Orange Pineapple Salad

Orange pineapple salad has been a tasty dish we've been eating for years in the O'Hearon house. It wasn't until my Mom sent me a picture of the recipe that I realized it originated from my Aunt Julie. It is a simple refreshing dish you can add as a side with any meal. It is best during summer time when the BBQ is hot and the food is fresh and light. We also love it for easter which is why I'm sharing it today. I need to whip it up for our easter dinner tomorrow. I love hosting. Here's what you'll need:

One package of orange jello
One cup of cold water
One small can of crushed pineapple
½ cup sugar
One small carton of whipping cream
½ cup shredded mild cheese

Dissolve jello powder in cup of cold water.  Boil crushed pineapple and sugar until dissolved and then combine with un-set jello. Let set in the fridge until firm (about 2-3 hours). Mix whipping cream in mixer and add cream along with cheddar cheese to the jello mixture. Set in mould until firm. Enjoy!

Spring is Coming

We officially packed away the winter coats last week and we are ready for spring to arrive in full force. It's rainy season here. Rain, rain, rain all the time. There's that rare afternoon where the sun shines and not even flat tires on my stroller can stop me from being outside when it happens. The rain is a bittersweet thing. It's nice to have days where you feel no obligation to go outside, cosy and dry inside as a pitter-patter sound hits the windows. On the other hand, it can be gloomy being cooped up day after day. I've come to appreciate that warm, golden light more than ever before after how difficult this winter has been emotionally. I feel recharged in the fresh air. I feel like I can catch a deep breath. The girls are absolutely amazed that they can walk in the river in their rubber boots while Isla instantly finds herself in the best sleep of her life. There truly is something to be said about each season having its time. Just like one season of the year makes us grateful for the next, the same can be applied to life. I am looking forward to whatever the next season brings for me.

St. Patrick's Day

 One trip to Target at a time and I got sucked into celebrating St Patricks Day more than I was planning. The night before I turned into a leprechaun, decorating the table and leaving treats out for the girls. They would have been happy with the lucky charm marshmallows alone so I'll be keeping that thought in mind for next year. We celebrated with a festive breakfast and a trip into Portland for ice cream mid-day. How can you resist the "pots of gold & rainbows" on an irish holiday? We were joined by my in-laws and our cute cousin Haylee. It was a fun group of people and the best way to celebrate. Most importantly, there were lots of kisses because we've got irish in our blood.

Lucky

You don't have to tell me twice. I know how lucky I am to be the Mom of these girls. I am grateful to do life with them every single day. More mischievous than leprechauns. More colorful than rainbows.  They are pure gold. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

A Snowy Ice Cream Date

The winters here are usually pretty mild. You don't often see much snow and by February you can usually get away with wearing a light jacket. At least that's what I was thinking when my Mom flew here with the girls and I last month. Mentally, I was ready to go for walks in the park, explore some local sites and most importantly take my Mom to our favorite ice cream place. I had a fun little list growing in my mind. What I wasn't expecting was the amount of sick days my kids would have when we got home and the huge snow storm making the roads a nightmare to drive on. It felt like waiting for Antarctica to thaw as we waited for the roads to be good enough to go out on. It wasn't until Mom's last day here that we got the go-ahead for clear freeways and we loaded up the car for an adventure. 

Well let me tell you, Salt & Straw on a snowy morning is the best time to go. We practically had the place to ourselves and got parking right beside the shop. They let my Mom sample every flavor on the board and she even bought a t-shirt to remember the experience. It was an ice cream feast made all the sweeter with happy girls and a sleeping babe. It doesn't get any better than that. My flavor choice this month was "Alma's Rose Petals & Chocolate Mole Fudge" on top of "Cocanu's Baked Milk & Bee Pollen." The split scoop is the way to go.