Busy busy!

[1] Beau, [2] Sugar, [3] Grandparent's field, [4] Beau and I early in the morning

[1] Harry Potter with Matthew, [2] Hello!, [3] Pretty new Pyrex bowl, [4] Mochi, walnuts, blackberries, and raspberries

[1] View from the house my dad and brother stayed, [2] Matthew and Dad, [3] Dad and I, [4] Blueberry pie

These past couple of weeks have flown by. It's too bad, because they were so wonderful. I would have liked for them to have lasted so much longer! My dad was asked to play in a three-day-long golf tournament (he came in second place!) in Asheville, so I soaked up as much time as I possibly could with him and my little brother. A few days later I went to Georgia to spend a little bit of time with G. It had been over a month since we last saw each other! It goes without saying that it was definitely great to see him. I was also able to finally meet his band-mates and Vanessa. It was a little funny feeling at first, because we all knew of each other, but had not truly met before. But, everyone was very sweet and it was a good time! After the guys' show I drove a little further south to spend the weekend with my grandparents. They live out in the country and have the most beautiful dogs who kept me company during the morning-time while my grandparents were out and about. It was quite a wonderful few days!

See- these past two weeks have been busy(-ish)! This is the last week of summer classes and then I will be spending the rest of my summer break in Indiana with my family! More on that later.

-K

The Blueberry Festival

This past weekend, there was word of a blueberry festival at the Roper Mountain Science Center. Blueberries AND science? Count me in! My friend Aaron and I met up bright and early for what was sure to be a delicious learning experience. And learn we did. Who knew that the pre-historic ground sloths were three times as tall as Aaron? I sure didn’t. 

It was hotter than blue blazes (I learned that phrase this past week. Thanks Grandma!) and ever so humid. Oh, sweet South Carolina in the summer. The science center is in an old school building with exhibits in all of the classrooms and on the surrounding land, there is a mock colonial settlement. There were demonstrations, samples of blueberry concoctions, pilgrims playing music, etc. in and around the entire “settlement”. You know, like any other blueberry shindig. It was a blueberry festival success.

-K

Summertime iPhone photos [image heavy]

We've had so many wonderful times and adventures over the past two months and there is still more fun to be had over the next month and a half before school begins. I'm so excited!

-K

Vegetables in bread?

A couple of weeks ago I figured I would attempt making zucchini bread for Garrett when he came to visit. I had never tasted this strange vegetable bread before, so I approached it with great hesitancy. On my first attempt, I split the recipe in half and baked two small loaves; one loaf for Garrett and one for my friends and I. As soon as I took the loaves out of the oven, I dropped the majority of one loaf on the floor, so I was left with a small taste of what hadn't fallen on the floor and I hoped that the other loaf tasted alright. 

Fast forward a week and I decided it was time to attempt this strange yet tasty bread again. Well, I believe that zucchini bread is my new favorite thing. On top of the deliciousness of this bread, it has 1-2 whole zucchini in it, so it must be healthy, right?!

 I used this recipe with a few modifications, which I've noted below.

Zucchini Bread

2 cup grated zucchini
1/3 cup water
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil  

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoon baking soda 

1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Mix wet ingredients into dry and fold in. Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.

 Yum.

-K

A wonderful visit

Thursday morning Garrett drove up to Greenville from Savannah (and then back to the SC coast that night!), so that we could spend the day together before he leaves for tour in a couple of weeks. It was such a great day!

Twelve Bones bbq for lunch in Asheville, NC

left: Chipotle for dinner in Greenville, SC. right: my book purchase from the bookstore

*I may have stolen a couple of these photos from Garrett. Shh!

- K