Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts

I'm learning Southern! 

Sunday, October 14, 2012 -
Remember me? Well, hubs and I are in Atlanta. As you know from my previous post, we have moved. What you don't know is what has happened since we've got here!

Well, to begin, I did find a home. Mark that off the list. We were lucky and found one quickly to rent. Hubs moved all of our belongings down here and we got settled in. One hiccup - my engagement ring was stolen. The movers or cable installer took it out of our master bedroom. I still can't wrap my head around it...it still stings and probably will forever. Long story, lots of tears, and no ring to be found.

But, despite that 'warm' welcome, we aren't going to let it deter us. I'm traveling a bit more for my job, thus why it has taken so long for me to write. I just didn't have the desire to blog when I was settling in. And to be honest, I'm still settling in. I don't feel quite comfortable yet as I don't feel like I have a schedule...yet. I know I'll get that soon, but it may take a bit as I have a few more trips lined up - professional and personal - before the end of the year.

With all that being said, still wanted to let you all know we are thriving. A few examples:

1. I'm learning "southern" by saying y'all and cooking fried green tomatoes, with my own twist (as eggs benedict). Of course, hubs is always part of it (his hollandaise is fantastic).

2. We are attending festivals. When mom and dad visited, we made our way to a Speakeasy Festival where we tried some moonshine, whiskey, and some delicious cheese.

3. Seeing the sights, we have made our way around (a little bit) to see what is offered in our new city.

We are eating out and I'm beginning to blog again over at City Nom Noms. Family has come to visit and we plan on seeing my parents again (in Disney!) in the next few weeks. I'm working some great conferences and having a fantastic time with my new job. Tim is enjoying his job, and the pups are settling in at our new home. Heck, we even have a new grill.

Life is good. And soon, I'll be writing more to show you. Until then, here's to the good life!

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A Brunch of China and Germany 

Wednesday, March 28, 2012 -
This china was my grandmother's. I use it more regularly than my own wedding china because it is accessible. But I still don't use it enough. My grandfather gave it to my grandmother - a gift from Germany. And surprisingly enough, it isn't damaged at all. It has made it through the years all in one piece - a full collection. I'm so happy to have this collection. It is perfect for the Spring, so when it was our turn to host Sunday dinner in March, I just had to use them. And when that Sunday dinner was transformed into Sunday Brunch, it made it that much more appropriate.

I failed in taking photos, but two is better than none. We had prepared turkey sausage, bacon, a french toast bake (as pictured), an asparagus and tomato frittata, and fresh fruit. The baked French toast was ooey gooey and delicious. Plus, it is SO easy to make that it is a staple of brunch items for me when a large group of people are coming over. I have prepared this in a variety of ways, and this time was no different.

All I did was gather french bread and layer it in a greased pan. Then, I poured over an egg mixture that included 8 eggs, about a tablespoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg, about a cup of milk and two cups of half and half. This mixture sits in the fridge overnight before being topped with a combination of butter (think one stick), more cinnamon and nutmeg (teaspoon each), pecans and brown sugar (1 cup-ish). I love to slather maple syrup on top too, though it isn't necessarily needed.


Oh, and cookies. We saved them for the movie. Which I chalk up to be our 2012 activity for March since a day off couldn't happen for all involved parties. But more to come on that.

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Three Weeks. But Who's Counting? 

Sunday, March 25, 2012 -
Convo that happened today.

Hubs: "How come I haven't see anything on your blog lately?"
Me: "I'm blogging today, I have some reviews to post."
Hubs: "Nope, I mean on Entertaining."
Me: "Oh. Well, um...I guess I'm entertaining life daily rather than writing?"

Sometimes it happens to all of us who blog. I'd like to say I haven't had the time. But I've been keeping up with one of my New Year's goals. The one where I said I wouldn't over-program myself. The one where I would try to only do a few things a week, 3 max. I've been pretty successful I might say. By successful, I mean I haven't strayed at all. Yup. Go me.

So with that said, I have been Entertaining Life Daily, but I haven't been the best at recapping these events or all the new kitchen creations that hubs and I have noshed on throughout the year.

