Slice of the Sintos Life

morning walk

2011-08-30T18:23:00.000-07:00

Even if it's only with myself, a "staff meeting" is a must. I've learned this recently. Depending on whether Saturday is a wedding work day or not, I usually have a Monday Morning Meeting or a Tuesday Tin Can Talk (because alliteration makes it more fun). And sometimes I'm fortunate to be accompanied by my husband...because he loves me...and probably because he's in this business either way. (But to be honest, he's the technical genius behind my artistic eye.)

There are no real rules to the meetings yet. I prefer they are out of the "office" so I can gain a little vitamin D and a change of scenery. And they should probably include coffee. Tasty brunch food is also more than welcome. And sometimes they include a little walkabout time or drive around town to gain a little inspiration. Overall, we usually generate a good list of goals for the week. (Whether these things are always obtainable or whether we always reach them or not is another matter!)

Growing up, I remember my parents starting their own business. I can't imagine going out on this shaky limb with three kids under your wing. Even as an adult, I find I continue to experience new ways to be thankful for the two people who cared for me and fostered my growth.

So this is just a little post to let you know we're still chugging along and to ask you all to keep our business in your thoughts and prayers. As Bryan and I walked to breakfast this morning the air felt cool and refreshing. And after our juice fast last week, we feel a little renewed ourselves. As we watch kids beginning to fill the campuses around us (go gamecocks!), I picked up a new Agenda for the season and we're ready to get down to business for another year!

a little love

2011-08-25T20:46:00.000-07:00

After meeting with a possible new photography client one evening this week, Bryan and I found this little bit of love while walking down the street in the neat little city we call home. If there's one fun thing we've enjoyed about living in Atlanta as we begin our marriage, it's all the little surprises (especially the good ones). This random act of sidewalk art made us pause for one moment to appreciate everything we have.

On the juicing front:

We're going strong! Well, the new and fun part of it is kind of wearing off, but as we conclude day 4 of juicing, we both feel mucho better and feel like our bodies will thank us for the break. I do miss chewing a bit...and the smell of someone's coffee today was taunting, but other than that it's not so bad. You kind of get into a mode. Plus, I have a wonderful husband who gets up before I leave for my three day bakery stint to make me breakfast juice--I've become fond of a morning glass of cabbage and apples, or cabapple juice (like cranapple?).

The funniest thing is that we actually found some strange pleasure in watching some food shows online tonight--go figure!

renew and reboot

2011-08-23T16:33:00.000-07:00

This week, the Sintoses are going to ingest 25 pounds of carrots, 15 lemons, 2 heads of cabbage, 5 bunches of celery, 8 beets, 10 cucumbers and a bushel each of kale and green apples! Intrigued???

With another blog absence, the evidence of our go-go-go-ness is apparent. We've had a busy summer of planting, planning, projects and photography. It's been great! But it's time to slow down just a bit...at least enough to "reboot our systems." After getting a little inspiration from a neat documentary, Monday morning we planned out a week of good-for-you juices and took off to YDFM for the produce (hence the big box o' greens at the top!). One of the best parts about visiting the farmer's market is that we spent just as much on a week's worth of produce to juice as we do for an average week's worth of groceries!

Rebooters:

Two necessary ingredients to keep on hand. We've already learned that if you add an apple and lemon to any juice, it will really "help it out" a bit:)

The classic "mean green" dinner juice!

Cheers to a cleaner us! (Yes, that means no cupcake eating this week!)

timeless beauty

2011-06-28T09:10:00.000-07:00

Where does time fly to? If you know, could you tell me so I can buy a ticket?

As much as I may hate looking back on this month's "blog history" later and not seeing pictures and posts, I don't regret not pulling together entries. Finding a topic has not been the problem---a lot has been going on for us! So many things, in fact, that I chose to, for once, take in these moments and occasions as naturally as possible--as possible for me anyway!

But before this month slips away, I have to at least let a few pictures hold just a couple memories for me. My beautiful sister got married and tomorrow is her birthday. I hope you've enjoyed every year before this one as much as I have, and I wish you the greatest joys on all of your new years as Mrs. Carly Bush. Love you.

Yes, that's Vanessa showing off why shorts or pants are a great wardrobe accessory for a photographer on a wedding day! She captured beautiful shots of Carly and Andrew getting married on June 3rd! It was a little difficult not to want a camera in my hand, but I knew she would do such a great job that I would be able to be a sister and a matron of honor-what wonderful positions! And since my dress had pockets in it, I guess I couldn't help but grab a couple of iPhone photos.

What a wonderful day and what a beautiful new life they share. Congratulations again to Carly, Andrew AND Lizzy!

(Be sure to check out the wedding photos on Chupp Photography!)

mother's day with mother nature

2011-05-09T14:51:00.000-07:00

Sunday I celebrated Mother's Day with my beautiful mom and mother nature.

Digging my bare feet into freshly tilled dirt, digging holes for small tomato plants and thinking how I'm blessed beyond measure.

My dad and Bryan trying to figure out how we're going to find room for all the seeds!

Last year's garden novice hard at work improving his skill.

To our wonderful mothers: Your constant love, support and encouragement is unfailing and uplifting--

roses by any other names would not smell as sweet!

first anniversary

2011-04-26T10:40:00.000-07:00

Three hundred and sixty-five days have passed since I married the man God created for me. And I think we've found 365 new ways to fall in love since then.

We posted a little something about our paper anniversary on the Tin Can blog, but from the photos above and below you can get a glimpse of how our weekend began and ended. (and why we'll need another one of these weekends before April of next year!)

tune my heart

2011-04-23T19:13:00.000-07:00

As I look forward to the morning sun, when we shall worship the Savior who rose from the grave, I seem transfixed on these words penned in the 18th century by 22-year-old Robert Robinson. Set to music, it's a beautiful hymn we had played at our wedding, which many of you probably know by memory. But instead of singing by heart first, try taking a look at just the words and see how they work in your heart. I hope you find a beautiful prayer and blessing as I did this evening.

