10/31/12

10/29/12

Pumpkin Patch

Sunday we took Wesley to the beautiful pumpkin patch at Summer's Past Farm in Finn Springs, CA. The pumpkin patch was a little sparse, but it still made for some good pictures.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
{pictures by Jeff}

DIY Sharpie Mugs

 
I pinned this popular image on pinterest a while back, and finally got to buying the supplies needed to make my own version. 
 

Sharpie dishes tutorial by A Beautiful Mess
{source}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I picked up 2 white mugs from the Dollar Tree and used a sharpie I already had at home. 

 
I love the modern simplicity of the mugs from my inspiration picture and wanted to emulate that feel, but it took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do.  I love the is + hers theme, but in reality, Jeff doesnt drink hot beverages, so it didn't make sense to make him his own mug.  In the end I couldn't come up with two matching mugs, but I like them both.
 

The first mug I simply wrote "hello" which I thought was good for a cup of morning coffee and it also seems to be a trendy word for different art projects.  I like the way it turned out, although my ink blend a bit.

 
 
The second mug took me forever to figure out what I wanted. I must have written and drawn 20 things before I finally just asked Jeff to write a note to me. Which brings up a cool point about this project. Untill you bake the mugs in the oven, you can wipe of the permanent marker and try again. I loved that.
 
 
I also love that I now have a permanent note from my love to read over and over while I drink my coffee. Is'nt he cute.
 
 
So to be totally honest, this method isnt really totally permanent. I've heard you cannot run them through the dishwasher, but a good hand washing should stand up. I did test mine using a clorox wipe and it smeared a little compared to completely washing off before baking.
 
 
 
 
I think these make for a super cute wedding gift or a cheap holiday gift if you are looking to give someting to all your friends.  Maybe fill with fixings for hot chocolate!
 
 

10/26/12

Yummy Salmon dinner

Last week Jeff went on a "once in a lifetime fishing trip."  He accompanied a coworker to Canada and spent the week fishing for Salmon.  This is Jeff's idea of Heaven.  Luckily for me he brought back over 40 pounds of fresh Salmon, and he's pretty good at cooking it for me too.
 
Here are just a couple pictures from his trip.
 
 
 
And here are some pictures of our super yummy dinner:
 
 
The filet of salmon was the thickest I had ever seen!
 
 
Jeff marinated the steak in a mixture of terryaki sauce and syrup (like the kind for pancakes) for about an hour.
 
 
Then he pan fired them on the stove.
 
 
He layed them over a bed of rice and add some roasted green beans (in the oven at 425 for 20-30 mins).
 
 
 
It was the best salmon (or any fish for that matter) that I had ever had.  It was cook perfectly and didn't have a hint of fishiness.  I can't wait for Jeff's next salmon creation!!!

10/25/12

Playing with Water

One way to entertain an active one year old is to let him play in water!  We set up this little sprinkler and I caught Wesley having fun getting wet.  I had to share these photos with you.