Friday, January 16, 2009

Jiggety Jig, Home Again

In November, it was a European vacation with my family, capped off by a visit to New York. We were home just in time for Thanksgiving and houseguests and more celebration. December brought the holidays with all the requisite parties and festivities. January is supposed to be the month to clean up your act, settle down, shed a few pounds, do some penance, button down your collar, and get going on your resolutions. So I feel a little sheepish to admit that we haven't stopped our extra long holiday fiesta yet. Quite the opposite; we've been at Disneyworld all week. I only paused a moment between my steady Disney diet of popcorn and churros to reflect on our gluttonous good fortune. We're not quite as devil-may-care as it might seem. We're lucky. See, this trip to Disneyworld was a prize from a cooking contest I entered in 2008. Grandma's Molasses was looking for favorite holiday recipes. I entered my recipe for a succulent beef tenderloin with a balsamic-molasses glaze over blue cheese mashed potatoes. They liked it enough to send the four of us packing to Orlando for a chance to draw out the holidays for a little longer. But starting Monday, it's back to business. Especially since January is half over, and February is packed full of holidays. So, yes sirree. You won't catch me having too much fun. At least not on Monday. I promise to spend a full 24 hours dedicated to lengthening my stride, trimming my sails, and battening down the hatches. After that, I can't promise anything. After all, you only live once.
Some pics from our trip....
Belle and Obi Wan at Epcot, getting the most from those Halloween costumes
Seen on the side of the road on the way to the Kennedy Space Center. Better hope you never get a flat tire there.
At Cocoa Beach. And to think, the week before they were sledding...
And building snowmen.
My gallant young hero and his souveneirs from the venerable Vikings.
Coming Next:
Good for You Creamy Tomato Soup and Rosemary Focaccia

41 comments:

Janssen said...

Looks like a great time! Your kids are just darling.

gigi said...

Oh, I love your pictures!! So glad that you got to go to the beach and bask in the Florida sun and warmth. Glad to know yall are safely home and didn't have to land in the Hudson! Have a blessed weekend!

MK and Co. said...

Oh you're back! You look like you had a wonderful time! It seems impossible to me, here with piles of snow around, that there is a place where it's warm enough to wear bathing suits! How fun for you and your group.
Also when can I get the recipe that won you this fabulous trip? It sounds pretty darn fabulous itself!

The Bouldins said...

Congrats! Sounds like an awesome vacation, but I for one am glad you are back. My family is also as our menu planning has had an obvious lack of new recipes :)

Peggy said...

What a beautiful family you have! And I was going to ask if you had made the berry surprise cake yet and could give me tips, but you've been busy riding those rides in Orlando!! I love Mickey and Minnie. :)

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

WELCOME BACK!!!! What a lovely, whirlwind of a trip!!! So fun :-)


**Just as a heads up: I will not be able to comment on blogs as often now, during this semester, due to work overload (I'm stressed already) - PLEASE know that I'm still loyally reading, but just won't have time to comment. I hope you understand!!

Mary Ann said...

How fun! I was wondering what was going on with you since I haven't heard from you in awhile.
Have a great time! Can't wait to see what you are going share.

The Food Librarian said...

What a great prize! Your grandma must be so proud. Looks like you had a great time!

Emily said...

How fun! Your kids are the cutest!

Jersey Girl Cooks said...

Welcome back you lucky family! Great pictures. Glad to see someone is warm.

Fantastic Mr. R said...

Yea!
We are all so glad you are back for a million selfish reasons. I'm glad you had fun. The kids looks adorable in their swimming gear. The trip looks like a dream vacation!

Aggie said...

Oh Erin you are in my neck of the woods!! Hope you and the family enjoyed yourselves (and the weather!)!

Congrats on winning such a great trip!

Marjie said...

I'm impressed that you won this trip! That's the best part of it - someone gave it to you! Welcome back to the daily grind.

Anonymous said...

Great photos! It seems as if everyone is visiting Disney. Two of my friends went recently!