Come Thou Fount of every blessing

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;

Streams of mercy, never ceasing,

Call for songs of loudest praise

Teach me some melodious sonnet,

Sung by flaming tongues above.

Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,

Mount of God's unchanging love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer;

Hither by Thy help I'm come;

And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,

Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,

Wandering from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger,

Interposed His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor

Daily I'm constrained to be!

Let that grace now like a fetter,

Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

Prone to leave the God I love;

Here's my heart, O take and seal it,

Seal it for Thy courts above.

fine day for a float

2011-04-13T20:43:00.000-07:00

Ah, the weather is getting warmer and I anticipate that wonderful feeling of the season's first swim. A cool, weightless world of my own to traverse. And yet, what it must feel like to swim for the first time!

Last week we were most thrilled by a surprise that led to a visit from our favOUrite canadiens! Leaving some snow behind, they were excited to pack for the warm Georgia spring; especially Amelia! She got to bring a suitcase of her very own full of spring clothes (showing off those adorable little legs) and her bathing suit! My mom was so excited for the temperatures to hit in the 80s (or 30s, eh), she went out and bought miss ellie a pool! a little fancy something from the local dollar general:)

charting new waters...her first outdoor swim!

a little light kicking with dad

if there's one awesome thing...no, two...about watching kyle and ellie, it's that 1) he's an amazing father and 2) he's still kyle:)

and vanessa is such an outgoing and loving first-time mom. maybe it's the nurse in her. and maybe she's just wonderful like that.

of course, how could anyone resist a bathing beauty like this?

I'm so very thankful for the gifts of time we get to spend with these three! Amelia is becoming quite the seasoned international traveler:)

a surprise and a celebration

2011-04-05T06:03:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend we layered doughnut on top of doughnut to make Memaw's 80th birthday cake. What a feat! more hers than ours:)

The best of the celebration was the family getting to gather together. Pawpaw told stories about how they used to gather over meals when he first started dating Memaw. Perhaps that is the destination of this blog. Something more along the lines of "soul food."

In any case, here is the surprise to go with the celebration! The Canadiens came to visit!

This face will steal the show and your heart...and you love both. For the first time, I saw her cute little legs hanging out of some baby bloomers--she got to wear her first summer clothes!

And speaking of firsts, she also made her first run to the acclaimed summer ice cream truck thanks to her awesome dad!

Everyone enjoyed eating the chili dogs and pork that was roasted all night long.

The cute factor is a high one when the Harbin clan gets together!

My glowing Saree! (about to have another cute one herself)

The kids loved the big jump...and there was even an adult skate after they were worn out:)

And, of course, no big family gathering is complete without a little singing!

Here's to celebrations! Another happy birthday goes out to my step grandmother, Jo!

(Hope you get to feeling better soon!)

the dish on some top food spots in atlanta

2011-03-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

This year, St. Paddy's day was celebrated with green cupcakes (and Guinness cake, of course!)

Working a long day at the bakery wasn't so bad. Everyone was in great spirits and every time I answered the phone by giving my name, people responded with great exclamation:) By the end of the night, I was washing dishes with the back door open to the live music playing across the street.

When I came home twelve hours after I left, we didn't feel bad about not finding a pub or a plate of Irish fare for the night. In fact, we've probably made a bit of a decision not to go out on major holidays here. The city can become littered with poor decisions by people who only "go all out" a couple nights a year. We'll save our outings for when we'll really enjoy them most:)

This sounds like a good time to go ahead and include a little list of our new favorite eateries:

Brunch:

Ria's Bluebird. A living gem across from the historic Oakland Cemetery. Haven't had a poor dish there to date! On our last visit, I tried the Brisket Breakfast: slow-roasted Angus beef and poached eggs in a spicy tomato broth---now this is the way to start your day!

Sun in My Belly. A beautifully renovated hardware store in the Kirkwood District. I have the strong desire to try every item on the menu. Last time we lingered there, I could not pass up the omelette of the day--I believe goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes were at stake!

Dinner:

Cafe di Sol. This place has the three things that will always get me to return to a restaurant: great location, atmosphere and food. Located in our own neighborhood, it's set up like a European cafe so almost every sidewalk diner has a great people-watching view. I don't know that I'll ever be able to try anything else on the menu because Andy's Burger is just that good--all my favorite flavors in each bite. Just to get your mouth watering, it has gruyere cheese, garlic herb-roasted shiitake mushrooms and garlic aioli.

Midtown Tavern. Ok, when you walk in, it looks like a dive you may not want to eat in. But that's why we're helping you out (because we had someone show us the way as well!). In the cold of winter, the havarti grilled cheese with thin slices of granny smith apple called to me. We recently sampled the Cerdo Asado sandwich and now we feel we can't be led astray. It is filled with slow-roasted Cuban-style pork, creamy slaw and house-made pickles. Flavor punch! Oh, and whatever you do, don't go without trying the gouda mac n' cheese. You'l thank us!

Although we'd love to try new restaurants every week, these are the four we've found and love on the first year of marriage budget. Let us know if you find yourself needing company at one of these wonderful places!

caught red handed

2011-03-08T14:26:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that red (or at least "pops" of red) is a favorite for me.

Red things I've collected and love?

my purse, bathrobe, baker's twine, and mixing bowl to name a few.

New red thing I no longer so much love and am frankly slightly concerned with?

jar of red cherries.

We're not talking beautiful, ripe and delicious fresh cherries. We're speaking of what I used to think of as "real" fruit cherries--maraschino cherries.

