Trader Joe's Grand Opening!!!!

Weeks, months, years....my friend Jennifer and I have been bombarding Trader Joe's with emails BEGGING them to come to Kansas City.  Finally, our day of glory has arrived!  Sure, on occasional trips to California I could fly home with a few non-perishable items, but I have been patiently waiting so I could stock up on all the things I LOVE from there.

Jennifer drove through Caribou coffee and got us treats!  We stood in line with the anticipation like two five year olds on Christmas Eve.  Local news anchors were out interviewing the loyal followers of this legendary store opening.

No line was going to be too long for us, because we were so happy to be there in all the excitement, taking the day off from work to celebrate the Grand Opening.

We got le'id and high fived as we walked through the door and took in the visual glory of what was before our eyes.
For those of you who have never been, I don't know if I can explain the cult following on this place, but it's magical!

They did a great job on the decor, with beautiful hand painted murals of the fountains at the Plaza to local sports themes like the KC Royals!

Produce, fresh flowers, and gourmet treats like no other.  In every isle, people were oooing and awwwing at all the treats!

Okay....I wasn't going to pass up the team mascot. Is that Tahitian red lipstick you are wearing my dear?

Jen and I with "Captain Mike" Store Manager who was as sweet and helpful as could be!  Great job Mike!

uh yeah....it got ugly, as we stood in line we kept making dashes for other things we saw in other peoples carts or fellow shoppers who we were standing in line with, telling about things we couldn't live without.  Like we needed any incentive.

Say no more, thank goodness we were in Jen's SUV instead of my bug de doo. 

Well, there are going to be some happy campers tonight at Acorn Cottage.  Yes, there was some Chuck Shaw purchased, better known as Two Buck Chuck, which is actually $2.99 a bottle to wash it all down with.  Life is good!

4th Festivities

 Me and my daughter Nadia at the 4th of July Parade!

 The girls...me, Nadia and Melinda from Country Dreaming

 Dan-the-Man and Mr. Ken (Melinda's sweetie)

 Vintage cars showing their 4th of July spirit

 Ms. Kansas

 You have to have clowns at parades!

 Nadia gave the John Deere club a standing ovation!

 The Renaissance Festival...God bless them for wearing their costumes on a warm July day!

 Festivities after the parade at Acorn Cottage....BBQ'd burgers, brats, and tons of sides including Melinda's delish Veggie Salsa recipe that I am still waiting for her to share with me...um HUM!!!!

We then headed over to the 4th of July fireworks show at a local park and played a mean game of Yahtzee waiting for it to get dark.  Nadia was the big winner!

The bestest son a daughter a Mom could ever ask for in the whole entire world! Love, Love, LOVE them to pieces!

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July!

Home Improvement #28

AFTER!!!!!

BEFORE (icky)

Home improvement number #28. Our 1942 home had the original carriage doors who had weathered many a storm and days of sunshine, but were tired and ready to go to garage door heaven. We are at the 95.5% solution and our waiting for our "panes" to be delivered and installed, but we are so excited! Dan-the-Man more than me, since this is more of a guy thing and I get more excited over paint chips.....but never the less a big improvement and one that was long over due! Kind of me not blogging in many, many months....but we won't go there...or will we?

Ok, OKAAAAAAAY...it's been a bit. I've been buzzzzzzy. What can I say?!?!?! I felt a little guilty, okay a lot, after I saw my last post was in February. What exactly have I been up to?

1) Planting flowers at Acorn Cottage

2)Playing with glitter with recklessly in the art room

3)Getting use to my new camera...we are bonding

4)Went on vacation to CA to see my Mum, sisters and niece (pictures to come)

5)Sewing (pictures to come)

You know.....stuff! Hope everyone has been having a great spring! The peonies are in bloom and smell heavenly! We have a bird nest outside our kitchen window and the babies are hungry! Love listening to them chirp! The bug-de-doo needs a good scrub and is going to be ready for the wide open roads for country drives and roadside farm stands and I got one of those fancy schmancy c.d. disk organizers so I can have all of my tunes with me. Nothing like listening to the Commodores "Too Hot Too Trot....LADY!" out on Highway 24 singing at the top of your lungs! Yeah, that's what I am talking about!

So Very Cozy

Ah yes...Old Man Winter and Mother Nature teasing us. Last week we sat out on our porch, listening to the birds chirp and noticed that the lilac bushes had buds on them...the a couple of days ago it snowed, and sifted a layer of magical layer of powdered sugar all over the evergreens. So, I made a fire, lit the candles, put on some nice relaxing music and savoring the evening.

