But, rather than dwelling on our evil computer overlords messing with the circuitry in our brains, let's turn our attention to happier things, shall we?
1. Friends
Despite Delta Airlines' best attempts, Kim managed to get here for her much-anticipated visit (and only 21 hours late- super job there, Delta!), and it was such a great time.
Her husband Ben asked her if it was awkward, spending so much time with me after not seeing each other for a couple years, and Kim told him that truth about all good friendships, "We picked up exactly where we left off, like no time had passed at all."
God exists outside space and time, and I think He gives us a glimpse of what that means in friendships like that.
2. Birthdays
Joaquin and Gabriel have back-to-back birthdays, which I love. Ken takes off for the kids' birthdays, so that meant this year, when the days fell on a Monday and a Tuesday, it was like Ken had this bonus four-day vacation, right in the middle of June.
Also, since I have two halves of two cakes left over, I can call them "coffee cake" and breakfast is done for the next two days.
p.s. If you're ever looking for a really good, simple yellow cake recipe, try this one. It was easy and really tasty.
3. Mod Cloth
I love Mod Cloth so much. I've gotten a couple of dresses from them, and when I saw this one, I realized that it had been specifically designed and crafted just for me. Which is really nice of them, don't you think? So how could I not get it?
You're right. I couldn't not get it. But sadly, once I got it, I discovered that it's too tight in the chest. Like, I can't even zip it up, it's too tight. Ken thought I could take it to be altered somewhere, but I've never had a dress altered. Have any of you? Can they add inches to the chest area even in a printed fabric? Or do I just have to practice detachment and send the dress back?
4. Theme Thursday (always and forever)
This week is water. Which we've had a lot of recently, as evidenced by the Farmington River, which has flooded sizable portions of the Valley.
I love this game. Every Monday, the Catholic Cabal triad comes up with an ingredient for that week, and the following Monday, one of them hosts a linkup where you can show how you incorporated it into a dish (only this week the linkup seems to be missing...?)
This past week's selection was mint, which I thought about cheating and just using the mint extract post I'd just done, but then I remembered mojitos.
I'd only had mojitos once before, back when we lived in Michigan. I seem to remember that they gave me horrific heartburn. But, ever the adventurous spirit, I thought I'd give them another try.
My chocolate mint plant was still recovering from the heavy-handed harvesting from the week before, but I managed to get enough sprigs to provide about 15-20 leaves. Then, I went to the store to buy rum. Now, I'm not much of a rum drinker, so I don't know what qualifies as "good" rum, which means I had to employ the following method in rum selection at my local liquor store:
1. Look at the rums stocked on the top shelf
2. Look at prices
3. Look at packaging
With that fail-proof trio of criteria in my arsenal, I was shocked to discover that rum, or at least the rums my store carries, is relatively cheap. Like, top shelf tequila (which I do know quite a bit about) runs you $80- $100 (not that I've ever had top shelf tequila, but I know what to look for). Top shelf whisky's just as bad. So when the most expensive rum was $25 for a fifth, I was confused. I began to suspect that rum was really just the Caribbean's version of moonshine.
Anyway, packaging won out, and I got something in a really pretty frosted blue bottle:
Then, I did what I do best- ignore the recipe and wing it.
Cari's Doesn't Know What She's Doing Strawberry Mojitos
15 mint leaves
good sized squirt of lime juice
1 T Simple syrup (more to taste)
6 ounces rum
8 strawberries
club soda to taste
ice
Bruise the mint leaves, throw in pitcher. Add the lime juice. Swirl around and stick your face into the pitcher to marvel at how good mint and lime smell together. Remove face from pitcher. Add syrup. Add ice to pitcher, pour rum over ice. Swirl around and stick face into pitcher. Recoil in horror when rum smell punches you in the face. Quarter strawberries and toss into pitcher, hoping that you didn't mess it up by adding too much rum. Add, what?, maybe a cup of club soda into pitcher. Swirl again, feel relieved that rum smell has died down.
Pour over ice into martini glass. Enjoy and think of fruity pirates.
I haven't been able to find this week's mystery ingredient, but while I'm waiting, I think I'm going to mix up another pitcher of mojitos. Strawberries are very high in vitamin C, you know.
EDIT: I found it- I'm such a ding-a-ling. It's jalapeƱos. Yikes. Gonna have to put on my big girl panties and my rubber gloves for this one.
EDIT: I found it- I'm such a ding-a-ling. It's jalapeƱos. Yikes. Gonna have to put on my big girl panties and my rubber gloves for this one.
Join Hallie, who could use those strawberries in her header in a pretty sweet drink.






















