Kate's Kitchen project

Fabulous Kitchen product ORRRRR.....pictures of all my muscular totally handy-man friends (haha).

Here is how the kitchen looked when I bought the house (I know):




So I decided that it needed some improving, after a year of deciding.....Kelly, Little and I spend a Saturday at Ikea (yes, Ikea, leave me alone) and put together a FABULOUS new design!! (The hardwood floors went in a year ago, just for reference)

First step: I invited my most handy and manly (and super awesome) guy friends over for Demolition Derby 2010. It is amazing the amount of manual labor you can get out of 20-30 something guys with the promise of beer, pizza and Crowne Royal as thank you gifts...they will swing a sledgehammer at anything it turns out.
I snapped a few pics and ended up with an alarming number of butt shots...(I have NO IDEA how that happened, insert innocent angelic smile here) Enjoy.....










The next step was mending the holes in the wall from the old cabinets and tile. Shane is a genius with drywall. Then we had to assemble the cabinets.





Gavin helped.... :):)


Shane and Pinot became fast friends



SO CUTE ;)

Dan Proulx is 100% my hero...in the course of 2 days he singlehandedly hung and leveled every cabinet. To be fair, I was the one doing it SINGLE-handedly, DAN had the luxury of TWO hands! I was effectively no help in the lifting, sawing or drilling department with a cast on my arm, but I maintained positive control of all the hardware and handed it all to Dan on request....except for the illusive tape measure that we kept losing.




I can't beleive Dan and I got everything hung in 2 days....the countertops and toe kicks went in shortly after, we got the room painted (OKAY, I hired painters....).


(That's our friend Nick)
My other hero, Cousin Greg, came over Sunday to hook up the sink and dishwasher (THANK GOODNESS!) and now the very last steps are purely cosmetic... the glass tile backsplash and doorknobs...huge thanks in advance to my last hero Shane Todd for his master craftsmanship!


Final product unveiling very soon!!

Newport, Fish Camp, Boston : A Memorial Day extended gathering in honor of the new Dr. Eileen Kranz Graham and in remembrance of our beloved Poppie.

Memorial Day 2010 planning began on two parallel courses. Katie and Eileen were trying to plan a relaxing pre-doctoral defense weekend at Fish Camp (Eileen whispering as Matt calls it). Simultaneously, Mom and Dad were trying to plan a
35th anniversary getaway, plus a visit with Mimi and a trip to Boston to support Eileen for her dissertation defense.

The trips collided....and a third crew (Kelly, Mary, Joe and Sam) travelled down from Maine. Two glorious days chill-axing on Goat Island, mass with Mimi at Saint Mary's in Newport. Quote of the day from Joe Coyne (in reference to the bathrooms in the church): "Hey, Cousin Kate, do you think I just peed where JFK once peed?"


Uncle Joe, of course, was on station as the Party King of the Fish Camp holding court with his usual suspects (Tom and Tracey Becker, Pete and Maureen Galster). Fantasic day hanging by the sound, eating, fishing (noseeum bugs notwithstanding)and drinking the unbelievable 1990 Henriot Champagne compliments of Tom Becker's amazing taste (and generosity!)






We visited with Poppie on Memorial Day at the Rhode Island Veterans cemetary. As always, he sent us a perfect day to remember him by. Joe and Mary were amazed at the number of flags lined up among the sites, so Uncle Joe (wise and wonderful) explained that they were dropped by precision guided aircraft.








An impromptu rendition of the Star Spangled Banner by Ann and Kelly.



It was an absolutely wonderful weekend. We laughed, we cried, we ate, we drank....we are blessed to have each other and such amazing memories.
Until next time from Fish Camp....

Glee

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oh my god oh my god you guys!

February 13th, 2010 commenced the Heartland Conference of the Youngest Sisters Kranz. It began with Lisa inviting Maddie and Ethan Burton to Sigma Kappa Siblings day, and then calling Meghan to see if she wanted to join in the fun. Thus, a Blog-worthy day was born.

Oh yeah, I turned twenty about a week ago....yay me!

So the day began with a rush of 60 girls trying to make their rooms hour-tour-appropriate, setting up cake walks and duck ponds, and last minute decorations. Needless to say, Sigma Kappa was buzzing with excitement for all of our siblings to arrive.
When Meghan showed up, I found her in the Founders Room with Maddie and Ethan, playing with balloons. I knew right then that it would be a fun fun day....



And so we began what was to be a rainy, but great siblings day!!
Meghan Donated this adorable Bee cake to the Cake Walk, and revisited the "Little Blue Box" eight girl room (Meghan takes credit for naming this room during August Move-in day)


Then Lunchtime happened, and we ate a balanced lunch of hot dogs, hangabars, and mustard. Meghan learned that Lisa can only eat a lollipop if she has a cup of water to dip it in, and Lisa learned that Meghan only likes mustard. Crazy.


