Birthday sharing

In honor of my birthday today...I interviewed myself.
30 questions..for the 30th day of the month.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
My mother was never given a middle name when she was born, so she picked Ann as her confirmation name and used that as her middle name...and so her first daughter (me) was named Ann! I became an Annie to a lot of people when I was 22...started working where there were two other Ann's...so I was nicknamed Annie. (which my family had called me sometimes)

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
Watching Biggest Loser on TV...the stories of the contestants are heartbreaking.

3. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Leftover meatloaf sandwich..with lettuce and mayo...yum

4. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
3 awesome kids; girl 24, boy 20 and girl 18-- and now a new son in law :)


5. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yes, and 3 out of 4 of my wisdom teeth too :) I don't like to give up body parts..lol

6. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
ah...no...i am a fraidy cat. I don't even like (hate, actually) to fly in airplanes!

7. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
my homemade granola, followed by Barbara's Peanut Butter Puffins cereal.

8. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Nope...waste of time.


9. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Friendly's Vienna Mocha Chunk

10. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
How they interact with their kids


11. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
That I am a big fraidy cat.

12. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
I miss having my kids around to do fun stuff with and also our friends who moved to Florida :(

13. WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?
My husband, my kids, birth, breastfeeding, photography.
Also, my book club I started 9 years ago.

14. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
The rain and the wind outside...very relaxing

15.. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Onions carmelizing on the stove; homemade bread baking; and newborn babies.

16. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
My daughter Taylor a few minutes ago wishing me Happy Birthday :) (the other two kids called just before that :)

17. MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY OR BEACH HOUSE?
Beach house, hands down. Love the ocean.

18. FAVORITE HOBBIES?
Photography, Scrapbooking and Kayaking


19. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
I wear one contact...which I rotate from my L to R eye every few days

20. FAVORITE FOOD?
Bread..any kind...and spaghetti and meatballs.

21. PLACE YOU WANT TO VISIT?
Any place in Italy and Paris, France

22. RETIREMENT PLANS?
Love New England, but hate the COLD winters. Would like to escape the cold weather for a couple months. Yes, that's right. Become a snow bird...lol



23. FAVORITE DESSERT?
Decadent chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream tied with blueberry pie w vanilla ice cream


24. COMPUTER OR TELEVISION?
Hard to choose...I am a junkie for both, but laptop prob wins.

25. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
Pillars of the Earth...and I have to hurry cuz it's overdue! It's AWESOME, but it is almost 1000 pages!

26. FAVORITE SOUND?
Ocean waves

27. HOW MANY SONGS ON YOUR IPOD?
452..a mix of new songs and oldies, classical, jazz, and even some rap!

28. WHAT IS THE BEST PLACE YOU HAVE EVER VISITED?
Acadia National Park in Maine...been there 18 times


29. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
Raising three kids to be incredibly awesome human beings who I am so VERY proud of. (hubby helped here too ;)

30. DO YOU LOVE YOUR LIFE?
Oh, yeah. I sure do.

Paddle to the sun(set)

With the unseasonably warm temperature this past weekend, and an impromptu date with D+M to go kayaking, we decided to head to Long Island Sound Saturday afternoon.
On an 85 degree day we needed those sea breezes to cool us off!

We met in Old Lyme in the late afternoon...our plan was to paddle around the Lieutenant River and the marshes for a couple of hours, then head to a little island beach for a picnic supper just at the edge of the Sound for sunset views.

We were excited to get out on our kayak again...we had had such a busy summer that this was only the second time this season!



D+M paddling up the Lieutenant River, below.

My essential for the eventual beach picnic was strapped to the front of my
kayak...my beach chair!

There were some gorgeous houses along the river...we saw some interesting birds and cute blue boathouse doors.

The weather was perfect for paddling..windy at first, but it soon died down to a gentle breeze.

We turned into one of the narrow inlets that run parallel and perpendicular (see? I remember geometry ;) to the river.
The marsh grass was crazy beautiful against the blue sky.

We meandered around the inlets for quite some time, and then eventually back out to the river and headed towards the Sound.

We pulled up on some low tide mud/sand flats and moored our boats.

