Saturday, March 10, 2007

Come and knock on my door . . .


Hi! I'm so glad you could make it to my post for the Ultimate Blog Party. I'm not known for being a great mingler when it comes to parties (it takes me a long time to "warm up"), but I think I can handle letting you have a sneak peek at mi vida loca. Besides, all 3 or 4 of my regular readers may be getting tired of the memes I've been using to skirt the fact that my brain has dried up into a little desiccated bean. It makes a great sound rattling around my head, but it's not good for much else. So now that your expectations have been appropriately lowered, let's make the rounds of Aimee's World (party on! excellent!)


I am a working mother - because all mothers are working mothers! I stay home with my three children: Older Girl, 7; The Boy, 4; and Baby Girl, 8 months. I am married to Rob, an all around great guy. He's smart as a whip, but funny and self-deprecating, and he is a wonderful father. Plus, he lets me have the remote whenever I want it (which is always), so I totally lucked out.
I have a degree in English/Communications (even though, at times, this blog may contradict that), and I started this blog so that I could remember all the funny, annoying, endearing things about my family in its infancy and youth.

My days revolve around school activities, church, meal prep, diaper changes, molding young minds and souls, keeping the books in the black, keeping the house from collapsing into entropy, and occupational and speech therapy for The Boy. The Boy has a neurological disorder called Sensory Processing Disorder, which can make life interesting, but you'll never meet a happier, more loving child. What he lacks in sensory abilities, he more than makes up for in heart and gumption.

I have a loving and (at times, unintentionally) hilarious family; some totally boss in-laws; and I am still friends with girls I met in first grade, plus a few more special people that I've picked up along the way. I also belong to a vibrant Catholic parish (shout-out to Holy Trinity!).

Since I don't want this to start sounding like a singles ad (I like foreign films, Italian food, and weekends in the Caymans), I'll let you in on some of my guilty pleasures/personal secrets. This is by no means an exhaustive list (too embarrassing, even for blog fodder): anything made with butter or cream (basically every Paula Deen recipe); I love a "good" celebrity gossip mag, like People or US Weekly, while getting my hair done; I stop the clicker when TNT plays Dirty Dancing every. single. time.; when I'm alone in the car, I sing Kelly Clarkson or Christina Aguilera at the top of my lungs; I rehearse answering machine messages before I call people, just so I'm not caught unawares; I would freebase I.C. Caramels from Panera if I could, they are just that good; I'm a girly-girl and I enjoy a good makeup shopping spree; I read the Real Estate section of the newspaper and check out open houses, even though I am completely happy in my home and have no intention of moving in the near future.

I think I've bored you enough with that - on to the pictures! I usually refrain from pictures, especially of the children, but in the interest of being a good hostess, I'll let you see a few:



Here's the old homestead, nestled in the heart of the Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania. I included a picture from the spring because I am sick of the slush and snow that's out there now.


And here are The Boy and myself, relaxing on a Mississippi River boat cruise in New Orleans (pre-Katrina).



Another (crudely edited) picture from New Orleans - Older Girl, The Boy, and Mom, pre-Baby Girl



And I'll leave you with a couple of pictures of me and my one-and-only, Rob:





But wait, I haven't offered you anything to eat! (I guess I just lost the Hostess with the Mostess Award!) Here is a recipe for my family's favorite coffee cake, courtesy of Gale Gand and Food Network. It is delicious for breakfast . . . or lunch . . . or dinner, for that matter! We are German, after all, and we love our kuchen!


Pecan Coffee Cake
Recipe courtesy Gale Gand

For the pan dusting:

1/2 cup sugar; 1 tsp cinnamon


For the cake:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter; softened at room temperature; 1 cup granulated sugar; 3 eggs; 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 cup sour cream

For the topping: 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed; 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces; 3/4 cup pecans pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, stir 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon together. Butter a tube pan well and liberally coat it with the cinnamon sugar.

