Saturday Post No. 10

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Home. There's no place like it. 

We are back in MKE after a wonderful few days in MN. As always, the days fly by and we never get to do all that we'd like to do or see all who we'd love to see. But there's so much to be thankful for this year, especially our newlywed life (as busy as it is) and our families. These are the two parts of my life that get me through every single day, and I'm thankful for them all the time, but especially at Thanksgiving. 

I hope everyone had the best time with their families and friends, ate and drank plenty, and just enjoyed some quiet time as November ends. I can't believe it's December tomorrow. Tonight, we unpacked, ate our leftovers, and are going to put up the Christmas tree. No better way to cheer up after the five-hour drive than to decorate our apartment and chat with our families. 

Much love to all, and Happy Thanksgiving. 

In the kitchen: the very best oatmeal.

Cold and snowy (yes, it's snowing!) mornings call for hot breakfasts, ideally with baked goods. There's something special about a cozy kitchen turning out warm and comforting dishes to start the day. This isn't easy to do during the week, or in my case, weekends, because my blankets, pillows, and an extra 10 minutes in bed usually win. However, even when I've given in to the snooze button on the alarm, I still have time to make oatmeal and satisfy my craving for a toasty breakfast.

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When I was little, my mom would make us oatmeal before school. While that doesn't sound particularly like an exciting breakfast, the way she made it was just the best. Keep in mind, this was during the early 90s, before everyone became obsessed with steel-cut oats and those silly brown paper packets with flavored instant "oatmeal" were everywhere. In our kitchen, though, regular old fashioned rolled oats did the trick. And now, as I've grown up (and admittedly, have joined the steel-cut oat obsessed...this is one of my favorite recipes), I still find that there aren't many better breakfasts around than my mom's recipe. This takes me right back to my kitchen in MN...where we'll be in just a few days! To say I can't wait is maybe the biggest understatement of the week.

Brown sugar oatmeal, for two. 
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1 3/4 C. milk 
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt 
1 C. old fashioned oats 
Pinch of salt 
Toppings: pecans, raisins, cinnamon, heavy cream...really, anything you want. 

Combine milk, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer.

Add oats, stir to combine. Cook the oats for 3-5 minutes, then turn off the heat. Cover the saucepan, and let the oats steep for an additional 3 minutes.

Top with pecans, raisins, a pinch of cinnamon, and a spoonful of heavy cream. Enjoy with a giant mug of coffee, and savor the slow and hearty start to the day.

In two weeks...

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This is what I'm imagining our road home will look like, in just two weeks from now. There are parts of that drive that seem awful when we're in the car (I'm thinking specifically of the west-bound portion of 94 just before Tomah), but having made this trip many times this summer, I've learned to take it in sections. We're in Madison? Great, now let's make it to the Dells, Tomah, Eau Claire...and finally, the border. And then the drive is manageable, familiar...pretty, even.

It's been over a year and a half since we made that first drive from MN to MKE and back, in March of 2012. I can't believe it's been that long. So much has happened since, so many drives back and forth. We've learned how to make the most of the WI speed limit (and our WI plates); we've also become quite good at packing lunches or dinners for the road so we don't have to stop anywhere. I like our routine - I drive, Andrew plays both navigator and D.J. I feel close to him, and not just because we've usually packed our little Corolla up to the windows with laundry, coolers, and sometimes a sous-vide machine.

Needless to say, these two weeks better go by quickly...and then I'd like for the following few days to go as slowly, quietly, and happily as possible.

Happy Countdown to Thanksgiving! Can't wait for MN.

Leaves and snow.

WI font yard. 

MN back yard. 

Both make me want to stay inside and cook soups. 

MN Mondays: wedding week.

My sister came to MKE a week before our wedding, spent a few days here, and then she and I drove back home to MN to get everything ready for the big day. While there was a bit of running around and plenty of last minute planning, we had so much fun enjoying summertime with our family and close friends.

