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Alas, the fantasy somehow doesn't always quite unfold as planned, and now I find myself questioning, "What really is prefect, anyway?".
Liv adding in a last minute dance competition on Mother's Day found me up at 4:50AM making pancakes to fuel her for the morning. Rushing, we just made our 5:15 departure with hair and makeup done, costumes in hand, and lunch prepared and packed for the day. Luckily our travel time to San Diego took a mere 26 minutes getting us to UCSD early, however I had left the kitchen strewn with the remnants of pancake and lunch prep along a list waiting for me to finish before my parents arrived later that evening for dinner.
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| My Liv... :) |
Arriving home by 2PM and with only 2 1/2 hours to get dinner on the table I set to cleaning the kitchen from the morning mess and I'll admit to feeling a bit miffed that no one stepped up to help. It was Mother's Day after all, wasn't it?
Hours later with a tidy kitchen, freshly made garlic and sundried tomato bread (my mom's favorite - recipe coming soon!), dinner prepared and dessert baked, Mom and Dad arrived and I shared a beer with my dad completely forgetting to prepare the Strawberry Champagne Cocktail I had planned.
After a lovely dinner, my husband and I cleaned up the kitchen again and I longed for a bath and bed when my son called in needed help with an issue at college. Just finishing the call, Liv came down needing help with her homework and my husband commented that his uniform shirts weren't ready for him to head to work in the morning. Sigh.
Feeling tired, overlooked, and even a little unappreciated, I finally found that bath. Easing my tired back my phone beeped as my son texted a thanks for helping him along with "Looking forward to seeing you in a few weeks. I have a few friends I hope you'll be able to meet." Wow... he really wants me to meet his friends? My heart lifted.
Popping in later to tell Liv goodnight she said, "Come here..." and enveloping me in a huge hug it was the "Mom... I'm so lucky God gave me to you. You're the best mom ever. I don't know what I'd do without you!" that completely melted my heart.
Heading to bed my husband also embraced me whispering, "You were amazing today... thanks for holding our family together."
It was then that I reflected that yes... my day had indeed been perfect after all. I spent Mother's Day doing exactly what I love. Being a mom. And I wouldn't change a thing.
Choosing from a plethora of luscious berry recipes including Blueberry Muffins, raspberry treats and even more strawberry muffins and breads, this Strawberry Champagne Cocktail had been meant for Mother's Day, but ended up being the perfect complement to a spontaneous Day After Mother's Day brunch with my husband as we laughed and completed the photo shoot together.
So here's to Stacy, a mom like me who gets by day to day and loves her job as much as I do. Cheers my friend! Thanks for spoiling me today.
And now won't you join me as we discover what the rest of our lovely Blogger Clue Society brings to the table?
- Blackberry Yogurt Muffins by Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch
- Blueberry Bars by Lora from Cake Duchess
- Blueberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake by Heather from girlichef
- Blueberry Lemon Bars by Christiane from Taking on Magazines
- Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins by Alice from A Mama, Baby and Shar-pei in the Kitchen
- Blueberry Sour Cream Cake by Jean from Lemons and Anchovies
- Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes and Frosting by Kelli from Kelli's Kitchen
- Irish Blackberry Cobbler Cocktail by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
- Italian Jam Cookies by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Lemon Cheesecake Parfaits with Raspberry Sauce by Rebekah from Making Miracles
- Raspberry Muffins by Lauren from Sew You Think You Can Cook
- Raspberry Oat Bars by Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet
- Strawberry and Coconut Tartlets by Anna from annaDishes
- Strawberry Champagne Cocktail by Kim from Liv Life
- Strawberry Fool by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme
- Strawberry Lemon Marmalade by Debra from Eliot's Eats
- Strawberry Margaritas by Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
- Strawberry Mousse by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Tapioca Cream Strawberry Parfait by Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch
- Vanilla Roasted Peaches with Mascarpone and Raspberries by Kathleen from Bakeaway with Me
Sparkling Strawberry Champagne Cocktail
Crisp and slightly sweet with fresh, juicy strawberries, this recipes has evolved from it's original creator (and one of our Blogger Clue Directors), Liz Berg of That Skinny Chick Can Bake. Stacy's link to a Strawberry Simple Syrup can be found in her post should you prefer a sweeter recipe, but I chose to use strawberries only for my version.
