Happy Memorial Day!

Hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! I meant to get this out yesterday but that darn family kept asking for things... the nerve, right?

We had a fantastic weekend filled with train rides, carousel rides, picnics with fried chicken (yes, made by me!) a bar-b-que with friends, fun in the water and Mr. O even smoked a pork shoulder for dinner on Monday. All it all it was a perfect family weekend. 

Of course the most important aspect of the weekend was remembering and honoring the men and women who fought and continue to fight to protect our country and our freedom. We attended a memorial ceremony honoring Alexandrian's who fought in Vietnam. It was a beautiful service and I was particularly moved by so many former military men and women who attended, many with their families and young children.  

Here are a few paintings that come to mind when I'm feeling patriotic. I hope you enjoy! 

On the Hudson at Newburgh, Gifford Beal, 1918

Avenue in the Rain, Childe Hassam, 1917

Soldier and Girl at Station, Alex Colville, 1953

Servicemen receiving care packages from Adopt-a-Platoon

Lastly, and most importantly I'm including a link to Adopt-A-Platoon. Its very simple. You contact the group and they assign you a specific platoon and give you a list of things most troops appreciate or miss from home. Then like any care package you fill up a box with goodies and ship it to your assigned platoon contact, usually the platoon chaplain.

I have only done this once, but it was one of the most rewarding things I've done. I don't know if this always happens but I received a beautiful thank you note from the platoon chaplain, which included photos. To think he took the time to thank li'l ol me was a gift in itself. 

Happy Memorial Day!

Cheers, 

Ouiser

Happy Mother's Day

Mary Cassatt, Mother and Child

My wish is that every mother finds happiness and love today!  However you choose to celebrate I hope you remember how important you are.

Today was my perfect. I spent the whole day with my darling husband and our two precious boys. Now that I have my own children I understand completely my own mother's need to unabashedly stare and smile at me. As a teen it drove me nuts but now as a mother I find I do it at least once a day. It is in those quiet moments that I am overwhelmed by my love and awe of motherhood. 

I want to wish my own mother a very special Mother's Day! Thank you will never suffice how grateful I am for your life long support, comfort, encouragement, love and friendship.  And I have to say, that goes double for my teen years. Bless MY heart, I was an utter sh*t at times. Thankfully we both survived and now that I am I mother I realize everything you said was in fact true. And in some cosmic fate I've also realized my children will not believe me either. 

In your honor, my top five favorite Mamere-isms!

5.  Hats and gloves never go out of style.

4.  Nothing good happens after midnight. 

3. Don't do anything you aren't ok with the whole town knowing about it. 

2. Never be a squeezed lemon. Always be a fresh fruit.

1. I may not be happy with some decisions you make but I will always, always love you. 

SO untrue in my case but it is all kinds of funny!

I am also blessed to have several other wonderful maternal role-models in my life. I wouldn't be the person I am today with out the love and support of my godmother and my two god-sisters both of whom are incredible mothers. And if that wasn't enough I was further blessed when I married Mr. O to gain a mother in law that others could only dream of. I regularly hear from my friends about how lucky I am to have her in my life, and every time I smile and nod and say, "I know, I am blessed." 

Mary Cassatt, Breakfast in Bed

Cheers, 

Ouiser

A Few of My Favorite Easter Eggs

1907 Rose Trellis Egg

With Easter just around the corner I'm reminded of a beautiful December weekend in 1990 that Mamere (or Namma as she's been renamed by my boys) took me to the New Orleans Museum of Art's traveling exhibit of Faberge's Imperial Easter Eggs and other enameled creations.

It was my first trip to New Orleans and despite the fact that I was nearly a decade away from being 21 the city left an indelible impression on me, the food, the history, the architecture and most of all the people, but thats another post!

As I start to plan my own family's Easter Sunday I thought I'd share a few of these amazing and breathtaking creations.

Enjoy!

1894 Renaissance Egg

1896 Twelve Monogram Egg

1898 Lilies of the Valley Egg

The Surprise

1901 Flower Basket Egg

Cheers, 

Ouiser

Happy Mother's Day

Van Gogh's First Family

Just wanted to pop online to say Happy Mother's Day!!! 


Whether you are a mother yourself and are being pampered (as I am) by your family or if you are the one doing the pampering for your own mother this is a special day to say thank you and I love you!


Its times like these I wish I was closer to Mamere and my own Darling Mother-in-Law but I'm looking forward to talking to them both today and maybe even skyping.


As for my day, it isn't even 9:30 in the morning and I've already had a luxurious bath and am now sipping coffee while both kiddos are napping and DH is slaving away in the kitchen making a Mexican breakfast feast. I wish you could smell the delicious aromas wafting into the living room right now. 


