From the Kitchen of Ione Kaminski

So the other day we went to visit my grandpa for dinner.  He had made a copy of a couple recipes that he likes to eat for dinner.  We started talking about recipes and what my grandma used to make.  One of my favorites had to be her Lemon Tort.

Don't you feel as you get older, you start to have a greater appreciation for good food and desserts???

Well I was telling my grandpa about the lemon tort he opened the drawer and it was the first recipe that was on top  - on my grandma's recipe card and in her hand writing.  He gave it to me to try.  But I just had to show you a glimpse of my grandma's old recipe cards.  They are so simple but just bring back so many recipes.  It makes me want to have some of my own!  I can't wait to try this recipe too!  I will definitely be blogging about that soon!

Yeah for recipe cards!
xoxo Sarah

Beautiful and Unique

I shared with you are veggies that we have planted and now take a look at some of the flowers that have bloomed around our house. 

The first is a bleeding heart plant - these flowers are unbelievable.  It's such a pretty and unique flower.  This is also the first time I have heard of this flower/plant...

Second unique flower is Lilly of the Valley that has been growing in the front yard.  It is so pretty!  

These are not the most normal of flowers that you hear of normally so I wanted to share with everyone these unique creations!  Isn't it crazy when it comes to the different types of flowers and plants there are!?  God really made an amazing world didn't he???

Yeah for unique flowers!

xoxo Sarah

Zach's Patch

Hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial day weekend!  We spent ours outside!!!

So I am going to share with everyone what we worked on this past weekend - Zach's Patch!  Garden Patch that is!!

We planted everything from basil to tomatoes to lettuce to pepper to thyme!  It's a full garden - but it is a happy garden!  We found a wonderful greenhouse in Bellevue called Lindsley's.  Great prices and great plants.

What are you going to be planting in your garden this year?  I have to think of a creative garden marker this year.  Last year I made these wine cork garden markers.  Do you have any creative ideas?

Yeah for Gardens!
xoxo Sarah

Some pics of the house...

Hello!!

I know all of you have been waiting and waiting and waiting for pics of the house we are living in Green Bay. So here are a few - still working on everything but it is great for us!!

Front of the house - with some gardening still to do, the beautiful rhubarb plant in the backyard, our little flower bed and bird bath, our fire pit area!

To us it is home sweet home!!!  

Yeah for houses!

xoxo Sarah

Lauren's Bridal Shower

This past weekend I made a trip back down to Chicago to celebrate my friend's bridal shower!  It was a lot of fun to see all the girls from college and celebrate one of our friends!  The theme was a tea luncheon - and the gift was a beautiful tea cup candle.  Yeah for Lauren and Nick - Best Wishes!

Lauren opening gifts, presents, tea sandwiches and cookies, hot tea, iced tea, Lauren and her sisters, Katie, Angela and I, the lemon cupcakes, and floral centerpieces

Yeah for Lauren and Nick!

xo Sarah

You know you are in WI when...

Port Wine Cheese and Pretzels are the appetizer of choice before all meals :)  

One of my old favorite snacks has been the spreadable/dip-able Port Wine Cheese!  It's so great to have back here in WI!  And I got Zachary to love it too!!!  Pretzels are our pairing choice with this awesome cheese :)  

Do you like Port Wine cheese?  If you do, what is your favorite brand and what do you eat with it?  

Yeah for Port Wine cheese!

xoxo Sarah

Clare's First Communion

Long overdue post!!!

Before we moved to WI, we had one last Campillo family celebration to have and that was for Clare's First Communion!  She looked so beautiful and it was such a joyous day!!

Take a look at some pictures below :)

Zachary and Clare, the First Communion group, Clare and her lay from Hawaii!, and the proud parents!

Yeah for Clare!

xoxo Sarah

Above it All..

Happy Wednesday!

This past Sunday at mass, we heard a homily that really struck me.  Maybe it was because it was from one of my favorite priests from SNC or because we are at the Abbey, but I really took it to heart.

Fr. Jim started talking about a time he was on a plane with the Packers heading to a week of practice/games that were away.  The week had been miserable weather wise - raining and cloudy all for a long time - so all the players weren't very talkative - almost craving the sunshine.  When they were about to take off from the airport, the pilot came on and said they were going to hit some major turbulence and then it should level out. Fr. Jim said that through the turbulence the players were extremely quiet and some were even white knuckling the chairs in front of them.  And then out of nowhere when they got up and over the clouds there was the sun - just shining completely through the whole sky.  Then the players started to relax and the talking and smiling and acting like they normally do.  When everyone relaxed, a wife of one of the administration individuals turned to Fr. Jim and said, "Sometimes I guess you just have to rise above it all."

The phrase got to me:  Rise above it all. 

Sometimes you really do have to rise above it all.  In life, in work...things can get hard but through the hard times, the sun will shine - you just have to grin and bear it and rise above it.   You learn through difficult times, that you have to make difficult choices.  You can get bothered by the small stuff, or you can choose your battles and be the bigger person.  In the end, you will be the better person by being the bigger person.  Remember that.  Be the bigger person, take the higher ground, rise above it all.

Source: HERE

Yeah for rising above...

xoxo Sarah

New Home...New Look!

Happy Tuesday everyone!!!

So what do you think of the new blog look???  I love it!  Something fresh and fun for the summer...something pretty and new for a new phase in my life!  What way not to celebrate than with a new blog makeover!!

Let me know your thoughts!! :)

Source: HERE

Surprise...it's not good-bye...it's a see you real soon!

Sorry guys - its been a crazy couple of weeks getting used to a new job - a new place - a new home...but all GREAT THINGS!!

I bet you all think I am leaving blogging by that title - not :)

I am actually talking about the numerous surprised I received the final week I was in Chicago.   When I left my Chicago office, I left some great friends and a great group of people!  We had a lot of fun the last week I was in my Chicago office - fun lunches, a surprise dinner, a surprise cake and going away party - here are just a few snapshots of what I was up to my last week at the Chicago office!  Thank you to all of them so much for a wonderful and amazing send-off!

Surprise party at HUB 51, Fun Committee surprise picture gift, pics not included - Cake, Journal that were going away gifts :) 

Yeah for surprises! 

xoxo Sarah

The Brat Stop!

So I'm working a little backwards here - but needed to share a couple blog posts about celebrating a bittersweet end to our time in IL and our celebration of moving back home to WI.

On our way up Thursday night - we stopped for dinner at the brat stop for some cheese curds and well...brats!  The first time Zach ever went to WI was to the brat stop and that is the furthest he went - years before we met.  He vowed to himself he would not be back - well!  He is - and we had to make a stop at the brat stop to commemorate the move!  Take a look at the pics below!  So yummy!!!

The Brat Stop is a WI landmark and a great place for some good WI food!  If you are ever passing through IL to WI or vice versa - stop here for a great treat!  You won'r regret it!  Click HERE for the website to find directions and get a menu to look at!

Yeah for The Brat Stop!

xoxo Sarah