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth. With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar and mix. Add the eggs and mix until the mixture is light and fluffy. Sift the sifted flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Working in batches, add them to the butter-sugar mixture, alternating with dollops of sour cream. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Make the topping: In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add the butter and, using your fingertips, pinch the ingredients together into a sandy, crumbly mixture. Add the pecans and mix. Sprinkle the mixture over the cake.
Bake until risen and browned, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in the pan then turn out. Serve in slices.

Yields: 12 slices (or 6 slices if you live at my house!)

So there you have it - a little slice of life from my neck of the woods. I hope you had a good time, and that you'll come back to visit me again. There are tons of great blogs out there, all joining in the party fun, and you can go here to see some more of them. Spread the party love around, my friends!

Oh! And don't forget to de-lurk and leave me a little note when you visit!

44 comments:

  1. Beautiful blog, beautiful home, beautiful family...and a beautiful welcome! Thanks!

    Diane

    ReplyDelete
  2. Fantastic party. And you said it took you a while to warm up...who are you kidding. It sounds like you have a wonderful family. And I'm glad you posted pictures. Now I know what you look like. Very Pretty! I'm a communications major too and I also love to look at the Real Estate section of the newspaper (too funny)! Thank you for the wonderful coffee cake recipe. You were a wonderful hostess!

    ReplyDelete
  3. sweet post! love how you posted a recipe!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love the photos. Thanks for sharing them with us.
    Happy Partying.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh. My. Gosh. You put a fat-making recipe there JUST for me, didn't you?! God bless you.

    Seriously, this is the BEST intro I've read today. Puts mine to shame. So nice to see pix and YOU in them!

    On to enjoy the Par-Tay some more!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous9:13 PM

    A fellow Pennsylvanian...even though I'm now in Virginia...

    Great intro.. I agree and love the recipe...enjoy the party!

    Heather

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous9:46 PM

    Yeah! You finally got your party post up. Sadly, I have been waiting all day for it to show up.

    Oh, I am such a toddler's mommy. When I read Aimee's World I instantly put on my best Elmo voice and started singing La-la-la-la, la-la-la-la, Aimee's World

    I'm glad you enjoy reading my blog as much as I enjoy reading yours. Helps shrink the miles a little bit. :) Party on, Babe!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Welcome to the party!!!!

    Linda

    ReplyDelete
  9. Yum, that recipe sounds wonderful. Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous8:48 AM

    Thanks for stopping by!! You've got a beautiful family and a fun blog!! Happy partying!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. You are a charming hostess Aimee!

    Thanks for your hospitality. I peeked at your wedding meme below - wow, I've been married so long I've forgotten the answer to some of those questions - but it was fu to read them.

    Thanks for visiting my blog. Party on!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yummy Coffee Cake!
    Great party! My husband is from Central PA (all around the Hershey area). We went to college just north of Pittsburg. We love Pennsylvania!
    You have a beautiful family!
    Blessings,
    Angel

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hello. You're so cute. Hope you are having a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks so much for delurking at my site!!! I love your title of this post...I immediately started singing the Three's Company song. Love it!!

    Laura

    ReplyDelete
  15. Yum- that coffee cake sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe! Love the pictures too. OH, and I grew up near Hazleton, PA -- not far from you!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous11:54 AM

    Thanks for being such a great party host and thanks for the recipe. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Another Pennsylvanian and another thanks for that recipe--looks fabulous! Thanks for stopping by my blog, and now I'm going to find out some more about you :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Swinging in for the party....

    It's nice meeting ya. Have a great party. I hope you get lots of company.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous4:09 PM

    Just party jumping! Thanks for having me!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous8:48 PM

    Here via the party. Thanks for sharing and letting us visit!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Great party! And that recipe looks wonderful!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous8:57 PM

    You know what is funny, growing up I always thought coffee cake was made with coffee. :) Nice to meet another Aimee, and fellow partier.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Just dropping in for the party. Stop by if you get a chance.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Great Party Post!
    So nice to meet you!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hi Aimee, what I've noticed as I've blog hopped around is that there are a lot of Amy's out there in blog world! So fun, because really, it is a great name!

