es·pres·so [e-spres-oh]

-noun, plural -sos.

1. a strong coffee prepared by forcing live steam under pressure, or boiling water, through ground dark-roast coffee beans.
2. an apparatus for making coffee in this way
3. an integral part of the morning routine in the McCulley household
4. the only way JD really wakes up each morning. {You know the saying ~ Coffee is a beverage that puts one to sleep when not drank!}
5. a new friend of mine, preferably in the form of a latte or iced coffee beverage of some sort
6. something so tastefully captivating, that it inspired JD & Joe to spend a Sat afternoon making this creative video!

MR. & MRS. POTATO HEAD!

Don't you think our Play-Doh creations ended up looking spud-tacular? My little artists did a great job! I should take a moment to thank them profusely for keeping all the hundreds of pieces of brightly colored doh on the table & out of my carpet. And out of their hair. And out of their mouths. And ears. And noses.
Well done munchkins!

Last month JD & I shot an outdoor wedding for a lovely couple on a private ranch near Carbondale. Prior to the reception they had a "cocktail hour" during which the guests were treated to cotton candy and Italian sodas. How fun is that? Seriously! I love creative weddings!

After capturing all the fun, we decided that coconut Italian sodas were calling our names so we took a moment to indulge. And that was it. That's all it took. I'm totally hooked people!

The next day we came home, and I headed straight to World Market to stock up on some Torani syrups. Here's my lineup thus far: Peach, Coconut, Vanilla, Strawberry & Raspberry. I hate to play favorites, but peach is the BEST!

No doubt there are a ton of variations of how to go about making the perfect Italian soda, but this is our version, and so far it seems to be a hit. It's fun to have something unique to serve your guests.

{~THE GROCERY LIST~}

{~THE PROCESS~}

1. In a large glass measure out 1/4 cup of the flavored syrup.
2. Next add a hefty dash of cream. Believe it or not, I wing this addition ~ no measuring cup. Who said I'm not adventurous?
3. Take a straw and give the syrup and cream mixture a good stir. Apparently it's important to get the cream incorporated before you continue on.
4. Now finish off by adding ice and club soda until the glass is full.
5. Last but not least, spend a good thirty seconds mixing everything together. The final product should be fruity, creamy, goodness with a splash of carbonation. ENJOY!

Hold on. Before you go, check out a pic of JD in action. Isn't he handsome? Yep! Doesn't he look like he's a man with a plan? Yep! He's so great with the camera as well as people. I had a lot of fun second shooting with him.

JD's brother Joe, affectionately known as Uncle Joe-Joe, has just made the big move to Colorado. WOOT! He & JD are now working together. We're excited to have him join our GreenTent team, and even more excited to have him so close after years of living at a distance. While he surveys the land for a home of his own, we are thrilled to have him all to ourselves. A&A will now get to see both of their uncles on a regular basis ~ lucky kiddos. We are STOKED! Glad you're here brother!

Little Dude got a bike helmet for his 2nd b-day and was super proud of it! He cruised up and down the street on his red Radio Flyer, sporting his new headgear & trying to make the airplane on his handlebars take flight. I love the close up JD got of AJ in the second pic: he's all business!

I'm a bit tardy on getting these posted, but today's motto is: Better late than never. Plus my plans are to play catch up on the blog over the next few weeks, so this is where we'll start.

Recently some of our favorite people came down from Canada to spend some time with us. We had a BLAST! The best kind of friendships are those that allow you to pick up right where you left off; with these guys, we didn't skip a beat! As always saying goodbye was hard, but they say a farewell is necessary before you can meet again! Thanks for coming Karys & Lorussos ~ we love you & are already looking forward to our next encounter!

There are so many attributes that could be shared about my wonderful wife! However, in these past few days I have seen how much she is cherished as a friend by those who are closest to us. Les loves her family deeply and she cares for her friends in ways that absolutely amaze me. Here is a quote I found that represents Les' outlook on those people that God has placed in her life:

"Only a life lived for others is worth living" ~ Albert Einstein

P.S. Thanks to all you crazy Kary's & Lorusso's for the good times!

This morning the munchkins and I hit two different farmers markets. Our primary goal was to pick some strawberries, but I also just wanted to explore. Apparently there are quite a few markets in our county alone.

We came home with some lovely produce, beautiful flowers, and yummy homemade tamales & apple empanadas. Our entire lunch was locally grown and super tasty! No doubt we will be going regularly!

My parents graciously kept the kiddos last weekend so I could accompany JD on a wedding shoot near Aspen. We had a blast making our way through the Rockies! After exploring Idaho Springs and Vail, we pulled into Glenwood Springs where we spent the first night. The drive was absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!

***Here are a some snapshots taken along the way***

Our little guy turned 2 earlier this month! Can it be? I recognize that this sounds cliche, but the boy seriously woke up that day acting older! JD & I just kept looking at each other in amazement as Ayden would bust out with a new comment or use his hands in creative ways to express an idea. While it's certainly always a joy to see them grow, there was definitely a part of me that started to feel a little panicky. I love these toddler years and don't want them to pass in a blur. It was a good reminder to relish these younger years while I can!

We had a lovely party with both sides or our family. AJ had no problems soaking up all the attention, and Addison did a great job of being the supportive big sister who was eager for her brother to have a special day. I loved how she was so excited for him! Click the link below for more pics.

View Full Photo Story (25 Photos)

• had strawberry bread for breakfast ~ yum, my favorite!
• picnic-ed at the park then soaked up the sun for a few hours while running around the playground.
• swung by to check out the new library located fairly close to our house. It's was very impressive!
• had a relaxing rest time.
• enjoyed frozen lemonade at snacktime.
• ate a lovely yet simple shrimp dish for supper alongside some brown sugar glazed carrots.
• are planning on chillaxin' once we get the kidlets to bed. I suppose I better go get them bathed first!

YAY FOR SUMMER!

It's been a busy many weeks, but last night we decided to eat some good food and just chill. I picked 3 recipes from Homesick Texan's blog to try out. She recently featured Robb Walsh's grilled stuffed peppers, and they caught my eye. As I predicted, Jim was a big fan of them. I used a fair bit of Good Character Seasoning from Cagle Steaks to give them some kick which explains why Jim was lovin' it while I was breathing fire & gulping water! {Wimp!!}

I also tried her Tex-Mex squash casserole, and I must say it was super duper good! Honestly, I could have eaten the whole pan myself. Yummo!! This one will definitely go into my arsenal of favorite recipes.

Last but not least, we finished up night with a strawberry sheet cake. The cake itself had buttermilk in it, and the frosting was jazzed up with lime juice and zest...need I say more?

In the spirit of taking it easy, we didn't shoot any food photos. But while we were waiting on the stuffed peppers to finish up on the grill, AJ started a water fight with JD so I had to at least try to capture the fun with my phone. Oh the joys of summer combined with having a toddler boy around the house to liven things up!