Happy Halloween!

Last weekend we went to a pumpkin patch.  We thought it would be fun to have a little mini-fall experience with the pumpkins and a petting zoo...

We should have known he'd only be interested in the dogs he could make friends with!

He did take his first steps that weekend and has been getting progressivly more and more daring.  I fear he will be running soon!  Happy Halloween to all!

Celebrating Five!

Five short (and at times, long) years ago today we were married.  I can't believe how the time has gone by.  We both agreed that so much has changed since that day in October, and yet how we are also very much the same two people today that we were then.

We decided to celebrate with an adventurous dining experience.  After enlisting the aide of Grammy and Grumpy to babysit we headed out for Posh, an improvisational restaurant.

How It Works:
When you arrive they hand you a sheet of paper that allows you to choose how many courses you would like to eat (anywhere from 4 to 7 - you can also choose limitless).  You also have a list of proteins available for the night and you can cross off any you wish not to receive.  Some of the more adventurous that were on our list last night were frog legs, veal cheeks and veal sweetbreads.  Then you indicate at what temperature you perfer your meat to be cooked at or if you will eat anything raw and also if you have any allergies or dislikes.  You turn this in and the chef then prepares a menu just for you.

It was so much fun guessing what kind of food was coming out next for us, and we got to try such a variety of things because even though our lists we turned in were almost identical, Scott and I were both served entirely different courses almost every time.

Our dining experience looked like this:
            Alli                         Scott
1st Course: Pumpkin Soup                 Pumpkin Soup
2nd Course: Endive Salad w/ Pumpkin      Red Leaf Lettuce Salad
            seeds and a Gooseberry       w/ walnuts, smoked apple
                                         and dried mango
3rd Course: Oysters on the half shell    Tuna sashimi w/ coconut
            w/ ginger                    gelatin strips
4th Course: Sweet Foie Gras served w/    Sweet Foie Gras served
            cinnamon sauce, spun sugar   w/ cinnamon sauce, spun
            and fresh berries            sugar and fresh berries
5th Course: Frog legs and potatoes in a  Rabbit atop a parmesean
            garlic shallot sauce         crusted roasted tomato
6th Course: Veal cheeks w/broccoli       Veal sweetbreads served
                                         w/ baby carrots
7th Course: Honey sponge crepe wrapped   Flourless chocolate cake
            around marigold infused      topped with raspberry
            cream with spun sugar        sorbet

Scott enjoying his pumpkin soup

Me before tasting the decadent foie gras

Scott making sure no portion of frog legs goes to waste

Sweet sweets....

Everything was delicious and the whole experience was so unique and interesting!  Something we must do again!

The last five years have been quite an adventure.  Here's to five more, and then five more after that, and so on.  Love ya beluga!

Comrades, Colorado and Commitments

This past weekend I headed up to beautiful Ouray, Colorado to witness my dear friend Lauren's nuptials.  The bride and groom chose a stunning location for their ceremony (graciously provided by the groom's grandparents) and the gorgeous bride even graced us with her vocal talents by singing a special song for her groom.  It ended up being a mini-reunion for me with some of my college friends and my first experience of being away from my little babe for the night.

It was so wonderful to catch up with old friends and to be there as one friend begins her marriage.  Congratulations Lauren and Ian!  I wish you both all the love in the world.

From Beluga Tales

The couple did such a wonderful job of incorporating elements of the rugged and natural beauty of Colorado into thier wedding.  The groom actually made the flower centerpieces by hollowing out a felled aspen trunk.  Aspens branches and leaves were scattered throughout both ceremony and reception site and the simple wildflowers seemed to be a perfect accent.  Even the favors were homemade Colorado peach perserves by Tamra and Jaime!  Everything about the wedding radiated with who the couple is and what they enjoy.

From Beluga Tales From Beluga Tales

Catching up with old friends was wonderful as well.  I love seeing all the different directions our lives have taken us, and maybe even living vicariously through some of the more interesting adventures each fabulous lady has had.  It is nice that we all haven't grown too far apart on our own paths.

From Beluga Tales

Being a part of someone's milestone event causes me to reflect on the major events I've had in my own life.  I can't believe I will be celebrating my 5th anniversary in a few short weeks.  Somehow it seems like only yesterday and like a lifetime just the same.  Marriage is work; there is no doubt about it.  But I think it is extremely rewarding.  Getting married, tying the knot, making the big commitment; they make it sound like it is something that will weigh you down.  But I believe that knowing you have that someone to weather the storms with you (even when they are the storm themselves sometimes) can feel liberating.  That big crazy world, the scary unknown of the future seems more manageable, or maybe I feel braver for tackling it, knowing I have that partner by my side.

To Lauren and Ian as they begin this new journey; I wish you two smooth sailing, though I know it will be rough at times.  But take heart knowing you can chart a navigable path together and that special someone who is with you every step of the way.  And with a jumping off point in as beautiful a place as this.....I'd say you have no where to go but up!  Love you guys!

From Beluga Tales