Always looking for sunshine, figuratively and lite Always looking for sunshine, figuratively and literally. Sometimes we don’t have to look very far and it finds us. ☀️
It didn’t take much to get me to @mikespastasand It didn’t take much to get me to @mikespastasandwichshoppe when a friend texted me a screenshot of their cheese butter. Up until last week I had never even heard of cheese butter but just two days later, I’m driving an hour round trip to get some. 😂 I was never one to succumb to peer pressure (I didn’t have my first drink until I was 21!), but when it comes to food finds, I am very easily intrigued. After all, that’s how I’ve discovered some of my favorite bites over the years … lardo from @butlerandtheboard, a spicy Italian sausage, and my love of chicharron. If you haven’t visited Mike’s in Nutley, it’s worth a visit. While there, I also got a small tray of meatballs (a bargain at $10!) and a delicious mortadella sandwich that is worth a round trip. ✨
The long, dreary and grey months of the Winter nee The long, dreary and grey months of the Winter need a little bit of color, so here you go. 😍 Love this chest of drawers. Discovered it buried in a local shop and bought it specifically for the green color (one of my favorites). Vintage Coke crate was a $10 score from a garage sale place on Facebook some ten years ago. And the assorted markers in Roy G Biv order (natch) that aren’t used anymore because my kids have sadly left that phase. 🙃
Weekend Photos in Review, old school still photo s Weekend Photos in Review, old school still photo style, hope you had a good one! ✨
A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if I wanted her to bring me back anything. Would you believe me if I told you I asked for salt? I love picking up different varieties, whether we’re traveling or I’m just visiting a new shop. Maddie grabbed me a super cute one from her trip to Paris last year, and the Magic Unicorn Salt I get locally is another favorite. What’s yours?
One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Celebrating the Letter M and Madeline

January 19, 2011 · Narrative

HeartbreakerI’ve heard it said that when you have kids, it’s like taking your heart and letting it reside on the outside of your body.  Truer words were never spoken.  I fully understood that sentiment when Nick was born, and ever since, and again with Madeline.  Oh Madeline.

What Every Good Cookie Maker WearsA few weeks ago, she was lying in my bed, snuggled up all warm and cozy next to me, letting me watch an episode of Olivia with her, one of her favorites, before bed.

“I miss you.”

But Madeline, I’m right here.

“No, I miss you when you’re gone,” she said.

Like when?

“When you go to work or I go to Daddy’s.”

My heart instantly broke into a thousand little pieces.  She has this incredibly soft side of her that comes out here and there, a sharp juxtaposition to her Ramona Quimby ways.  And it melts me.  Every time.

But honey, I always come back.  And look… see this necklace I wear?  It has your name on it, and your brother’s, and the day that you were born.  Your birthday.  You’re always close to me.

She leaned in and gave me a kiss.

Tonight we were in the kitchen making a batch of cookies for her to bring to school tomorrow.  This week, her class is working on the letter M.  A very important letter indeed … for it is the first letter of Madeline and Mommy, of course.

Puffy Letters

Crystals

Ready

Little HelperShe stood on her little chair next to me, as close as she could possibly get, and leaned in to watch the frosting whirling around the mixing bowl.  She touched my arm and told me she had a secret.  I bent down to get a good listen.

Usually it sounds like hushed, wet tones of ghjksuyshjthjkghuks.  And then she’ll ask me a question or I won’t respond appropriately, and she’ll know I didn’t get a lick of what she said.  Tonight, though, it was clear.  Clear as day.

“You’re doing a good job, Mom.”

I swear that child kills me sometimes.

Tired Monkey

New Fish EyeI’ve been wanting to get a fish eye/wide angle lens f-o-r-e-v-e-r, but with the price tags starting at several hundred dollars, I just couldn’t rationalize it. Even if I sell my photos. But then I found this little gem on Amazon for NINE BUCKS. NINE. At that price, I wasn’t expecting much, but I was wrong. So very wrong.

Project 365
January 19, 2011, Photo #19

Dark Chocolate is GoodDark chocolate. It’s an antioxidant. It’s a superfood. It’s good for you. Need I say more?

P.S. For the M cookies, I used this sugar cookie recipe and this frosting recipe.

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Posted In: Narrative · Tagged: frosting recipe, sugar cookies

Comments

  1. Sarah Caron says

    January 19, 2011 at 10:06 pm

    Awww, she’s melting my heart too. Every so often, Paige will come barreling into the room and throw her arms around me and say “Mommy, you’re the best!” I adore that.

