The British royal wedding is today! In anticipation of the stately event I sewed EJ a crown of flowers to wear at a brunch we will be attending.

The crown was very simple to make. I cut out two pieces of white felt in the shape of the crown.


Sewed them on top of each other.


Then sewed on the flowers and attached Velcro to the ends.


EJ is ready to be crowned...


and watch the royal wedding!

What would a British brunch be without scones and clotted cream?


Here is my favorite recipe for current scones and clotted cream.

We thought it was time that EJ learn the responsibility of taking care of a pet. Okay, so maybe I was in the mood to visit a pet store, cheaper than the zoo and probably as exciting for Ej, and I had a glass bowl I wanted to use.

My original intent was to pick up a goldfish but was informed that a betta would live longer in the bowl. They are a bit more expensive than the 17 cent goldfish, but EJ was excited to pick out her new pet from the cups of colorful fish.

We brought Betty home and released her into her new home.

Betty is the first thing EJ wants to see in the morning, and our daughter is even picking up how to feed her. Maybe we will be ready for a bird soon!

DaddyO celebrate his 30th birthday over the weekend! He didn't want a party, and had already picked out his present, so figuring out how surprise him took a little time.

Since family and friends are so dear to him, getting them involved seemed like the best way to celebrate the big 30. I asked everyone to email me a photo of themselves with a birthday greeting/message and then posted the photos on the wall in the middle of the night.


DaddyO woke up to a big surprise and was thrilled to have family and friends celebrating with him!

Oh course it would not be a birthday without a party (a small one:) and cake (it was Easter and I couldn't pass up the lamb at J's Pastry).



Happy Birthday to the love of my life!

You know summer is right around the corner when Sunsets at Plaza De Luna begins! We packed a picnic lunch, loaded EJ in the bike trailer, and rode downtown with some friends to enjoy some music as we watched the sun set over the pier.

Apr 28 - Pensacola Steel-Steel Drum (Winnie the Pooh)

Air shows have a special place in our hearts so I was thrilled when DaddyO told me he would be flying to Fort Worth to be part of the Air Power Expo. My sister-in-law and nephew braved the fierce winds to spend some time with us on Friday, and we were blessed with a beautiful day on Saturday to enjoy watching the loops, dives and spins of the planes.

EJ and I headed to Texas for a long weekend to meet up with DaddyO at the Air Power Expo in Fort Worth and spend time with my brother and his family in Dallas.

It was a last minute decision to attempt the twelve hour drive alone (DaddyO flew a T-34 over with a student), but thanks to the encouragement of some adventurous friends, I hit the road and it turned out to be a lot easier than expected.


The key was leaving early in the morning and making lots of stops. I got four hours under my belt before EJ even woke up and Chick-fil-A is definitely the new McDonalds.

Here are a few of the things that I will always remember to bring with me on a trip:
numerous books on cd
iPod filled with music
bag of "new" toys
a cooler of snack food

With our 1,400 mile drive to Texas and back, EJ now has over 8,000 miles on the road! She is quite the trooper!

One thing that we miss about living in a "big" city is easy access to a zoo. One thing we knew we wanted to do while visiting Dallas was take EJ to the zoo. She enjoyed petting the goats, watching the lions, and trying to feed the giraffe. We enjoyed watching her expressions and listening to her excitement about the animals.

I love to travel but hate packing. Here is a fabulous travel checklist I found that should make packing for our next trip more enjoyable. Happy packing!

DaddyO's good friend from flight school turned 30 this weekend! It only seemed fitting that we give him one of my quirky Japanese birthday cards.


As anticipated, this one brought a smile to his face:)

We enjoyed a Sunday afternoon with friends at our neighborhood park. The kids hunted for Easter eggs and we enjoyed a fried chicken lunch hosted by the First United Methodist Church.

I love tea! My love for it started while studying in London and then grew while living in Japan. Each place has a unique style and taste, the British with a formal black and the Japanese with an earthy green, but both treat tea time as an oases from a busy day. That is one of the elements I so love about tea.

Every afternoon I treat myself to a matcha latte. In the winter I enjoy it hot and in the summer it is refreshing on ice.

Once you have the needed utensils it is easy to make. The numerous health benefits make it a "why haven't I been drinking it all these years"?!

I first learned how to make this fabulous drink from Keiko Sensei. She was an instructor in Tokyo who worked for Lupicia, still my favorite tea company.

Here are my simplified Matcha Latte instructions:

First you need matcha powder, a whisk, bowl, and hot water.

Whisk together a teaspoon of matcha with 1/8 cup near boiling water until smooth and frothy.


Fill a tall glass halfway full of ice, add soy-milk and a teaspoon of honey or simple syrup. (if you use vanilla soy-milk no sweetener is needed). Pour the matcha mixture into the glass and stir until blended. Enjoy!