destin

destin

is so beautiful

what a goofball!!!

natalie and kate....

mother and dad....

fearless.....



her first win!!!

May 14, 2011- Fort Walton Beach Hard Court Championships!

Her first USTA sanctioned tournament

WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

with the tournament director after the 2:20 hour match!!

the girls with their prize.....!!!  Don't you love Olivia's trophy!!??

Yes Olivia, you really ARE a CHAMPION!!!!

a little late

Mother's Day came and went,
and I often spend time
thinking of my two beautiful
daughters, Olivia and Kate.

I don't know what I would do

without them; especially the last

six years.

They have been what keeps me

going, day in and day out.

They are my purpose in life.

I never understood this before

I became a MOTHER....

now it is clear.

My own mother taught me

unselfishly about giving

and sacrifice. There is not

a moment of my young life

that I am not completely

aware of that fact.

She encouraged me,

inspired me,

drove me everywhere;

watched my dance classes,

and wiped away tears

of disappointment.

I can only hope that

I too have provided

that same sense of security

for my own two little girls.

Happy Mother's Day

to my mother and my friend...

I love you.  xox

a week of dance

it has been a week

of

DANCE!!!!

last week

there was recital

KATE

did her ballet number to

BE OUR GUEST!!

from Beauty and the Beast.

Her

JAZZ

dance was to michael buble's

ALL I DO IS DREAM OF YOU!!

so cute....

SASSY!!!!!

look MA no hands!!!!!!

and then it was off to

CINDERELLA!!!!

and of course

this little MOUSE!!!!

AND

performing with a

BROKEN WRIST!!!!

Tallahassee Ballet link

a royal wedding

well, i have to admit

i am so excited about

tomorrow's royal wedding.

william and kate photo source link

i have not missed a royal wedding

in 38 years!!!!

my first was princess anne to captain mark phillips

 princess anne photo source link

and of course the wedding of the century

diana to prince charles

charles and diana wedding photo source link

and the last

prince andrew to sarah ferguson

prince andrew photo source link

I am going to make Orange-Cranberry scones

Cranberry-Orange Scones web source link

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
• 1/2 cup butter, cut up
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Preparation

• Combine first 6 ingredients; cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Add buttermilk and dried cranberries, stirring just until moistened.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead 5 or 6 times. Pat into an 8-inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges, and place 1 inch apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with milk, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until scones are golden brown.



Easter Kugelhopf

Easter is Sunday....

and since my husband and his family
are German, I thought I would make this
beautiful cake.

I don't have a Kugelhopf pan
but am sure that a
Bundt pan
will work just fine!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 2 (1/4 oz.) packages active dry yeast
• 2 sticks (1/2 lb.) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for serving
• 6 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preparation

• Stir together water and 1 tsp. sugar in a bowl. Sprinkle with yeast and let stand until foamy, 5 minutes. Butter and flour a 10-cup Kugelhopf or Bundt pan.
• Using an electric mixer, cream butter and remaining 3/4 cup sugar on low speed for about 30 seconds, then increase to medium high and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each. (Mixture will look curdled.) Beat in lemon peel, salt and vanilla. Add yeast mixture; gradually add 2 cups flour. Beat on medium, scraping bowl, until smooth, 5 minutes. Gradually add remaining flour; beat until dough is elastic. Stir in raisins.
• Butter a bowl. Transfer dough to it, cover with a towel, and let rise until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Punch dough down and stir in almonds. Transfer dough to prepared pan, cover with a towel and let rise until dough is within 1/2 inch of top of mold, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 475°F. Bake Kugelhopf until golden, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 30 minutes. Let Kugelhopf cool for 5 minutes, then turn out of pan onto a rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar; slice with a serrated knife; serve with butter.

Recipe from All You, March 2006
photo: Romulo Yanes

the best birthday party ever

she said it was the

best birthday party

EVER....

MY KATE TURNED 8!!

Cookies & Tea for Me!



Her friends arrived for a

PINK CARPET/GLAMOUR GIRL

EVENT!!!!!

There were pictures with friends

There was a fashion show.....

KAOROKE!!!

then a

TEA PARTY

good friends.......

and of course

no party is complete without

CAKE!!!!!

and ICING FACE

A VERY HAPPY

BIRTHDAY!!!!!!

all photos by Meg Burke

Meg Burke Photography link