Like this past weekend, hubs and I went to Clowes Hall (on Butler's campus) for great show with two friends. We went and saw Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. You may think, "Angie. You are a Disney fan. You are a Pirates fan. What is special about it this time?"

Photo Credit
Well, the answer is that it wasn't JUST the movie. The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra played all the music in the movie. So while the moving was showing, live music brought it to life in perfect synchronization. A choir sang the music so well that I sometimes forgot that there was a live performance happening while the screen was playing the movie. It was an amazing performance and I'd go in a heartbeat for any other movie they would like to perform. Congrats ISO, it was a beautiful show! Not to mention, we got sippy cups again.

And today, a Sunday brunch rather than a dinner. But that my friends, a recap later this week.

I promise.

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Sunday Dinner: February 

Sunday, March 4, 2012 -
Oscar night. A fancy night. And the way I wanted to spend was just how I did - with my friends. Our February Sunday dinner ended up on the night of the fancy awards, and we had some great food while watching the event on tv.

A delicious, tender pork tenderloin had been waiting for us in the slow cooker. It was accompanied by sweet and russet roasted potatoes and also roasted broccoli. And, it follows the Paleo diet that Ral is doing for their CrossFit challenge.


Delicious. I like Sundays...

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12 of 2012: January 

Sunday, February 12, 2012 -
To kick off 2012, some of our closest friends with hubs and I decided to kick of 12 To Do's of 2012. This list of ours will ensure that we live 2012 to the fullest with good friends and a variety of activities. Some simple, some more planned, it will surely be a great time for all of us. We began with a fantastic New Year celebration, but our list continued:
January: Sledding/tubing in a Winter Wonderland

For one to sled, one needs snow. Alas, we didn't have that.

Instead, we opted for a winter weather movie night. On a Wednesday night, we all got together to watch a movie while drinking hot chocolate and noshing on popcorn. I have to say - it was a really great evening.
Photo Credit
As we watched The Day After Tomorrow, the comments were flying. It is one of hub's favorites and we have all seen it, which leaves the floor wide open for comments such as "why aren't the people freezing like everything else" or "that just doesn't make sense." Of course, these comments are all out of love. And if you know my hub's 'fascination' with Dec. 21, 2012, you would understand a bit more.

In addition to the list of 12, we also decided to start Sunday dinners. Sunday dinners evoke the feeling of family. Of a wind down of the weekend. A time to get back to the things that mean the most before another hectic week begins. These Sunday dinners began at M's house over a bowl of chili and cheddar biscuits. Quite tasty I might add - great job Melly!



How are your New Year goals coming out? So far, my decision to not be over programmed is working, and our goal of regrouping is getting there. I continue to be excited as I look forward to the many things 2012 will offer.

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Pecan Chicken with Whiskey Maple Sauce 

Friday, December 30, 2011 -
My momma is visiting (say hi mom!) for the week as I have some time off of work to enjoy the holiday season. I love this week. It allows me to do all that fun stuff - and I do mean fun - like cleaning and organizing closets and drawers in our house. I love to organize. I'm wondering if I could be a professional organizer and event planner. I mean, they are similar, aren't they?

Anyway, I digress. My momma is here. She helped me clean out some closets earlier this week, but really, we are operating as normal. Nothing too special besides some quality time with each other, closets, the couch, and a few stores here and there. She loves that I like to cook, so that has stayed the same as well. I keep cooking the same things that I would cook without her here.

She was flipping through a book I received from my mother-in-law over the holidays. It is a Southern Living book called "Off the Beaten Path." A drive through the south with restaurants and recipes along the way. I was walking by and saw a bourbon maple syrup sauce and I thought, "mmm, I could make that tonight." I had bought a few things for some sort of chicken dinner, but hadn't fine tuned my thoughts and this seemed like a step in the right direction.

The chicken turned out tender with a crispy crust. It was savory and matched well with the sauce I had adapted for the chicken. The sauce was sweet with maple but tangy with mustard flavor as well. A rich, salty and smokey taste also came through from the bacon and drippings I had used as the base of the sauce. I could have made mine a little bit thinner, but the sauce had some great flavor it.