Peter M said...

It's good to put a face to the blogger...thanks!

Enjoy your vacation and I'm waiting for some dishes, k?

Allie said...

How cool that's a great prize! See all the contest madness pays off! Looks like the kids had a blast

Cate said...

What a way to eek the most out of the holidays. Love Disneyworld!

Patsyk said...

What a way to start the new year! Looks like you all had a wonderful vacation. I'm thinking that the warmth (and humidity) of Florida sounds pretty good right now with only 14 degrees outside!

congratulations on winning such a fantastic prize!

Anonymous said...

So happy to have you back.. how have you been Erin? Looks like you had a fabulous vay-cay!!!! I am selfish to say.. I am so glad you are back..

Proud Italian Cook said...

Congratulations Prudy! What a great prize for your family!!

Cathy said...

I hope that you are enjoying every minute of this fun trip, Prudy! Looks like the kids are having a ball. I say drag the fiesta out as long as you can. Congrats on the fabulous award!

Jen @ tatertotsandjello.com said...

Good for you Prudy! It looks you are having a great time. What cute pictures!!!!

Jen

The Blonde Duck said...

Prudy you're just gorgeous! And you're so talented. Please write a cookbook. Or let me come live with you. Sailor and your boy are so precious!

Did you say hi to Princess Aurora for me? She's another heroine of mine!

Aunt Spicy said...

Wow! What a fabulous time! I'll be at Disneyland in April and can not wait!!!! You and your kids look amazing!

Stephanie said...

Wow, it's as likely that I would win a cooking-related competition as it is that I would win a beauty pageant. You, my dear, could win both! Congratulations. I'm so impressed.

Penny said...

How nice to win a contest! Sounds like you had great trips. By the way Leah is back - follow her complete profile on A corner of my kitchen to new blog. I'm new at blogging but have been following all of you for awhile. You are inspiring and fun.

Nazarina A said...

Congrats on that prize! It looks like you had so much fun!

Michal said...

so much fun! we've never been. only visited the california parks, and my kids are itching to go again. it just kills me that tickets alone (if we want to go for 3 days, which we do) would run us $750, even with the baby being free. ugh. i need to enter more contests!:)

Paula Pereira said...

You and your children are so beautiful!!! Congratulations on your free trip and may many more good blessings come your way!

Pamela said...

Looks like everyone had a great time! I love the pics of the kids in the water. They look like they are having a blast. Congrats to you on the prize! That recipe sounds fabulous.

Virginia said...

Beautiful family! Thanks for sharing!

Dee said...

How wonderful to score a free holiday! We're off to Oz's Dreamworld in a couple of weeks to mitigate the back to work blues. Isn't life grand?

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

You lucky duck! Looks like you been having an amazing whirlwind kind of time. How wonderful to win such a nice trip. Glad you are back, I have missed you.

Unknown said...

looks like so much fun... and your kids look so adorable... :)

Clumbsy Cookie said...

Lucky you! You deserve it girl, keep having fn!

Anna M. said...

What a fun vacation...so glad you were able to go...congratulations on winning the cooking contest. And, welcome back! =)

Marie Rayner said...

How wonderful Erin!! Looks like you had a fabulous time and what a wonderful prize. Well deserved too, Imight add!!

Lisa magicsprinkles said...

Congratulations - you are truly and well deservedly blessed all the way around!

Anonymous said...

I was wondering where you've been! I figured (like the rest of us) you'd had a little too much fun over the holidays and were finding it hard to get in the groove of things again.

Lucky for you! You're totally right... you only live once. Might as well LIVE while you're here.

~Cat

Anonymous said...

I have searched the blog for the succulent beef tenderloin with a balsamic-molasses glaze over blue cheese mashed potatoes recipes.

Where can we find your prize winning recipe?

:-)

Prudy said...

Anonymous:
I can't find it either. I'm a little reluctant to publish it since I don't really own it anymore and the folks at Grandma's may want to publish it in their own time. Email me and I'll send you a copy anytime though!