After dipping my hand in the cherry jar to gain the correct amount of dessert toppings, a customer came inside the bakery. I washed my hands, but there was no getting around it...I was caught red-handed! Unable to really explain why my skin was such a bright red, I thought I'd dig a little deeper. (On this note...how many times do we continue to eat or drink things "just because" without wondering why, per se, something I'm ingesting has semi-permanently stained my hand?)

Upon just a tiny bit of research (read as googling), I found the following:

From Wikipedia: The cherries are first preserved in a brine solution usually containing sulfur dioxide and calcium chloride to bleach the fruit, then soaked in a suspension of food coloring (common red food dye, FD&C Red 40), sugar syrup, and other components.

From Vegetarians in Paradise:

The Food and Drug Administration has finally proposed that manufacturers must indicate the presence of the insect-derived colorings in their food products.

Present labels may indicate "color added," E120, or "natural color" when cochineal or carmine is present in the product. According to the FDA, carmine is used in foods like ice cream, strawberry milk, fake crab and lobster, maraschino cherries, port wine cheese, lumpfish eggs, and liqueurs like Compari.

(as a side note: it doesn't help matters to find out "cochineal is described in laymen's terms by the free dictionary as "
a red dyestuff consisting of dried bodies of female cochineal insects." Yum!)

I don't really have a soapbox to stand on regarding these cherries. Just thought I'd share something I found interesting today. I've come to realize that since we live in an age of eating fast and in mass, as consumers, we really have to do our own investigating. (For instance, I found out in a NY Times article last week that McDonald's new "wholesome" oatmeal has the same calories as a Snickers bar...and contains more than 10 ingredients...only this company could ruin such a simple and wonderful food.)

Lesson learned: be inquisitive before ingesting. Food for thought.

new lights. new trials.

2011-03-05T10:39:00.000-08:00

Bryan and I recently picked up some new to us (but really 15 years old) lights so that we can begin moving into the world of off camera shooting (for events that require such). This is fun yet scary yet exhilarating all at the same time. It feels like we're relearning how to take pictures...and with these new tools, we are!

These are basically our first two (awkward) pictures taken as trials to see just what we have to work with. First thing learned, we're not epileptic...but we are seeing spots.

After some self trials, our friend Ross dropped by that night and graciously volunteered to hang out while we fiddled with new settings and placements. We went outside our loft to the atrium in near darkness and fired off these next shots. Although they're not perfect by any means, they sure did provide great hope and excitement for future images.

So on this rainy Saturday, we're doing a little studying and researching.

And as we set forth to discover new photography frontiers, we're lead by this verse in Psalms:

"Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell."

strangers in the shadows

2011-02-21T08:07:00.000-08:00

Where has nearly a month gone? We'll try not to be strangers on the blogfront anymore!

Looking back at my planner, I'm reminded of some reasons as to why we may have disappeared:

1. soaking up as much Amelia snuggle time as possible before she headed to her other home

2. two wonderful birthday celebrations: my dad and bryan

3. photo shoot with a beautiful new family

4. getting sick, sick, sick (and missing my first married Valentine's Day)

5. good friends visiting from out of town

I'd say most of these are excellent reasons rather than excuses:) As for #4, I'm getting the chance to re-celebrate a lovely evening with my Valentine...a week after the calendar says to, but just right for us (which seems more and more appropriate as we trek through our first year together:)

With that, I'd like to leave this post with a beautiful poem I heard Garrison Keillor read on NPR this morning (Sintos Valentine's Day):

The Kama Sutra of Kindness: Position Number 3

by Mary Mackey

It's easy to love
through a cold spring
when the poles
of the willows
turn green
pollen falls like
a yellow curtain
and the scent of
Paper Whites
clots
the air

but to love for a lifetime
takes talent

you have to mix yourself
with the strange
beauty of someone
else
wake each morning
for 72,000
mornings in
a row so
breathed and
bound and
tangled
that you can hardly
sort out
your arms
and
legs

you have to
find forgiveness
in everything
even ink stains
and broken
cups

you have to be willing to move through
life
together
the way the long
grasses move
in a field
when you careen
blindly toward
the other
side

there's never going to be anything
straight or predictable
about your path
except the
flattening
and the springing
back

you just go on walking for years
hand in hand
waist deep in the weeds
bent slightly forward
like two question
marks
and all the while it

burns
my dear
it burns beautifully above
you
and goes on
burning
like a relentless
sun

meet miss amelia mae

2011-01-26T19:40:00.000-08:00

My new love. my new friend. my new beauty.

Getting to meet my niece on Friday (and of course see Kyle and Vanessa) was such a wonderful experience! I am not a fan of many things instant (coffee, for one), but talk about instant love. She melts my heart! There are so many things about her that I adore already: her kissable lips, chubby cheeks, wonderful smell, mohawk hair, and the way we lock eyes.

Official report: auntdom is such a wondrous place. And I can only imagine how spoiled this little one will be with four fun aunts! (And for now, Uncle Bryan is enjoying his short stint as "favorite uncle!" He even asked my permission to fall in love with another girl:)

happy snow day!

2011-01-10T19:21:00.000-08:00

Who's ready for a snow day in Atlanta? This guy right here!

Bryan and I walked to Piedmont Park this morning hearing only the sound of the snow crunching beneath our feet; so unique for downtown living! I was pretty much delighted to see that every store we passed could be shut down without the world coming to an end. (Although our Kroger remains open and this makes for some pretty fun window watching!)

We joined a lot of other kids and kids-at-heart on the hills of the park, and almost every person there had a different kind of sled! (We brought a restaurant size baking pan and trash can lid to the mix.) And everyone kept wishing us a happy snow day as if it were just another holiday on the calendar:)

that would be a little bed head/sled head, but happy to be playing outside all the same!

and the day really got going once someone let us borrow an actual sled--woohoo! (where are the breaks?!)