    Happy party blog hopping this week!

    ReplyDelete
  26. I am re-visiting today for the PARTY! I am adding you on my blog roll. LOVE THE BLOG!!

    Linda

    ReplyDelete
  27. Great party! You sound like you have a full plate! What a wonderful family!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous12:28 PM

    Hello! I just found your blog thru the blog party, and I've really enjoyed my visit. We have a few things in common... my name is Amy, and I'm a Catholic mom in Ohio.
    It's nice to "meet" you!
    Amy

    ReplyDelete
  29. Fun party, fun blog! Our fourth (5-y-o girl) also has SPD, so I can relate. She has the biggest heart ever. Stop by my place if you get a minute!

    ReplyDelete
  30. dang, girl, you gotta love 30 comments!!!

    i need to put up some pics too, now that i've downloaded about 100 off the camera, for the first time since christmas.....

    now i can't wait to read your 100 things!

    ReplyDelete
  31. I know EXACTLY what you mean about needing to warm up! In fact, my post BEFORE my party post was about my problem like that. With a very un-PC name for the condition!

    Love the blog!

    Have a great day! (And a very MERRY UBP!)

    ReplyDelete
  32. I love Mary Cassatt! I have some artwork by her on my blog...
    I love your front porch..
    nice to "Meet' YOu!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Well, thanks for inviting us all to your party.

    I just wanted to say (of you "100 Things" post) that:
    - I also love chocolate chip cookies without the chips. Odd, because I love chocolate... just not in chocolate chip cookies.
    - I cannot read with background noise either.
    - I lost the fifth grade spelling bee to Christine P. because Icould not spell the word Caribbean.
    - postpartum depression ravages me. Zoloft is my friend.
    - I talked to my husband (boyfriend at the time) when I was overseas. It was a three hour conversation and we paid $3 per minute. We still laugh about that.
    - I am allergic to penicillin too. But I can never remember how to spell it.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog... and for sharing yours!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Anonymous8:52 PM

    hey hey! found you through the UBP, nice to meet you, and I plan to be back!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Anonymous10:16 PM

    Hi! Just stoppin' by via the blog party! I saw the name of your blog & loved it!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Hi, nice to meet you! I'm loving the party! Thanks for the recipe. I'm three-quarters German, with a little Irish thrown in for some extra *spice*. :)

    ReplyDelete
  37. Anonymous8:20 PM

    Hi Aimee nice to meet you. "I'm not known for being a great mingler when it comes to parties" me neither but this easier dont you think

    I like what you said about being a working mum me too LOL its one of the most challenging jobs around dont you think :) probably also ont the most rewarding :)

    I have a degree in early childhood education and have always enjoyed studying English too

    I am familiar with Sensory Processing Disorder my older son was tested for it. He has Dyslexia & Dyspraxia.

    blessings

    ReplyDelete
  38. Thanks for letting me stop by!

    ReplyDelete
  39. Well HEY THERE! I feel like I know ya! :) Thanks for the invite to stop by and get to know you a bit...I'm from MD so we're practically "neighbors"! :) Here's to all the working SAHM...amen sister!!! Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  40. Anonymous3:50 PM

    so nice to meet you!

    ReplyDelete
  41. thanks for stopping by my blog - it's aways nice to "meet" another military family!

    Great intro - it was nice finding out more about your family and thanks so much for the cake recipe- sounds great!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Anonymous10:42 PM

    Thanks for stopping by my end of the blog party!
    Your "about me" section cracks me up - you are very clever with your words! :) Also enjoyed your "100 things" list!
    Party on!

    ReplyDelete
  43. Great blog! I'm so glad I stoped by and was able to meet you =)
    Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  44. I am new to this blog stuff, but I loved reading your posts. I am stopping by via the party circuit. I'll definately be back. Hope you will stop by and visit me too!

    ReplyDelete

Go ahead and say it. You know you want to.