see.we.looking.back

October is a nostalgic time for me. It is Fall, the beginning of the Holiday Season, Halloween is at the end of the month as well as my birthday. I always tend to look back at where I was a few years prior before adding another year to my age. So here are a few pictures from 2 past Octobers.

October 2007
I had just moved to San Francisco. My mom came to visit and We (mike and I) took her for a drive down the coast. It was cold, but oh so beautiful!

At any given beach, there was an array of seaside vegetation, cliffs, and Sea Lions!

The typical Northwestern weather, foggy, cool, misty, and then a beautiful clear sunset! Unpredictable but always a pleasant surprise.

October 2008
Halloween with my San Francisco Ladies. Here is Beth- sailor and Sarah

Sarah- Medusa and I was a Spider
Love the snakes!

Michelle the Step ford Housewife.

I was a Medusa Spider. Well, at least in this picture.

see.smell.taste

It is cold and rainy here.
Michael's bike tire went flat tonight and I had to pick him up from the library. When I got there he was cold and soggy.
Perfect night for some warm soup. Good thing I had this waiting when we got back!
Tonight: French Onion Soup

Cut up some onions- try not to cry. Be tough!

Cook em down!

Add some broth (veggie in our case), seasonings, and fat or butter

Then you will need someone to cut-the-cheese. I leave this job for Mike, as he is a professional.

We buy day old bread from our local Jimmy Johns. We buy 2 loaves for less than $1! This bread is SO good and considering it is 'day old' it tastes really delicious- and is perfect for croûtons, bread crumbs or for French Onion Soup...

Layer toasted bread on top of soup- gently push down a little so bread begins to absorb all that onion-y goodness!

Next- layer the cheese on top of the bread and soup.

Finally, bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until hot and bubbly!!

Follow up with a dessert from mom!
We just got these chocolate-chocolate chip cookies in the mail today from my mom! She sent them as an early Birthday present for me :)
I like to put them in the microwave for a few seconds until they are warm and the chocolate has just melted! YUM!

Thanks Mom!!

see.seasons?

Now that I am living in Chicago I have had some time to discover something very interesting... see Northern States have this phenomenon called 'seasons'
For all our Florida readers... google "Fall" and "Winter" you will see what I'm talking about.
I grew up in Florida, where there two 'seasons' we like to call "Summer" and "cold fronts". Then I moved to San Francisco, where it is Winter in the summer, Spring in the Winter and Summer happens anytime-anywhere.
This is not the case here in Chicago.

These trees were GREEN when I left for Florida. Then, it was like a color-bomb went off and all the trees were covered in bright oranges, golds, pinks, and reds!

I remember in grade school having to color fall leaves... I thought the teacher was crazy or just wanted us to finally use up all the orange and yellow crayons. My sister, Jen, a fellow Floridian was once asked when she was little what the 4 seasons were and she answered: "duck, bear, rabbit and... i forget the 4th one" yea she thought seasons only referred to hunting.

These are just pretty little trees all over our neighborhood.

Trees are funny- they are green for all of Spring and Summer and then once it gets a little cold they snap to the warmest colors imaginable.
I think the trees are foreshadowing what is coming- I'm told this is called "Winter"
It is as if the trees are saying- WARMTH! Find warmth, hide under ground, or end up looking dead all Winter.

Nature has a beautiful way of rewarding you right before she hits you with something unpleasant! Probably so you can look back and think... I have so much to look forward to after I thaw.

see.miles.(m)eat

Our household consists of 1 guy, 1 girl, and 1 dog. Mike and I are vegetarians and we may eat an occasional fish or crustacean. Miles is a carnivore. He eats meat and no... we are not going to try to convert him :)
Now that I have had some extra time here and there I have taken it upon myself to make sure Miles is getting the best diet possible. I have been preparing his food at home- that's right, no more dry dog food.

Pre-homemade diet Miles would show very little interest in food. I would serve him dry food and occasionally some wet food, I would then have to beg him to come into the kitchen, he would sniff it, shrug (or at least it looked like a shrug) and then walk away. Miles has always been a little odd, he watches television, when he is in trouble he turns around and sits with his back towards you... but what dog doesn't like food?

