Apple and Pear Cooking Club

Emily, Nancy and Valerie hosted us tonight for Apple and Pear Cooking Club! Nancy made amazing apple butter, which we ate with bread and cheese for an appetizer.



We did an apple tasting featuring twelve varieties from the Athens Farmers Market!



Pear bellinis. Cheers!



It was fun, and we found good things to say about pretty much all of them. Yum, apples!



Time to sit!



Nancy started us off with a butternut squash and apple soup, topped with toasted pepitas and diced apple. This was a little bit spicy, and a lot delicious!



Emily poached salmon filets in apple juice, and Valerie roasted brussels sprouts with roasted pears and dried cranberries. The fish turned out so juicy and tender, and the brussels sprouts paired perfectly with it!



For dessert, Valerie made oatmeal cookies with apple and gouda cheese. We paired that with a caramelized pear ice cream that Emily made. And, of course, we played Apples to Apples.



It was really special and delicious to focus the night on these two wonderful fall fruits. Yay for apples and pears!

Birthdays at Lake Hope Lodge

We got together tonight at Lake Hope Lodge with Ben's family to celebrate Moss's birthday (which was yesterday) and my birthday (which is today!). I was in a wood-fired pizza mood, and so was Ben, which was awesome because we got to share. We got this veggie pizza.



And this smoked meat pizza. Both were amazing! I love pizza!



Kayla made us a birthday cake! Make a wish!



We did it!



The cake was SO chocolatey and delicious!! Mmmm.



Look at the beautiful unicorn horn Cheryl got me! I love birthdays! And unicorns!

Happy birthday to me!

My family got together tonight to celebrate my birthday! We had burgers, grilled veggies and cauliflower salad.



Presents!



Texas sheetcake by unicorn neon glow.

Pawpaw Fest 2018

This year was the 20th anniversary of Pawpaw Fest! Wow! Yumi and I headed out Friday evening to kick off the weekend. This guy was making popcorn in this kettle! It was HOT.



We were super sweaty, standing in the sun by the hot kettle! Good thing we had cold pawpaw beers!



Pawpaw Fest tattoos!



You're only allowed to use Pawpaw Fest branded cups at the beer garden. Andie's mug was an official, old pawpaw cup, but the logo had worn off. She got Kevin Morgan to draw on her mug!! How cool!






Sheila!



It was Bailey's birthday! Birthday girl.



We stayed for the Wild Honeybees show!



It was great.



On Saturday, I headed back out with Michele and baby Scott!



Scott's first Pawpaw Fest!






The Randys played an afternoon set! I love seeing them play, what a treat.



TJ was there with his new ladyfriend, Ling! It was nice to meet her.



Heather, Yumi, Michele and I were tattoo quadruplets!



Sunset on Pawpaw Fest.



On Sunday, I went back out with Vana and Jasper! We ran into these sissies.



Sissies!



Jasper, Vana and me!



Jasper's first Pawpaw Fest!



We enjoyed a Bagel Street picnic lunch by the lake.






What a happy boy! And what a great weekend. Another fantastic Pawpaw Fest!

Happy birthday, Dad!

We got together tonight to celebrate Dad's birthday! Mer and Kate made this cake and decorated it with a guitar made of sprinkles.



Birthday fun!!



Twins!



Pizza and salad.



Make a wish!



Kate helped Dad blow out the candles. Teamwork!



Happy birthday, Dad!

OHIO Then and Now

For Homecoming this year, we did an Instagram contest at work. The theme was OHIO Then and Now. The challenge was to recreate a photo from Ohio University's past. My coworkers and I worked to come up with some entries to help promote the contest. We worked really hard on them and I think they turned out really great, so I'm sharing them!