pizza pizza pizza

My favorite cooking blog is Smitten Kitchen and there are a million things I want to try.  Lately, I've been looking at this recipe for lemony goat cheese pizza with zucchini and yellow squash.  Alex and Erica came over to watch the final episode of LOST before the season finale (there is NO way they are going to answer all of my questions, by the way), and I thought it was the perfect occasion for homemade pizza, and of course strawberry soda.  While my pizza didn't turn out as pretty as smittenkitchen's, it tasted really good.

Tah-dah! 

I also made a really make-shift pizza with tomato-basil sauce, eggplant, zucchini, and tomato.  

Speaking of pizza, Tanner and I are officially done with Pizza Factory!!!  Tanner had two interviews in one day - one for a new restaurant and one for a small design firm - and he got both and accepted the design job.  Now he is an official designer and between school, work, and his internship, literally works on his computer 24/7.  But it is definitely better than serving.

hunter/huntoad

Happy 14th Birthday, Hunter!

why'd ya bald him?

train tracks and trains

Why don't you like Francisco?

Cats

wet leaves

throwing up inside a pumpkin

"normal" and "i don't know"

bike rides

pokemon

hamsters

Mom: one of my favorite memories of hunter is the Halloween that he threw up in his pumpkin!  i also remember when he was little spending a lot of time playing with trains, reading books about trains and him being so happy whenever we got stopped by trains in town.  i love him more than the most.  

Dad: i remember lots of things about hunter...-i remember hunter learning how to ride a bike in about one day, like the day before an activity involving bike riding at the church.

-i remember when Hunter and I got in a bike wreck on 13th and grand last summer at night.

-i remember getting caught in a hail storm with hunter and madison up on the rock slide while crab walking down the rocks.

Shea: my favorite memory of hunter is that he always insists on being the one who "loves me more." in fact, it is impossible to get off the phone with him, as soon as i say "i love you," - he replies, "i love you more." now how is an older sister supposed to take to that challenge? he has been saying it since he could talk, it is his signature "sign-off", and it couldn't be more endearing. so hunter, let me tell you - you might be a year older, but i have years and years of life experience on you, and this time - i will be the last to say it, "I LOVE YOU MORE." love, shea. 

Brighton: i have always felt like a second mother to hunter, i really love him so much.  i remember when he was probably just two or three years old and he got a mini basketball hoop for christmas and he couldn't make a basket by himself, so for hours i would lift him up from under his arms so he could throw the ball directly through the hoop.  i also love how hunter is grossed out by things so easily. when he was little, he had such a hard time walking from the house to the car during the fall because the wet leaves made him gag.  i love how he used to wake me up in the morning by kissing me on the forehead and laying in bed with me. lastly, i love how hunter is one of the nicest/sweetest people i have ever met.  he is so considerate of other people's feelings and always wants to do what will make other people feel happy.  you're my favorite brother - and yes we do have another brother in china.

Tanner: hunter has the best facebook status updates ever. Im so glad i got to share a bunk bed with him and i had a mini fridge full of Dr Pepper! thanks little brother

Madison: He is always willing to get me food and drinks when I am too lazy to leave the kitchen. The sweetest little brother anyone could have!

Shannon: my favorite thing huntoad ever said was that he thought that you had to put your hand on your heart when the flag passes at a parade because, if you don't, the military guys with guns will shoot you!  hilarious!  I LOVE hunter; i love his hair, i love his personality, i love everything about him. 

Sean: i loved hunter's hamster stage; he was definitely the best hamster.

Sadie: i do NOT like it that hunter is a centimeter taller than me.

Lee: he's really really funny, and not even on purpose!

Josie: i like playing "around the house" with hunter because he really likes to play that game, the other games - he gets tired of playing.

Mia: i really hope he has a happy birthday.

Cade: my favorite thing about hunter is that I get to be his friend.

Sarah: thanks for always letting me win in mario kart.

Jeremy: my favorite thing about hunter is, "i don't know," and "okay."

Berrett: my favorite thing about hunter is that he loves his mom so much. he's also always really friendly to kids who are younger than him (like lila and adam). finally, i love it that he calls tina and me "mom and dad" when he comes to our house.

Tina: i love that he doesn't mind if i hug him and that he stopped saying he's taller than i am. 

Davis: my favorite thing about hunter is...the fact that sometimes, it seems like he likes cats more than people. oh, and he introduced me to "red baron" frozen pizzas. those are good. 

Gran: i have many memories, but two memories of hunter when he was quite little come to mind.  the first was when for a few months when he was a toddler, he would stand across the room with his arm raised up (completely telegraphing his planned "punch") as he approached his mom ready to hit her.  she never let him, of course.....and he turned out to be such a peaceful, polite boy.  the other was one night after sunday dinner at our house it was raining and I gave hunter (probably around age 3) a quart size baggie to wear to keep the rain off his head.  after that he asked for a baggie each week - even though it wasn't raining.  this went on for a few months.

a few years ago hunter arrived at the cabin with his entire duffle bag filled with stuffed pokemon characters (his addiction at the time.)  we were amused because there was an inspection notice in the piece of luggage and we enjoyed imagining the reaction of the airport employee. 

and i forgot to remember the elaborate and imaginitive game hunter and his cousins played for a few summers at the cabin - Pet Daycare!  it involved  many stuffed animals, the upstairs closet, and lots of props.

Papa: i have always been impressed with the level of commitment hunters shows with most every thing he does.  when hunter was a bout two and-a-half years oldis father got him a basketball hoop and ball, once the little kid stated shooting baskets it was nearly impossible to get him to quit.  he shot baskets and he shot baskets until he could score two points every time he put then ball up.  it would go on for very long periods of time.

last night after gran i and i took hunter out to shop for his birthday and to dinner at panera's, hunter invited me into his room last to show me the new shelves he and his dad are building above his top bunk.  the shelves were dark blue and really neat.  the fun "uniquely hunter" part was that there were (is) dark blue tape outlines on two, yet to be built shelves on two other walls.  the tape was laid out exactly, measured and everything, as he wants the shelves to be.  john will have a hard time not being reminded of the work that yet has to be done.

Happy Birthday, Hunter!  I hope you know how much you are loved, because you are, and I hope you have the best day ever.

It's getting warmer

Because everyone needs a pink drink in the summer.

As soon as it started getting warm, I started wanting strawberry soda.  I don't know why, but to me, pink drink = summer time.

Ganache-like Truffles

I didn't know truffles were so easy to make.

3/4 C. Whipping Cream

2 Tbs Butter

8 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate (chopped)

Chop the chocolate (or blend it like I did), boil the whipping cream, pour over the chocolate and let stand about 5 minutes, whisk till smooth, let cool till it hardens, and then scoop and roll into balls, dip in cocoa powder and let cool again.  

They do get a little bit messy though, I wish I had a picture of Erica's hands afterward.