Pledge Time.

So this is summer. No assignments to grade, lessons to plan, or students to stress over. All I have are my little children and husband to care for. I am taking a couple of online courses for professional development, but other than that, I am school-free.

So now, I am going to devote my time to this love - cooking, family life, and green living.

I have many projects lined up for the summer:

(1) I am going to feed my family homemade bread. I am also going to find sustainable, go to recipes that will allow me to feed my family homemade bread all year long.

(2) I am going to see how cheaply we can eat, while still eating well and organically wherever possible.

(3) I am going to learn to make homemade tortillas. Low fat homemade tortillas.

(4) I will master the balsamic reduction. We had that at a restaurant lately, and LOVED it.

(5) I will master the Panna Cotta recipe.

(6) We will be making a family trip out to Portland, Oregon - to see more family, and determine the steps necessary to make it our new home. While in Portland, we will be taking a tour that I am VERY excited about. I will be sure to post a review.

(7) This is the one that bears most on you, my reader - I will be posting daily. Even if it's a "the kids are sick, I can't think of anything to post, so here is a good article..." I will post daily. I promise! From now until my vacation - I will post daily. So, if you would like to reciprocate my devotion - please feel free to share this blog with friends and family. I hope to have more of what I've already put here, just MORE of it .

For today, I thought I would change things a bit and put something up about me, but first let me call your attention to the right of the blog. See? I have posted some new links for your referencing pleasure. I have posted many more recipe sites, a link to my Amazon list if my blog gives you a dose of consumerism, and a new food blog. I've updated!

Madam Meow isn't just a food blog - she's another Mommy who dabbles in the culinary, and I just really dig the blog. In her most recent post, she gave me the idea for an "about me" mosaic. LOVE it!

Here's how you do your own.

(1) Do a search in flicker for the answers to the questions I posted (and answered for myself) below.

(2) Pick a picture on the first page of each search (NO cheating!)

(3) Go to the Mosaic Maker - choose your dimensions (come on now - it's just FACTORS!) Input the links, and create your mosaic.

Here are the questions:

1. What is your first name? Hollee

2. What is your favorite food? Caprese Salad

3. What high school did you go to? Forest Grove High School

4. What is your favorite color? RED

5. Who is your celebrity crush? Barack Obama. Oh come on...you didn't see this coming?

6. Favorite drink? Mojito

7. Dream vacation? Wine country, Italy

8. Favorite dessert? Chocolate Martini

9. What you want to be when you grow up? Loved - which I am already, but a little extra love never hurts.

10. What do you love most in life? life

11. One Word to describe you. Organized

12. Your flickr name. "no name" (I don't belong to flicker).

1. Graduation weekend, 2. Insalata Caprese Salad, 3. IMG_2971, 4. Blood-Red Flower, 5. Senator Barack Obama, 6. Mojito, 7. Italy-Wine Bar, 8. Chocolate Martini, 9. Love XOXO, 10. Life, 11. Organized, 12. What? No name?!?