cochinita pibil, tacos al pastor and coffee

I've blogged before about my idea of breakfast in Heaven -- fresh, authentic, Mexican tacos. This morning's take-out choice from Jarro Cafe in Houston was cochinita pibil (traditional slow-roasted Mexican pork marinated in citrus and achiote paste) and tacos al pastor (marinated pork cooked on a rotisserie with fresh pineapple).

But here's my embarrassing secret ... I adore them with a cup of coffee that would make most people roll their eyes and shake a finger at me -- freshly-ground beans (preferably from Ruta Maya Coffee House in Austin), about 1/3 a coffee mug of heavy cream, and several heaping teaspoons of Demerara sugar -- kind of my own personal Texas café au lait. I don't drink it often, but when I do, I savor every sip.

Goodness.

a prayer for an unknown soldier

I saw a soldier kneeling down,
for this was the first quiet place he had found.
He had traveled through jungles, rivers and mud.
His hands were scarred and toil-warned.

He folded his hands and looked to the sky...
I saw his tears, as they welled in his eyes.
He spoke to God, and this is what he said.
God Bless my men, who now lie dead;
I know not what You have in mind,
but when You judge, please be kind....
when they come before You, they will be poorly dressed
but will walk proudly, for they have done their best.

Their boots will be muddy and their clothes all torn...
but these clothes they have so proudly worn.
Their hearts will be still and cold inside,
for they have fought their best and did so with pride.

So please take care of them as they pass Your way...
the price of freedom they've already paid.

Amen.

--Author Unknown

shark hunt

splash

saturdays and pancakes

Fresh blueberry pancakes -- a perfect way to start a sunny weekend by the pool.

So yummy.

coming home

I'm sure it's a combination of factors ... like the fact that Ty gets home in less than two weeks after serving away from us for the past two years.

Or it might be the fact that I'm particularly prone to hormonal outbursts right now as a result of the baby girl I'm half-way finished carrying.

But most likely, it's just the simple fact that this is a display of the most beautiful, raw, and true emotion.

After watching this, I found it very difficult to dry my eyes for a while. It's beyond touching ... had to share.

gills and fins

Aidan is learning how to swim, and he adores it.

Sometimes my little guy can be a tad hesitant when it comes to trying new things, so I wasn't too sure how he'd take to this new little (but non-negotiable) adventure; however, my fears were totally unnecessary -- he's all over it!

The set-up at "Swim School" (as Aidan calls it) is perfect. He's in a very small class (four kids) with lots of instruction. The teacher basically throws 'em right into the action from the beginning, yet [obviously] supports them at the same time.

I'm the one who, in the end, was probably more nervous than he was -- silly, mom.

Ty is going to be super-proud when he sees his rescue swimmer in the making. :)

goggles

lunch date

I had the BEST lunch date today with my one-and-only little guy.

In a rare occasion, I was able to break away from work to surprise Aidan at preschool with a bag o' McDonald's and a milkshake.

His reaction was priceless and totally melted this mama's heart. And the fact that his teacher was reading I Love You, Stinky Face (one of our current favorite night time stories) when I arrived made it that much more special. He couldn't wait to share it with me.

Why has no brilliant scientist yet figured out the formula for freezing a moment? So much to cherish, so little time.

wine, cheese and baseball

It just doesn't get much better.

This Saturday, my hometown Houston Astros are hosting their inaugural Astros Wine and Cheese Night, just prior to the game against the visiting San Diego Padres at (game at 6:05 pm). The festivities will be from 4-6pm in the Union Station Lobby.

Ticket and pregame event includes:
* Two glasses of wine
* Light hors d'oeuvres
* Wine sampling
* Wine classes with Texas' first Master Sommelier Guy Stout
* Wine glass charm
* Silent auction to raise funds for Breast Cancer research

How great is this event?

Proceeds will benefit the Astros in Action foundation with a portion of the proceeds going directly to Breast Cancer research. Go pink for a great cause and enjoy a great event at Minute Maid Park!

an ode to the jalapeño

How I love thee, let me count the ways.

Happy Cinco de Mayo, amigos! ¡Felicidades!

In honor of today's events (aka, just another reason down here in Texas for us to drink margaritas and eat a bowl of chips and queso out on a sunny patio with friends), I thought I'd focus on my favorite pepper (technically, a fruit!) -- the jalapeño pepper.

The thing that's great about the jalapeño is the level of heat -- not too much, not too little -- total Goldilocks.

I honestly can't go more than a few days without eating a jalapeño. Most of the time, the green goddess finds herself on my plate at breakfast time on a taco, or a burger, or sliced and wedged in a bagel with a schmear of cream cheese.

Down here in the Lone Star State, the jalapeño possibilities are endless. You can order a jalapeño margarita (made from the oils/essence of the [boiled] pepper, mixed with a simple syrup and traditional margarita ingredients) -- a perfect blend. And you can't beat jalapeño jelly on cream cheese & crackers -- a perfect and quick appetizer. We grill 'em all the time in the back yard at most festivities, stuffed with cheese, shrimp and bacon. Williams-Sonoma makes the perfect accessory.

So again, Happy Cinco de Mayo, my hot little pepper. Thanks for adding so much spice to my life.