bake squash, drizzled with olive oil, S&P, in a large baking dish at 400F for 30 minutes. Add garlic and bake for another 15 min.(or until tender). Allow to cool slightly, then peel & mash the squash & garlic. Mix with ricotta and half the basil & season to taste. 

Bring pasta sauce & wine to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat & simmer for 10 minutes.  

Meanwhile, cook the pasta, drain well, & lay out on a dish towel to dry. Fill with squash mixture. Spread any remaining filling in a large ovenproof dish, top with the shells and pour on the sauce. Sprinkle with parm and the remaining basil & bake for about 15-20 min. (30 min for giant shells)

And THIS:
Rosemary & Garlic Artisan Bread 
slightly adapted from here.

Again, a google image. I'll take pictures from now on,
 I promise!

• One 12oz can evaporated milk
• 3 T olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. white sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 T. dried rosemary
• 2 cloves garlic minced 
• 2 1/2-3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast

Warm evaporated milk and olive oil over low-medium heat. Add yeast. Mix well & let sit for about 10 minutes or until yeast swells. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl and stir with a fork to mix. Add milk mixture and stir with wooden spoon. Knead for about 10 minutes or until dough is elastic-y. Place in an olive oiled bowl and turn once to coat bread. Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. Punch dough down once and let rise again for 30 minutes. Form into loaf, place on pan, bake at 375F for about 30 min. Brush with olive oil and devour.

Disclaimer: You WILL eat tons of this in one sitting. Seriously... we ate half the loaf.  

Seeing rivers of rain winding down the sidewalk and streets, pouring off the eaves of the porch where this person is seated.

The monster tree that takes up the whole front lawn with darkened, wet skin & leaves dripping water droplets.

Lights on inside houses where everyone else is cozied up while the rain comes down.

Smelling rainwater. Wet dirt.

Occasional whiffs of shampoo from the just-washed, damp hair.

Feeling the tootsies snuggled in their favorite slippers from Aliza, now raggedy from years of housing the always chilly feet.

The favorite blanket with soft, woven threads, keeping the bare legs nice and warm.

Splashes of rain on the face when the wind blows.

Happy.

In love. 

Tasting hot steamy coffee that warms all the way down to the slippered toes.

Hearing the favorite sound of dropping, splashing, pattering rain
On the ground, against the pavement, off the rooftop, into puddles.

The favorite windchimes clink-clonking against each other.

Constant rumbles of thunder far-off,

And big smashing booms not-so-far-off that make this person jump.

And hope this day lasts all day. 

This Girl? 

She is

Aliza.

My Baby Sister.

But Not Really A Baby.

At all. 

She's Starting College.

She is a creator

She creates with words

music

speech

laughter

her wardrobe.

Art.

In All Forms. 

Including and not limited to

Photo-snappin'

Movie-grabbin' 

Paint-slappin'
(OK the slam poetry? ends here) 

She is beautiful
The deep kind
And the outside kind
She is a strong lil' cookie
She acts tougher than she is.
I can say that because she's my sister
And she knows she doesn't fool me. 
She is sassy 
And holds her own in parent-daughter fights (hehe) 
She is dorky
And I love that. 
Can be guarded
I don't love that. 

She has learned a lot

She has a lot to learn.

Who doesn't?

She is rare.  

She is special. 

Not in the general sense of the word.

But in the sense in which it was created

Before it was overused, 

Thus diminishing the specialness of special.

Is becoming a woman

And that is so fun.

Is my wing-woman (word? yes)

And I am hers.

Unspoken understandings.
Wordless conversations.

Side by Side
And the Wacky Adventure
of Sisterhood.
Can you really describe that?
I don't think so.
My Longest Dearest Friend
My Sister
Our Hoodie.

Richmond Heights, that is... which is  our neighborhood. 

I feel that today's post may be about nothing at all. or then again. maybe not. 

Today has been a good  type of day to enjoy. 

The type of day that warrants iced tea with lemon on the front porch. although I'm currently not sipping any. 

The type of day that clinks the bamboo windchimes from Amanda

The type of day where the loudest sounds are birds chipping back and forth

and the occasional distant lawn mower

The type that makes your skin feel like melted butter on the places where the sun splashes

But the breeze still raises little goosebumps on your arms.

The type that smells a little bit like coconut sunscreen from my shoulders

And whiffs of the dried hairspray on my mop. 