    Reply
  2. claire says

    January 19, 2011 at 10:25 pm

    So super sweet!!!!

    Reply
  3. Casey says

    January 19, 2011 at 11:16 pm

    Little girls are something else. I had no idea! After 2 boys (who are equally sweet, but so different), I feel like I’ve entered a whole new world.

    Reply
  4. Kris #40 says

    January 19, 2011 at 11:39 pm

    She is so sweet! Yummy cookies!

    Love her boots too!

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/my5kidz/5369927237/

    Reply
    • Cate says

      January 21, 2011 at 12:02 am

      Haha – love it!

      Reply
  5. Joanne says

    January 20, 2011 at 7:14 am

    I have to say Cate, Madeline is absolutely adorable! In every way!

    Although her switching back and forth between Ramona and supercute endearing mode are probably going to cause you much grief once she’s in her teens. But for now…just enjoy it.

    Reply
  6. Ramona says

    January 20, 2011 at 11:31 am

    Cool deal on the lens.

    What a little heartbreaker. She’s a good kid.

    Reply

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Always looking for sunshine, figuratively and lite Always looking for sunshine, figuratively and literally. Sometimes we don’t have to look very far and it finds us. ☀️
It didn’t take much to get me to @mikespastasand It didn’t take much to get me to @mikespastasandwichshoppe when a friend texted me a screenshot of their cheese butter. Up until last week I had never even heard of cheese butter but just two days later, I’m driving an hour round trip to get some. 😂 I was never one to succumb to peer pressure (I didn’t have my first drink until I was 21!), but when it comes to food finds, I am very easily intrigued. After all, that’s how I’ve discovered some of my favorite bites over the years … lardo from @butlerandtheboard, a spicy Italian sausage, and my love of chicharron. If you haven’t visited Mike’s in Nutley, it’s worth a visit. While there, I also got a small tray of meatballs (a bargain at $10!) and a delicious mortadella sandwich that is worth a round trip. ✨
The long, dreary and grey months of the Winter nee The long, dreary and grey months of the Winter need a little bit of color, so here you go. 😍 Love this chest of drawers. Discovered it buried in a local shop and bought it specifically for the green color (one of my favorites). Vintage Coke crate was a $10 score from a garage sale place on Facebook some ten years ago. And the assorted markers in Roy G Biv order (natch) that aren’t used anymore because my kids have sadly left that phase. 🙃
Weekend Photos in Review, old school still photo s Weekend Photos in Review, old school still photo style, hope you had a good one! ✨

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Always looking for sunshine, figuratively and lite Always looking for sunshine, figuratively and literally. Sometimes we don’t have to look very far and it finds us. ☀️
It didn’t take much to get me to @mikespastasand It didn’t take much to get me to @mikespastasandwichshoppe when a friend texted me a screenshot of their cheese butter. Up until last week I had never even heard of cheese butter but just two days later, I’m driving an hour round trip to get some. 😂 I was never one to succumb to peer pressure (I didn’t have my first drink until I was 21!), but when it comes to food finds, I am very easily intrigued. After all, that’s how I’ve discovered some of my favorite bites over the years … lardo from @butlerandtheboard, a spicy Italian sausage, and my love of chicharron. If you haven’t visited Mike’s in Nutley, it’s worth a visit. While there, I also got a small tray of meatballs (a bargain at $10!) and a delicious mortadella sandwich that is worth a round trip. ✨
The long, dreary and grey months of the Winter nee The long, dreary and grey months of the Winter need a little bit of color, so here you go. 😍 Love this chest of drawers. Discovered it buried in a local shop and bought it specifically for the green color (one of my favorites). Vintage Coke crate was a $10 score from a garage sale place on Facebook some ten years ago. And the assorted markers in Roy G Biv order (natch) that aren’t used anymore because my kids have sadly left that phase. 🙃
Weekend Photos in Review, old school still photo s Weekend Photos in Review, old school still photo style, hope you had a good one! ✨
A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if I wanted her to bring me back anything. Would you believe me if I told you I asked for salt? I love picking up different varieties, whether we’re traveling or I’m just visiting a new shop. Maddie grabbed me a super cute one from her trip to Paris last year, and the Magic Unicorn Salt I get locally is another favorite. What’s yours?
One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻

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