We had so much fun, we were almost too exhausted to enjoy grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for lunch...almost!

Hope all our Southern friends are enjoying their holiday!

sunshine state of mind

2011-01-05T17:43:00.000-08:00

We left snow to arrive in the sun and sand!

The mister and I had a wonderful visit to Clearwater. We saw a lot of friends, spent New Year's Eve with family cosmic bowling in Orlando and even got to do a photo shoot on the beach! Here are a couple pics of us scouting locations:)

You didn't think I could go to the beach without pictures of birds, did you?

Found a really nice secluded spot thanks to Bryan's mom: Sand Key Park.

And Bryan's probably smiling because he knows we're going to Frenchy's to get grouper sandwiches:)

New Years morning in Orlando at Bryan's aunt and uncle's house. Since orange tree limbs from next door were hanging over the fence, that made them ripe for the picking. Don't know if that's the rule or not, but I was excited to have fresh oranges!

And Bryan was excited to show me how to juggle them

the talents of a florida kid

Fun times, for sure! We even brought back a carry-on sack full of leftover pancit and adobo on the plane (Thanks, Tony!)

Oh, and if you are anxious to see a preview pic of the engagement shoot we did on 1.1.11, head on over to the Tin Can blog!

New Year's Celebration in the 70s

2010-12-31T11:13:00.000-08:00

76 degrees to be exact!

Bryan and I are signing in from sunny South Florida. We've been taking wonderful walks by the water, eating grouper sandwiches and getting into a little mischief with his Uncle Tony's toys. Yep, that's a my-size motorcycle!

Bryan and Tony working on the little scooter engine while convincing me to take a ride at an empty nearby school parking lot.

I have to say, it was easier and more fun that I thought. But now I'm a little biased...unless, that is, that you can ride all motorcycles using just one hand (up means go, down mean slow and push the bike break to stop--I got this!).

the mister taking off!

Even though it was fun to go fast for a little while, I still think I prefer our walks by the bay the best!

This afternoon we're off to Orlando to spend midnight bowling with Bryan's extended fam. And tomorrow, we kick the new year off to a good start with an engagement photo shoot on the beach in Clearwater!

What a year this has been! I think a photo timeline may be in order when we get back to the home front.

Ready to enter 2011: thinking big and expecting the best!

for your entertainment:

our first noel

2010-12-26T21:42:00.000-08:00

handmade ornaments we made for our first christmas (in honor of the tin can candle holders we had at the wedding and our new business!)

our little loft christmas

take special note: the stockings are my first real live sewing project! (thanks to a certain Miss Mamie and her crafty skills)

we spent a white christmas with my parents!

the ground was beautiful and our hearts were full.

you always need a little something red, i say!

a new look for the grape vines

this white christmas even led us to watching "White Christmas." i know this probably isn't too much of a surprise to those of you who know just how cheesy (read, wonderful) we can be:)

bryan opening a new thermos!

apparently his car is so manly, it doesn't come with accessories like cup holders. now he can take his coffee to go:)

my new touch of red!

Every new year certainly brings with it new ways to celebrate Christmas and time together. And we're grateful for all the people who care about us so much! We'll extend the season a little longer as we head out to Florida tomorrow to see Bryan's family (read, I hope to be eating pancit soon!).

Happy Christmas season (however long you can make it last), and a joy-filled new year.

Love, the Sintoses.

great and eighty

2010-12-20T20:47:00.000-08:00

Saturday was full of smiles.

We got to see out-of-town family we love, chow down on Varsity chili burgers and celebrate Uncle Jerry's 80th birthday!

southern centerpieces

dearest charlotte, i could love on you all day long.

good ol' uncle jerry

what a crew

and of course there was singing

beautiful singing

Happy 80th!

sweetness

2010-12-07T12:57:00.000-08:00

We've been having a wonderful fall here in the Sintos family. Grateful is one word that seems to really fit our first half year of marriage. In our little loft, we've enjoyed fresh home-cooked meals, turned the bedroom into a practice room during the day and started a business. We've even been granted things like a free bookshelf we found in the "this doesn't fit in the trash room" spot!

Turns out, starting out small gives you a really big perspective in order to relish simple joys.

As we've become more seasonal shoppers (because it's not only cheaper, it tastes better!), we have really been enjoying the great flavors fall provides.

This morning's smile is brought to you by a simple bag of apples and fresh cranberries juiced to go with our morning breakfast.

A perk for sure, we're hoping to make the most out of this seasonal purchase by making some cranapple bread or muffins from what I call the leftover "mulch" that comes out of the back of the juicer:)

And lest this turn into a food blog (which wouldn't be terrible with as much as we talk about it), I definitely feel a sweet potato post in the near future after a recent harvest from my parents' garden. All that salty sweat from this summer is turning into sweet rewards!

p.s. we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of kyle and vanessa's little sweet potato any minute now! can't wait to be an aunt & uncle!

announcing!

2010-11-22T12:14:00.000-08:00

It is with much ado, great joy and under prayerful providence that we announce our newest venture:

Our month-long absence from this blog will hopefully be explained upon your visit to our new SITE.

Less than a week old. this new business already promises great adventure and holds much of my passion. We can't wait to see how God will mold and grow it and us through the time to come. And we unashamedly ask for your support in as many ways as creatively possible--you can start by becoming a "follower" of the business blog!

And a big thanks to so many of you who helped us arrive at this point! Whether you acted as a model or entrusted me with capturing your family or vows or just kept persisting with positive comments, I am grateful for you!

Cheers!

campfire celebration

2010-10-12T11:31:00.000-07:00

I suppose you can tell from the blogging break I took that we were just having too much fun with Kyle and Vanessa (and baby) being home to sit down and load photos (I even got to squeeze in a maternity shoot!).

We did, however, make time for a bonfire one night!