Now, this isn't part of the 'eating lighter' motif by any means. But a little goes a long way, so it still isn't too much of a healthy sin. Plus, I had roasted some shallots and Brussels sprouts to go along with the meal. And my mom had given me a healthy dose of her cheesy potatoes from Christmas Day. A perfect side to this Southern inspired dish.

Order of the meal preparation:
1. Roast the veggies
2. Prep and begin cooking chicken
3. Make the sauce, plate the meal!


Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Shallots
Ingredients: Bag of fresh Brussels Sprouts, two shallots, salt, pepper, olive oil
Remove the outer leaves of the Brussels sprouts, chop them in half, and toss with sliced shallots on a shallow baking sheet. Toss with some olive oil, maybe one or two tablespoons, just enough to cover the veggies. Season with salt and pepper (I also added garlic powder and a few sprinkles of red pepper flakes) and bake at 400 degrees for about 25/30 minutes. By the time I finished everything else, the veggies were ready to go.

Pecan Chicken with Whiskey Maple Sauce
Ingredients: 1 c. pecans, 6 tbsp flour (split), 4 chicken breasts (trimmed and thinly pounded), 4 slices of bacon, two chopped shallots , 3 tbsp. maple syrup, 1/3 c. whiskey (bourbon if available!), 1/3 c. dijon mustard, 8 oz. whipping cream
1. Finely chop pecans and mix with 4 tablespoons of flour. Dredge chicken breasts with the pecan flour mixture, let rest for a minute while prepping oil.
2. Heat 1/4 of an inch of vegetable oil for a shallow fry. Cooking in batches, fry the chicken breasts for a few minutes on each side until done. Set aside and keep warm while working on the sauce (that is, if you don't make them at the same time like I did. I am a multi-tasker by heart).
3. Fry bacon until crisp. Drain the bacon, keep the drippings. Add two chopped shallots to the drippings and saute for two minutes until fragrant and soft.
4. Add two tablespoons of flour and cook until everything is incorporated and brown. Stir constantly to ensure it doesn't burn, and add the maple syrup to the mix.
5. Remove from heat and add whiskey. I'm all about safety which is why I encourage you to remove from flame if applicable. Return to heat after the whiskey is incorporated, and add the mustard to the mix.
6. Continuing to stir, add the whipping cream. Cook until thickened for a sauce to serve over chicken.

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Happy Christmas! 

Thursday, December 29, 2011 -
Holidays with the family are amazing. We are fortunate that we are able to spend it with members of both of our families as many of them live in Green Bay. We make the trek (usually with books on CD) and enjoy the limited days with those we love.

Traditionally, we spend Christmas Eve with my family. Christmas Eve is special - an evening with my parents, brothers, sister-in-law, niece and nephew. We had a special guest, my sister-in-law's sister, join as well this year rounding out a quiet party of ten. Drinks followed by a delicious dinner of prime rib and cheesy potatoes is always a highlight. With more drinks in hand, we finish up the evening with cherry cheesecake and opening of gifts. Just a few photos from the holiday celebration at my parents house:


On Christmas Day, hubs and I wake up to the smell of coffee brewing at my parents home. I help my mother create our traditional breakfast of eggs benedict - sorry I overcooked your egg hubs. But the rest was delish as always! We clean up and head to his mother's house to spend time with his siblings, their families (including our nieces and nephews), and his aunts, uncles and cousins. It is always a full house and great to see everyone come together. Over a buffet lunch that his mother spends so much time preparing, we gorge our bellies with the Disney holiday parade in the background. Then, all the kids rip open their gifts as we smile and laugh as they ooo and ahhh over their new toys.



And of course, Christmas Day means Packers vs. Bears. We were fortunate to head to the game and enjoy the evening together with a Packers victory! We had so much fun dancing with other fans, eating brats and kraut with some fried cheese curds and sipping on beer and/or hot chocolate with every touchdown. It was fantastic - congrats Packers on another great game!

And no, we don't know the man in Roger's jersey - talk about timing!

Hope you enjoyed your holiday (if celebrating) - I know we did!

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Our New Addition: Remy! 

