This Makes Me Happy

What is this I see????

A blue, blue sky!

The sea looks as if the sun has spilled millions of diamonds down from above. I swear the birds are singing songs of joy.

It has been raining here, nearly nonstop, for two months. I haven't complained too much about it because I love Portugal. This country has warmed my heart and my soul. The time we have spent here has been the happiest time of my life.

But, I need the sun and blue skies nearly as much as I need food and oxygen. Many of my friends embraced Alaska. Some fell in love with the The Last Frontier the way I have fell in love with Portugal. They hiked mountains, took up hunting, fishing, berry picking and all things Alaskan. Many are considering retiring there. They basked in the sun when it graced us with it's presence and dealt with it's leaving with a shrug, running into the "night" with arms wide open. Not me (thankfully, my friends' positive energy helped me get through those dark months).

Alaska, like my home state of Vermont, is beautiful (okay, it is even more beautiful than Vermont-except for the Fall. There is no Fall like Fall in Vermont). That being said, I shamelessly admit that I did not embrace Alaska as many of my friends did. There, as it often did growing up in Vermont (my home town records an average of 80-days of sun yearly), it was as if I had something heavy and dark filling my heart and my mind. I felt trapped in darkness. Always waiting, always hoping. Wanting, needing...the sun!

So, these past two months in Portugal have been a bit...rough. Mommy/wifey has been a bit...let's just say...grumpy!

Today, as Lila and I road the train down into Cascais to the market, the rays of sun danced off our faces and washed away the darkness that had set deeply and firmly into my entire body. The forecast is looking good.

Mommy is back! Mommy is singing, "I can see clearly now, the rain is gone..."

Baked Eggs in Maple Toast Cups

I'm always looking for quick and healthy kid-friendly meals. I found this recipe out of a bed and breakfast cookbook and made it for the girls this morning. They got a kick out them. They love eggs - and once they tasted the hint of maple syrup, they declared them, "yummy!" Lila started to eat it like a muffin and finished with digging the egg out with a fork.

Here's the recipe (we halved it - but, here's the full recipe - modified using whole wheat bread instead of white):

2 tablespoons real maple syrup
2 tablespoons butter (we do use real butter around here - in moderation)
8 slices of whole wheat bread, crusts removed
8 large eggs
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Melt (stovetop or microwave) butter and then add maple syrup. Roll out bread slices with a rolling pin until thin enough to press into a muffin cup. Brush each slice of bread with the syrup mixture and press into greased muffin cups, maple syrup side up. Break 1 egg into each muffin cup. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 15-mins.

Total prep and cooking time: 20-mins