Family and friends came over to roast hot dogs, make smores and eat smores cupcakes--and to offer hugs, love and congratulations to the growing Canadian Chupp family:)

we couldn't have asked for more perfect weather...or more wonderful people!

my mom, who's normally the ultimate cleaner-outer, went into the attic and got some of kyle's old baby clothes to hang up

and even these cool Nike shoes:)

nessa and the little one

sistas:)

a happy hot dog roaster and her ketchup (that's Kay Chupp if you haven't heard the joke already!)

Great to see all our loving grandparents!

and always happy to hug my Saree!

cute campfire cousins

some fun gifts: a book and stuffed animal (celebrating Spot's 30th anniversary) and my mom's favorite outfit Kyle used to wear (washed and ready for the new Chupp)

What a fun visit (that went by way too fast)!

a day away

2010-09-27T12:15:00.000-07:00

some of the best moments are the calmest.

we're fortunate to get to spend some time with kyle, vanessa and baby without a big event to-do list (not that we haven't had fun on their last visits!). in the spirit of a schedule-less day, we took off to pine mountain, ga over the weekend. we were there a little less than 24 hours, but it was just the kind of restful rejuvenation that would be hard to achieve in 24 days at home with "so many things to do."

we spent most of our time on the deck and on the banks of the lake soaking in sun, fresh air and lots of laughter.

olive, the newest chupp, even got to travel down south with us (mostly because she's so new to the family we weren't sure what would happen if we left her).

bryan was quite content to spend half the day practicing photography and the other half fishing:)

and after lots of hard work and a move across the country to ontario, i think kyle just enjoyed the time to hang out with family a cast his line out into the lake.

the misters: talkin' and fishin'

fishing with my soon-to-be niece!

ah, the joys of the hammock and a soft breeze

she seems to enjoy her new life

bryan caught this awesome reflection of the blue sky and clouds in the lake as the sun fell for the day!

and kyle kept fishin' till night fall and caught the biggest one we've ever pulled out of this lake!

wow, what a wonderful time.

i think i've forgotten how nice it can be to just step away from everything for a short while. an unplanned 24 hours. just enough time to hit the refresh button.

a simple, joyful day

2010-09-23T20:53:00.000-07:00

on this my twenty-eighth birthday

my day started like this

and ended like this

it just doesn't get much better than this! oh wait.

my brother, sister-in-law and baby-on-the-way flew in from canada this afternoon and tonight we had a huge family meal. now that's just about perfect.

berry productive day

2010-09-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

many of you know my cupcakery job is only part time...so what am i doing the rest of the time?

weekends tend to include wedding and/or portrait work while monday and tuesday stand as editing, writing and general clean-the-loft days. this has been one of the first mondays in a while in which i've had an entire afternoon to just sit with my camera and practice some new techniques.

thanks to my mom, these raspberries were a little more than a delicious snack today. and i'm pretty excited to post these pics straight out of the camera (no post processing)!

hope everyone else has a berry wonderful day as well!

happiness factory

2010-09-08T21:17:00.000-07:00

bryan's mom got to drive up from tampa for the holiday weekend, so we decided to experience something very "Atlanta" while she was here with her friend, susie. (they have driven through downtown many times on their way to jacksonville, so the shorter trip was almost excitement enough!)

so we headed off to the new happiness factory (aka World of Coke)

we may not be avid soda drinkers, but there's nothing like coke to refresh old memories: coke tickets after playing ball games, coke floats by the pool and the like.

did we mention we're big happiness factory fans?

an excellent marketing job, for sure:)

perhaps he tried too much of the beverly!

don't worry, we managed to sample every soda available--touring each continent!

full of fizz!

cracking open some salt and pepper pistachios to balance out all that sweetness! i highly recommend a salty snack during or after such a visit.

and speaking of visits, we really loved having family come see us for the weekend!

other stops this time around included the square in Marietta (and miss mamie's, of course!), grilling out with my parents plus carly and andrew, and just nice mornings with lots of coffee and conversation.

the newest chupp pup

2010-09-01T19:14:00.000-07:00

with a special interest in rescuing creatures who deserve a good home, my parents invited us on a trip to the pound (well, it was mostly at carly's pleading--deep down i think she must be on a mission to save every sad dog she saw when she adopted lizzie).

it was here we met #3181 (who shares carly's long-limbed nature).

although it's surely hard to choose only one doggie to save, this little one was bound for chupp-hood, bonding with all of us there.

my dad says she's the "so ugly she's cute" variety, but there's no denying her lovable nature

so tuesday morning, this little pup became an official chupp--and smiled the whole way home:)

but we're thinking she deserves a better name than #3181. although she seems to be mostly italian greyhound, perhaps something to do with giraffe legs. or the way she barks like a seal.

any ideas???

while we await an official name, we've just been calling her "tall girl." and master charles is showing her the ropes!

new to us

2010-08-31T07:21:00.000-07:00

i considered being mean and only posting some teaser pics of our new dos--like the one above with our breakfast canary melon and the one below (which bryan calls the ebay shot) showing just how much we chopped!

But since I haven't blogged in so long, I thought I'd combine new hair with our trip to the City Hall East Garage sale (where we acquired a new-to-us piece)

The expansiveness of this place is only undermined by the incomprehensible fact that my grandfather knows this huge building as the 1926 Sears & Roebuck!

bryan's citizen kane shot

when we entered, all the old wood floors and desks gave it a great historical smell. i thought it smelled like a big kindergarten classroom:)

amidst hundreds of chairs, bryan is my posing practice victim. but doesn't this photo just exuberate genuine distinguished charm, charisma and authority?

water puddles from a recent rain--a little clean up for the new owners (whomever they shall be). current plans include a mixed use space of homes, offices and retail. although i'd almost rather see it turn into college classrooms, i'll just be happy if the big W doesn't show up any closer downtown.

bryan sorted through tons and tons of desks. he says the smell of the real wood furniture reminds him of his grandparents house. and he found an old pencil or two as a souvenir.

i was amused by the stuff behind the desks as well. the pipes, doors and general configuration of the building was fun to discover.

after much exploring, and a line that lasted for several hours, we came home with this dresser (er, parks and recreation cabinet) for sintos. it seems an office chair was the best buy for the first day of the sale (seeing as you got to sit and roll your way through the line), but we're happy with our treasure.

