Sunday, September 18, 2011

A whole lotta love

My sister and her husband flew out from CA to spend the weekend at our place, and the coming week visiting with relatives and friends. It will all culminate in the big wedding celebration of my niece, Emily, this coming Saturday. The wedding will be held in Philadelphia and members of my family are flying or driving in from all over the country.

We picked up Ginny & Jay from the airport in the wee hours of the morning on Saturday, and after we got home my sister and I stayed up talking until 6 AM.

I can’t remember the last time I ever stayed awake that long and I was incredibly exhausted, yet didn’t want to go to sleep.

 

DSC_0980 copy 2

Later that day, my sister Char came out. She would be spending the night and then taking Gin & Jay back to her house and eventually to NJ to visit old friends.

I had the most wonderful time with my family, and so did my husband who usually likes to keep to himself. I wish we could do things like this more often.

Saturday afternoon, Christine’s husband John came over to work on the gutter system that was ripped off during the hurricane a couple of weeks ago. When he was done, we invited him and his wife to dinner, which turned out to be really fun. But I was kind of nervous, to tell you the truth.

You see, my husband does all the cooking around here. But this weekend, I was doing all the cooking. I went round and round about what to serve for dinner Saturday night and in the end, I ended up making a dish that I knew well and had made several times before. I didn’t want to spend all my visiting time in the kitchen, pouring over a cookbook and trying out some new recipe. I wanted to be able to visit with my sisters and do something easy. And so we had:

Roast chicken stuffed with lemon & rosemary

Roasted root vegetables

Baked yams

Marinated tomato slices w/basil

Warm apple pie & ice cream for dessert

My sisters helped me chop and prepare and everything was absolutely scrumptious. In fact, if I must say, it was divine.

Unfortunately, I think my husband is beginning to wonder why I don’t cook more often.

 

DSC_0981 copy 2

The photos of the sky were taken on Friday evening and are basically SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera). I think the clouds look like peach sherbet.

We all watched the Phillies game on Saturday night and much to our delight (and especially my sister, Char’s) they are now the National League’s Eastern Division Champions and someone was jumping up and down in her seat yelling things like “That’s what I’m talkin’ about”, and “Oh, yeah baybee”.

It was not me, believe me.

 

DSC_0995 copy 2

While I was making Sunday breakfast for us, my husband called my sisters and I to the breakfast nook window to show us a bird he’d never seen before.

We all looked it up and believe it to be a juvenile male Rose-Breasted Grosbeak.

Please contain your excitement. Thank you.

 

DSC_0046 copy 3

And finally, a small family photo. L to R: me, my husband, Char, Jay, Gin. And of course, George. And by the way, this is my husband’s happy face.

Lotsa love,

123 Signature

34 comments:

Cheryl said...

Such beautiful photographs. I truly can't wait to get out and start using my camera again. Thank you for posting them!

sharon said...

Sounds like you had a wonderful weekend with friends and family! Next weekend is my turn. My daughter hosted her best friends birthday at our house Friday night. Good times for all. love the picture of the bird, esp. love the last one. good memories!

Anonymous said...

I'm glad YOUR husband has a happy face. Mine finds it very difficult to even fake one when a camera is pointed his way... and he has such a great smile with a dimple in his cheek. :-)

Ellen said...

Happy group! Enjoy your sister's visit and the wedding.

Hilary said...

You're so thin!!!! You look great, Kate.
And you're smiling......that's what counts.

Country Girl said...

I did have a good time. And Hilary, this is not thin. It must be the camera angle because it sure ain't me being thin.

~ C.G.

Country Gal said...

All sounds like you had a good time. Your dinner sounds yummy ! Wonderful photos. Have a good eve.

beth said...

i heard that apple pie was out of this world...wink wink

what a great family photo....enlarge it silly goose. i did and you look amazing....and who knew your hubby has a happy face that looks a bit like what i see around here....LOL

and yup, i think the grossbeak is right. we have them out at the cottage. their beaks are always a dead give away, but i don't find them to be gross at all. just a bit thick. oh well.

xo
ps...i cherish my sisters more, the older i get...are we all like that ?

Deb said...

sounds like a great weekend...love the last photo...

GailO said...

