The Neon District

I got the opportunity on Christmas Day (of all things) to photograph my sweet girl. She's 15 now and just got her braces off. Why did we go on Christmas? Well, it was 77 degrees (actually too hot for the jacket) and the streets were clear of looky-loos. We choose the streets of Norfolk, VA in the Neon District. It has been revitalized and art is everywhere!

European Vacation - part deux [PARIS]

Finally! Yes, finally, Paris! It was gorgeous and crowded and expensive and fabulous. Although, I must say that the dreamy Pinterest photos of little shops with only a dog and a bicycle in the frame are very misleading and must have been taken at the crack of dawn before the streets filled with people. However, it was a wonderful experience.

 Is it any wonder we had trouble finding our hotel on foot?

European Vacation -Germany

It's been a while since I have posted. I've been busy with work, my husband's retirement from the Navy and our trip to Europe. That's really just my excuse. I've been neglectful and that's the real truth. But, I would like to share a couple of my favorite pics from the trip.
If you are ever in Germany, we (my family) highly recommend the town of Garmish. The Best Western was unbelievably comfortable and accommodating. The Zugspitze [Top of Germany] was an incredible adventure and we loved it!

Snowshoe Mountain Ski Adventure

The last weekend of January proved to be a very exciting four days for our family. We had never tried snow skiing, after all, we live in Virginia Beach. Although we did just about four inches and I am writing this on "snow day".We were lucky enough to join several other military families in Snowshoe on an adventure with the nice folks from the Life Adventure Center in Kentucky.
Some of us did much better than others and mastered the skis very quickly, others [like myself] did more falling down and belly laughing than anything else. At the end of the day, it was a wonderful trip filled with amazing scenery provided by the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains of West Virginia.

Winter Comfort

There are few things as good as homemade chicken soup, accept of course, homemade Chicken Pot Pie. As it gets colder, I find myself caring less about my diet and how I will look in a bathing suit this summer and more about what kind of food will make me warm and happy. I'm sure to regret these choices sooner than I think but for today, I'm okay with it.

I know there are many ways to make pot pie but this is how I do it.

Start with the usual suspects. Chicken, of course. I used a fresh breast because I had it on hand but you can also use leftovers. I don't like the taste of leftover meat though. So, I use the fresh stuff. Then onion, carrots, and celery. Your basic rue mixture. And some cubed potatoes. One large or two small will do the trick. Don't forget the salt and peppa.

I use these two. I don't have all day to make my own broth nor would I care to. I am squeamish when it comes to chicken.  Truth be told, my husband cut this up for me. I can't touch the slimy stuff. Ewe. The smell of it boiling would send me over the edge. Sorry, I hope you didn't loose your desire to keep going. Stick with me. It's gonna be good.

After the veggies and chicken have softened a bit, add a tablespoon of flour and coat the mixture. Then add your can of broth. Allow this to bubble and thicken.

This is where some might add heavy cream or who knows what but I like to just pop a can of cream of chicken soup. It adds just the right amount of creaminess and flavor. I also add the sweet peas now. They're still frozen, too. If you add them too soon, they'll be over-cooked. Gotta have peas in pot pie!

This is what it should look like when it's ready to go into the pie crust. I just used a two-pack of pie crusts so there's one on the bottom and one left for the top. How convenient.

I will confess, I asked for and got a rolling pin for Christmas but in all honestly, I'm not sure when I'll use it. It won't likely be on a homemade pie crust though.

And there's my girl, just hanging out. Some don't like a dog in the kitchen. I get it. If Lucy was a shedder, I wouldn't either. But she follows me everywhere and I just can't say no to her. Thankfully, we get her shaved and groomed regularly and it's not an issue. She's waiting patiently for the pie.

Well, there it is! The finished pie. I hope you give it try. We can pack on some winter weight together.

Little Road Trip

Last weekend we loaded up the whole family (dog included) and set out for a day of adventure to no where in particular. Actually we did go under the river (via tunnel) and through the woods to Williamsburg. My husband wanted to show us a fishing spot on the James River. We found a great camp ground that we have vowed to re-visit this summer. We also happened across several plantations when we got off the beaten path. One of them was the home of former president John Tyler. Yeah, we didn't really remember him either but apparently he was our 10th president. It was a worthwhile day out. Here are some highlights.

Let's start with LUCY! She's like "hurry up, I'm trying to explore".

 Too bad there wasn't someone there to take a family picture for us. Would've been a good one.

A hollow tree in a hundred acre wood.

 This was a pet cemetery at John Tyler plantation. Many of the dogs had the same name.