It's the type of day whose morning was spent with a steamy cup of coffee nestled against my chest

Leaning against the brick of our porch ledge

Watching the world wake up & come to life

The type of morning where not enough time was spent enjoying my husband 

For which I will remind myself to take double time to appreciate him this evening. 

Hence the smell of dried hairspray. 

And layer of rarely-used mascara. more accurately named 'lash-mud.' 

And the type that now eagerly anticipates 5:30ish when said husband will be pulling up to the curb 

The type that makes me smile that my tummy still flips at that thought.

It's the type of day that I am tempted to fill with 'stuff.' 

Meaningless stuff. 

Busy stuff.

Unpleasant stuff.

Dutiful stuff. 

Unnecessary stuff. 

Stuff that can really can wait for tomorrow 

Stuff that is difficult to kick out of my mind

Stuff that tries to make me feel guilty. 

Stuff that almost makes me miss out on days like today 

HAPPY MONDAY!
HERE'S WHAT 
I'M LOVING LATELY. 

                     Walks in the park with new girl friends. 

Blisters on my feet from a night of dancing with my man. 

Tasting Summertime Slushies. my favorite. 

Laughing Extra Hard. compliments of my Mr. 

Smelling the tangy smell of freshly mowed grass. 

Barefooted feet. 

THIS book. 

The beautiful words of Amanda's emails. 

Homemade Bread. 

My new Aloe Plant. housewarming gift from a wonderful new friend

Our Church & going there together. 

Outside. 

What Simple Joys are you loving lately? 

Dear Today                                 

                      You are not my favorite day. 

It's nothing personal. Please don't be offended.

It's just one of those days.

Boxes are waiting to be unboxed. Piles of laundry are beckoning to be laundered. They are neglected because Josh & I do not yet know where to find a laundromat. Legs are pleading to be run. They don't understand all the necessary clothing for said run can be found in the aforementioned piles of neglected laundry. 

You are a cranky day. 

An uninspired day.

A stuffy allergy head & drowsy allergy medicine day. 

I know you have promise in you somewhere. 

Let's be a team, Day. 

 Let's turn you around. 

I have effectively wasted 3.5 hours of you.

Can we start over?
Sincerely,
Your Hopeful Occupant. 

This Kind Of Day :P

Whole Wheat Bread
( adapted from The Little Red House version found here: You should read her blog, you'll love it, I just know you will!)
1 1/2 c warm water
1 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/3 c honey
2c all purpose flour
2 TBS butter, melted & cooled
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 c whole wheat flour
1/4c ground or milled flax seed


Mix Water, Yeast, & Honey. Let sit for 20 minutes. Mix together dry flours, salt, & flax with a fork. Add to Water/Yeast/Honey mixture, add butter & stir with a wooden spoon until dough pulls apart from sides and can be handled.  Knead lightly for about 5 minutes.  Dough can be slightly sticky. Cover and let rise in a warm place* for 1 Hour. After first rising, punch dough down, form into a loaf and place into bread pan.  Cover and let rise in a warm place for another 45 minutes.  Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when knocked on. After removing from oven, spread a little butter on top and sprinkle with oats. 
* I like to preheat the oven, turn it off, and then put dough inside to rise

Have You Seen This Yet?
A Very Creative & Haunting Short Film About Child Sex Trafficking & Exploitation. 

Click here for the full film.  

Goodbye. 
On Tuesday, we said goodbye to 12451 Glenmeade Court Apartment E, Maryland Heights, MO; the very first place we ever lived together.  Although we only shared it for 4 months, we were still a little nostalgic to go. There's something special about the first place you call home when you walk through the doors for the first time as husband and wife. 
I liked sitting on the balcony on nice evenings together, Josh. I liked playing the ridiculously short game of hide-and-seek-in-the-dark since there were only 2 good hiding places. I liked bumping booties in our little kitchen when we cooked together.  I liked eating supper cuddled up on our bed & watching movies. I liked sharing a closet.  I liked learning your habits that I had never known before as we got ready together in the bathroom in the mornings. I liked putting away our wedding gifts.  I liked playing Nurf darts. I liked giving your previously bachelor-pad some 'feminine touches.'  I liked finding a place for our new fishtank.  I liked checking the mail in the mailbox that said 'Josh & Laura Gardner.' And now I'm so excited to be starting something totally new to both of us-the first place that we have ever only lived together...I can't wait to tell you all about it.