Monday, March 28, 2011

homemade southern apple pie

the right way to make, serve, eat and enjoy a homemade apple pie

















(i was only an accomplice and not the baker. my cousin Korie is responsible. if i can get the recipe, i will share later)


go make yourself one y'all

love and cream,
kate

Friday, March 25, 2011

Friday WM lovin'

I've been talking about how much I love Dallas this week. And will continue that series next week.
While I do miss living there alot, there is a reason I love home, West Monroe.
Yesterday afternoon is a perfect example.

We went out to my parents land in Calhoun.
First, we visited with Tony and Tye.
Tony and Kim live across the street with their 30+ horses. Tye is their soon to be son-in-law.
They're just good people. You know what I mean? Just hard-working, friendly, solid people.
We've known them forever, but I just love 'em.

Then we headed across the way, over yonder to throw some line out.
translation: we drove across the street to fish.

tye and gt in a itty bitty boat.
we(the girls) were just waiting for it to tump...yes that is a real word. look it up.





dad fixin' his line

while fishing poles were their weapons of choice...
...this was mine.
tye has killed 3 snakes out there within the last week.
a copper head and water moccasin among the goup.
i'm not taking any chances.
you better believe i was hyperaware of my surroundings.
my steps were light.


so, the gist of this post is this.
while i love dallas and all the ways it appeals to me
i love a good afternoon in Calhoun

happy friday peeps,
kate

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

wordless wednesday: dallas music edition

So, there will be words in this post... of course.
But, music will be the main focus.

Dallas is an awesome place to see someone perform live.
The venues are countless and each one unique, as are the artist that traipse through the city.
In Dallas, within the last 3 years, I have seen:
Over the Rhine, twice
Amos Lee
Celine Dion
Zac Brown Band
Polyphonic Spree, twice or thrice
Feist
My Morning Jacket
a little bit of Robert Earl King
Griffin House
Jimmy Buffett,twice
the Swell Season
and some smaller bands and others i've prob forgotten.
This is not to brag, but just paint a little picture for you of the vast array of folks that appear in D.
Crazy, huh?
and I probably missed 1 gagillion others. for sure.

And the venues...
the Palladium
Granada Theatre
House of Blues
just to name a few

here are some videos: the only ones i have actually
Feist at the Palladium Ballroom

OTR at HOB



good ole Gilleys/ Palladium Ballroom
good times had by all

love me some music in Dallas fo sho
kate

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Dallas: food edition

There are certain things I look forward to when going to Dallas.
It's my favorite place to go for the weekend, or live for a few years.
This might change. But, today, it's Dallas.

So, I decided to start a series of my fave things about the big D.
Today I am starting with the food. Duh. Where else would I start?
I dream about eating out in Dallas...the options are endless and overwhelming.
Seriously, it might take me a few weeks to plan out where I want to eat while we're there.
Luckily, you often can just pick somewhere and it will be delicious.
Most of the restaurants have pretty awesome atmospheres so that totally makes the experience.
Did I mention the patios...everywhere.

Without further adieu, here are my first 3 fave places to eat.
There will be more, I just didn't want to overwhelm your taste buds.

Breadwinners
Uptown
GT and I ate here last Sunday for  brunch.
We ate on the upstairs patio. It feels like part of NOLA french quarter.
The food is stupid good. We split the nature-cakes with blueberries and the San Antonio tacos.
Uptown
website

Manny's
Manny's Uptown Events
Manny's Uptown
website

If you were mad at me, I'd send you to Mannys and consider our relationship healed.
You'd thank me too.
True Tex-Mex. Go and get the Mannys Uptown queso. Do it.
And of course, sit on the patio.


Bolsa
It's so dreamy
Everything is fresh and brought in daily.
I love sitting on the patio(suprised?) and trying some new way to cook vegetables.
Simply perfect.


That'll do for now.
I'm looking for a napkin to soak up my drool.

