beets!

they're actually growing. it's fabulous. if they ever harvest, michael will probably make borscht. i'm really not a fan of borscht, but i could learn to like beets in other forms. probably not beet salad like we eat in russia though...which includes fish of some sort. maybe i'll just be happy something was harvested from my garden and admire them in a cute basket.

p.p.s.

the happy couple.

croquet partet

october 30th. our best friends got engaged! and we were in on it...i loved it. lauren had not the slightest idea. we went to see some bands, including a mystery one. it just so happened to be jake and his friend mark on the guitar. she didn't know he was going to get up there and sing, especially songs to/about her. you know how it ends. he called her up to the stage area and got on one knee. she squealed and we cried. it was glorious. her green diamond ring is killer (we already saw it many months ago ; ). the next morning some of her dear denton friends hosted a "croquet partet" brunch, with mimosas and crepes! we mingled, some played croquet, and i gathered three pounds of pecans. delicious. i love brunches, and i love engagements. congrats lauren & jake!

p.s. sorry i didn't get a pic of the happy couple! they have some great ones on their camera. more to come.

yesterday we had the opportunity to see Tulsa Ballet's "Dracula"! i got a great deal through the school and we were able to score orchestra seats. it was amazing. the set was unlike any i've ever seen. the effects were impressive as well. we ate lunch at Sage in the Deep Deuce historic jazz section of OKC before the ballet. if you live in the OKC area and haven't been there yet, you should give it a try. it's a darling cafe and market. they sell gourmet products too, and of course they've jumped on the cupcakery bandwagon. what an overwhelming trend right now. but i like it. cupcakes are always more appealing than regular cake to me.

this week i'm:
working on a special project for my brother
preparing a best friend's birthday present
having lunch with joe on wednesday as usual
weeding my garden (we've got real sprouts coming up! beets...yay)
having lunch with joy and her daughter mila on thursday (may get another fashion show)
trying to think of other projects i can do instead of homework : )

you've got to try this shower gel. i know the picture is kind of blurry, so let me explain it to you. this Yes to Tomatoes "terrific day" delight combines organic tomatoes, watermelon, rosemary, and dead sea minerals. the scent is refreshing, real, and clean. michael likes to use it too because it doesn't leave any perfumey vibes. now let me tell you my favorite part about it - i got it on clearance at target for $4.48. i think that's great for a natural brand and the size of this bottle, 16.9oz! i hope you find it on clearance at a store near you.

find more products here

last night after house church, i crashed. this meant i did not make michael's lunch for today, which always includes a little note. he packed his food this morning, and as i was watching him unpack it this afternoon i saw him pull out a note...from me! since i didn't get to pack him his special lunch with a note, he used a leftover one from last week that was still in his bag. so sweet. i felt so terrible that he had to resort to leftover notes, but it was reassuring to know he appreciates them. i really like him. looking forward to making an extra special lunch with an extra special new note this friday.

the joys of cable

during our time in vernon, tx (for katie's rodeo), we had the privilege of watching food network at the hotel! this might not seem like a big deal to some, but when you don't have cable and you looove food network, believe me...it's a joy. we watched a show i had never seen before: "Cooking for Real" with Sunny Anderson. i really like her because she doesn't use outlandish ingredients. this roasted tomato soup was on the show and looked so good that my mom and i both made it when we got to our homes : ) it's so easy, healthy, and hits the spot on a chilly day.

Ingredients

• 8 Roma tomatoes, halved and seeded
• 2 red peppers, quartered and seeded
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 8 cloves garlic 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup loosely packed chiffonade basil leaves

Directions

Special Equipment: Blender or immersion blender

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

On a sheet pan, gently toss together the tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, thyme, 2 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the tomatoes and red peppers, skin side up, and bake until lightly charred, 45 to 50 minutes. In a soup pot, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the tomato paste and mix well. Add the tomato and pepper mixture, including the juices, and combine. Stir in the stock, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Transfer the soup to a blender* (or use an immersion blender) and pulse in small batches that reach only about a third to halfway up the side of the jar. Be careful to start slow then increase the speed to blitz the ingredients until smooth. Use a separate bowl to hold the blended soup and then return it all to the pot.

Heat the soup to warm through, then ladle into serving bowls and garnish with basil.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

p.s you don't see red peppers on my baking sheet because they were $1.64 each, and i think that's outrageous! so i used 1/2 a jar of roasted red peppers.