43 years and counting....

STONE FAMILY REUNION: 43 YEARS AND COUNTING....

It started with a hope, a simple but profound hope to connect. Rarely in our world today do we strive to stay connected. Our relational tethers break and strain over the years. High school friends come and go, college friends fizzle, we meet and greet, build and depart, connect and disconnect on repeat over the course of our lives. These ten siblings decided to be the exception.

In the hopes of staying connected to each other they chose to do something truly remarkable. They chose to be with one anther...no matter what life might bring their way. Not only did they choose this for themselves but they created a legacy which continues to last four generations and 43 years later. This unique legacy is what my family calls the Stone Family Reunion. 

Held for the last ten years at Lake D'arbonne in north Louisiana, nearly one hundred family members gather for one week to celebrate life. We cook, play, laugh, and smile our way through seven days of absolute fun! It would take many blog posts to fully incorporate all that we do and how amazing this week truly is, but here are some of the highlights!

The Stone Family Reunion only comes around once a year. I've grown up going and I will always chose to go...no matter what. People think we are crazy for wanting to spend a week with our family....then again they've never experienced this one! I am lucky to be a part of such an amazing group of people who genuinely care about one anther. 

What people rarely understand is that the Stone Circle doesn't last just one week...it lasts all year long. No matter what life may bring outside of our time at Lake D'arbonne we are in it together. We pray, support, and encourage each other all year long. We visit when we can and we are always willing to lend a helping hand if needed. 

The bond that binds us, the blood that makes us, the beauty held within the reunion is the authentic love we give to one another. It this legacy that the original ten shared all those years ago. It is this tradition we carry with us. It this legacy we pass on to the next generation. 

-Authentically Me

A Taste Of Summer

One of my favorite aspects of summer is having the time to cook. When it comes to cooking, I have big shoes to fill on both sides of my family. My grandmother Barbara is a quintessential home-cooked master. Her strawberry cookies are still being talked about by my close friends. Her mother, my Nana, was by far the best southern cooking woman I've ever known. Her field peas, cornbread, and biscuits were the best around. Even the animals like deer, rabbits, squirrels, birds, cats and dogs would gather at her back door in hopes a few extra servings.

My grandmother Wilma was the baker. Her sweet treats were mighty fine! From pound cakes to divinity, she could definitely hold her own in the kitchen. Knowing her it probably looked just as wonderful as it tasted. My mother more than anything knows how to bring comfort with her dishes. Chicken di van, white chicken chili, broccoli casserole, and banana pudding. Nothing says welcome home more like a family dinner. 

I once was asked, "what type of food best describes your cultural identity?" Although most people around here might say...well, southern of course! I on the other hand must be authentic to my own taste palette. I love southern cuisine, but nothing says authentically me more than Mediterranean cuisine. I love basil, feta, tomatoes, mozzarella, olives, hummus....(I can go on on!). One of my favorite dishes is this Arugula Salad With Penne. My compliments to Kristine's Kitchen for this delicious recipe that is a crowd favorite. 

No wonder I am counting down the days until Adventure Is Out There. 27 days to be in fact until my Mediterranean adventure. I cannot wait to taste and sample all that Spain, Monaco, Italy, Greece, and Turkey has to offer. 

A large part of cooking is daring to challenge yourself. I am not a baker. I'm too impatient and not really a chemist when it comes to the kitchen. I like to be more creative and artistic, putting in whatever and how much of whatever into my dishes. There are few boundaries really for me when it comes to cooking in the kitchen. Baking however is a different story. Precision and timing, patience and overseeing is a must in the entire process. With the help of my wonderful mother I was able to make my first triple layered cake. The lucky first recipe?

Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake. Thanks to Sally's Baking Addiction for this recipe.It truly looks and tastes like the first bit...or should I say bite of summer. I chose to modify it by doing a blueberry cream cheese icing instead of a simple traditional cream cheese icing. 

Whatever palette your taste buds enjoy, challenge yourself to create something new this summer season!

-Authentically Me