A Manicure and Dinner at Chuy's with Granddaughter Grace

Grace's Manicure

Last night granddaughter Grace stopped by for a visit.  We had planned to make cookies or a chocolate chess pie, but we decided to go have manicures and pedicures.  She a manicure and a pedicure for me.  Grace is sixteen now and has her driver's licence so she chauffeured me---fun!

At Lee Salon at North Hills. 

Grace is having fun. 

Grace chose a deep purple glossy.  (Somewhat a Broughton High purple)  Pretty. 

After the salon I suggested we get a bite to eat.  I asked her if she liked Mexican cuisine and she said , "Yes, let's go to Chuy's".  I responded that I didn't know that restaurant.  She couldn't believe I didn't.  It's apparently a favorite of hers and her family's.  Of course I'm always looking for new spots to eat in town.

Chuys at North Hills. 

Lovely outdoor seating. 

Colorful decor. 

Menu.  Originated in Austin where Grace's family came to love it. 

Grace ready to eat.

I had the Stacked Enchiladas with beans and rice and I had enough to take home for another meal. 

I'll have to ask Grace for other recommendations for restaurants because this one was a hit.  And it was so much fun having a gadabout with Grace.

Granddaughter Grace Turns Sixteen

Grace turns sixteen.

How time doth fly.  It seems like yesterday that I was meeting my only granddaughter for the first time, and now she's turning sixteen.  I have so many beautiful memories of the last sixteen years though.  Her birthday is not for another week, but I will be away on her birthday so I invited her to dinner the other night to celebrate.  It was fun having just the two of us to chat and laugh. She is still as loquacious as ever.

We tried a restaurant, Taste, that was new to both of us, but I had read good reviews.  The menu consisted of "small" plates reminiscent of tapas.  Grace has become vegetarian this last year, something I had forgotten, but there were choices on the menu that met her requirements.

My first course was bruschetta on garlic bread and Grace enjoyed a comprese salad.  Grace opted for a vegetarian flatbread as her second course, and I for two sliders.

Vegetarian flatbread with cheese. 

My sliders. 

For dessert, we shared two very good brownies topped with cream and blueberries.

Happy Birthday sweet Grace.

Learning to Use My IPhone as a Camera

My new IPhone.

I usually have my camera with me, but recently there have been a few times when I didn't so I tried to capture some pics with my new IPhone.  These are some of the first ones I've made with it. 

Briggs, the grandchildren's cat, jumps up on their fridge.

Granddaughter Grace amused at Briggs, the cat.

Briggs is down off the fridge and Grace is happy.

My grandson Zach, number 20, being introduced at the beginning of the game the other night.

Baby squirrel in tree (largest lower left branch--brownish).

 

 

 

Wall of living plants in Cameron Village. 

Greenscape designs and plants these living walls.

Another living wall in Cameron Village.

 It's hard to ignore these living walls too.

Not as good as a camera, but pretty good for a phone.  At least I always have my phone with me.

The Stockings Are Hung by the Chimney with Care

From Sam to Grace.

For the past twenty five years we have been decorating our mantle with stockings for the grandchildren.  And even though some of them are grown and out on their own, we still hang their stockings.  And "Santa" still fills them. 

In 1987.....

Sam and Ian.

In 1990....

Erik and Luke.

In 1994....

Zach

In 1997....

Brooks

In 1999....

Tyler

Do you notice by this time we had seven grandsons?

Grace

And then in 2001 Grace arrived to keep these seven boys (especially her three brothers) in line----and she does.

Our Christmas Croc.

For a number of years our Christmas Croc (a gift from Kim) has adorned the hearth.

Now if we can just get the Christmas tree up and decorated.

Grace and Grandpat's Pizza From Scratch

Homemade pizza ready for the oven.

While the rest of the family went to the UNC-Virginia Tech Football game (UNC won--go Tarheels)  today, Grace and I stayed home and made a vegetarian pizza from scratch---crust included. I must admit this is the first time I have ever made pizza dough from scratch.

Here's the recipe we used for the pizza dough:
1 (1/4 ounce) package yeast
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil
2.5 cups bread flour

Directions:
1.  Mix yeast in warm water until dissolved.
2.  Stir in oil and flour until it forms a dough ball.
3.  Cover bowl with a kitchen towel, place in a warm place.
4.  Let rise for 15 minutes.
5.  Punch down and wrap in Saran wrap and refrigerate for as much as 8 hours. We refrigerated for about an hour.
6.  Remove from fridge, warm up and let rise.
7.  Spread in pizza pan or on baking stone. We used a 12" pizza pan that we bought at Williams-Sonoma.
8.  Add favorite toppings.

This makes enough for 2-12" thin crusts.  I saved half of the dough to make another pizza (the dough will keep in the fridge for 3 days).

Grace spreads dough in the pizza pan.

Oiling your hands with a bit of olive oil makes spreading the dough easier.

We had earlier made our own tomato sauce using a can of diced tomatoes to which we added fresh basil and garlic.  We cooked this down until it became thick.

Spreading the tomato sauce.

For toppings we sauteed onions and mushrooms.

Mushrooms and onions provide topping.

 And of course we added cheese, in this case shredded cheddar.

Grace adds the shredded cheddar cheese.

Into the oven for 15 minutes at 475 degrees.

 We baked it in a preheated 475 degree oven for about 15 minutes until browned.

Bobby B was here so the three of us finished off the pizza (we did save one piece for Dan).  We were so eager to try the pizza that we forgot to take a photo of the finished product. It was a good pizza!!!  And we had fun making it.  

Gracie Turns Eleven

In Grandpat and Dan's study in 2012.

Oh it doesn't seem possible that our youngest grandchild, Grace, is turning eleven today.  I guess she's considered a preteen now.  Happy Birthday Grace.  We actually celebrated her birthday before we left for Nova Scotia.  Here's Grace through the years.

Take time to smell the flowers.

How do you like my Easter bow? 2003

Sleep over at Grandpat's.

Grandpat brought me this hat from LL Bean's.

Just back from a Mother-Daughter tea.

At Camp Cheerio in 2010.

In Orlando, Florida in 2011.

Hope your day is very special---as  special as you are.  Love you bunches.

Grace's Early Birthday Celebration

Grace with her brother, Tyler.

Granddaughter Grace turns eleven this summer, but we will be out of town on her birthday, so we celebrated early on Thursday evening at Kanki, Grace's favorite restaurant.  Some in the family tried to convince her to choose Angus Barn, but there was no chance she would choose some place other than Kanki.

Dan, Claire, Zach and Grace waiting on the rest of the family to arrive.

The four grands plus Claire having soup. L to R  Brooks, Tyler, Grace, Claire, Zach

The volcano.

Food.

Michael looking rather pensive---his daughter is growing up too fast.

Claire and Grace with her pretty bow.

Happy Early Birthday Grace!