Presto Pesto!

A few months ago, we started growing basil (Sweet basil & Lettuce leaf basil) from seeds. They sprouted and poked their little leaves out and finally produced big, lovely green, fragrant leaves! I picked the majority of the leaves off the plants yesterday afternoon to make some fresh Pesto! Our good friend from high school, Rachel Berryman, made the best pesto for us last summer a few times. She was kind enough to leave a copy of her special recipe with us before she shipped out to Albania with the Peace Corps. (read about her adventures here!)

The first attempt at pesto turned out fairly well; not exactly the same as Rachel's, but yummy nonetheless! It made about 3 meals worth! We had it for dinner tonight with some whole wheat three-cheese pasta--delicious!

"Flutter Fantasy"

Most Fridays, Mom & I try to go out and do something fun. :) Last Fall we invested in a Family Membership to the Norfolk Botanical Gardens with great hopes of going go every Friday to enjoy the gardens in seasonal transition throughout the year and more importantly walking around the gardens for fitness. We've definitely gone more times than I thought we would! While we haven't done as much walking for fitness, this spring and summer we've seen some of our favorite flowers budding and blooming.

Today, we walked around in the extreme sun and 90 degree temps to see roses in full-bloom, over 200 hydrangeas (some of our faves), and the botanical garden's "Butterfly Fantasy" exhibit! A screened-in garden full of butterfly bushes and tons of other butterfly-attracting plants and flowers were enclose d and butterflies of all stages fluttered about. We saw mainly monarchs and other orange and black butterflies, Painted Ladies and the Gulf Fritillary, flying around or resting on the plants. Some of them were nice enough to hang out on a plant for a bit for me to snap a shot.

Father's Day Fishing!

Last week, I wrote my Daddy a poem and "painted" him a picture inviting him on a Father's Day Fishing trip for his Father's Day present. Yesterday, me, my Daddy, and Robert went fishing in Suffolk, VA in Lake Cohoon. It was a lovely day; bright sun in the amazing blue skies with white puffy clouds. We really couldn't have asked for a better day. It's been years since I've been fishing with Daddy and it was great for all of us to get out there, spend some time together, and enjoy the combination of relaxation and excitement out on the water!

Robert & I caught a few crappie and brim aka "4-inchers." (we called them "4-inchers" growing up. that's all my brothers and i normally caught; small fish, approximately 4 inches long, that we just caught and released.) Daddy caught the same few 4-inchers as well as the biggest bass he's caught in years. It was about 2 lbs!!!

A little sunning for a yellow-slider...i was doing my fair share of sunning on the boat, too!

Robert getting his fishing line in order before showing some crappies who's boss.

Daddy and his big ol' bass.

Another good pic of Daddy and his 2-pounder!

Sweet kisses for the brim. :)

here i am!

i think i'm a chicken for thinking for a looonnnnnng time about blogging or even just attempting for fun or for keeping up with my friends and family near and.....far.

i, for some reason, always thought blogging was something for deep, philosophical, thinking-type people, or for hip-mothers with kids who need to let family and friends know of how fun and cute and adorable their kids are and keep everybody up-to-date with all their musings.

i don't really consider myself either of these types of people. :) 1. i'm certainly not a deep thinker or feel as if my opinions are extremely important and new that i think and hope people will read and will then change their lives. 2. perhaps one day i will be that hip-mom telling everybody of my kids, the trials and triumphs of motherhood, as well as my children's accomplishments as they grow.

so, for now, i'll just tell about things and life and me as they come and go... :)