This piece won the audition of cabinets available because of its unique door/handle, history and the fact that it has wheels (because without a truck, it got pushed up North Avenue to its new home).

we brake for cake

2010-08-21T18:50:00.000-07:00

Bryan came by the bakery this week to help me work on a tasty gift for my mom's birthday.

The inspiration (and not just cake-wise): her biking.

I usually learn something new each week at the bakery from Mamie--usually a cool trick with fondant, rice krispy treats or dowels. But this week I learned that one is not supposed to use the color blue on a cake because it has been found to be unappetizing. But my mom's favorite color is blue (and art is about breaking some rules, right?) so I used it anyway.

practice, patience and a steady hand. repeat!

While experimenting, Bryan found that he is a lefty when writing with icing--go figure!

the finished product:)

for my first batter to box bakery cake, i thought it didn't look too shabby. and more importantly, it tasted great. flavor of choice you ask? guiness and devil's food with cream cheese:)

it was also exciting to go and eat at our new favorite italian resto (and one that my parents are known to bike to). i thought i'd sworn off eating italian out because of the huge factory-produced portions and lack of great ingredients used well (because americans won't notice under all the noodles, i'm sure), but every dining experience with Giovanni in Marietta is superb. this place is the real deal.

Happy birthday week to my beautiful mother!

grapes of goodness

2010-08-10T07:12:00.000-07:00

{no wrathful grapes here!}

Nearly two years ago, the Chupp family began the task of pruning, weeding and reshaping the grape vines in the backyard. We had always had muscadines and scuppernongs here and there between the gnarling strands of this plant, but the entire structure had become muddled and messy.

Last year, although the vines were finally beautiful in appearance (ready for Kyle and Vanessa's wedding), we only received a handful of the sweet Concord grapes. We relished what grapes we were given and thoroughly thrived in the abundant muscadine and scuppernong production (and discovered an amazing new cake recipe).

Continuing to prune and prod in the right direction for growth brings us to this year--this week, to be exact. Sunday afternoon my mom and I went down to collect some garden goods when we saw beautiful color popping out from beneath the leaves of the vines. To our wonderful delight and surprise, we had grapes galore (especially considering where we had come from)!

I don't know if these deep purple fruits are so sweet because they are like nothing you've ever tasted in a grape or if it's because we prepared for them for so long, but they are amazing.

While soaking up the afternoon sun, popping plump grape after grape into my mouth, I recalled part of a story Steve shared at church Sunday morning in which a tightrope walker explains, "The path is just as important as the result."

not golden, but very delicious

2010-08-07T20:42:00.000-07:00

last year, no apples:(

this year, the crop has returned!...this called for new adventurous recipes:)

being bummed about not having AC for four days didn't last nearly as long with great family and a great garden nearby in marietta--turns out we were quite fortunate to have a delay in cold air service.

can't get over the apples this year!

we picked several for dessert (yes, dessert) and tried out the following recipe (to great success):

-cover the slices of two apples with 2 tsp. almond oil and one tsp. confectioner's sugar

-place the slices on the grill (or med/high-heated grill pan) and flip after a couple minutes

-also place coarsely chopped pecans around the edge of the heated pan (like a wreath for the apples)

-combine grilled apple slices and pecans in two bowls. add dotted layers of brie/goat cheese (or just brie). then...yes, drizzle on the honey.

This is my adjusted recipe to one we found online. Please share any other concoctions tried...I now have a better appreciation for Southern chefs than when I first tried my hand at my grandmother's buttermilk biscuits with no written recipe (which I've since conquered).

my husband-sampling an apple right off the tree:)

sunflowers we planted in the garden in honor of kyle and vanessa who are celebrating their first anniversary today. love you and wish you many, many more to come!

ode to the tomato sandwich

2010-07-21T10:19:00.000-07:00

One wonderful thing I love about summer: when tomatoes start rapidly turning bright red on the vine and you get to eat a tomato every day for lunch just trying to keep up with all the goodness...until you can the rest and think about how happy you'll be to have these garden delights for vegetable soup come winter.

One variation on this ode: picking up some liverwurst from Patak's and covering one piece of bread with this German spreadable sausage.

Any other variations going on with this Southern summer sandwich???

snoozing and shooting

2010-07-16T05:30:00.000-07:00

a Sintos portrait in the morning hours--leaving the loft before daybreak to shoot a beautiful couple of friends in the Huntsville Botanical Gardens.

We stopped halfway on our trip in Jacksonville to pick up a more exciting seat partner for Bryan--another Bryan:)

while i was milling around the gardens with black dresses and tuxes (i know they had to be HOT!), Bryan and Bryan went on a field trip to the space and rocket center (where my mister captured the shots above and below!)

a shot of me taking shots of bubble-blowing guests...and their sweet get-a-way car!

the happy couple: mr. and mrs. hicklen!

we have another wedding we're excited to attend this weekend in rome, but my camera shall only be a guest.

happy ~~friday~~ treat yourself to a cupcake day everyone!

peaches aplenty

2010-07-07T19:32:00.000-07:00

While I was cupcaking away for fourth festivities, I was sad not to see more family, but I was happy, happy, happy to have a box of Carroll Farm peaches delivered--there are none better!

So what to do....