I was so lucky to get plenty of girl time with my mom and sister. We took Medyk for a walk, let him play soccer while watching the Blues (in his jersey!), went shopping, went to dinner...girl things. Twice, we went to my aunt and uncle's house in Stillwater to gather barvinok, periwinkle, for the place settings at the reception. Periwinkle is traditionally used in Ukrainian weddings, symbolizing eternal and faithful love, and, lucky for me, it was overtaking a corner of their garden. It turns out that my grandfather had actually planted it many years ago! My aunt and uncle's backyard is gorgeous (it's where we had my bridal shower!), and summertime has made it even better, full of green. My sister and I jumped in the pool both days, and were so relaxed and happy to savor two afternoons at one of our favorite places from our childhood. 

One of my favorite things we did was have a baba's vechir, which translates to "old ladies' evening" at my mom's. When we were little these evenings used to be more frequent; every month, a group of fantastic women (NOT old ladies) from our Ukrainian community would get together, drink wine, and cook or bake. Just for fun. Just to talk, get together, and stay connected outside all of the other activities they were already so busy with. I, of course, wanted to be a part of that group as a little girl, and looked forward to these nights just as much as the adults. As we grew up, everyone became even busier, and these nights stopped happening. I was so, so happy to be able to reconnect at our own baba's vechir before the wedding. These women have all played, and continue to play, such an important role in my life. I've looked up to all of them since I can remember, and now they have their own kids who are much more grown up than I like to admit. We had a wonderful night...perhaps Medyk felt a little too much love, but it was still perfect. 

It's hard to believe this was all three weeks ago. Time flies. We miss you all so much! 

MN Mondays: Minneapolis, according to WSJ.

{Illustration by James Gulliver Hancock}

 

 

Even though this article has been making its way around Facebook and Twitter since Friday, I finally got around to reading it this morning. While there have been several, some not-so-great city guides and travelogues published about the Twin Cities lately (remember this genius advice to visit Potbelly's at the IDS on Saturday morning?!?), the Wall Street Journal's Ultimate Weekend in Minneapolis really hit all the spots.

 

Tilia, Mill City Farmer's Market, Butcher & the Boar, Lake Harriet...really, this article just tugged at my heart. It's about time that everyone else learns what we Minneapolitans already know: our City of Lakes has it all.

 

If you're planning on visiting Minneapolis for the first time, lived there all your life, or are coming back home for some time this summer, take a look at this list. You won't be disappointed.

 

Thanks, WSJ, for getting it right!

 

P.S. More fun in MN, but in wintertime! Never too early to plan ahead...

We're still here!

Almost melted, but still here. Kind of like this painting of this beach - everything starts to get blurry and all you can see is a hazy outline of what's in front of you...but like I said, I won't complain. I'll try to keep telling myself that. We'll be missing this in a few short months.

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We've adapted by turning the bedroom (the only room with a/c) into the everything-room: we turned the dresser into a buffet table/wine rack, some of the living room furniture has been brought it, anything to stay cool. We've got our priorities set.

This weekend (in a few hours, actually), we're off to MN - the last time we're there before we leave to GET MARRIED! I can't believe how this summer has flown by. I'm so excited to see my sister who's been in NY for the last few weeks, cuddle with the pup, catch up and celebrate with some lovely ladies at my bachelorette party, and of course, soak in as much family time as possible. They are our favorite people, after all!

Showered.

I can't find words to express my love and gratitude for all my friends and family who were at the shower this weekend. It was perfect (no rain!). My aunt's home looked amazing, as usual, with gorgeous flowers everywhere. She, my mom, and my sister outdid themselves with all the work they put in to making the day so beautiful. You ladies are all incredible, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Here are some photos of the day; some are mine, most were taken by friends, and all are absolutely lovely.

 

Heading home...

...to St. Anthony Main, Medyk, MPLS, our backyard, our families, to MN. I plan on enjoying this weekend to the max, maybe with some of this lovely looking refreshment? My mom just called to tell me she has fresh strawberries waiting for us; this might be just perfect.

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It couldn't be a more perfect day to be coming home - it's my mom's birthday today! This is my all time favorite picture of her when she was younger. Beautiful, isn't she?

Mnohaya lita, Mama! Can't wait to see you...in just a few hours! 

Good news.

Bring out the champagne!

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We'll be home this evening, ready for a long weekend in the Cities. Our days are going to be filled with family, cuddling with the pup, wedding preparations, dancing (the concert's tomorrow!), and grilling in weather that's supposed to be nearly perfect. That, on its own, is plenty of reason to celebrate.

