Ok, so this is sortof a repeat from a recipe I shared with my Spring dinner party menu, but I thought this needed it’s own post because I want to share this recipe on Tidy Mom’s salad social link party. It’s too yummy not to share! Plus, I didn’t share the picture of the ingredients, and that can really help when out shopping. My friend said this is a family recipe and oh. my. goodness. I loved it so much, I made it a week later. I didn’t even realize there was such a thing as “basil-sun dried tomato feta cheese” My husband just walked up and saw this picture and said, “Ugh, is that supposed to look good?” Wow, thanks. Yes, the picture is sorely lacking in making this look scrumptious. I usually just snap a quick shot before eating, but I’d love to set up a scene to make food look pretty someday. Someday. For now, you get the ugly picture. I promise, it is YUMMY! To his defense, he says he doesn’t like the cherry tomotoes and that’s all he saw when looking. Funny, I’m pretty sure he ate this when I made it…
 Old Venice Pasta Salad
1 lb. bow tie pasta cooked and drained
2 2.5 oz. cans sliced black olives drained
1 6 oz. package basil-sun dried tomato feta cheese
6-7 Roma tomatoes chopped or grape tomatoes whole
1 T. Dried basil leaves
1 bottle girards old Venice Italian dressing
Mix all ingredients with dressing. Can refrigerate overnight and add a little more dressing before serving (pasta tends to soak up the dressing)
Ingredients below:
I’m transitioning over to whole wheat pasta, and currently mixing half and half white/wheat, so that is why both boxes are here.
Linking this pasta salad up to Tidy Mom’s Salad Social Link Party going on now.
Come join The Salad Social at TidyMom sponsored by The International Olive Council’s Add Some Life
Playing along with The Pleated Poppy to share what I wore, and get ideas from what other’s wore during the week. I wore painting clothes all day today, my work out clothes all day yesterday, but I did get dressed over the weekend for a baby shower and church! I kinda feel like this first outfit was a “miss.” I didn’t love it. I used to love this skirt, but now it is so big, I can’t even wear it…so I clipped it at the side with my new whippycake trio clip…but I didn’t quite realize how obvious the fold is until this picture.
 I felt like it could have used a long necklace, but with the dangle earrings, and statement clip and scallop neckline, I was perplexed and went necklace free. I’d love to hear any thoughts on how this outfit could have been better. I wore this to the baby shower (and my boys soccer game). I love skirts in the summer, and I’m having a hard time finding some the right length. I just had to share my adorable model. I take a test shot of her, and she often snaps these WIWW images of me. Left to church (dress H&M) right to dance class. Her turquoise clip is from Allora Handmade and her headband on the right is from aluLosa. Mis-matched socks: her moms drawer. Then I got dressed on Mother’s Day for church. I got my top recently from Novae clothing. I like to shop online (though it can be risky with sizing), because generally no one else around me will have it (now you locals, don’t go buy the same shirt). It had ruffles and slits, I just wore my cozy undershirt with it to cover all my un-mentionables. I met the owner for Novae at SNAP. I originally wished I had a long coral necklace, but then thought it would be fun to pair it with the purple. My necklace was a tad too short, so I extended it with 6 safety pins in the back;) Ring is from Pier 1 last year, necklace I think Little Miss Momma, and earrings from Hoopla online.
Linking up to all the fun at The Pleated Poppy’s What I wore Wednesday. Go check out what others shared!
Summer is upon us, and I see people pinning checklists and activities like crazy, in hopes that us mothers will have memorable activities with our kids that include skipping and holding hands on a daily basis along with ZERO electronic time. Who needs electronics when we have each other?!? In all truth, I LOVE summer! I am not one of those lamenting that the end of the year is upon us, because I actually get excited to hang out with my kids and do whatever we want. But if I don’t have a plan, summer will slip through my fingers and I will have missed out on the opportunity to play with my kids. When my oldest finished kindergarten, I came up with the SUMMER FUN JAR. I made a super long list of activities, games, research topics, treats, & outings. We picked out 5 a week, but sometimes it was 5 outtings and it was just exhausting! We did this for a few years, and I never figured it out….
But I’ve decided if something is going to happen whether losing weight, exercising, or family fun, you have to MAKE A PLAN!!! So this is my simple plan. I figure it covers 2-3 hours each day (roughly) and with our morning gym time, afternoon down time, shorter pool visits, and some electronics thrown in (lets be real) we’ve got the days covered.
{I don’t have a download, but if you’d like to right click and save this, then insert it into a word document, feel free to print it out}
If you want some ideas for something fun to do, check out my fun with kids pinterest page. I’ll keep adding to it. I also plan to implement the summer snacking agenda I introduced last summer.
I decided to start this link get together the day after Mother’s Day, hoping that if any day the mother’s would get in pictures with their children, it was this weekend! This project is about getting out from behind the camera and getting in some pictures with your family. This is not just for the mothers of young children, but for grandmothers, or those that are not mothers. It’s just a weekly reminder to be present, so that you will remember better later. The plan is to do this every Monday (as long as people keep coming), so think about it throughout the course of the week and jump in a picture of two, then blog it, and link it here on Mondays. If you want ideas of what to take pictures of, see the button on my left sidebar for my list of 100 ideas, but just smiling and looking at the camera works, too!
Here are my kids and I yesterday on Mother’s Day. I stop hoping for the perfect shot, and enjoy seeing the candid moments. All of these were taken with my hubby’s phone. It isn’t about the quality of the images I’m looking to see, but just the moments captures.
 My hubby did a great job of planning out meals from my pinterest food board (per my suggestion–I sent him the page and they got to pick and surprise me), organizing a talent show, presenting hand made cards, having them rub my feet/play with my hair…it was very sweet (though the foot massage left a little to be desired). I said all I wanted was a clean house and good food, and they made that happen.
Then after church, I gave him my “big camera” to take a few of me and my babies…and yes, sometimes he groans at my requests when I ask him to take a bunch so I can get a good one…
 
But I’m very glad he’s still willing. I’m so grateful to be a mother, and I want my children to know that–by seeing me in pictures loving them and being happy in their presence. They deserve that.
I’d love you to share a picture on your blog of you with your loved ones, add my button to the bottom of your post or link back so others can see and play along, and link up (the post, not your main site) below. Share a story with your moment, or just a picture… I can’t wait to see! I’ll post a few of my favorites on Saturday–based on the emotion and how they made me smile;)
Or grab the code and add it to your page!
Take pictures this weekend, come back and share them on Monday;)
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Hello, I'm Kristen, and I like to dress in bright colors that match my website! I am an on location, natural light photographer in Austin, Texas and I like to capture the joy in life from portraits to home projects to recipes to sharing tidbits of my family. Join me as I document my journey! Click on one of the frames at the top to navigate around my site, and follow me via your favorite social networking avenues. I've got some of my favorite posts listed below, and you can learn some nitty gritty details about me by heading above to Info-->meet Kristen.
by Kristen Duke
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