Buchanan-Knox Engagement Photos

I kind of fell into being a wedding coordinator on accident. How does this happen? Well, you happen to be organized & creative and have a roommate getting married. The formula might not work EVERY time, but it is worth a try. So, if you want to dabble in coordinating anything wedding related just find an engaged gal looking for a roommate...

My very good friend Whitney was the main camera(wo)man AND hairstylist (this is when I would refer you to her website, but she doesn't have one. I still love her a ton). After hair & makeup were done and blankets & chair loaded in the car, we grabbed some iced coffee (delish) & pink sprinkled cake-pops and hit the road. There is nothing like driving by the Space Needle with the sun setting. I think we took pictures on the most beautiful day of the year. The sun wasn't only shining, it was actually warm. After a couple hours of trudging through Discovery Park (carrying outfits, jackets, hairspray, blankets, purses, camera bags, and a chair) my skin felt a tinge of burn. It was better than the cake pop. And I feel I should remind you that the cake pop was pink WITH sprinkles.

Here are the photos I snapped at Whitney's side. 

Melissa & Kyle, you are beautiful people. 

I love you. 

Hey Girl...

As many of you know the Hunger Games movie came out last week. 

I was definitely at the midnight showing & had too much caffeine running through my body. I wasn't the only one. That's why we busted out Pinterest & laughed about all the Ryan Gosling 

"Hey Girl" photos about Hunger Games. 

We were just enough crazy to make up our own. I hope you enjoy it. 

It brought us a lot of laughter & helped us pass the time.

Thank you Alison for your diligent work to make this happen. And, don't worry, a Hunger Games post is coming soon. Sooner than Mockingjay will be coming to the big screen. I promise.

What would your "Hey Girl" say?

Photography. Spring is Springing.

Have you ever loaned something to someone that you never use and the next day want nothing more than to use it? This is EXACTLY what happened when I loaned my camera to my mom while hers was being fixed. I seriously hadn't used my camera since I got my iPhone almost 2 years ago. I liked not carrying the weight around and not worrying about forgetting it. I have a serious attachment to my phone (this is a topic for another day). Maybe it is because the sun is out, but I wanted nothing more than to carrying around my heavy camera today. Even after only sleeping 3 hours (I went to the midnight showing of The Hunger Games. Did you?) I chose a stroll along Juanita Beach over a nap. I don't even recognize myself yet I haven't felt more like myself in a long time. The sun beating down on me while I searched for the perfect shot was magical. Spring is magical and spring is exactly what I found today. I even took pictures of breakfast...it must have been the sun rays shinning in through the window. They are like catnip for me. 

Easy Peasy Cheesy Quiche

I made up this quiche about 2 weeks ago for the girls I "nanny." I use the quotes because honestly I don't nanny the way you would think. The girls are 15 & 16. Not so much in need of being watched & more in need of someone to listen/guide. Anyway, this is the 3rd time my quiche has been requested in the last 2 weeks. They think it good, so I thought maybe you would too.

Easy Peasy Cheesy Quiche
Serves 6-8

Ingredients
1tsp butter or cooking spray
2 cups chopped broccoli
7 eggs
1/2 cup milk of your choice
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1tsp salt
Pepper to taste

Directions
1. Coat pan with butter or spray (I used a Pyrex glass pie dish)
***this is a crust-less quiche. If you're watching carbs, or staying away from gluten this is a great option***
2. Boil broccoli until bright green. Remove immediately & drain.
3. Mix all ingredients. (again...gotta love a Kitchen Aid mixer for this. It mixes while you clean)
4. Pour into dish.
5. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Cheesy Quinoa with Kale & Bacon

Sundays always have this invisible film of pressure. This precious day holds my last few hours of freedom before Monday hits. Do I nap, fold laundry, read a book, clean, go out with friends, catch up on paperwork (somehow there is ALWAYS some sort of work that consists of paper), discover something new in Seattle I've never done, paint my nails, hit the thrift stores...you get the idea. Sometimes (more than I'd like to admit) I sit frozen not knowing what to do. I waste away my precious hours in indecisiveness. Not today my friends! I created a masterpiece in the kitchen. 

May I present you with Cheesy Quinoa with Kale & Bacon???

Thank you Aaron Woodall for the Mac&Cheese conversation that inspired this dish.

Cheesy Quinoa with Kale & Bacon
Serves 2-3

Ingredients
2 cups chopped kale (I used the bagged kale from Trader Joe's)
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp rosemary
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1/4 cup nonfat greek yogurt
1/4 cup milk (whatever you have on hand)
3/4-1 cup cheeses of your choice (I used feta, mozzarella, & gruyere) 
Bacon bits to your liking (fresh are always better)

Directions
1. Coat kale in oil. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt & pepper. Broil on LOW until warmed.
2. Cook quinoa according to directions.
3. Mix all ingredients & place in 8X8 glass dish.
4. Broil on HI until preferred crispiness is acquired.

Eat it up, because it is delicious!

If you are lucky like me, then you can mix everything with your Kitchen Aid mixer. 

I loaned him to a friend not too long ago, and he came home with a name. 

Meet Tangy. This is his internet debut. 

He is very happy to meet you & hopes to cook for you one day. 

St. Patrick's Day

Guess what? I'm Irish. 

As I was getting ready to get picked up to head to a family Irish feast, I couldn't help but wonder if I was being a poser. So, I asked my uncle if we were Irish. 

Don't ask me details of my Irishness. I just am taking my uncle's word for it. 

And with a last name like GREENE how could I not be Irish?

I took my new found knowledge and feasted on Irish food with a clear conscience. 

My dear aunt Renee prepared a delicious Irish meal.

Corned beef with cabbage & onions & carrots

 

Calcannon

Irish Chicken Pot Pie

 

Soda Bread: wheat, original, & raisin

 Apple Cake

The shamrocks were not Irish, but they were all in good fun

Egg dip made with eggs from their chickens

I didn't get a picture of the dip, but don't these eggs look delightful?

Of course we had green beer. Don't worry, it was non-alcoholic.

The food was delightful, but the babies were the highlight. At least for me. 

This is baby Brayden

   with uncle Tim & aunt Barbara

This is Brayden's twin brother Brycen

   

This is baby Cadence

 with her grandpa & her mom

     This is Cambrielle. She didn't like the camera. 

Our other guests included a hen, a dog, and a peek from the sun

Tour Guide. Part 1.

Jesse, my friend from High School, wanted to come & see what Seattle is all about. He called me up to see if it would work for me to show him around. I of course said yes & immediately found myself in a conundrum. I feel that I don't have much to show for my six years of living here. A fact I feel sad about quite a bit. I didn't want to fail him as a tour guide. And I especially didn't want to fail Seattle. It gets a ton of crap for being so rainy, but seriously it has a ton to offer. I wanted Jesse to see that more than anything. This is the main reason I gave up all hope of getting adequate sleep & kicked my coffee habit up a notch...or two. Jesse even partook of the coffee scene: every sip he took was followed by his face scrunching up. He doesn't like coffee, but he was a good sport. 

This is what happened. We went camera happy. 

 Jesse took pictures through the sunroof. I took this one of him because we were stopped, but he was not beyond taking pictures through the sunroof while the car was moving.

 We both took pictures of ourselves talking pictures.

 Can you see me in the mirror? Strolling Fremont.

This one is my favorite. A picture of me taking a picture of Jesse while he holds his camera @ 

The Seattle Art Museum Sculpture Park.

Posts will follow with all of our adventures. 

I am still getting the pictures organized & waiting for Jesse to send me all of his via snail mail.