26 on the Outside, 6 on the Inside

I did it! Please join everyone else in congratulating me on reaching twenty-six years of age. While that in and of itself might not be much of an accomplishment, this last year sure has been. As you all know, and are maybe tired of hearing about, I married my co-blogger and the all-around lovely lady, Sarah. Since this past year was such a big one, you may be a bit worried about me. You may be wondering what my twenty-seventh year could possibly bring about to top all the goings on of twenty-six. Well nothing, of course, could top the wedding, but I assure you that’s not going to stop me from livin’!
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Two Years of Westervin!

{ Beeswax Birthday Candles from Mile-End Soap & Candle Supply }

Have you heard?! Westervin is 2 years old. That’s quite a feat, if we may say so! What’s that? You don’t have a present? Well, that’s ok. Turns out you can wish us well by completing a little reader survey. It’ll help us get a better idea of what you like about Westervin, so we can be even better friends this year. Read the rest of this entry »

A Pretty Pair: Kingdom Come

{ The birthday boy by Mina Lystad }  { Untitled by Genadii Berёzkin }

Fine Fixin’s: Skillet Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

It’s birthday season! Well, it’s birthday season for me anyway, and you know what that means: presents! Over the weekend, I received some early birthday presents from my parents including America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook. This is one of those giant cookbooks that seems to have a recipe for everything. I wanted to add another one of these to my collection and thought that it might as well be a ‘healthy’ one. So far, Sarah and I have only glanced though it, but we’re both pretty excited. Hopefully we’ll be sharing some of the best recipes with you this year. But for now, you’ll have to settle for this recipe, which I made yesterday because I had an excess of carrots and parsnips.

Skillet Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

3/4 c water
3/4 tsp sugar
salt and pepper
1 tbsp canola oil
4 carrots (12 oz), peeled, and sliced 1/2″ thick on the bias
3 parsnips (9 oz), peeled, and sliced 1/2″ thick on the bias
1 tbsp minced parsley

1. Heat oil in a 12″ skillet over medium heat. Combine the water sugar and 1/2 tsp of salt in a bowl. Add the carrots and water to the skillet. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the carrots begin to soften. 7-9 minutes.

2. Uncover and turn the heat up to high. Add parsnips and cook, stirring occasionally, until the water evaporates and the veggies brown. 13-18 minutes. Add some salt, and any other tasty herbs you might have. I used some Herbes de Provence.

Happy Birthday, Westervin!

{ one hundred thirty three by Hannah Greene }

The Westervin blog is one year old! Can you believe it? We gave birth to this little idea of a silly blog around this time last year, and my how our little creation has grown in 12 months! My how our lives have changed in 12 months! An engagement, a new job, a new apartment, and our crazy kitty child, Fitzgerald. Happy as clams, we are.

How will we celebrate? Chocolate cake, of course! Lots of chocolate cake. And a little trip to see our bestest best friends in the whole universe. And probably some champagne, if I have anything to say about it. But don’t worry–we haven’t forgotten about you, our faithful reader. We probably wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you, all of you, with your sweet comments and encouraging feedback. We’ve even got a little present for you. You’ll have to wait until Monday, though. But I’ll give you a hint… it rhymes with Clog Piveaway.

Daily Pretties: Is it house trained?

{ family portrait :: the sams from Heather Landis }  { medusa from A Journey Round My Skull }

Meow meow, kitty-kitties.  I hope you had a red, white and blue-tiful weekend (for those of you residing in the good ol’ US of A, at least) and are transitioning into yet another hot ‘n’ sweaty summer week.  Brian and I actually let our patriotism fall a little by the wayside  this weekend — may our forefathers forgive us — as our ears filled with the distant sounds of wedding bells and our minds wandered over every possible detail (seemingly) of a garden ceremony and starlit reception, replete with every charm expected of an Ozark Mountain romance (how’s that for a theme, grandma!), including, but not limited to apple and pecan cup-pies, antler chandeliers (I’ll explain this one later), assorted vintage textiles, and minty, fruit-filled cocktails.  Not to mention a color pallet to make a blind man swoon!  Imagine: Bone, Peanut Brittle, Tin Roof, Bluebell, Seafoam, and Dirt Clod (I cannot be bothered with boring color names.)  Yes, my pretty kitties, in addition to settling on a venue, we have set our hearts on a date.  September 3rd, 2011.  Whew!  Now that that’s off my chest, we can get down to the important stuff.  My zealous campaign for a birthday cat!  A cat, with a bow on it, presented to me, on my 24th birthday.  Make it happen, people.  I’ve already picked out a name for her.  Are you ready?  KITTY COURIC!  I. am. so. good.

Swell Dwelling: Party Perfect

How do you know if you’re an overachiever?  If, for your fiancé’s birthday party, you’ve made a canopy of streamers that covers your entire ceiling, using strips of magazine organized by dominant color and arranged in rainbow order, then it’s probably a safe bet.

Mama’s Birthday…

was full of spice!

To all my pretty babies who came to see me, called or beamed happy thoughts of me through the aether:  Thankies!  Mommy misses you!

{ 1954 from Oh Carlyn }