So then the lovely grownups left, and it was just The Kranz-Burton family. We had a very education and fun experience playing TUMBLING TOWER II (Not Jenga....we're far too cheap for that.)
Since we were at K-State after all, and KSU is known for its high quality architecture and engineering programs, we put our skills to the test in this feat of architecture.

We ALL tried our very best.....

Then sadly, it fell down. Meghan was really upset, but good thing no one here wants to be an architect. Or an Engineer.

Some rather hilarious conversations followed this, with Meghan getting called Lisa, getting repeated comments from girls saying we were "Twinkies...."



They were good times, but unfortunately Meghan had to leave us, some bible study, Valentines day Baloney. Parting was CLEARLY such sweet sorrow....







But Seriously, she misses me. and NOW Miss Maddie Burton wants to come to K-State some day and be a Sigma Kappa....Lisa has already begun training her.





THE END!

Chez Kranz Nacht (ok weekend) de Gourmet

January 29th commenced the 1st Semi-Annual Conference of the Eldest Sisters Kranz. Spanning the course of 2 days and 2 nights, the first and second born Kranz sisters partook in a rigorous fast as a way of reflecting and living in solidarity with those more fortunate than them.
Eileen and Kate subsisted solely on 4 basic survival necessities:

1) Cheese
2) Truffle Honey
3) Wine
4) Jonas

Some might ask, how are these survival essentials? Well, friends, we will tell you.

First, cheese has a copious amount of protein. It's nutrition AND delicious
Second, cheese simply tastes better with truffle honey on it, and at 30 dollars per 8oz jar it MUST be good....especially when you're eating super rich delectable Roquefort.
Third, Jesus' first miracle was changing water into wine. Sea Smoke is a religious experience. Questions?
Fourth, We have no way of justifying Jonas, except to say that Katie is about to turn 30 and let’s face it folks….cougars have needs too…..

Eileen flew in on Friday early evening and the two sisters bee-lined directly to Whole Paycheck (i mean Foods). Attempts to be speedy were thwarted by the cheese display (extensive), the meat counter (not suggested for those sympathetic to PETA), and the uppity employee who declared haughtily that their establishment did not carry corn syrup. Apparently even the question is considered morally reprehensible, and he looked like he was about to call security. Upon arriving back on Yachtsman Way (at 8pm), the girls proceeded to pull together a feast in the spirit of Europeans (they didn't dine until almost 10pm).

Menu items included:

1) French onion soup with San Francisco Sourdough croutons
2) Portobello and Gorgonzola Risotto
3) Asparagus with Balsamic glaze (more on this item later)
4) Fleur de Sel Caramels
5) SeaSmoke 2006 Botella Pinot Noir and a 2007 Multepulciano d’Abruzzo

This evening's culinary delights included not one, but TWO, attempts at creations that require a candy thermometer.

Balsamic Glaze: Exhibit A)


Please note, Fleur de Sel Caramels are NOT so delicious when they are undercooked and/or too de Sel-ly. That being said, there was no dessert on Friday, but check out the final spread from dinner:



Moving on to Saturday:
The morning started with a tiny hangover, a slight fog really (Eileen ranked herself at an A-minus), but it was nothing that scrambled egg grilled cheese sandwiches couldn't fix! Mel stumbled in halfway through, way worse off, but the eggs and juice had her in top shape in no time! After a few episodes of Jonas (no, we weren't kidding about it!), the beauty regimine began to prepare for Wine Taste-ology 101. Of course, Snowpocolypse 2010 had struck Annapolis, so the going was slow getting out of the house: shovelling, scraping, fish-tailing etc. There may have been a brief consideration of cancelling plans, but let's be honest, there are worse places to get stuck than a wine store and Whole Foods. Boo-hoo.

Speaking of plans cancellation, there were also plans to attend Catholic Underground in Arlington to see the Understudies play, but THEY canceled. With new found free time, it was decided that another trip to Whole Foods was in order!
A trip to Williams Sonoma was also a necessity to buy candy thermometers.

Saturday night's menu:

1) Cheese tray (SHOCKING)
2) Homemade potato gnocchi with garlicky homemade pesto sauce
3) Bacon Wrapped Scallops
4) Arugula Salad with Kate's Krazy red wine Vinaigrette
5) Fleur de Sel Caramels (takes 2 and 3)
6) Wine....Cotes du Rhone (x2) and Wrongo Dongo (try it, it's a gem for under 10 bucks!)

There were zero gross things about Saturday's dinner. A complete success, but unfortunately no pictures :(

Shane (a frequent guest star in our blogs) came over with the dog... (see previous post of Eileen squatting Hershey), along with friends Gavin, Leigh, Alan and Casey. A rousing game of Clue commenced....who knew Shane was a Clue savant while drinking wine and Knob Creek!?!

Sunday morning began with a viewing of Julie and Julia, and proceeded to brunch at the Charthouse with Mel and Pokey! After a delicious round of lobster/brie omelets and mimosa's, it was sadly time to take Eileen to the airport.







All in all, it was a legendary weekend, one for the books. Best weekend ever! Until next time!