Culinary Institute

Apple tarts...creme patissiere...delectable cakes and pastries...

These are just a few in a long line of recipes my sister is baking and cooking up at the French Culinary Institute in New York City. I thought I would give you all a little background on our pastry chef and how she was led to this yummy calling...

Carla, the eldest in the Crosby line, dreamed of going to lawschool before she could even say Delta Gamma at Ole Miss. She knew with her debating skills and sharp mind law school was definitely the way to go.

So, off to Alabama Law School she went after recieving her undergrad at the University of Mississippi in political science. (She was thrilled to go to UofA of course and admitted it was the prettiest campus of all). Okay, okay, maybe she didn't admit that...but it was the second prettiest to her next to the grove...

Where were we. Ah, yes....Culinary school. Carla married J.B., also an Ole Miss boy, at the start of her last year of law school. J.B. also had aspirations of being a lawyer and always imagined himself at Alabama for his own degree of law. However, there were different plans in tact...

After Carla finished law school J.B. was accepted to one of the most prestigious law schools around, located in beautiful Boston, MASS. The great Harvard itself. So, to Boston they went. While J.B. went through school, Carla of course found a job doing what lawyers do. She enjoyed her work...at times...but went through many spells wondering if this where she was supposed to be. Was this what she was called to do??

A few years pass, three to be exact, and our fearless lawyer couple decide to move to the Big Apple for one year, and one year only. There, J.B. can clerk for a judge and Carla can shop...I mean do lawyer work. But something changes in that lawyer girl's heart...

To back up our story a bit, a few years prior Carla began to really enjoy cooking. Cooking anything and everything. And she was good. Real good. So, as the couple anticipated their move to NYC, Carla began to day dream about cooking school. Oh, that's "culinary school", in fancy language.

To make a long story short Carla found the perfect match for her. A French Culinary Institute that taught everything you ever wanted to know about pastries. Pastries of any kind. You name it and she'll be able to make it. Little did she know that her sister's favorite food is pastries. Seriously, in the whole wide world if she had to choose a pastry over anything, anything at all, she would choose the donut (I mean pastry). And that SHE would be ME.

Alright, so you get the idea. My sister is attending her first culinary school and as a matter of fact she attended her first day of class this week...and something else she just started is a BLOG.

She is giving updates on her day to day assignments and posting pics of her beautiful creations. So for all you cooking fans out there, go check it out!

http://thegrocery.blogspot.com/

You can also find it to your right under my list of friends, under Carla.

Hope you've enjoyed this little story... And maybe, just maybe, we can persuade Carla to open up a little bakery here in Alabama after she finishes and give us (I mean me) free pastries everyday...

Who do I look like?

I was cleaning out our desk the other day and came across a few baby pictures of me and Steven. Isaac, of course, asked to see them (while munching on some blueberry pancakes).

We came to the consensus that he is definitely a big combinations of the two of us. I know, I know, imagine that! :)

Here are a few pictures to amuse you.

Oh, and here is Isaac protesting that he is way cuter then the children in the pictures. We have to teach him some manners...

Picture #1: me. I wonder where Isaac gets his dramatic self from....

Picture #2: Daddy. Daddy and I had a good snicker over his squinty little eyes.

Picture #3: Then daddy had a laugh over my bug eyes.

Pic #4: Daddy eatin' some McDonalds.



Pic #5: Cute little Daddy

Pic #6: Momma in all her thumb sucking teeth glory. :)

And last but not least.

Pic #7: Here's our little Stimmie....or should I say Kiven. (Kimmie + Steven).

May and Mother's Day

My mother's day was spent relaxing by the beach...

My sweet mother kept Isaac the entire weekend so Steven and I could enjoy a relaxing time with our friends at the beach. Thank you CoCo!!! You definitely win the best mother and grandmother award!:)

Isaac enjoyed his time at Pop's farm and said he had the most fun on the tractor ride.

Although we didn't get great sleep while we were at the beach, due to staying up until 2-3 in the morning most nights playing Spades and then getting up early to make sure there were still donuts left at Thomas', we had a very relaxing time. I was even able to get a great base tan for the summer and not to mention, came home with a very burned stomach...

However, if you were to see Steven you may be a little confused and wonder if we went to Alaska instead. ;)

When we got home, we forgot how much we missed this little guy...

And his little tush...

One last picture of Isaac's trip to Auburn...

He can't wait to come again!

Back in Business

Our computer is finally back (insert hallelujah chorus here). Thankfully I had plenty to keep me busy while it was away...including this little guy.

In the last couple of weeks he has literally grown 2 sizes. And I don't mean his height. His personality and attitude are beginning to resemble a full fledged toddler...oh yes, and the strong will has already settled and made it's place comfortably inside of him.

While the computer was away Isaac had his 15th month appointment in which he weighed 25 pounds 13 oz and measured 32 inches in length. Still 80th % for height and 70% for weight. I'm not really sure how this kid can be 70% percent though....my arm muscles are beginning to look like those body builders you see on t.v. Okay, okay, not so much the women body builders...and you can't really see the muscle part...but I can feel my strength GREATLY improving. :)

This past weekend we also took a trip to Jackson, Mississippi to see my grandmother Meme.

In addition to my Meme, my sister Carla and her husband were in town from NYC for a wedding. Unfortunately we only stayed at the reception for 10 minutes. Sorry Isaac was so grumpy Carla! My little sister Camille was also able to join us this weekend so there was great sister bonding all around. :)

This little man keeps me moving these days. He wants to be outside constantly...pointing to the window or door right when he wakes up each morning. I have come to the realization that his knees are just going to stay scraped and bloody throughout the summer. Hopefully a bloodied knee won't look too bad with a cute bubble...

He is also talking all the time. I mean ALL the time.

No, not saying anything coherent but jabbering away like crazy. I often wonder how he learned French and German before English. I'll have to ask him one of these days....

He also makes some hilarious facial expression while speaking in this foreign jibber jabber.

He smiles all the time and likes to bite things do to teething. Steven likes to refer to him as our little gremlin from time to time. :)

After Meme's house we drove to Moselle, MS to see my other grandparents, Memaw and Papaw for the day. We enjoyed a big plate of ribs, fresh vegetables and strawberries just picked from their garden. And of course, Isaac enjoyed the fellowship.

All in all he is so much fun!! We are definitely looking forward to the summer months with him. From the beach to the lake he is going to have a blast...and I'll have plenty of picture opportunities. ;)

We sure do love our little man!