As our berries were fresh and plump from the farmers market, no additional sweetening was needed, and the cocktail proved a perfect complement to spontaneous brunch. Perfect of wedding and baby showers, New Years Eve, or simply just because, the reddest, sweetest berries will bring a sweet love to your drink.
Recipe adapted from Food Lust People Love
Printer Friendly
Champagne, Prosecco or other sparkling wine, chilled
Puree strawberries in a food processor or blender (just a few for a few drinks, more for larger parties). For juice without the seeds or texture, press the berries through a fine mesh strainer to extract the juice only.
Pour 1-2 Tbs of the strawberry puree into the bottom of fluted glasses. Top with chilled sparkling wine and enjoy!
*Liv Life Note: If your strawberries are not particularly sweet, see Stacy's post for a Strawberry Simple Syrup recipe to perk up the sweetness.
Oh, you are indeed blessed, my friend! Love this post. Cheers to you (virtual toast with this lovely cocktail!). Thanks so much for being part of our group. xo
ReplyDeleteCheers right back at you Liz!!
DeleteYou deserve that cocktail. The life of a Mom can be exhausting which is why God chose to make it so rewarding as well.
ReplyDeletePerfectly said!!! Best job ever :)
DeleteI'd say you definitely deserved that strawberry cocktail.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post...and I have tears and smiles that your day ended with love and appreciation. Who cares that the cocktail was the next day? It looks perfect!
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet and wonderful story, Kim! Mom is the best job in the world, even when no one is appreciating us but satisfaction rates soar when we hear those words that lift our spirits. I'm so glad that you enjoyed the Champagne cocktail. You certainly earned it!
ReplyDeleteCheers back at ya, Kim! A very "heart melting" post.
ReplyDeleteA lovely post! It just demonstrates how a mothers job is never done…Mother’s day or not! Glad you finally enjoyed your Champagne cocktail! It looks fabulous!
ReplyDeleteKim, just reading this brought that wee lump in the throat. I totally hear you! There are times when I feel that twitch of resentment when nobody notices the little details - especially on Mother's Day when extra (ultra?) sensitive - but it's so true what you say. It is so worth it and rewarding - look at what an amazing family you have. Cheers to many of these beautiful bubbly strawberry cocktails, when your Mother's Day is deserved every day, my friend!
ReplyDeleteAwww, I'm actually a bit choked up over here...tears in my eyes and all. Sometimes we realize perfect is an entirely different thing than we first thought. That is a beautiful, amazing picture of your daughter...and these cocktails sound amazing.
ReplyDeletePerspective, eh? Wow. I'm amazed at how perfectly you described what goes on in my head many days (especially the help in the kitchen thing). That being said, I'm always telling people that being a mom is my career and everything else is just a job. So, I raise one of those amazing cocktails to you and the way you excel at your career! Brava.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post Kim! So great :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a perfect selection to sooth your busy lifestyle! It was so wonderful to have your blog this month! Your daughter is amazing and I am always in aw of how talented she is! The Friday Night Bite invitation is always there for you!
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely beautiful, Kim! :-) xo
ReplyDeleteLove how it all turned out! I would also love if you would link this up to Tipsy Tuesday at Grey is the New Black!
ReplyDeleteI am totally teared up too - what a beautiful post and a beautiful tribute to being a mom. Love, love, love all of it - and that delicious strawberry champagne cocktail to celebrate YOU! :)
ReplyDeleteYou are a wonderful mom Kim - I love how you love your kids.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry you had a hectic Mother's Day, but the love and support of your children and husband definitely make all the hard work worth it and knowing they appreciate you is all the gift you need. (And maybe a load of dishes done for you too ;) ) I'm glad you still got your cocktail even if it was a couple days late.
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