Congratulations Lee Dewyze!!!

I love American Idol!! I love that random people who are not famous and who live normal lives get a chance to persue their passion and dreams! I love listening to their voices since I can't sing at all! I love the songs and am amazed each week with what they do with the songs to make them their own! I love it all!

I have really enjoyed this season and have been rooting for Lee all along!! His humble charm paired with his rock-n-roll swagger are a perfect combination!!

Congratulations Lee on becoming the next American Idol!! I can't wait to hear more of your music!

Double Knockout Rose Bushes

Brad just learned that our neighborhood garden club (which we are not in) gives out a "Yard of the Month" award for the best yard! When he found out about this he said, "What, why didn't you tell me?!?! " and then followed up with, "Game on!"

He was only half serious about the award, but in all seriousness, we have been wanting to slowly add some plants to the edge of our house where things look a little bare. So with a little motivation for the yard of the month award and in an effort to make a little progress, we bought 5 Pink Double Knockout Rose bushes. (I know there are only 4 in the picture...we had to buy one more later to fill up the space!) We already have 5 of these that were planted to hide the air conditioner units so we decided to just add on!

Roses in front of the ac unit

New roses and dirt

The Double Knockout Roses are EASY! They do not require a green thumb and its a good thing because neither of us seem to have much of one! According to the tag on the roses, they are hardy, disease resistant, pest resistant, drought resistant, low maintenance, self-cleaning (?!?!), repeat bloomers from spring through the first frost, and beautiful!! This is my kind of plant! They will reach full maturity after a season or two.

After lots and lots of digging in our horrible clay / gravel yard, we were finally able to plant the roses!

Before

After

We will see how they do!

Regions Charity Golf Classic

Last weekend our neighborhood hosted the Regions Charity Classic Golf Tournament! Our neighborhood, and especially our street was buzzing with activity, volunteers, golf carts, etc as they get set-up for the tournament! It has actually been really fun to have the additional activity!

Brad loves going out early each morning and watching the golfers on the driving range, eating breakfast at the hospitality tents, and then following the golfers around before the temperatures rise and the crowds gather! I have been out with him to follow the golfers in previous years, but this year I chose the more social option! We got Regions hospitality wrist bands for Saturday so I stayed in the tent most of the day! We ate lunch and then watched as the golfers finished their rounds on the 18th hole! The temperature was perfect especially with the shade of the tent and the breeze!

This was our view from the tent! Not bad at all!

When I had had enough of the golf, I made my way to the neighborhood pool for an afternoon nap in the sun! After my nap, we had friends over to cookout and play a little Bocce ball!

It was a great weekend and I can't wait for next year!!

New Ironing Board Cover

For Christmas, I recieved a sewing machine from my parents!!! I have been dying to learn how to sew and get busy making all sorts of things for around my house as well as baby clothes for friends!

My very first project was a kitchen and bathroom hand towel. I bought two white towels from the Dollar Tree (just in case I messed them up!) and some cheerful pink and red Joel Dewberry Fabric! I thought the end result was pretty good, but it definlty took F.O.R.E.V.E.R! The hardest part was trying to get the fabric straight at the top where it met the towel! I even had the leveler out!!

My second project was a new ironing board cover for myself! I thought this would serve two purposes: 1) A new sewing project that no one would necessarily have to see if it didn't turn out and 2) motivation to do the ironing on a new and cheerful cover!! I followed a tutorial that I found online here: http://jonag.typepad.com/stop_staring_and_start_se/2008/01/my-accidental-n.html

Notes:

At first, I used the cording that she suggested to gather the cover. However, I couldn't get it as tight as I wanted without slicing open my fingers. It also just didn't look that good. So, I used 1/4 elastic instead and it worked great! Also, I used double wide bias tape instead of cutting fabric on the bias as suggested. Here is the my new cover!!

Cutting out the new fabric

The final project!

When I showed my Mom my new cover, she requested that I make her one for Mother's Day!! Her ironing board is an irregular shape so she has not been able to buy a standard one! As I have found with anything in sewing, the second round always goes much faster and smoother than the first!

Here is my Mom's new cover with the fabric she requested!

Pesto Chicken Pita Pizza

One of my favorite, family, summer recipes is Pesto Chicken Pita Pizza!! I think my mom and sisters and I made this one up!!!

It is very simple, fast, healthy, and delicious!

Here's what you will need:

• Chicken tenders marinated in Kraft Zesty Italian marinade and dressing (or your favorite marinade)
• Whole wheat pita bread
• Olive oil
• Cherry tomatoes
• Pine nuts
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Pesto sauce (My favorite is Alessi brand. It is usually on the pasta aisle with all the other sauces)
  
  
  
  
  

Here's how to make it:

1. Grill chicken tenders.

2. Take whole wheat pita bread and either keep it as it is (two layers thick) or cut it in half to make it less "doughy" depending on how crispy you like your crust! I prefer mine very thin and crispy so I cut it in half.

