Homecoming!

Little Violet loved her "homecoming" outfit. Doesn't she look cute?

Lindsey didn't have quite such luck. She lost her shoes somewhere between labor and delivery and post partum, so the nurses lent her some "booties" to wear home.
the Harpdogs - such a cute family!

Baby's Baby - isn't she beautiful?

and she finally has a complete name - Violet Alena Harper. It took them awhile to come up with the middle name, but I love it!

Frugal

It's been fun staying with the Harpdogs the past two weeks. We've had a great time and I have realized that they are probably the most frugal couple I know. If you don't believe me, check this out:

changing pad made by Lindsey-

and curtains - (as you can see they are from the same "fabric") - actually, a shower curtain the previous tenants left in their apartment

and here is the domestic diva herself

Eclairs

As promised, the following is my eclair recipe.

Shells:
Bring 1 cup water to a boil. When it begins to boil, add 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, stir and cut into pieces quickly until it is melted. Immediately add 1 cup flour mixed with 1/2 tsp salt and stir vigorously until it forms a ball. Reduce heat and cook for about a minute until it is uniform. Remove from heat. Beat in 4-5 eggs one at a time (I use the same pan). Beat well after each egg is added. The mixture should be smooth and glossy, more or less the consistency of frosting. Put into a pastry bag without a tip and pipe onto well-greased cookie sheets. For small eclairs, pipe a strip about 1" wide and 3 inches long, for larger eclairs, make them a little longer and wider. Baks at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown and slighly dry. Do not open the oven during the baking.



Let these cool, then slice open the top and take out the eggy filling.



Filling:

Combine 2/3 cup sugar, 3 T cornstarch and 1/8 tsp salt in saucepan. Gradually add 2 cups milk, make sure it is smooth. Cook at med-high heat until it thickens and begins to boil. (make sure to stir so it doesn't scorch - if it does, start over) Stir quickly while it boils, reducing heat as necessary for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. In small bowl whip 3 egg yolks with a fork, (do this ahead of time so your pudding isn't waiting) then add a small portion of the hot pudding mixture to the egg yolks, to incorporate. Immediately stir the egg yolk mixture into the hot pudding. Cook again over medium heat for 2 minutes. (It should be thick) Remove from heat and add 1 tsp vanilla and 2 Tbls butter. Put pan in refrigerator with wax paper over the pudding and cool overnight. The pudding should be very thick. In the morning use a whisk to whip it up a little. Whip 1 cup cream until stiff. Fold the whipped cream into the pudding until well incorporated. Fill eclairs with pudding. Put tops back on eclairs and frost with chocolate frosting.

Chocolate frosting:

Combine 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup dutch processed cocoa in saucepan and melt. Add three cups powdered sugar and beat in enough hot water until it is desired consistency. It shouldn't be so thick you can see your knife marks, not so runny it is watery. Frost eclairs, top with drizzled white chocolate, sprinkles, frosting flowers, etc.

Good luck!

Shady's Shower

Connie, Cindy and Tiffany hosted a great baby shower for Lindsey this week.

We feasted on Cafe Rio salads, fruit, eclairs and petit fours. So good! She received so many cute things for Violet - including this quilt from grandma.

It was good to see aunts and cousins from both sides of the family - the Reeds . . .

the Faggs . . . .

But the babies stole the show!

Thanks, everyone!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FERNASH!!

Sorry this blog is a day late. Since yesterday was Ashley's 27th birthday, this blog is dedicated to her. Some things we love about Ashley:

her enthusiasm . . . (sometimes we're glad she only weighs 98 pounds because she tends to jump on people)

she's a great sister (she's the only one Poodle will tell all her secrets)her sense of adventure (even after falling off a cliff, she's still willing to climb trees and swing off ropes)I love you, Fernash!!