4th of July 2012

My parents came up to Boston for the 4th! I wasn't sure what my Southern family would think of Boston, but I think they loved it! My mom thought the city was beautiful, and my youngest sister, Lia, was ready to move here.

We started off the morning of the 4th by walking down to the water to watch the Blue Angels and to see the USS Constitution sail.

awkward family pic of the trip

We then walked around our neighborhood and heard the tale of Paul Revere at the Old North Church.

Hannah and Lia in their patriotic wear

And then it was time for our 4th of July feast! Every time I tried taking pictures of the food, Johnny's hand somehow found its way into the shot. Exhibit A:

Our meal was so delicious!! It was one of my favorite parts of the day. Squash, coleslaw, corn on the cob, potato casserole, and barbecue sandwiches. It doesn't get much better than that.

That night we went to Bunker Hill to watch the fireworks. Lots of other people had the same idea as us, so we thought it must be a perfect seat. But the show started, and we realized that we weren't up high enough! So we quickly gathered our stuff and ran to the bridge, only to get caught in a downpour! Thankfully, we found an awning to get under, and we watched the show from there. It was definitely an unforgettable night!

Long Weekend Coming Right Up

been eating this all week

Johnny gets Friday and Monday off. Today is his Friday. Based on the exceptionally weird Gmail chats he's been sending me today, I think he's pretty excited. (update: He just got back from lunch and said to me, "back, fool")

As of yesterday, it's pretty much summertime here. I met Johnny for lunch, and it was the first time in months I've had direct sunlight on me.... and the first time I've worn shorts. Yikes. As Johnny was walking with me back to the subway (he always swipes me on with his unlimited card), Martha Stewart walked out of a building and right next to us on the sidewalk! I must say she looks very good for her age.

So a Sprinkles cupcake shop finally opened in NYC, and some of my fellow NYC bloggers have been posting about it. Johnny and I went down there Saturday night, and I was blown away. I tried salty caramel, chocolate marshmallow, and vanilla, and they were gooood. Then, I couldn't stop thinking about cupcakes after that, so on Monday I made the Sprinkles strawberry cupcake recipe, which Johnny and I have been consuming all week long....

Which leads to a story about running. (I had to go running this week if I was to be consuming cupcakes each day.) I've been having a little problem with my runs around the reservoir. I start nearing another runner on the trail, and I can either run closely behind them, which is awkward, or I can pass them. I always choose to pass them, but then I have to increase my pace a little to ensure they don't catch back up to me, which would result in an awkward game of cat and mouse. I come upon more runners in increments throughout the trail, and by the end my pace is way too fast for me to sustain. (I'm normally a very slow runner, and this forces me to be just a slow runner.) Anyway, I'm sick of it. I just want to be able to run at my comfortable slow pace! What's to be done?

Also, in our cupboard we have a box full of granola bars from Costco. One day, I ripped open a granola bar, and seeing it was a flavor I didn't want, I stuck it back in the box. Yesterday Johnny reached in the box and pulled out that opened granola bar and looked at me and said, "What is this? Do I live with a five-year-old?" My response was to laugh uncontrollably, so maybe he does live with a five-year-old. I meant to throw it away and hide the evidence, but then I forgot to do it. Poor Johnny. 

Anyway, I, too, am super excited for the long weekend. If the weather prevails, I think we may head to the beach on Monday :) 

Johnny's Softball League

On Thursday after work, Angie and I headed down to the Lower East Side to watch our boys play in their work softball league. The fields are about as far east as possible, right up against the East River. I thought for sure the game was gonna be canceled from rain, but the weather prevailed.

Angie and I sat on the bleachers with our cameras like proud parents. To others it probably seemed strange...

But not as strange as this picture. Who knew our husbands would be so willing to pose?

And this is how excited we were the whole game:

 Afterward, we got cheap Chinese dumplings in China Town, which I had never tried before.
 

I am really glad I don't have to participate in Johnny's softball league this year.... it's much less nerve-racking being the picture-taking wife.

*some pictures courtesy of Angie

Conference Brunch

On Sunday, our friends Klane and Angie hosted a brunch at their apartment.

The host and hostess

Johnny, me, Amanda, and Alexa

These are the same girls Angie and I met up with during our girls' night on Saturday while the boys were at the priesthood session of General Conference. I met both of them through Angie. Amanda is married and lives in Utah, but she is out in New York for an public relations internship right now. Alexa just moved here from South Carolina, and she is an editor at a publishing company out here. One of the best parts of moving out here has been getting to meet new people!

The food was amazing. You are going to be jealous when you see the pictures:

caramel apple cinnamon rolls made by Angie

spinach mushroom bacon quiche made by Angie

fruit platter and dip made by Alexa

the feast

The only thing I contributed to the brunch was eating, and I was very happy to do that. It was all SO delicious. It was in the 50s outside and the wind was blowing like crazy, and it was so great to come in from the wind and have a hot, delicious brunch while watching General Conference.

pictures courtesy of Angie's blog :)

Double Trouble

WARNING: This cake is addicting and wonderful and impossible to get sick of no matter how many pieces you eat.

My sister Sarah gave me this recipe. Johnny asked for it for his birthday cake after trying it at our niece Eva's third birthday.

Double Trouble:

1 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
4 1ounce squares unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
1 cup buttermilk

Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside. Beat butter with electric mixer until cream. Add sugar and beat one minute. Add eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla, sour cream, and chocolate. Add dry ingredients, alternating with buttermilk. Beat well.

Grease and flour two cake pans.

Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool ten minutes, then cool completely.

Frosting:

1 14ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup butter
3 1ounce squares unsweetened baking chocolate (broken up)

Stir constantly in saucepan until melted and thickened. Remove from heat and add 2 tsp. vanilla. Let cool for five minutes

The rest just involves pouring and spreading the frosting over the cake layers. You will be amazed with the result!!!