homemade cranberry sauce

This recipe is as easy as 1-2-3. It can be prepared a couple days in advance which is awesome. And the taste and texture compared to the monstrosity in the can, that somehow makes it way onto waaaay too many Thanksgiving tables, is incomparable. So please, just say no to ridged, gelatinous, canned cranberry sauce. You won't be sorry. Here's the recipe:

Larkins Family Homemade Cranberry Sauce

1 bag OceanSpray fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice

Combine in a medium sized sauce pan. DO NOT COVER. (Trust me here, I speak from experience.) Cook until all cranberries have burst and mixture begins to resemble jelly and coats backside of spatula/spoon. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Serve!

Easy peasy. And fancy schmancy. And downright delectable. You're welcome.

first birthday. jake turned one (one!) on the 25th. birthday blueberry muffins began the day, along with many silly renditions of "happy birthday." i'm not sure he realized what day it was, but he sure loved my terrible wonderful singing voice praising him all the day long. scott was away on business and would be back that evening. so we errand-ed the day away, read books, played with toys, crawled around the floor in silly circles, hung balloons + streamers, took naps + started the birthday boy's cake.

i made Pioneer Woman's texas chocolate sheet cake and frosting. (the frosting has flour in it. flour. weird, right? but totally delish.) as soon as it was out of the oven, jake and i flew to the nashville airport to pick up scott. back at home, the birthday boy was smothered with kisses from daddy, then scott started up the grill to cook some hot dogs. we go all out :) i beat the livin' daylights out of the frosting (recipe said so), frosted the cake, whipped up some chips and dip, cut up some watermelon, and we were ready to go.

we were starving. and it was nearing 7:30. then a knock at the door. missionaries! they were being transferred the next day and wanted to say goodbye (love those two.) so our party of three became a party of five.

jake chowed down on the hot dog. his greasy little fingers squishing the bits into the tray as he tried to pick those slippery guys up. watermelon juice dripping down his chin. he's awesome. then cake time. i stripped him down to his diaper and then we all sang "happy birthday!" his baby blues sparkled watching that flame and he wanted nothing more in that moment than to grab a hold of it. as for the cake, he was pretty tidy. he'd pinch the frosting and taste it and looks to us for approval. finally, he dove in head first pressing his lips into the frosting. he played with it more than ate it.

and so, with dinner done and frosting on his face, the nakey birthday boy got a bath and a bottle (whole milk now!) and went to bed.  it was quite the busy day. we didn't even open presents. but there's always tomorrow when you're a sleepy, cute baby.

we love you jakester. happy #1 birthday. you are a joy. you are precious. you are the greatest. thanks for making me a mommy. (and for being cute, too.)

father's day.

a very happy father's day to this wonderful man, husband and daddy. it was his first year as a real live dad! and he's a whiz at it. he is patient, kind and oh so fun. you make our lives complete.

i commissioned jake to create a special father's day masterpiece for his daddy. he was totally into. until he ate the paint (baby edible) and decided it was gross. (cornstarch ain't too appetizing.) after that i had to force his hands to finish the painting. 

and i tried my skills at making our best bites' creamy cheesecake. the crust came out soggy. darned water bath! but it was delish nonetheless and scott was happily surprised.

we love you.

xoxoxoxoxo