Wednesday, August 17, 2011 -
For those of you who follow me on twitter or facebook, you may have already seen our new family addition.  On Sunday, a pup names Remy came home with us and is happy to be in our home (well, we think so at least!)


We had been discussing getting a second pup for quite sometime.  As many of you may know, Nala, is a ball full of energy.  We wanted her to have a playmate, so we began our quest.  I was all about getting a rescue dog or a pup from the humane society, so we kept our eyes pealed.  Fortunately, it all worked out!


We made our way to the Tri-State Shiba Rescue in Ohio this past Sunday.  We learned that Remy (who was then being called Nelly) had been found wandering the streets by the dog warden.  The pound had her for a few weeks, but Remy kept escaping.  By escaping, this means she was jumping 7 foot fences.  Yup, we have a climber on our hands.  They couldn't keep utilizing their resources for the same dog, so they asked the rescue to take her (rather than the sad alternative).  Once the rescue posted her photos, we called immediately and within 24-hours, Remy was on her way to her new home.


Something you may not know, her full name.  Nala's full name is Nala Alice De Vil.  Yup, like Nala from Lion King, Alice from Alice in Wonderland and of course (my fave), Cruella from 101 Dalmations.

I'm sure you guessed already that Remy is named after Disney as well...Good guess, cause you are right.  Her full name is Remy Kanga Malificent.  Remy from Ratatouille, Kanga from Winnie the Pooh, and Malificent from Sleeping Beauty.  I'm a villain lover, so villains had to be part of the name.

Nala is getting used to her (slowly), but Remy has embraced home and all the love she is being showered with.  We affectionately call our house 'the circus' now, as I'm sure walking two Shiba's down the street can look quite amusing.

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Pierre - Good One... 

Friday, July 8, 2011 -
Road trips.  Some people love them, others just don't like to drive.  But when you put me in a car with two of my closest friends, I know I'll have a good time.Especially when you listen to this a few times...


And try to name all the state capitals...


Try it.  Pierre may surprise you...

Anyway, from Indy to Eagle River, Wisconsin we drove.  I was happy to spend time in the big W for the holiday weekend once again, but this time with friends in tow.  Once we arrived, there was plenty of lake, beverages, cheese, brats and more cheese to be had (have you ever dipped a Cheese-It into Ron's Cream Cheese?  If not, you are missing the high life my friend.)  Of course, we bought ice cream from the lake ice cream vendor.  Delicious Choco Taco!


I even introduced the non-Wisconsinites to the concept of a Supper Club.  Sipped Capital Brewing for the first time - even included a brew named Supper Club.  And of course, New Glarus brewing company is always top of my list in Wisconsin...


Mom and dad were absolutely fantastic - thank you everything; I loved seeing you and spending time with you!  Here are a few more photos:

 

 

Hope everyone enjoyed their Independence Day.  And now, it is just about time for the weekend - enjoy yourself again!

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A Wedding in Elmhurst 

Wednesday, June 15, 2011 -
One of my best friends (who was also one of my bridesmaids) married her the love of her life at the beautiful and historical Wilder Mansion in Elmhurst, Illinois.  It couldn't have been a better day - beautiful, bright, sunny and full of love.

The mansion was gorgeous, full of nooks that had beautiful character.  One room was perfect for the personalized ceremony as the couple became Mr. & Mrs., another perfect for the couple's first dance and delicious cake cutting, another for appetizers and mimosa's.  A room for every perfect touch of the perfect day.  And when you add a beautiful bride, a glowing groom, friends and family, the mansion becomes complete.



I couldn't be more happy for Desiree and Jordan - they both were glowing with affection for one another.  It was one of those weddings where you know the couple is perfect together.  You know they'll grow old together, loving each other more and more as the years go by.


Congratulations Desiree & Jordan.  Honored to be part of your day and celebrate your love!

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It's a Family Affair 

Wednesday, May 11, 2011 -
As mentioned, I was in Green Bay this past weekend for not only a wedding, but also to celebrate my father's birthday (Happy Birthday again dad!) and Mother's Day (love you mom!)