Other than one other couple, we four were the only ones here.

Our kayaks in the distance..

There were tons of shells.

The last time Jim and I came here (last summer) it was packed with people and kayakers.
Ah...the best thing about September....the hordes have vanished.

We sipped wine (that D + M brought), and munched on snacks like chipoltle hummus, cheese, french bread, brownies..(that D+M brought, too..we were food slackers) and settled back to watch the show.


The Sunset Spectacular.

It was breathtaking.

Until, finally, the sun set.

We headed back to gather up our things and paddle back to our cars.

Twilight paddling :0)

We hated to have the evening end...so of course we stretched it out by finding (what else but) a local ice cream store.

Thanks, D and M...we had an unforgettable evening...

It doesn't take very long...

before the need arises for another batch of homemade granola.


I thought I would share with you my version of granola...one that has become
a staple in our house over the last few years.

The urge to bake and make homemade granola would come and go over the years when the kids were little, but as we all aged (ahem) both the desire and the time to do it merged together.
And so, Annie's Granola was born.
Annie's Maple Granola to be exact.

Over the years it has started off as Cinnamon Granola, then tweaked to be honey flavored, applesauce flavored, and finally,
Maple Flavored.
This is the one recipe we have stuck with for some time...because everyone in the family loves it.

I notice not a slight amount of panic as the granola jars become emptier and emptier.
We eat granola for breakfast with milk, for lunch with yogurt, and out of the hand for a snack.

And you definitely feel healthier with every bite.

Annie's Maple Granola
(this recipe makes a LOT!)

Mix together in a very large bowl with deep sides or large stockpot and then set aside:

-8-10 cups of rolled (old-fashioned) oats
-1 cup wheat germ
1 cup coconut (preferably unsweetened, low fat)
1 cup Bob's Red Mill ground flaxseed
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 cup whole almonds, raw
1 cup chopped walnuts
-2 heaping TBLS cinnamon
-1/2-1 tsp sea salt

Mix together in a microwave safe 4 cup glass measure and heat until bubbly:
-2/3 cup canola oil
-2/3 cup applesauce (organic preferred)
-1 cup maple syrup (or may substitute half with honey)
-1 TBLS vanilla extract
-1 tsp pure maple extract (optional)

Pour maple/oil mixture over dry ingredients and mix and mix and mix until very well blended.
Hand bowl and spoon to husband and have him mix too.

Pour mixture onto cookie sheets (tip:use parchment paper to prevent sticking) and bake at 300-325 degrees for about 20-30 min. Check frequently for browning.

If you bake two cookies sheets at the same time, switch positions in the oven halfway through.
(You will probably need to stir it a bit and fold the edges into the middle to prevent excess browning about half way through)

Remove when toasted/golden brown and place on wire rack to cool.
Immediately pour dried fruit (we like dried cherries, cranberries, blueberries)
on top of the hot granola. Cool to room temperature.

IMPORTANT: Cool completely before placing in airtight container, and/or freeze for long term storage.

A beautiful Parent's Weekend

We got another campus tour this past weekend.
Except this time, it was Parent's Weekend, and our daughter was the tour guide :)

We saw many beautiful things around the campus, but the best was the smiling face of our girl.

We also shared meals with these beautiful people, not the least of which
was a memorable pizza making night :) and delicious coffee on a sunny morning.

Taylor amazed us with her room..not only was it neat and tidy (!), but it had her personality stamped all over it....warm, cute and cozy.

We walked all over campus, checking out her favorite spots.

That's her dorm in the background.

Library mural

He's a goofball.

A whole room full of children's books for the Elementary Ed majors.

A Beethoven room.

We saw a garden of stones....


We admired St. Michael's amazing
(and maybe the first ever in the world)
Word Garden
..read more about it HERE.

We sat amongst blooming flowers.

I told you he was a goofball.

We visited some of her classrooms..this room is where her Christianity class is held.

Admired and puzzled over interesting art....

and beautiful archways

and iron fences.

We stepped quietly into the chapel

Peaceful and still now...but joyous and full of
students (including Taylor!) and music at the Sunday night Mass.

We said our goodbyes over the requisite DD iced coffee.See you soon, my love.