Date Night Marinade

Here is the marinade we use every Friday for date night. A few of you had asked for it and I wanted to share it.

1 c. olive oil
1/2 c. Sherry Wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. minced garlic cloves
1/4 tsp. (coursely) ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. red peppercorns
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. sugar (we use 2 Splenda packets)
1 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
2 (6-10 0z.) steaks

1. Place all ingredients except for steaks in bowl and mix.
2. Pierce steaks with fork and then place each in a seperate ziplock bag and pour of the 1/2 mixture over each.
3. Place steaks in refridgerator for 12-24 hours.
4. Grill to desired doneness.

I hope you enjoy. This is the best steaks EVER!

Until our next visit ...

Fit for a Princess

I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day weekend. We had a visit from George's best friend, Gordon, and his fiance, Mindy. She and I get along great together. If you'd visited my military life blog A Cup of tea with Friends, you'd have read stories of shared vacations and other activities. They are our closest friends, despite distance.

Anyway, they came to visit for the weekend and we had a blast. For dinner Valentine's Day George and I made steaks, marinated for 24-hours in an AMAZING marinide, sauted green beans with garlic and onions and a cucumber and tomato salad with parmasean cheese and a basil dressing. We drank Pomegranate wine, ate by candlelight with Sinatra playing in the background. It was great. For dessert we had strawberry cheesecake.

When they arrived Saturday, they'd brought presents/ None of us had exchanged Chistmas presents, though we'd seen each other a time or two since then. We'd gotten Gordon a bottle of some Cask 16 Crown Royal No.88 and I got Mindy a cheese and wine basket with candles and glass candleholders. For her birthday (in December) I got her a beautiful jeweled 'M' charm, a velvet elephant (she collects them) and a cute book of friendship quotes.

They'd gotten us a bottle of wine that they'd made and monogrammed wine glasses. George got an Astros jersey and hat. For my birthday, Mindy had gotten me these adorable teacup notepad and 4 creme brulee dishes that I'd been wanting.

After eating and unpacking we all headed our seperate ways. The boys were going to go to the shooting range, then back to the house for some beers and catching up. Mindy and I headed out to paint pottery! Yes, this is my ew favorite activity.

Last weekend, I went with a friend Misty, who is also my Rear Detachment Commander (unit commander that stay's behind when a unit is deployed.) We painted princess plates in the MP Battalion colors (I am the 'Viper' Princess ... the unit is called the Vipers.)



I also made a cute cappuccino cup and saucer. It had to be re-fired so I'll have to post picks later ...

Anyway, Mindy and I went to paint pottery. I painted this cute teapot and she made a cute post-it note holder with flowers for her desk at work. After about 3 hours we headed home to greet the boys who'd skipped the range and went straight to the beer! After much amusement of watching the boys "be drunk" we cleaned up the mixed alcohol mess and started dinner.

After dinner we just hung out talking and Mindy and I made some progress on the wedding planning.

The next day, the boys decided to go to the shooting range and Mindy and I headed back to paint pottery. This time I painted a planter for some plants I brought back from (George's) Dad's house when we cleaned it out and she painted a teapot to put her teabags in. Cute idea, huh!?!

Well, all in all it was a great weekend. Being in Houston taking care his father gave us the chance to spend nearly everyday with them. So coming back home made the seperation that you often feel when you leave your loved ones at the start of your military life, vivid once again.

When I pick up the pieces after they are fired, I'll be sure to post pictures.

Until our next visit ...

Rosy Family Treasures

Today I want to show you a "rosy" treat that was passed on to me about 5 years ago.



This pink Depression Glass roster and chicken belonged to my great-grandmother. My mom got them years ago. I don't remember when she got them, but I do remember when they were buildingn their house that she had them. I recall them siting on the kitchen windowsills once the house was built. I implored with my mom to clean them and put them in a better place. They were speckled with paint from when we painted the inside. Eventually she gave them to me and I cleaned them up.

Now they sit on the counter in my kitchen. I see them everyday and remember my great-grandmother who passed away the month after George and I were married. They were the inspiration for the pink glass heme in my kitchen. I am always looking for pieces that I think she would appreciate.

She was a tiny, delicate woman with skin as soft as satin. She smelled of cookies and powder. She was quite, but not timid. When you spoke, she listened as if you were the only person who mattered. I remember she used to hold and pat my hand when we talked.

The lace that the pieces are sitting on was something that my mother got in a bag of scraps. It was tattered and torn and has holes in it. She was going to throw it out, but I begged her for it. I have yet to figure out what to do with it, but as you can see it has some holes in it.



Any ideas? It is about 4x6 feet. I'm not sure what I'll do with it, but it was too beautiful to throw out.

Until our next visit ...

Family Portrait and A Reading Nook Project

Greetings all! Its a peacefully rainy day here in the deep south and I am sitting here blogging to keep busy while my husband plays games on the XBox and the puppy snores peacfully at my feet. With this in mind, I wanted to share with you a picture of "my two boys".



George is always complaining that the puppy doesn't love him as much, but Sgt. Major is a momma's boy and as anyone with a clingy kid can tell you, sometimes it gets overwhelming. He is always under foot when I am home. When I do dishes, he sits on my feet! Well, one night last week I came into the livingroom to see why they hadn't come to bed yet and this is what I saw.

Sgt. Major had actually fallen asleep on George and he didn't want to move for fear of waking him up. Too funny!

On another note, I wanted to show you the pillow that I finished for my reading nook. Do you see the puppy's kennel across from me. He likes to lay in it and watch me stitch or read ... see, Momma's Boy!



I used one of my favorite fabrics. I am hoping to make a quilt out of what was left, but I ahve to find complimentary fabrics. You can see at the base of the chair is my craft basket. It holds all of my current working projects. I change them monthly so I don't get bored. I have to stay motivated or a project will never get finished.

Until our next visit...