3. Sprinkle olive oil over the crust

4. Bake it in the oven at 350 degrees for a few minutes until the pita is slightly crispy.

5. Spread a thin layer of pesto sauce over the pita.

6. Cut up tomatoes into halves or quarters and spread out over the pita evenly. The more the better in my opinion!

7. Cut up chicken tenders into bite size pieces and add to pita.

8. Add pine nuts.

9. Cover everything with mozzarella cheese and put it back in the oven! Broil until the cheese is melted.

10. Eat and enjoy!!

Happy Birthday Nicole!!

Happy Birthday to my Sister-in-Law Nicole!!

My bachelorette party 2007

We went to Michael's Steakhouse and had a delicious meal!

Then, we went to Dippin Dots for a little ice cream of the future! Dippin Dots reminds me of high school and specifically of City Stages!! Yum!!

Photo from Facebook

Orzo Salad with Tilapia

My friend, Kat that I work with shared a delicious new recipe that we tried tonight!! Brad wasn't so sure about it when I got started. Some recipes are a little too "girlie" as he says! But, by the end, I think he was sold and said I could make it again (which is his seal of approval)! It was wonderful!! I would describe it as the perfect summer recipe! So fresh and very healthy!!

Here's the recipe from Frank Stitt's Bottega Favorita:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups orzo
About 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup corn kernels (from about 3 ears of corn)
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1 shallot or 1/4 red onion, minced
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata or Nicoise olives, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup basil leaves, torn into little pieces or cut into chiffonade, plus 4 small sprigs for garnish

Directions:
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, 5-7 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with a splash of olive oil.

Stir the corn, tomatoes, shallot or onion, olives, torn basil, and salt and pepper to taste into the orzo. Add the vinegar, drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil, and toss to coat. Taste for seasonings and adjust to your liking.

Notes:

1. I sauteed the onion because I don't like fresh onion!

2. I omitted the olives because I don't like them!

3. I added edamame and pine nuts per Kat's suggestion! They were perfect!

4. I put lemon pepper and fresh lemon juice, basil, rosemary, oregano, and parsley on fresh tilapia and baked it at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Fish is done when its white and flaky!

5. I squeezed just a little bit of fresh lemon juice over the entire dish!

Thanks Kat for the new recipe!

Congratulations Elizabeth!!!!

This weekend my little sister, Elizabeth graduated

from the University of Alabama!! It's hard to believe that 4 years have already gone by. I still remember moving her in to Riverside!! She graduated with a perfect 4.0 and many honors!! The most outstanding award that she was given is the Morris Lehman Mayer Award, one of only six Premier Awards given out to students each year. As posted by the UA News:

The Morris Lehman Mayer Award is named in honor of the late Morris Lehman Mayer, business professor emeritus. For three decades, Mayer was a beloved UA teacher and a guiding force in student life. The award recognizes integrity, selfless service and leadership at UA and in the community among those also making significant contributions to student life. Dr. James C. Hall is the non-student recipient of the Mayer Award, and Elizabeth Jones is the student recipient.

Recognizing that civic service is about being gracious and proactive, humbled and empowered, Jones began Speak Up Tuscaloosa, a debate program for at-risk middle school students. As director of Speak Up, she leads a team of honors students in the outreach program that has not only improved the literacy skills of the students, but has transformed their lives with the positive impact debate has on student learning. She has been active in UA Center for Ethics & Social Responsibility programs as a CE&SR Scholar, champion of the Moral Forum debate competition, and documentary filmmaker in the Documenting Justice class. A member of the Blackburn Institute, the Anderson Society, and an intern at the David Matthews Center for Civic Life, Jones has been selected to be in the prestigious, inaugural Teach for America corps serving in Alabama’s rural Black

Belt.

http://uanews.ua.edu/2010/03/top-honors-for-scholarship-leadership-announced-at-ua-2/

Our family went to the Mayer Award dinner and ceremony on Friday night at the Indian Hills Country Club. Elizabeth gave one of the most amazing speeches that I have ever heard...especially considering that it was off the cuff! She definitly has the gift of public speaking like my Dad.

On Saturday, we stared the Graduation Day off with a celebration brunch at Elizabeth's house. Friends, family, and professors all stopped by to celebrate! One of Elizabeth's mentors, Robert Morgan played the guitar and sang for us while we enjoyed great food and perfect weather!

Me and Hubby

Dad and Jeffrey

The Boys!

Ladder Ball Champ of the Day

We then walked to Coleman Coliseum for the ceremony. It was not nearly as fun as the brunch:)

There she is (second in line) waving to us!

Shaking hands with Dr. Witt!

Em and Elizabeth

Aunt Janet, Laura, Elizabeth, Holly

Congratulations again to Elizabeth for such a successful college career!! She is off to the Black Belt for the next two years as a middle school math teacher through Teach for America! We are so proud of you and excited to see what your future holds!

Here We Go!!

So, I started a blog. It is something that I have been considering for a while now, but I was not sure if I would actually keep up with it...I still don't know if I will but hope to! I love reading and stalking blogs and also wanted a way to record our life, so after finally coming up with a blog name, here I go. Our house has a front porch that I love (I hope to always have a front porch on any house that I live in from now on!) so I figured the title "From Our Front Porch" would be a fitting perspective for journaling our life. I have no idea where this blog will go, but I hope to record our life to help us remember it when we are old and gray!