I never gave him people food except popcorn. That is his favorite, but even that he is nonchalant about eating. I usually throw the popcorn in the air for him to catch... it just gets stuck in his eyebrows or he runs away thinking he is in trouble.

All these things were pre-homemade food. Now post-homemade food... he waits. He waits until 4:59 PM and as soon as the clock reaches 5:00 PM he starts harassing me. First he stares intently at me, then when I get up he circles my legs, then he sits in the kitchen just waiting- all this for food! Dinner time!!

So for the first time in about 5 years you will now find my fridge and freezer stocked with this!

And some of this!

Mike and I went to this butcher near where we live- Moo and Oink. They had incredible deals on meat. So we loaded up. 8 lbs of chicken, pork, and ground beef all for under $15!! That is less then a large bag of dog food!!

Typical Miles dinner...

To redeem ourselves as vegetarians (on the night of meat shopping and cooking) I made marinated veggie sandwiches- extra vegan!

But when I'm elbow deep in raw chicken parts and pork necks I just hum the song
"the things you do for love"

see.enchanted.forest

For my final full day in Florida, my dad took off work and we headed up to the Enchanted Forest in Titusville, Florida. I believe my dad wanted to remind me of all the things I am missing while not being in Florida: family, sunshine, beautiful nature, hot muggy air, sweating, mosquitoes biting and singing in your ear... well the last few come with the territory.

Dad, leading the way!

Apparently these are non-edible berries that the native Indians used for dyes. What an eye for great color the Indians had! hee hee

We are serious about our nature walks and taking the time to enjoy the quiet of nature while... *ring ring ring* yes my dad got a phone call while on the trail. It was our tennis date calling to arrange a meeting time.

One big tree.

I pointed out this little guy on the trail... and true to boy form my dad reaches down and picks it up! 'Does it bite dad?!' his answer... 'oh, I'm not sure'

In case you were concerned- it does not bite!

see.new.dad

My final days in Florida were spent at my dad's house in Suntree... that is located just North of Melbourne Florida. My dad held off going to Gainesville to see baby Owen for a week to be sure the new family was adjusted and comfortable. We did however, request to video chat with the new dad and baby. Presenting... my brother Adam (dad) with his son Owen.

You can see my dad and I in the lower left corner of the computer screen.
Thank you to all of our see.we readers for voting on Baby Brangs m/f status. For all of you who voted male... congratulations! You won!
Unfortunately we have run out of prizes at this time :)

see.last.day

For my last afternoon in Gainesville, I requested to spend an hour playing with the kids at Westside Park. It was so hot, but very fun.

Miss Charlotte.

Do you think she was aiming that foot at my head? Perhaps she was just shoo-ing away a fly...

I really don't have to explain this one, lets just say someone wasn't taking instructions well.

see.pool.time

At my mom's house in Florida. My mom and I took Valerie and Jeremy swimming so they could get some ya-ya's out. The kids love goofing off and having fun!

I told Jeremy and Valerie NOT TO MAKE A SILLY FACE!! (joking of course) So what do they do? Make extra silly faces!

Val's extra silly face. They thought doing what Aunt Mel does not want them to do was SOOO funny!

Here comes Grandma!

Going under!

see.sand.park

It feels very much like Summer right now in Florida. To take a break from being inside I talked my sister into walking down to the park near their house. Jeremy calls it 'The Sand Park'.

My sister Jen and her 9 month old baby Charlotte.

There is really nothing better then a 9 month old with a full belly laugh. She really loved the swing, especially when mom lets go for a nano second to take a picture.

Valerie.
She thought for sure this was a real photo shoot. In this photo we asked her to show us scared!

Jeremy is just happy to be at the park. Even it it was 90 degrees outside with (what felt like) 100 percent humidity.

hmmm.... its a long way down that slide.

This is the look you get when you suggest that it is time to go home... eek!