Who cares? We are freakin' pumped!
One of the ways WE roll in the City.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
how - WE - roll
Ben and I purchased this bad boy yesterday. He is a 1980 Peugeot Grand Tourisme Tandem. We have been wanting one for a while and knew we wanted a vintage model. We are so excited to have him at the peak of cycling season. This bicycle is going to be a great addition to our collection, or the latest term I have been using, Fleet (we have 9 bicycles now). Below are a few pictures of us before taking him out on the maiden voyage.
"So, let's act like we are cool..."
Ok - so I got busted not being so cool.
Easter Recipe - Carrot Cake
Ingredients
Butter, for pans
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups grated carrots
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, optional
Frosting:
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick salted butter, room temperature
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) round pans; Line bottom of the pans with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add eggs and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, blend until combined. Add carrots and pecans, if using.
Pour into pans. Bake for approximately 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans, place on waxed paper and allow to cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
Add all ingredients, except nuts, into a medium bowl and beat until fluffy using a hand mixer. Stir in the nuts. Spread frosting on top of each cake layer. Stack the cakes on a serving plate and serve.
Butter, for pans
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups grated carrots
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, optional
Frosting:
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick salted butter, room temperature
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) round pans; Line bottom of the pans with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add eggs and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, blend until combined. Add carrots and pecans, if using.
Pour into pans. Bake for approximately 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans, place on waxed paper and allow to cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
Add all ingredients, except nuts, into a medium bowl and beat until fluffy using a hand mixer. Stir in the nuts. Spread frosting on top of each cake layer. Stack the cakes on a serving plate and serve.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Spring Bargains for Home in the City
Sweetwater 420 Festival
Yesterday Ben, Stephen, & I went to the Sweetwater 420 Festival in Candler Park. Sweetwater is a local Brewery in Atlanta and they sponsor this festival each year. We had a great time and loved seeing Railroad Earth play - upbeat bluegrass band. Thank you to our neighbor, Skip, who gave us VIP Passes!
Tomahawk Chop Season
Opening weekend for the Braves this year was a success! Towner and Lucye came into town for the weekend. We had a big cookout after the game on Saturday with about 12 of our close friends and Ellen was able to come down to enjoy the festivities and spend the night too. Sunday Ben & I went to the game as well and had great seats behind home base. After the game, the Avett Brothers (one of my favorite bands right now) played at Turner Field.
This is truley Braves Country, here in Grant Park. We live 1/2 a mile from the stadium - so we walk or bike to games. On Friday night we saw the jets that flew over Turner Field at the beginning of the game and you can see the fireworks from the front porch. It's Tomahawk Chop Time here at our home in the city - Go Braves!
This is truley Braves Country, here in Grant Park. We live 1/2 a mile from the stadium - so we walk or bike to games. On Friday night we saw the jets that flew over Turner Field at the beginning of the game and you can see the fireworks from the front porch. It's Tomahawk Chop Time here at our home in the city - Go Braves!
(I love our Braves flag!)
Monday, April 11, 2011
Goat Island Get-A-Way
Ben and I decided to get away for a long weekend. Ben resigned from his job after 4 years and has now started a new journey with a competitor. We took off and hit the road to celebrate his new chapter. My friend James Warrington aka JWOW so graciously offered his home to us for the weekend. Goat Island is an AMAZING place to seriously GET-A-WAY. The only way to get to the island is by boat. There are no cars. There are no roads. There are no stores/restaurants/bars. Only homes. My friend Bliss and her boyfriend Robert came out for a night with their dog Bob. We enjoyed lots of dock time, cooked delicious meals, watched the sunrise & sunset, loved on the island dogs, read books, held hands, acted like kids, admired the birds, saw the tide come in & the tide go out, felt the breeze blow in our hair on the boat, built a fire, and scavenged the island.
Reason, Season, Lifetime
Recently Ben and I have had visitors at our home from out of town. Friends from college, friends we've met along the way, family friends, and our family - who are our best friends. The "life lesson" below was shared with me 10 years ago by a dear friend of mine and after such wonderful visits, I thought it was appropriate to share. I have often refered back to this when thinking of great friends, when thinking of friends I have lost touch with, when helping friends who have realized that some people are not Lifetime friends but maybe a REASON friend. Just wanted to share - I hope you will enjoy this as much as I have and share with friends who are going through a hard time or when you just want to share with those people who are LIFETIMES. Not everyone can be a lifetime friend and coming to this realization is sometimes hard and sometimes hurtful. BUT realizing their season or reason is a blessing from God and will allow you to be thankful for what their purpose was for you - OR your purpose for them.
People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.
When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.
When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (anyway); and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.
People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.
When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.
When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (anyway); and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
This Coleslaw is the Jam!
MJ.'s Coleslaw
- 1/2 head of chopped cabbage
- 1/2 carrot finely shredded
- 1/4 red onion chopped
- 1-2 cloves of chopped garlic
- 1/2 cup of snow peas (optional)
Dressing:
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tbsp of whole grain mustard
1 tbsp of lemon juice
Mix and let stand for 4 hours in refrigerator (the longer the better - great the next day too). Great served with ribs, on hot dogs, etc...
*You can use a bag of cabbage/carrot mix if you are running low on time.
ENJOY!
- 1/2 head of chopped cabbage
- 1/2 carrot finely shredded
- 1/4 red onion chopped
- 1-2 cloves of chopped garlic
- 1/2 cup of snow peas (optional)
Dressing:
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tbsp of whole grain mustard
1 tbsp of lemon juice
Mix and let stand for 4 hours in refrigerator (the longer the better - great the next day too). Great served with ribs, on hot dogs, etc...
*You can use a bag of cabbage/carrot mix if you are running low on time.
ENJOY!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Love me, love me not, LOVE ME!
I posted in January that I hoped they would loved me.
4 months later - our love has grown, flourished, & blossomed.
It's official -we are in love.
Dick Lane Velodrome Certified
After 2 days of 3 hour trainings. I am now certified to race at the Dick Lane Velodrome!! I am very excited about this upcoming season and training at the track with Ben this year. This will be my 3rd year watching Ben race and now I get a shot at it too.
This was a huge accomplishment that I have wanted to do for a while. Riding at the track is quite intimidating. You ride clipped in, brakeless, and on fixed gear bikes (no gear shifting or coasting here) - everything different than what most people are used to when they think of riding bicycles. I have been riding a fixed gear bike for a couple of years but never without brakes. As far as the track is concerned, the ends of the track are at 38 degree angles. Riding at such an angle is terrifying at first, but exhilirating once you learn to use the embankment for speed (I love riding fast!). Below are some pics of my Dick Lane Velodrome Certification.
This was a huge accomplishment that I have wanted to do for a while. Riding at the track is quite intimidating. You ride clipped in, brakeless, and on fixed gear bikes (no gear shifting or coasting here) - everything different than what most people are used to when they think of riding bicycles. I have been riding a fixed gear bike for a couple of years but never without brakes. As far as the track is concerned, the ends of the track are at 38 degree angles. Riding at such an angle is terrifying at first, but exhilirating once you learn to use the embankment for speed (I love riding fast!). Below are some pics of my Dick Lane Velodrome Certification.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Candle Making
Melting the wax
arranging the wicks in jars (we recycle used jars from our pantry/fridge)
shaving the dye - we went with lavendar
keep the heat as low as you can - will allow the wax to settle nicely and also neccesary when adding scents
the cooling phase
This is the beginning of many more to come. So far, a success, and a nice addition to our home in the city.
Our finnished product...
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