I hope you are all cozy, happy and content. Maybe a dog or cat on your lap, with a cup of tea, and a wonderful book to read, and a handmade blanket to keep you warm. Enjoy the quiet of winter, the solitude it provides for reflection, daydreaming, and looking at that David Austin rose catalog trying to figure out what kind of roses you want to plant in the spring.

Warmly,
Nancy

Happy Valentine's Day

I kidnapped these pictures to show you the lovely restaurant Dan the Man and I celebrated Valentine's Day.....I know, I know...it's not until Monday, but we are making a whole weekend out of it (that and they didn't have a reservation on Monday until 9pm when I am usually in bed). The picture doesn't do it justice because it is a fantastic panoramic view 360 degrees of Kansas City. Thank goodness we had a perfectly clear sky to view the city lights!

See that little round thing on top of the hotel? That is the restaurant and it rotates completely in a little over an hour for a pretty spectacular dining experience. It's up on the 44th floor (did I mention I am scared of heights?) I had a cherry/pomegranate martini to calm my nerves once seated. The view takes your breath away, and the food was pretty delicious too!

This was the original restaurant that Dan the Man was going to take me to the night he proposed, but I thought it had a glass elevator to take us up to the restaurant which was a big NO CAN DO for me, so we ended going to another wonderful restaurant that special evening.

Just wanted to say sorry I haven't posted or visited any of my friends in a while...my camera went to the graveyard, and it's not much fun blogging without pictures for show-n-tell, but I hope to change that this weekend!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend celebrating Valentine's Day, one of my all time favorite Holidays of all time!

Much Love to All!

Nancy

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas

Our little happy tree. You have to appreciate the fact we live in a little cap cod house, but the monster tree is a priority. I could sit a look at the twinkle lights for hours on end. I light my favorite Yankee Candle "Red Berry & Cedar" and if I'm lucky, Dan the Man makes a nice fire to enjoy!

Winter is here! I encourage you all to take a moment and STOP everything, the running around, the craziness, trying to find the perfect gift.....make yourself a hot cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate, put on some Christmas music and relax....enjoy. Take a nap on the couch, take a hot bubble bath, everything will still be waiting there for you, I promise.

We bundled up and went for a drive, listening to Christmas music while sipping hot cocoa viewing all the beautiful lights people have decorated with. Such a magical time of the year!

Wishing you peace in your hearts, an abundance of love, and the light and love of God in shining brightly in your life!

Merry Christmas!

Love,Nancy

Simple is Best

This recipe was given to me many years ago by my sister Janet, and although it is simple, it is the BEST! It's one of those recipe cards that is so weathered in my recipe box, you can barely make out some of the writing it's been made so many times! Of course Janet makes her own homemade pie crust, but I'm a rebel and buy Pillsbury ready made crust. Been sure to serve it with some good quality vanilla bean ice cream and enjoy! Just click on image for a larger version...no need to break out the readers :)

Savoring Fall

Nothing like going on a Sunday country drive! You find all sorts of neat things like this great Scarecrow! He was out by one of my favorite farm stands in Waverly, Missou-RAH. I overhear someone say "You can always tell when someone isn't from Missou-RAH because they say Missouri"....not wanting anyone to figure out I'm a transplant from California, living in Kansas, I gotta get my twang on! Y'all here what I'm sayin'?

The quintessential landmark of many farms dotted across the landscape. We actually have one in our backyard, but it needs some t.l.c. and some WD-40! I decided it can be re-purposed and be used to grow some snow peas on next spring!

My son and future daughter-in-law.....okay, so he hasn't proposed or anything, but she is already part of the fam! C'mon...let me dream! We had a great day, went out for lunch, and stopped at a cider mill where a carmel apple pie made it's way into my hands and promptly up to the counter.

We also went to a winery and came home with some treasures for all those holiday meals that are right around the corner!

Now....as for inquires regarding the pumpkins:

1) Yes, they turned ORANGE!!!

2) No, I didn't take any pictures.....but I can, and will!

3) We planted them from seed, and the big ones came up, but the jack-be-littles didn't grow....well, the vines grew, but no pumpkins this year :( . I had to get my fix and bought a bag of them at Walmart and have them at home and work because I think they are the cutest things EVER!

A Taste of Fall

There is nothing like planting something from seed, and watching a miracle happy before your eyes. Fall is one of my favorite seasons and I love pumpkins of any shape and size...the more the merrier! You can only imagine my excitement when I strolled down to our garden and realized I had not 1...not two...not three....but four pumpkins! Trixie seems to be more interested in a woodland creature off in the distance! Watching the colors start to change from deep green....now with a little yellow, and just when the timing is right a nice warm orange.