More to come on food, concerts/venues, outdoors, sports, theatres and more.
So, sit back, relax and let me be your Dallas tour guide!

happy touring,
kate

Monday, March 21, 2011

going to the big D

and I do mean Dallas.
Does anyone else sing this everytime they are getting close to Dallas?
Or not

Anywhoo...we had another great weekend on the road.
Speaking of, we don't have an unplanned weekend until June.
Does that make us popular or crazy? or just tired? or normal?
Either way, that's the way we roll.Holler

Back to the matter at hand. Dallas.
GT took Jake and his brother in law, Colby, hog huntin' on Friday night.
Those crazy kids stayed out til 3am...heavens to Betsy that makes me want to throw up.
They had a great time and killed some varmits, no hogs.
Us girlies stayed home with the kids, watched House Hunters International and drank dangerously sugary coffee drinks and smoothies. Watch out!

The rest of the weekend was filled with more chillins'.
Three of our good friends' had babies within the last 2 months, so we were able to visit them all and just love on those wittle bitty babes. I could just smell a newborn for hours(don't judge, just do it).
When we weren't cuddling with the itty bittys, we were hanging out wiht Beau and his 2 sweet cousins.
As you can tell, we had a major kiddo kind of weekend.


Enough words, here are pics:
that's all i took.
sorry.
honestly, i couldn't believe that was all either.


and this

early Saturday morning and he was just the happiest little love ever.


happy mondee,
kate

Friday, March 18, 2011

fridays home loves

It is strange not having a home to decorate.
Really, I do have a home...i just don't live in it.
(you can if you want to! it's for sale)

Many a day... when I'd have the day off... I'd spend time wandering through hobby lobby, tjmaxx, various home decor/furniture stores, target, etc.
Now, I'm just dreaming of a future home.
I'm thankful to have a roof over my head, but I am always dreaming about those walls.

So, here are some photos of dreamy spaces.
I don't have all of their sources. I think that's some sort of blogasphere major no-no.
My statement is this: I take no credit for any of these photos. There.
Most are via: here or here

such an effortlessly glamorous way to use space.

i'd just take the view, too
or that chair

chalkboard paint. genius.
and those floors

i've posted this before. no excuse needed

don't get me started

this sink...please?

i'd read forever.

pretty sure that i've posted this before, too.
i'm hyperventilating

wake me up.
when september ends(sorry, had to)

happy friday peeps,
kate

Thursday, March 17, 2011

M.I.A....

...not the singer, but me.
I have been MIA from the blogworld this week. Really, the computer world in general.
Work started this week-let me clarify-orientation classes started this week. Gag me with a spoon.
Enough about that. I'm happy to have a job.

This is what my week has looked like, outside of the 4 walls of St.Francis.
I think the beginning of my days and end of my days have made up for the boring middle of the days.
they have involved(via iphone pics):

watching this little guy crawl around and pull up on everything
it is really entertaining.
seriously, we all just sit around watching him.


watching GT hang out with beauman/watch bball

play at Mamaw Lous

watching Beau perform tricks well beyond his months
he's probably a genius

play outside with beau

go to the park and have a picnic


luckily, the weather is starting to cooperate and we can spend our long evenings outside!
hooray for Louisiana and daylight savings time!

i hope that you're enjoying your long daylit evenings as well.
happy weeksend eve!
thankful it's here,
kate

Friday, March 11, 2011

Japan Earthquake

I am finding it very hard to make a list of things that I love on this Friday.
When something of this magnitude occurs, how can you focus on anything else?
The earthquake in Japan that just happened has been devestating so far and there is still much more damage to be done.
At least 300 people have been found dead. What??? In such short time. The waters were rushing at 620mph. I can not even fathom that. They say that this is the biggest earthquake in 140 years for Japan.
(info source: the weather channel)

this is the projection for the strenth of the waves to hit
(p.s. i don't know what those numbers mean, i just know it's not good)
the aftermath is looking like it will be terrible, as well.


There is definitely one thing that I am thankful for on this Friday
safety
Praise God that my family is safe.
I just don't think that my heart could handle that amount of destruction.
Though, my heart is heavy for those in Japan and those 19 countries on the lookout for a Tsunami.
My old roommate from Dallas, Melanie, is teaching in Japan and I have read that she is safe.
What fear she must have felt/is feeling???

Please, join with me in prayer for all of those affected and to be affected for years to come.

images via
stay tuned to the weather channel for up-to-date news
actually, pick any channel...it's being covered


thankful and praying,
kate