So wonderful to be together with family...no matter how busy you get I am sure you love every minute of it:) You and your sisters look so happy...and you look Maaavelous!

That dinner sounds delicious!

Reena said...

Such awesome skies! And love your family photo ... all smiles!
What fun to have your family around. Always love those late night chats that run into the early morning.

Mary said...

Oh Kate, I'm so glad you had such a wonderful weekend and my dear, you look FAB-U-LOUS!!! What a sweet family picture! xoxo

tj said...

...Seriously, how cute are you girls?! Well, okay, the guys are cute too but lemme say the Country Girls have got it goin' ON! ;o)

...What a great weekend and the dinner sounds scrumptious! It's always great to get together with family. We're having our annual family reunion next weekend at our place and it's always a great time getting everyone together and catching up. Before reunions we didn't see each other unless someone was getting married or someone died. :o\

...Love your family picture! (you're adorable btw:o) Thanks for sharing your family & your weekend with us!

...Love the lovely sky photos too!

...Blessings :o)

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

The photos are beautiful. Love the family picture, and yes, you do look thin. Stylish too, may I add...

Carol E. said...

This is hilarious. My husband is not too much into socializing, either, and his happy face looks similar to your hubby's.

annbumbly said...

families are just the BEST! xoxoxox

wayne15575 said...

Really nice looking family Kate. Love the sunsets.

JacksDad said...

Your family must not be from the south because that's a lot of one syllable names there! :)

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

Thank Heaven for sisters. LOVE these photos.. and your family shot is terrific..oh, the resemblance. And OH SKINNY YOU!....

I think you're right about the juvenile grossbeak, but I've never seen one before.

The JR said...

Wow, breathtaking pics.

Luv that family one too. George is looking the wrong way.

Daryl said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Kerri Farley said...

So glad you all had a wonderful time together!
And I'm jumping out of my seat at the Rose-breasted Grosbeak! What a handsome fella!!

Bluebird49 said...

I'd eat that scrumptious meal any night of the week--I love roast chicken and veggies!!

And you may as well take the compliment--you do look wonderful--really! I'd get my picture taken all the time if I looked that great. Isn't if funny how much husbands can enjoy things if they "try"!

Mental P Mama said...

Love it! Did you hear me honk this afternoon when I drove by?

Stickhorsecowgirls said...

Great family photo! My husband has such a grim expression most of the time that he scared off the daughter's boyfriends! lol

Unknown said...

Wow the SOOC is amazing. Sometimes I think that they are better than touched up or phot shopped photos. AHHHH I love family! and I wish my sis was closer....we don't see each other often enough. 8 years difference and I didn't even know she could be my friend until she had babies of her own! lol. PS, when you cook make sure it is just mediocor LOL even burn dinner once in a while....LOL just sayin...it keeps for a happy hubby when they think they are in charge all the time hehehehehe.

Andi said...

Enjoy the time with your family! :) Can't wait to see your photos from your adventures.

Cloudia said...

how lovely!


Well, I'm in a NEW place & NEW lifestyle!
Do YOU know WHO I am? WHERE I live?
I'm not quite sure.
but boat Kitty is happy and so are we.
Stop by to see the view-



Aloha from Waikiki;

Comfort Spiral


> < } } ( ° >



><}}(°>

JaneK said...

yea... you shouldn't let him know you can cook...he'll expect it more often; beautiful shots of the orange sherbert!!!!

what a fun family time.... I wish my family would gather and enjoy each other like that.... we all love each other but we don't hang together very well... it is fun to hear about others...

as always, thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Those weekends are so precious. Sounds like it's going to be a big wedding this weekend. Will you be doing some photography? I'd love to see some photos on here.

CJ xx

Lisa said...

Kate the photos are wonderful. Enjoy your time with your sister

Jeannelle said...

Gorgeous sky photos! And the grosbeak, too....I wonder if he realized he kind of matched the birdfeeder decor?!

Unknown said...

!!!
How fabulous. All of it.
And then the photo too.
sigh...

xoxo

Lili said...

WOW the colors in that sunrise and SOOC too! Kate, you look particularly thin in that photo, I had to enlarge it to see you and your husband's happy face a little better. haha, sun must have been in his eyes, he's a cutie. xo ~Lili