This is the King of the Crop, who is growing expeditiously ever time I go to check on him!

Some where hard to find, tucked in a little cozy spot just waiting to to grow and show their glory.

My Jack-be-little's haven't developed just yet, but there were many blossoms so I am hopeful.

Yesterday I had my first Pumpkin Spiced Latte of the season...it rained for a better part of the day here in Kansas. The gray skies and cooler temperatures had me day dreaming of fall (one official week away from today!) and all the splendor it offers. Antique shopping seems even more fun when you have a cozy sweater on...drives out in the country....looking over hearty soup recipes...the smell of firewood burning, and watching the leaves change on the trees. Heaven!

Rhode Island Part Deux

Look at the SIZE of these gates....they seemed about 20-30ft tall! We did not go on the tour of the Newport, Rhode Island Mansions as we were on a mission (no not 007 mission) to get down to Ocean Drive and breath in the fresh sea air! The houses from the exterior were *AMAZING*
and I easily could have spent the day marveling at the architecture!

Okay....for those of us who are part Danish and have cheese, butter and half and half pulsing through our veins to begin with....this was a major trouble stop for me. This was at Costentino's market in North Providence. My favorite "Drunken Goat"....don't you love it?

STILL...at Costentino's the case line of FRESH pasta....to die for....and of course the chunks of fresh parmesan nearby calling my name!

Yeah, this was my "bruschetta".....we are not talking about any mamby pamby miniature piece of toast with a light sprinkling of basil and tomato....no sireeee....this is the real deal with fresh cut prosciutto....

I didn't take this picture when I should have...early in the morning with the sun lighting up the flowers in a wave of magenta glory. Cute little nursery right down the street from my families place....Oh yeah, and they also sell fresh baked pies. Trouble with a capital "T".

I still have MORE pictures to share if you can take it! It was such a wonderful trip. If you ever get a chance to see New England, I highly recommend it!

Rhode Island Vacation

Ah yes, the fresh seaside air....a warm summer day, and being with people you love...doesn't really get much better. Rhode Island was filled with discoveries around every corner!

Federal Hill is an area in Providence, Rhode Island that is the Italian district. Lovely restaurants, cafes, and shops galore. Nothing like being a place and hearing people speaking Italian to each other to enhance the moment even more. The delis were to die for....oh my fresh made pastas and baked goods, beautiful ceramic painted dishes and bowls ....I wasn't prepared for this much goodness!

I had to travel 1,500 miles across the United States to FINALLY get some pictures of wild turkeys. (They are very camera shy in Kansas, let me tell you!) Not only did we see these beauties, there was another encounter with a mom, dad and all their chicks...too many to count...precious!

Weight Watchers Smatewatchers....You try resisting the case line of the wonderful bakeries on the East Coast....with a latte. There was no will power once these targets were in site, including my mother-in-law making a last minute hit before heading to the airport!

Beautiful Newport, Rhode Island. Picture perfect day driving along Ocean Drive, gawking at the mansions, soaking in the fresh air and sunshine. Lovely, lovely, lovely!

This is my wonderful brother-in-law John on the left, my mother-in-law Estelle in the center, and Dan-the-Man on the right. Guess who was happy with a capital "H" to be with her boys (2 of 4) on one of her favorite beaches! Did I mention getting to see here grandchildren as the icing on the cake? Her smile says it all!

I am a historical home lover...all over the state you would find homes proudly showing off how long they have been around. I had a walking history book with me, who also goes by the name of Dan randomly stating facts like "Benjamin Franklin was in office then" or "that was built before the constitution was written" "that's when Thomas Jefferson was President".

Notice a theme with all my coastal vacation pictures? Yeah, it was scrumpdillyicious! Did I mention we were enjoying this meal on a bay with the corner window view. Heavy sigh.......

Another picture at Federal Hill....the flowers were in full force and there was a beautiful fountain built on the cobblestone. Lovely!

See my seagull? They don't miss many meals around these parts. Very healthy birds in these parts!

There is more to report...more pictures to share, but there is this thing called W_O_R_K and unfortunately, I have to go to it this morning! Just wanted to share a little bit of where I've been.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer so far, that you are staying cool and enjoying the season. It won't be long (or so the stores tell us) that fall will be upon us. So it's nice to be able to savour those glasses of lemonade while sitting on the porch watching the bees drink their nectar from the flowers!