life in my empty nest

Friday, May 8, 2015

Graduation Week

It is a tradition around the MSU campus that the soon to be graduates walk around and take photos in their cap and gown, at all the iconic places. It is a rite of passage and one they look forward to experiencing with their friends. It has been a week filled with excitement for Melissa, all leading up to the graduation ceremony tonight, where she will walk across stage to accept her diploma and attain her bachelor of arts from the College of Communication Arts and Sciences.

It has been a week of savoring every moment with her good friends. And, it has been a life changing week where she accepted a job offer that will start her on a career in corporate communications.

We are so proud of all she has accomplished in four years and her graduation will be celebrated with family and friends. The four years at MSU are something she will always treasure and all her experiences, from late night homework to performing with the pompon team to football tailgates, will all be wonderful memories to hold forever.

She is a remarkable and amazing girl with a bright future and we will be celebrating right along with her.

Have a wonderful weekend!

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Thursday, May 7, 2015

Mixed Media

A little bit about some tv shows and a mention of a new cookbook are where my thoughts are this morning. I have been catching up on two of my favorite shows via on demand and am really enjoying the plot twists in both.

Grey's Anatomy is in its eleventh season and still has people talking. If you haven't seen the last two episodes you might want to stop reading before I talk about the latest plot twist. In fact, I was unable to avoid finding out about Derek's death before watching, since it was all over the Internet. I still can't believe he is gone and the Meredith and Derek love story is no more, since it was such a central part of the show. Many were unhappy with how his death was handled in the latest episode, but I think the reactions were perfect, especially Meredith's. It was just like her to run away and spend time alone, thinking about the past and how his death, comes full circle with her mother's. As she does this over a year, life goes on at the hospital; a wonderful juxtaposition. I can always count on the writing and the music in this show to make me cry.

The second half of the Outlander series is nearing its conclusion and each week I love it for different reasons. I love that is stays true to the book series and brings so many wonderful scenes and characters I only could imagine, to life. Even when there are deviations from the book, it makes sense and helps move the story forward. The last few episodes are ones I am dreading because of their darkness, but at the same time intrigued with how they will be handled by the writers.

I don't buy too many cookbooks any longer, but was happy to see the announcement of a new offering by The Pioneer Woman. Her best recipes are her comfort food type main dishes, so this book of dinnertime recipes should be great. I love her step by step instructions and beautiful photos, as well as the narrative for every recipe. I look forward to when this is published in the fall.

Happy Thursday!

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Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Two Dishes to Make Any Mothers's Day Special

Making Mother's Day special is easy with these two recipes for your brunch menu. One is savory and one is sweet and both make a pretty presentation on a buffet table. Also, both can be prepared ahead of your company arriving at your home, which makes for the best kind of recipe, when entertaining. You could even serve both dishes, giving your guests a choice of savory or sweet and with the addition of a pretty bowl of fruit and a basket of muffins, your brunch menu is complete.

My Mothers's Day plans are up in the air at the moment, since it is Melissa's graduation weekend and we have a special dinner planned for Saturday and family stopping by on Sunday. If a brunch menu is needed, my planning is complete. Or, there is always my favorite brunch spot, right down the street - no cooking required :-)