The immediate family got together for a cookout on Saturday night just to relax and see each other.  I played chess with both my niece and nephew (and yes, I won), drank wine with my mom & sister-in-law, played with my brother's dog (her name is Malibu) and ate some great steaks from dad.  Oh, and of course, we placed a friendly wager on the Kentucky Derby.  I of course picked the one Disney reference, Animal Kingdom.  Once again, I won....not to brag or anything.

Yup, lots of steak, which also meant leftovers.  We also had fresh fruit, potato salad, corn, cheesy brocolli, foccacia and a berry tiramisu for dessert.  Lots of wine too - did I mention that?


Love them.  Hugs to my family!

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Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Vanden Avond 

Tuesday, May 10, 2011 -
My dear friend, Mykael, married the love of his life, Stephanie, this past weekend in Green Bay.  You may remember him from another wedding recap.  Before I show you all of the fun, a few things to note about Mr. Mykael.
  • The true spelling of his name is Michael.  A long time ago, he decided Myk was a better fit, and so that is how he is referenced by not only himself, but everyone else.  I have always called him Michael, and I refuse to change that.  Thus, I've amended Michael to Mykael to satisfy his i vs. y thing he has going on.
  • We have known each other since prior to birth.  Our parents are besties (they met because our father's are in the same industry), thus we grew up together and have always been close due to our age (which is exactly 9 months apart, he is July 17, whereas I am April 17).  We have spent countless summers camping with our families growing up - we even used to waterski together.  Matching hoodies were also part of history.
  • He's a fire fighter.  All buff and like, he saves lives.  Awesome guy.
  • I love him to pieces like a brother.  We used to tell people we were half siblings and everyone believed us.  It did take a while for people to understand that we weren't once high school graduation occurred and everything (we went to different high schools). Not to mention the different parent thing.
When he met Stephanie and I finally had the chance to meet her, I knew she was perfect for him.  She's adorable, friendly and love him with all of her heart.  I was honored to read and be part of their special day as they became Mr. & Mrs.  A small photo recap:

Some of the old camping crew!

Love my hubs

My adorable parents

And my adorable brother and sister-in-law

Beautiful bride!

With dear friend Matthew, Mykael's brother

LOVE these kids!

The groom with his wonderful parents!


::sigh::  I just love weddings.

How was your weekend?

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Birthday Celebrations 

Wednesday, April 20, 2011 -
Birthday flowers from SIL, BIL & godson!

If you know me, you know that I am a birthday brat.  Plain and simple - I can't help it.  I love celebrating my birthday (I mean, most people do right?)  The countdown to the birthday month begins St. Paddy's Day - exactly one month before the day of birth.  Then, April 1 comes and the birthday celebrations begin.

You may ask, "Angie, why do you feel the need to celebrate all month long?"

Let me explain.  David and Chris, my brothers, both celebrate their birthday's in April (1st and 16th respectively) so legit, it always seemed like a month of birthdays.  Plus, I had (and still have) many friends who celebrate their birth in April.  Prime example - 9 out of about 30 people have an April birthday at my work.  Nine.

I guess I never stopped celebrating the whole month - and my hope is that I will continue to do so for a very long time.  I'm uber fortunate to have a husband who indulges this celebration and allows me to be the birthday brat I am for the month.  And of course, my besties are also very good about it.  I like to think of it as being endearing.  Just sayin'.

So here we are in birthday week.  My actual birthday was Sunday and it began with a delicious breakfast of eggs benedict - my favorite.  I love the creamy hollandaise and how the egg yolk pours perfectly over the crisp hash browns and English muffins.  My favorite kind of eggs benedict is crab benedict.  I order it ever single time I see it on the menu.  But something is a little bit more loving when your wonderful hubs makes it for you.  No questions of "what would you like?" because he already knows.  I gobbled up my breakfast and then we were lazy before heading to Brew Bracket (which I'll be posting a recap very soon) for the afternoon. 

Next up, birthday sushi from Naked Tchopstix - for a review, head over to my other blog, City Nom Noms.  And to wrap it up, drinks with some great friends.

