William is ONE!

So Erin, my college roommate and quasi-sister,  is unbelievably creative and cute.  She had an adorable 1st birthday party for her son, William.  Of course I am not so creative and so I did not get a single picture of the decorations.  But trust me, it was adorable.  Old time coke bottles, pinwheels, banners, cute signs, burgers, chips, a dessert spread with whoopie pies and other old fashioned desserts…  I promise it was awesome but I am going to stop there because I cannot even begin to remember everything and I am not making it sound cute enough anyway.  Next time I will take pictures.  If I can remember. 

What I did remember was to take a few pictures of the birthday boy.  Happy birthday little/big man.  I love you a whole heck of a lot!

I cannot wait to see the man you grow into!  Happy 1st birthday!

Lake Charles, Louisiana

Last weekend I went to Lake Charles, Louisiana with Stacy and Melissa to visit Melissa’s parents and learn to water ski.  While we were there we played a few intense games of croquet.  Melissa won the first game and Stacy won the second.  I kinda want my own croquet set because:  a) it was really fun and b) I clearly need more practice since I got beat.   

On Saturday afternoon, we went out on the lake for some water sports.  As I alluded to above, I had never been water skiing before.  I was eager and nervous to learn.  First, I practiced my stance a few times. 

And had a few falls.  Check out the rope in the picture below.  Pretty cool pic Stacy!

And eventually, I made it out of the water.

I skied! It was so much fun. I can’t wait to go again!

The lake was beautiful.  We stayed out until the sun went down. It was such a great and relaxing weekend.  However, I am still sore from my time on the lake.  Who knew learning to ski was so intense?! 

Cooking 2011/5 of 12/Summer Orzo Salad

I am back on the cooking bandwagon!  Tonight I made my lunches for the week and I am pretty stinking excited about my summer orzo pasta. While it is over 100 outside, I figured I would indulge in some cool yummy pasta.   It was really easy to make and the Champagne Vinaigrette has a fantastic flavor.   Try it!

SUMMER ORZO SALAD

• 1 pound orzo
• 1 container cherry tomatoes
• 1 6-oz package crumbled feta
• 1/2 cup minced fresh basil (or other herb)
• 1/2-1 cup champagne vinaigrette

Bring salted water to boil in large heavy saucepan. Add orzo and boil until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Transfer to large wide bowl, tossing frequently until cool. Mix tomatoes, feta, and herbs into orzo. Add vinaigrette; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Champagne Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup champagne vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, and honey in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.

Swimming with William

Last weekend I got to hang out with Erin and William.  We went swimming.  I cannot believe how big he is getting.  He is almost one!  My my my how time flies!  William is a fan of water until he gets his head in.  Then he is not such a happy camper.  And he is fascinated by noodles.  I kinda love him a lot.  I think he is a keeper.

Lately

Life seems to be going 150 miles an hour these days. And I never seem to get enough done (blogging included, clearly). However, I managed to find a few minutes to provide you all with a brief update. Are you pumped?

Lately I have been...

1. Watching SYTYCD with my roommate, Sarah. Such a good season. Can't believe it is almost over. Team Melanie!

2. Working. Working. Working.

3. Sucked into Friday Night Lights. I am in Season 2. It is so stinking good. I am a big fan of Tim Riggins. BIG. FAN.

4. Reading Northanger Abbey for my book club. It is better than I was expecting.

5. Thinking about cooking. Not actually getting off my butt to do it. But I am thinking about it. First step? Maybe?

6. Drinking a treat from Starbucks most afternoons. I had to adjust my budget a tad this month to accommodate my delicious summer habit. Darn you treat receipts. Darn you.

That's really all I have off the top of my head. But I hope to actually post a few substantive blog posts in the near future. Get excited!