1. soft, fuzzy and fresh--eat one right away! Bryan and I devoured one while waiting on the train to go to the Braves game on the fourth with the fam:)

2. cut up two peaches--pour on granola and milk--instant breakfast goodness

3. peach bread--with three delicious peaches

4. i believe a cobbler and pie (by Bryan's pleading) are in order, but I may be freezing them first (lucky for us they're so sweet they don't need any syrup!)

can you believe we hadn't yet purchased baking supplies until this moment provided itself?

to the recipe i found here, there were, of course, a few slight modifications...one being that i thought cinnamon needed to be added (I'm sure my mom would agree)

i think the final product turned out pretty...and pretty delicious.

bryan agrees.

but there was just something missing...

Since I added the cinnamon, I was craving to put some tartinade de cannelle (cinnamon spread) on a warm slice: a canadian treat we got hooked on thanks to kyle and ness.

problem: no cinna-licous spread left in the tub:(

solution: see if i can make some

half a cup of butter, one cup of brown sugar and two (rounded) teaspoons later...we're happy campers:)

i found varying recipes for this spread online, and if i have to try them all to find the best one, i accept the mission. we had a rule in the chupp house i'm happy to carry over...always add more cinnamon than the recipe calls for.

Peach Bread

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup sugar

3-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup plain yogurt

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 TBs applesauce

2 cups chopped peaches

-preheat oven to 350 degrees (F)

-grease loaf pan

-stir together dry ingredients in one bowl and wet in another

-stir both mixtures together until just combined; batter will be very thick

-pour batter into prepared pan

-bake for about 65 minutes

red, white and blueberry cupcakes

2010-07-05T10:29:00.000-07:00

the deliciousness of celebrating the fourth at Miss Mamie's

Mamie amused me and let me make a flag out of cupcakes:)

there have been many people who do not believe we are two separate people, so here is a little picture proof that a real Mamie does indeed exist...and as talented as I try to pretend I am with fondant, I am not her:)

an extra baker we got to hire for the big July 4th celebration on the square.

i find him handsome already, but when he's holding a tray full of cupcakes...well, hello:)

happy birthday usa!

print premiere

2010-06-26T12:01:00.000-07:00

getting mail as a married couple is fun--we're both still getting used to the way our names look together...but we like it:)

so when we got some more mail from The Contemporary (they already sent us complimentary memberships for the year!), we were excited (we usually just get junk mail or free delivery coupons from the restaurant right below us).

then when we flipped to the last page (Event Rental info), we got really excited! does that lovely couple look familiar to you? yep, that's us! it's the picture matt altmix took when we first laid eyes on each other the day of our wedding--how neat!

sock monkeys

2010-06-23T20:05:00.000-07:00

Last night, our little friend Daniel came to visit and got his own new little friend (couldn't help myself, the kid needed a sock monkey:)

He came just for a quick overnight stay before boarding his first plane before sunrise to go see more friends and family in North Dakota. His mom, Michelle, got to come and hang out too.

He's a funny little mister now, making faces and surprising himself by the different sounds coming out of his mouth. He told me all about his car trip from Alabama. I thought he might be nervous around his life-size friend, but he was quite content upon their meeting...just as he was at 4:30 this morning (thank goodness)!

A little bath time before bed

Great to see you guys! And we have your car hostage, so you'll have to visit a little again upon the return flight:)

the products, or produce, of work in the summer sun

2010-06-15T06:07:00.000-07:00

"Pull a row" and "drop some corn" are just two of the new phrases Bryan has learned this year. (And trust that with all the deer we have around, we say "drop more corn" all the time.) While living not too far from my parents, we've enjoyed a couple Sunday afternoons with them in Marietta workin' the ground, awaiting great harvest.

master weeder

bell pepper surprise--first "fruit" of the year!

the greenest thumb we know stopped by just to brag about the fact that he's been eating his own tomato sandwiches for two days now--we love you pawpaw, but we wish our plants grew like yours always do!

romantic fruit and vegetable find. yes, it's only natural:)

one of the joys of summer and gardening: pulling some food off the vine and having a fresh, delicious snack!

come on and take a free ride

2010-06-09T20:27:00.000-07:00

we saw other people biking; we share their wind

we passed two people, legs crossed, meditating; we share their air

we passed sectioned gardens flowering and growing; we share their passion

we cycled around unique art; we understand the artist's struggle

we passed two people throwing their dog a Frisbee, someone walking a great dane, a gentleman walking while reading, a woman pushing her baby, a couple watching the sun set on a picnic table, an iron art structure, a family playing golf, squash blossoms and a myriad of other things.

these things going on around us were as free as the wind hitting our faces.

we spent our early evening in Freedom Park.

(please excuse our post ride/workout looks--perhaps the picture should have been taken earlier...but we were enjoying our evening:)

last day, first day

2010-06-07T08:03:00.000-07:00

Carly graduated from Tech (with high honor!) and starts her new job at Lockheed today! You want something to be more efficient? She'll tell you how to fix it whether you knew you had a problem or not. She's great at what she does, and I look up to her for it (and not just because she's taller than me).

Congratulations, Carl!

adoring fans

oh-so-proud!

did you think she would graduate in anything but her flip flops?

following in his footsteps

off to take on the world

wishing you all the best on your first day!

two spicy thumbs up!

2010-06-03T22:13:00.000-07:00

Tonight, Bryan and I met up with Carly and a gaggle of friends at Piedmont Park for a little Screen on the Green action. And I think most of the evening's fun occurred before the sun went down (especially seeing as "technical difficulties" meant we didn't get to see the end of the movie and the crowds got a little rambunctious).

After tossing a disc around, one of the highlights included being tossed a free new Spicy chicken sandwich and cow from the Chick-fil-A-ers in the park. Perhaps we are Spicy VIPs like Lauren! And I've had my fair share of all things spicy and I have to say...well done!