But there's also this, something I've wanted to write about for a while, but wanted to make sure everything was in place and settled before anything was mentioned. I'm superstitious that way - I'm that person that actually knocks on wood when I don't want to jinx anything. Last week, Andrew received the news that we've been waiting to hear for months. After two semesters of extremely dedicated and committed work, hundreds of pages of (great) writing, plenty of hoping, emailing, and yes, a bit of anxiety, he was awarded a teaching assistantship for next year. We cannot believe how fortunate we are; so few are given out, and there was a good chance that this was going to be just out of reach for him this fall...but sometimes, when you least expect it, life decides to prove that hard work, patience, and persistence pays off.

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We celebrated together when we found out last week, but now, our trip home this weekend means so much more because we'll be able to celebrate this news with our families, who've been so supportive and encouraging throughout this whole process. Next fall, my fiance (he'll be my husband by then!!) will be teaching two classes in addition to continuing his PhD work. It's already on UWM's registration website, which I happen to think is pretty fantastic. I'm so, so proud of him, and can't wait to see what opportunities this presents for us!

Summer is off to an amazing start.

Saturday Post No. 8

This has been quite the busy week, but we're ready for everything this summer is throwing at us. It's going to be a good one. 

Yesterday turned out to be an absolutely beautiful day and night, so we took advantage of it and went for a nice long walk to a part of the lake that's a bit north of us. That's one of the best things about living on a "Great Lake" - it's huge, and there are so many paths and trails to explore. It was perfect. 

We'll be home in a few days for Cheremosh's concert at the Cowles Center. This is going to be an incredible show, and even though I'm not with them week in and week out, I'm still so proud of how hard everyone's been working, from the instructors and dancers to the parents and volunteers behind the scenes. I can't wait to see this! And of course, we'll be spending as much time with family as we can, and throwing in some additional wedding planning in between concerts, parties, and grill outs. I'm predicting a whirlwind of a weekend. 

Much love to everyone at home and our friends who are elsewhere. It's actually quite amazing how many of our friends from Minnesota are now in all sorts of different places (as are we!), but I'm so excited for everyone to reunite together in August. Just a bit more than 2 months to go! 

Life by numbers.

100: days until our wedding. There's a lot of planning that still has to get done between now and then, but I'm so excited to celebrate. How amazing is it that I get to marry the person I love in front of all those we love?

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48: hours until we'll just about be crossing the border into MN. YES.

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1: final left for my sister before she is a college graduate! WOOHOO!! Go Gophers, go Minnesota, and most of all, go D!

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2: types of European Championships Chelsea FC can currently claim. We watched them win the Europa League final this afternoon. Slightly different than the Champions League Final from last May (okay, a lot different), but it was still great to see them win. There will be a new Champions League winner in a few weeks, but until the Germans fight it out, we've got both trophies.

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12: Yesterday MN joined 11 other states in making history. I love home.

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74: degrees of perfect weather this afternoon. I could have stayed outside for hours.

29: days until Cheremosh performs at the Cowles Center! Get your tickets, people - this is going to be a great show!

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200: number of pages Andrew guessed he has written this semester. A rough estimate, sure, but the actual one can't be too far off. I'm so proud of how hard he's worked to get through this first year! I'm guessing the photo below expresses his sentiments towards me right now, considering how much coffee we've gone through this last week...

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Saturday Post No. 7

I had to snap this photo at a work outing last evening. I need some Hennepin. Two weeks to go. 

Don't have plans this evening? Need something to do while your freshly-baked paska is cooling? Go see my Ukes dance at Festival of Nations at the St. Paul RiverCentre! Three of our groups are dancing throughout the day and into tonight, and would love to have your support in the audience. 

After weeks of searching, we finally found ramps this morning. Andrew was like a kid in a candy store at Whole Foods and is now scouring the web for the best recipes to highlight this springtime treat; our favorites so far include ramp pesto and zucchini with ramp aioli. Stay tuned for results later this week, if we can control ourselves long enough to take a photo. 

Minne...sconsin?

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I've been terrible at posting lately. And there's been a good amount of excitement in our apartment, too! 

