Rockville Centre Fireworks

Like most holidays in Rockville Centre, the 4th is celebrated 1 week AFTER the event. Perhaps they think nobody will come? We live about 1 mile from Mill River, the site of the fireworks show, which is plenty close for us! M&L had a wonderful time with their family before heading to bed long before the festivities. The rest of us enjoyed the show over the rooftops, some from inside (loud-bang free), some from the front lawn (loud-bang-bring-it-on!).

Same time, same place, see y’all next year!

Something New . . .

Chopped Veggie Salad with Watermelon and Feta Cheese

OK, this is the picture from epicurious, I admit it. Mine didn’t look like this at all, the creaminess of the yogurt puree made mine a lot, well, creamier. This dish was really something different for me, and I loved it. I am in a serious cooking rut, some of you might be able to guess why, but this was a great step out for me. This is great for a party or to be eaten all in one day, I think, because you don’t want it hanging around too long. It got really watery and soggy, not as nice.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Campari or plum tomatoes, diced, drained
• 1 1/2 cups diced seeded watermelon
• 1 large green bell pepper, seeded, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
• 1/2 large English hothouse cucumber, seeded, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup very thinly sliced radishes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 10 ounces feta cheese, broken into small cubes (about 2 1/2 cups), divided
• 2 green onions, chopped, divided
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh mint leaves, divided
• 1/2 cup plain Greek-style yogurt*
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• *A thick yogurt; sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores (such as Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Markets) and Greek markets. If unavailable, place regular yogurt in cheesecloth-lined strainer set over large bowl. Cover and chill overnight to drain.
  
• (I used Fage yogurt and it was delicious)

Preparation

Toss first 5 ingredients and 2 tablespoons oil in large bowl. Add half each of cheese, green onions, and mint. Mix remaining cheese, green onions, mint, and oil in processor; add yogurt and oregano. Process just to blend (do not over-mix or dressing will get thin). Season dressing with salt and pepper; mix into salad.

Ingredient tip: Campari tomatoes are about the size and shape of golf balls. They’re sold on the vine, and they’re available at many supermarkets. These tasted like in-season tomatoes when it is clearly not so. Love them!

Anyone else doing something new out there? I need inspiration, (and less-than-10 -ingredient recipes). Why?

Remember?

How did we get HERE so fast . . .

Four months old and rising.  I’m doing all the things that tug at heartstrings, packing away clothes, filling bottles to their maximum, grieving late night feedings . . . oops, not that one.

Ashley, at JacksonandWyatt, is a few months ahead of us in the twin-boy game, and we love her posts.  One of my favorites was her nickname post.  Nonsense talk all day long breeds nonsensical nicknames.  Here is a list, fellas, I promise to retire a few of these before age 3 . . . ish

Matt: Lil, Smalls, Little Bigums, Doodle, Machu Picchu, Hazmat, Mattagascar, Matthew Sweet, Fishy,

Leo: Biggie, Biggie Smalls, Rounds, Bigums, Buggy, Snufflebunny, Buddah, Welo, Mo Cheeks, Big Head Todd, Leo Lyons

Christened last weekend, so so lovely to be with amazing godparents and lovely, lovely family one and all.

Drew Gooden and Doc Brown

What do these two have in common? Each has a Keegan twin with similar hair patterns.

Drew Gooden, power forward for the San Antonio Spurs, with the reverse “soul patch.”

Leo, power forward for the Keegan family, and his reverse ” soul patch.”

Doc Brown, brilliant (if mad) scientist from “Back to the Future” and his creative styling.

Matt, who although you can’t see it well here, gets the whisps flying in just that certain way.

Soon this too will fly away with the rest of that long black hair I worked so hard on in utero, but for now we enjoy these strange patterns of male baldness, and I promise, boys, not to take the lint roller I use to clean your play areas to your heads, although it has been tempting.

Riverdance

What a great visit with our buddy Riv and his parents. They are the nicest, loveliest company, and we always leave them feeling a little more worldly, in-the-know, and, now, in love with little boys. This one is a born dancer, and what’s not to dance about, life is good!

And how about this pig pile?

What is so wrong about being boy-crazy anyway?

Softshell Crab Season

They’re here! It’s time to suspend all sensitivity to small lovely creatures and eat the WHOLE THING. Every succulent bite.

