June Wrap Up & July Goals

June was a busy month! Wedding and portrait season was in full swing, we found out we are having a little boy in November, McG is going full throttle these days and my little brother got married! We made the trip to Franklin, Tennessee and all four of us were in the wedding. I did not bring my camera – on purpose. It was the first time in about four years my camera did not make it to a wedding! I loved it because I actually got to experience it firsthand, rather than through my lens.

July is going to be equally busy, if not more and I have a lot of projects ahead of me!

July 2011 Goals:

• Finish designing my new website!
• Update my web portfolio
• Unveil my new headshots by Simply Told Photography
• Start a menu plan
• Finish Radical Bible Study (must read for all Christians serious about their faith!)
• Finish edits for Spring weddings
• Dance the night away at my brother’s wedding – woohoo!
• Hang our family photos in our new house!
• Paint our living room (using low voc paint)
• Vaca at the beach
• Vaca in the mountains
• Get on a budget!

Summer 2011 Goals:

• Design and Decorate my office  (my handy husband is finishing the upstairs of our new house, which will contain my new office!)
• Finish Reason for God
• Order new sample albums and books
• Do a shoot with my Brownie Box Six-20
• Potty-train McG (yikes!)
  
• Paint McG’s new room
• Decorate the McG’s old room for the baby
• Organize personal files

 2011 Goals:

• Have a Baby!
• Sell our house in New Bern!
• Keep my inbox to 0
• Submit weddings and engagement shoots to my fave blogs, including Southern Weddings!
• Be completely organized (I can dream, can’t I?)

I ♥ May

May is probably my favorite month. Summer winds start blowing in, strawberries are in season and mother’s day, my birthday and our wedding anniversary are all rolled up in this month.

This weekend was simply amazing. My husband outdid himself in celebrating our marriage and my birthday this weekend (we got married on my birthday – yep, best birthday gift ever.) We ate a lot, starting with Wasabi 88 in Greenville Friday night, Cracker Barrel Saturday morning and Chef and the Farmer on Saturday night.

And today the feasting continued. I hosted Afternoon Tea/ a Thirty-One Party (hosted by the lovely Erin Baum!) and spent the afternoon with some of my closest Kinston ladies. I savored every moment (and morsel). I am still full. It is always surprising at how those little portions add up.  I served classic tea sandwiches, scones, and other goodies including tons of freshly picked strawberries. McG and I had the most fun picking strawberries this month. We've gone twice and plan to go once more before the season ends. Nothing like it!

I posted some of the recipes below, and would love to try any recipes you are willing to share.  My friend Courtney brought the scones, and I'm hoping she'll post her recipe in the comments. They are scrumptious!

What is your favorite thing about May?

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

1lg English cucumber peeled and thinly sliced

salt

3/4 c cream cheese

2 t. minced fresh garlic

20 slices of bread (I used Pepperidge Farm thin sliced white bread)

1 T. lemon juice

1 T. olive oil

pepper to taste 

1 Cocktail Loaf of Pumpernickel Bread

Lightly salt the cucumber slices and place them in a colander to drain for 1-2 hrs.  Combine the butter and garlic and apply to 1 side of one slice of bread.  In a small bowl, stir together the lemon juice, oil, and pepper.  Add the cucumber slices, coating them well.  Arrange the cucumbers on 10 of the bread slices,  serve immediately.  Makes 40 tea sandwiches. 

Cr cheese olive spread 

8 oz.  pkg. softened cr cheese

1/2 c. finely chopped pimiento stuffed green olives

2 Tbsp olive juice

1/2 c. chopped nuts (I used pecans) 

Stir ingredients together.

Devonshire Cream

1 c. of whipping cream

1/4 c. powdered sugar

1/2 t. cream of tartar

1 t. vanilla

Whip cream in a medium bowl and beat with mixer until stiff peaks form.  Add other ingredients and mix well.  Refrigerate until ready to use. Best when used the same day. Great on scones.