So to wrap up tonight's ratings:
1. fun with family
2. spicy goodness
3. movie madness

And don't forget to come see me tomorrow at Miss Mamie's. Tomorrow night (from 6-9) is one of the First Friday Art Walks on the square in Marietta--just another fun and free event brought to you by the first year of marriage:)

back in the park

2010-05-30T19:09:00.000-07:00

us and the nation's largest free jazz festival!

For the past couple of years, the Atlanta Jazz Festival had to be held on concrete due to the drought. But we were oh-so-happy this weekend to be able to take a 10-minute bike ride to Piedmont Park to spread out our handmade picnic blanket (thanks, Charlotte!) and enjoy the likes of Marcus Miller on a beautiful evening in the city.

This is just the sort of thing we've been looking forward to as we made our move into the city:) On another note, I've also been experiencing just how much more hilly the city is than the Silver Comet, but it's a pleasure to be able to pedal!

everything's better with buttercream

2010-05-24T13:44:00.000-07:00

With these scrumptious photos, I present you with the announcement of my new (three days a week) job: Miss Mamie's Cupcakes, Cakes & Such located in the Marietta Square where I play assistant to Mamie herself, cake and pastry extraordinaire!

In the most un-random, unearthly orchestrated email during what we know as the era of job crises, and while Bryan and I were in Florida for his grandmother's funeral, Mamie contacted me about coming in to interview to work for her. We had met with her a couple of times because she is the creator of our little two-tier wedding cake:

In the email she commented about our unique style and the fact that we designed our own cake. And from this, new work spawned.

So now, even though I've moved downtown, you'll find me back in Marietta Wednesday-Friday at Miss Mamie's doing everything from mixing batter to fondant flowers (below) to finishing lovely cheesecake cupcakes with cherries on top. And don't worry, we all get our fair share at the dishes since there isn't a dishwasher:)

toasted coconut nests on chocolate buttercream for baby bird cupcakes--gone are the days of naked plastic baby toppers!

my first day on the job, my first fondant assignment--i felt like i would need to become an engineer just to make these cupcake toppers!

Working at Miss Mamie's has been GREAT so far! And while I'm still doing a little writing and working up photography, getting this opportunity became the icing on the cake! The only problem may be that Mamie, from Michigan, does not understand the South's love for red velvet...but I won't mind being the taste tester any of these particular batches in question:)

strong to the finich

2010-05-22T14:19:00.000-07:00

cause we eats our spinach!

As promised, the delicious summer Strawberry Spinach Salad recipe:

Salad:

fresh spinach
sliced strawberries
slivered almonds
crumbled feta cheese

throw into a big bowl or onto plates at will

Dressing:

2 Tbs. sesame seeds
1 Tb. poppy seeds
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup evoo
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tb. minced onion (plus more for salad if you so desire)

whisk together and apply to salad at time of serving

Bryan and I enjoyed this summer treat as a delicious full plate dinner with some of our fresh-picked berries. The base recipe was discovered on allrecipes.com, but we made "a few slight modifications," as my brother would say. It seemed to us that no salad could really be enjoyed for its fresh goodness if the dressing called for nearly a cup of sugar (among other things)!

Bon Appetit!

a room with a great view

2010-05-20T05:01:00.000-07:00

Wanted to share just a small view of what our new digs are looking like. You have now been officially welcomed into our home and visited us on movie night (which is just about every night). We're sitting in our little loft with big windows. The little Mac there is our film/TV screen and the popcorn makes it a special night. I don't believe anything super special was happening. We watched Coco avant Chanel (because anything starring Audrey is deemed great before viewing) and Men Who Stare at Goats (because with a tagline like "no goats, no glory," it was sure to provide a little light humor after the previous drama). And just being together made the night special.

p.s. I just finished up a week working a new part-time job! But pictures will be needed to announce this one...see you next time!

A Fruitful Beginning

2010-05-17T16:09:00.000-07:00

One month down, many more to go!

Feel free to note Sintos rockin' the striped shirt, plaid pants and argyle socks:) And the fact that sometimes he calls me Sintos now too!

Our first month as the Sintoses has been filled with excitement, both expected and not--and we can't believe four weeks have already passed by! We live in a loft in Atlanta, play ultimate together, cook up fun meals, watch Netflix films and unpack boxes. And we are loving taking every step of this new life together! So we've designated this little space on the World Wide Web to record small slices of the Sintos life.

We don't claim this site to be a fascinating compendium of intriguing and beguiling tales and tidbits, but we hope you'll come visit often in any case (and comment!).

Our first post takes us to our new love for driving to see Bryan's family in Clearwater, Florida. Once the most grueling, monotonous drives down I-75, we now have a new landmark to love to keep us trudging along the way. A sunny spot to the reading capital of the world (good ol' Tifton, Ga): Rutland Farms, home of the best strawberries I've every laid eyes upon sunk my teeth into!

These big red berries remind me of a book I used to read growing up: The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear (a classic need anyone need some light reading...or have a three-year-old to use an excuse). They are also giving us a reason to make as many strawberry-filled dishes as possible (next possible post, the strawberry spinach salad?).

While the circumstances of our trip to Florida were undeniably unpleasant after just two weeks of marriage, we were so very blessed our jobs and schedules allowed us the chance to be with Bryan's mom after the passing of her mother. As the first big event to happen after joining our lives together, there was no question as to whether or not we would do everything we could to support our family.

After the unplanned trip to the South of Florida, we were more than excited to experience the unexpected find of 2,100 acres of homegrown goodness with a beautiful vision to match: Preserve and enhance the value of the land for current and future generations by providing exceptional products and services to our customers that emphasize "family, food, and recreation."

Cheers to our new beginning--may it be even more fruitful!