It was a good birthday, low key but still busy.  A good way to end the weekend (which really, wasn't the end since I took Monday off.  I'm a firm believer everyone should have their birthday off.  And if it falls on the weekend - take off the Monday) and begin the 2nd birthday week. 

Yes, I said 2nd.  Since birthDAY was on a weekend, I decided to grant myself two weeks. 

Birthday. Brat.  I know this.

Little celebrations here and there aren't bad. Things like me being able to pick out the movie on Tuesday night or decide where to go out to lunch on Monday.  They are all little things - and nothing is wrong with entertaining life daily.

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Dulce de Leche Blondies 

Sunday, January 16, 2011 -
Cooking or baking can be theraputic.  This past weekend, I needed some therapy.  On a sad note, one of our hedgehogs, Erbert, passed away on Friday.  Though this is sad, I experienced something worse when I received the call two days later about my aunt.  She was caring, loving and always smiling.  Many people loved her and she had a lot of love to give - she'll absolutely be missed.  While wrapping my head around all of us, I found myself in the kitchen.  As we hadn't gone grocery shopping yet for the weekend (which we ended up not doing due to the trip to Wisconsin), I found that I had little to work with except for baked goods.

Due to some strange reason, many of my friends think that I'm a baker.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, it isn't my strong suit.  All the measuring and timing, sometimes it is just more than I want to think about while I'm in the kitchen.  However, by friends request, I was informed I'd be bringing some desserts for an evening potluck (pitch-in, etc., whatever you call it, it works for me).  The timing was perfect for some baking and I began with some of Tim's favorite brownies, Ducle de Leche Blondies.


I had found this recipe in a $4 cookbook entitled, "The Cookie Bible," which I had bought when I first moved to Indy six years ago. I've used it maybe 3 times, and this is a recipe I've made twice now.  They are sweet, full of caramel flavor while holding up the brownie name.

I began by prepping the oven at 350 degrees and then greasing a 13x9 pan.  I sifted the flour, baking soda and salt together and set them aside.  Then, I turned to the mixer to beat the butter and sugar until creamy.

Slowly, I added the eggs and vanilla.  I like to crack the eggs into a separate bowl and add one by one.  This guarantees no egg shells and blends all of the ingredients together thoroughly.  Then, slowly add in the flour mixture (while of course turning down the speed so you don't end up covered in flour.)

Pour 2/3 of the batter into the greased pan, spreading it out as you go.  This bakes for 7-8 minutes - it won't be completely done, just partial, so don't be surprised by this.  Cool it for a few minutes on a wire rack (it helps for ventilation underneath the ban if you wonder why people say to use a wire rack.)

All during this baking process, I started on the caramels.  Taking a small saucepan, melt the caramels (which husband has helped you unwrap without any type of sighing of course) in evaporated milk on low heat.  


Once these are melted (of course, you've resisted sticking your finger into the hot liquid to taste the sweetness) and the baked brownies are cooled for a bit, pour the caramels over the baked layer.  Take the remaining batter and drop dollops over the caramel layer - swirl with knife.  You can swirl as little or as much as you like - I like to get it throughout the whole pan so each bite has a good combination of the flavors.  Then, bake 25 more minutes or until golden brown.

Ingredients
  •  2 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tea. baking soda
  • 1 tea. salt
  • 1 c. unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
  • 1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 tea. vanilla
  • 14 oz. caramels (one package)
  • 1/2 c. evaporated milk

These brownies are addictive.  The first time I made them, I didn't put enough of the batter down for the first layer, so instead of a soft, chewy brownie I ended up with a crunchier type of bar.  The taste was still there, but the texture was off.  I shrug my shoulders to this because I liked both versions to be honest.  And I guess others did too, because there weren't any left over after I brought them to work.  Another piece of advise, don't cut them big - since they are so sweet, I advise on small squares (think 1 inch, or at max 1.5 inches).

Lots of love to my family and thank you for all the kind thoughts and words our friends have given us.  Every day will get easier we know, and we appreciate your support.  But I'm back and moving forward - thanks for understanding the week of silence.  And for those wondering - Gerbert is just fine - personally, I think he is enjoying not sharing the food or his sleeping hut.

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