Then later today I've been told to spend the afternoon on a clothing and shoe shopping spree. Squuuuueeeeee!!! 


Hugs and Kisses to you all my dear readers!


Cheers, 
Ouiser

PS. The Van Gogh painting is one of my all time favorites. I used to have a framed poster hung in our old house. Perhaps one day I'll get it hung in this one! 

Recipe of the Week ~ Ordering In

Afternoon all.. so this weekend we are finally having baby deux baptized and I'm not going to lie I'm more than a little relieved. I mean don't get me wrong I don't subscribe to the whole "going to hell" thing but I'd be lying if I said I won't be a happier mother once the kid's been splashed, oiled and hands have been layed upon him.

Anyway, the point being is that we've got oodles of family coming to town which means that I'll be playing hostess and probably won't have time to blog.

***********************************************
LeCoeur: *pops head up* Umm, hello, we're you going to say something to me about this sudden departure?!

Ouiser: Oh hey, yeah totally.

Le Coeur: **sniff sniff** Why am I aways the last one to hear about these things?

**hands you a tissue and rubs your back**

Ouiser: It's going to be okay, I promise. Really at worst I'll be back next week

*muffled sob**

Ouiser: okay okay, maybe sooner I'll try.

****************************************

Sorry bout that.. anway today's post is all about multi tasking and recognizing my limits.

At the precious angel's baptism I served a whole slue of homemade dishes including my favorite crab cakes with several sauces (also homemade, natch) this time around I'm ordering is all and not making a thing. I keep expecting to feel guilty about it but the first guests arrive in about an hour and so far I don't feel anything but relief. So, for my two cents, at your next family gathering please don't stress. Order in and try to spend the precious time you have actually catching up with your loved ones.

This Sunday we'll be dining on Honey Baked Ham, Chick-Fil-A nuggets (mmmm- always a hit), and an assortment of cheese and meats from Cheesetique. Did I mention they have the best pimento cheese in the world. Cause they do.

This all occurs after Baby Deux's spot in heaven is reserved of course. Oh and as it turns out the Bishop will be the one to baptize him. Does this mean he gets a seat closer to the big guy in the sky? mmm, perhaps I'll ask mamere or the DFIL, both of whom are ministers.

Although something tells me they'll both think I'm serious and have a complex answer for me. Dear loved ones, I kiiiiid, I kiiiiid!

Cheers,
A Saved Ouiser

Chocolate Eggs & Bunny Bread Hangover

So folks, hope yall had a wonderful Easter filled with family, friends, eggs, bunnies, and all things chocolate. Cause really isn't that the whole point of Easter? oh and monster trucks... yes the easter bunny brought the biggest hit of the day. One I might add that kept our precious angel occupied all day long.

And in what I can only assume was a celebration of Jesus' resurrection we had a miracle of our own... both boys were on their best behavior during church. The family behind us even told me after the service that she'd never seen such happy and well behaved children. I wanted to say "You should see them at bedtime when they're screaming and howling" but instead I politely smiled and said, "oh thank you that is so very sweet."

While the boys were napping I made Bunny Bread and dyed easter eggs. Our boys are still a little young to understand "hunting for eggs" but nevertheless I dyed six eggs, because that's what you're supposed to do. And I'm nothing if not a slave to tradition.

If you missed it the first time around you can click here to get the Bunny Bread recipe.

I'm not sure why but mine looks like the Bunny who ate Manhattan, or maybe a Bunny Sumo Wrestler? I seem to recall my mom's, godmother's and godsister's turning out much prettier.

Oh and speaking of my mom, she giggled at this. True story. The first store I went to was out of rapid rise yeast so I went to another but they only had active dry yeast. In a moment of panic I called my mom. Without so much as a hello, I blurted out. "I'm having a yeast emergancy" After a moment's pause, she hesitantly giggled and ask if I could elaborate. I realized what I'd then said and laughed explaining my predicament. Turns out you can use either rapid rise or active dry and it turns out just as yummy!

And I'm SUPER pleased that one of my own readers decided to make bunny bread with their kiddos. Here is a pic of their beautiful bunny. I LOVE the bunny belly button!! You made my day by sharing this.

Cheers, 
Ouiser

Happy Valentine's Day

I wanted to post something snarky & sarcastic but I was disappointed by how few snarky & sarcastic Valentine's Day quotes, poems or cartoons are out there. Shocked? I know, me too....

So instead I'm going in a completely different direction. Here are some really lovely vintage Valentines that I think are beautiful, fun and would make any girl swoon!

Hope you have a lovely day surrounded by those you most love!

Hugs and Kisses,
Ouiser