This past weekend, Andrew's parents came to visit! It was so, so great to have them here, we were so glad to take them around the city. We love visitors (hint hint, family and friends), and not just because it gives us the perfect reason to go out and enjoy Milwaukee, but because we love having people stay with us! Our apartment at home in MN was always a gathering place, and we've really missed not having people stop by or stay over. Of course, I failed and didn't get any group pictures of the four of us...I always want to, but because getting everyone in it without leaving someone out to take the photo involves asking random people to step up, I forget about it. So the only picture I could come up with that best encapsulates the MN-WI love from the weekend is the one above. Don't you love it? I actually saw someone wearing it last summer on a walk we took on Stone Arch; how appropriate. 

Onto more double state news - I was sworn in today as a Wisconsin attorney, and can now officially practice in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. The ceremony was in Madison, and, I have to say, beat out the MN ceremony last October on nearly every level except for the fact that I knew no one there. It was much (much) shorter, held inside the Supreme Court Chambers at the Capitol building, and my name was pronounced correctly! Sorry, dear MN, but you lose this one. 

In other news, we'll be home in ONE MONTH for my sister's graduation from the University of Minnesota! Fight that senioritis (although I fear it may be too late for that) as hard as you can, D, and we'll be sure to celebrate lots and lots when you're done.

 Hugs, like the shirt, from the 414. 

MN Mondays: Spring at home + Superbowl food.

As I was cleaning up some of the files on my laptop I stumbled across this gem. This picture is from the tiny lake (like really tiny...maybe it's more like a big pond?) of Kordiak park by our house at home. I've gone on so many walks there, we've hosted parties there, and I'm really wishing I was there right now! It's such a small little park, but just big enough for Medyk to run around through and not get too tired. Can't tell I'm craving sunshine and warm weather (and home) at all, can you.

At least we had some fun to distract ourselves from the not-so-nice winter weather yesterday! We snacked on our homemade bar food throughout the day and watched the game at night. Andrew made awesome wings that were smoked the day before, then fried and tossed with two different barbecue sauces, a mustard one and a spicier habanero one. We also made this fantastic guacamole and fried our own tortilla chips. "Guac" is one of my favorite snacks, even though I hated it when I was little - I think it was too green for my liking or something along the same ridiculous lines.

I would've added a serrano pepper to the mix, but that's because we like our food spicy! Otherwise this was a pretty mild version, almost sweet, in a way, because of the roasted garlic. So good.

I can't believe we're into February now. I was talking with one of my friends about how neither of us really like this month because at this point winter's boring and we're needing some fresh air. Anyone else feel that way? I am excited, though, for Andrew's birthday at the end of the month. It'll be a busy three weeks leading up to it, but I know we'll celebrate well...I already have his birthday present, and I can't wait to see his reaction!! 

Have a good start to your week, everybody! 

MN Mondays: Nicollet Mall.

Maybe it's because I've missed being downtown almost every day, or maybe it's because this lovely little street has been on my mind lately as we're searching for rehearsal dinner locations (!!), but lately, I've been thinking about Nicollet Mall. Running through the center of downtown Minneapolis, Nicollet is home to great restaurants and shopping. I spent a lot of time walking down its sidewalks, whether during my Macy's Registry days in high school and college or during law school. I miss the lights and the people watching, and look back happily on the many date nights (including our first ever!) and soccer mornings that happened here. 

Photo by Joe Ennesser

Photo by Tricia Vetrone

Photo by Betsy Graca

Maybe one of the best parts about Nicollet Mall is the fact that you can cross it all by skyway, which would have been completely necessary on a day like today, with a -40 windchill! I'm looking forward to spending some time on the downtown sidewalks this summer, which seems a long way away with this weather. But there is a sign of hope - tonight, it wasn't completely dark until after 5:00! Now this is progress! 

Photos (2), (3), and (4) via Capture Minnesota. 

Back in the kitchen.

Actually, it's not like we really left the kitchen, because we spent so much time cooking at home in Minneapolis...but now, it's back to reality and we're in MKE after a long, wonderful, and amazing time in MN. It's been a while since my last post, but it was better to do things at home than to write about them. 

There's no way to describe what an incredible time we had with our families. We loved every second; it really was the best Christmas/birthday gift I could ask for (and, a bonus, we were home for my sister's birthday, too!!). If a picture is worth a thousand words...here are some ten thousand, all in photo form: 

Plenty of cooking, just a bit of dress up and dancing, and lots of love. Home is the best.