7 Quick Takes Friday vol. 13

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We had a bit of an eclectic Superbowl menu this year. Our menu consisted of a baked, cheesy spinach dip, bruschetta topped with cherry tomatoes and our homemade pesto, fresh berries and . . . Cheetos. For dessert we made chocolate-pumpkin whoopie pies. I do believe I'm becoming a big fan of the whoopie pie genre.

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I am finally caught up on all the episodes of Downton Abbey. I had to make it a priority because I keep getting spoiled on twitter! I was way behind because it is impossible for me to watch the show when it is airing on Sunday nights, something to do with having 4 young children and all. But, I've found a great way to get caught up and motivate myself to exercise at the same time. Did you know there is a PBS app for the iPhone? All the shows that can be found on PBS online are available through the app. So, I grab my earbuds and jump on the elliptical and before I know it I've gotten in a great workout and caught up on all the happenings at Downton Abbey.

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To all my fellow photographers out there: Do you ever edit your photos with textures? Using textures basically involves overlaying one photo on top of another and blending them together to manipulate color and contrast and to add, well, texture to the photo. If you love textures (or would like to give them a test run), Sarah Gardner is giving away a free set of textures on her site available until February 14th. If you've never used textures before, Sarah has some nice tutorials on her blog and some absolutely amazing photography. She truly is an artist so go check her out and prepare to be inspired.

The above is my own amateur-ish attempt at using one of Sarah's textures. The before/after rollover will give you an idea of what textures can do.

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Amy Welborn's new book, Wish You Were Here, is now available in paperback and on kindle and I can't wait to read it. I remember hearing about her husband passing away suddenly a few years ago and my heart just ached for her. One of my greatest fears is to lose my husband and to have to support and raise my children without him. I think her story of grief and then learning to continue on without her life partner has to be tremendously inspiring. I'll be sure to report back with a review once I've read it.

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Daffodils!

I love these happy, sunshiny flowers so much but I've never actually grown them in my garden. Last fall when we were reworking a flower bed in the front yard I remembered to buy a few daffodil bulbs and plant them. I am beyond ecstatic that they are now actually coming up!

If I'm this excited for a few little green shoots then I won't be able to stand myself when they finally bloom! My camera better get ready for a workout!

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Clara's babble continues to crack us up. She still only has a few words, but as you can see in this video, she can communicate just fine. Who knew that toddler jabber could be so emphatic!

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There are so many foods that I did not appreciate properly as a child. So many of them are foods that I now love and can not imagine cooking without.

For instance, I used to pick out any and every little sliver of onion I saw out of every dish my mother ever made. Now I cook with fresh onions daily. I don't think I ever had a homemade dish with fresh garlic in it until after I was married. Now I think roasted garlic is one of the most heavenly foods I've ever put on my tongue. As a child I had never even heard of olive oil or leeks or dried cranberries. I refused to try avocados though now I can't imagine life without guacamole. And after my mom's limp, squishy microwaved zucchini I swore that when I grew up I'd never let any type of squash ever cross my lips! Now during the summer we grill yellow squash or zucchini at least weekly and even grow them in our vegetable garden.

Are there any foods that you hated or wouldn't try as a kid but now you love?

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