If your fishmonger doesn’t get them, he isn’t worth a lick. Pay anything. Dip it in egg wash, flour, and fry in butter – salty, salty butter. Oh yum yum yum!

And for more yums:

I hope they never show up smothered in salty, salty butter or I will surely eat them!!!

Road Tripping!

And what a journey it was! Babies are great company on the road. They occupied us just enough to make us feel useful, and were peacefully sleeping the rest of the time. We must treasure the days before “The License Plate Game” and other diversions are necessary.

1 stop on the way down . . . isn’t it lovely?

I guess “No Services” means “Not even a freaking picnic table for you!!”

What you can’t see here – the flies, ew. Bad parents, bad bad bad.

Made up for this on the way home when we stopped in Monticello and found the greenest lawn we could find. Just so happens it was in front of the county courthouse/ jail. Bad parents, bad bad bad.

As usual, the fellas are no worse for wear, the best babies we have ever had!!

Both the guys got to have a bottle with their GiGi – Great Grandmother! Such special days!

We think Gaga was a little shocked at how big they have gotten since he saw them last! Thanks for all the bottles and good lovin’ Gaga, Netnet and Juice! We think their lovin’ arms are the ones that encouraged them they can start sleeping through the night. Score? 2 to 2, and never on the same night, but who is counting? We are soo proud – and getting more rested every day.

Aunt Julie, the biggest sucker for babies around!

Matt matt matty matt, matty matty matt matt (and cousins – yum yum!).

Cousin Maggie could be the third twin (triplet?!), at ~12lbs. she is probably right between Matt & Leo. Notice she is the only one cooperative enough to look at the camera. Love you Mags!

And the first golf balls of the year were hit WAAAYYYY into the lake. Must be summer – so where is the sun?!

12 Weeks and Sooooo Big!

My next post will hopefully be a video of me feeding the twins “by myself.” It’s what everyone wants to know and see – and folks, it’s not pretty. The trick is, if there is someone in the room to videotape, there is someone in the room to help feed the twins, so I sure as heck am not going to waste their lovin’ arms on videotaping! We’ll see, maybe I’ll get my act together to do it, it’s pretty funny. 2 weeks ago (before the arrival of their grandmother and auntie) I found myself laying one guy across my lap and sitting the other on his back for burping. I’m definitely not going to reveal who got which position.

The guys smile lots these days but you have no idea how hard it is to catch simultaneous smiles on camera!

Matt up close and personal!

Do you think they look identical? :

Big boys at 12 weeks old!

Matt’s eyes are so bright and beautiful!

And Leo’s eyelashes make us melt!

Party on Wayne . . . Party on Garth!

Anna Sawin Photography/Melissa Woodard’s Photo Digest

Anyone who has met these women in any capacity knows immediately they are in the presence of greatness, and true goodness.

Melissa is such a natural with children of all ages!

Anna knows little boys from YEARS of experience! She & I are also the big sisters to much younger sisters, baby-training started very early for us!

Yeah, right . . .

It has taken me too long to get this together, forgive me. Anna & Melissa visited us for a weekend, cooked, did laundry, kept us great company, and did an amazing job documenting how smitten we are with our our twins, Matt & Leo.

Anna is a professional freelance photographer extraordinaire, blogger, mom of 2 gorgeous boys, wife of one of the sweetest men I know, an amazing friend, aunt, sister, oh god I could go on and on! Melissa is a high-powered prosecutor in Salem, MA, travel buff, lover of babies, an amazing friend, photography buff, and effusive gift-giver. We Keegans love them so.

A sample of their work:

The twins are so much bigger now, and we are relieved to have such beautiful photos of such early and special days, for surely we were too tired to have any working memory. Still too tired. . . note to self – take more pictures.

Visit Anna’s Website here.

Melissa’s Photo digest is for friends who subscribe, and I feel lucky to be a subscriber!

Happy Easter

And thanks for the candy, Bunny. Clearly Mom and Dad need it, especially at 3 am.

Ready for the party and looking so handsome. Matt on the left, Leo on the right.

In the Russo Portrait Studio:

In case you are wondering if twins run in the family . . .

Leo is smitten with Aunt Katie.

26 (& 1/2) grandchildren.  Life is good!