Birthday-Buffet -Bambinos & Cobbler

First, a couple of pictures of Erika opening her birthday gifts.

That is a little wool birthday piece I made a few weeks ago.  Looks cute with the mini cupcakes on it.
Gennifer and the girls came over today and Hannah wanted to stay over for a while to play with Noah.  They had fun. Noah was engrossed in Toy Story 2 here.

I asked Hannah to smile, and this is what I got.

Mr. G was much worse today.  Hannah wanted to say goodbye to Geeps before she left, and he mustered up a big smile.  He goes to the Dr. in the morning.  I sure hope they can do something for him!

I have been looking for just the right buffet or some sort of counter height piece of furniture for the dining area of my kitchen.   A couple years ago, I got a wild hair and tore out the little desk along the wall, and put a 6 ft buffet table there, covering it with a pad and pretty table cloth.  I put it up on cinder blocks to come to counter height.  And I used the space underneath to store all of my kitchen stuff that didn't fit in the cupboards.  I NEEDED a nice piece that could serve as both storage and to use as an actual buffet when having company, and also to just look pretty in the kitchen.  I am a big Craig's List fan.  I have been scouring CL for some time looking for the right thing.  Yesterday. I. Found. It!!!!   Noah and I drove out to see it in the morning, and then my friend Jae went out with me last night to pick it up.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!!

It is the perfect thing for this space.  It is a heavy, well built piece.  Three drawers across the top, and cabinets with shelves underneath.  I love the big bun feet!

I will be moving the canisters, don't know where I will cram them in.  I have very little counter space in my kitchen.  Another thing I love about this buffet is the design on it.  I don't know what you call this look.  But it reminds me of a Tommy Bahama piece.

The drawer fronts and front legs have bands of this cut wood design.   I just love it.  There were a few nicks in it.  I was going to use some stain to hide them, but I bought these wood markers to try.  They come in three various shades of brown.  Starting with the lightest one, you color and shade until you get the right look, then buff it out with a cloth.  I was so happy with the results, I don't think it needs anything else.

When I dropped Hannah off at her house this afternoon, Gennifer was making a lovely fruit cobbler from the cookbook both Jake and I got her for her birthday.  I don't know why on earth I didn't buy one for myself at the same time I got hers....what was I thinking?   I left her house, and went home and called her for the recipe since I knew I had a ton of fresh fruit to use, and I had all of the ingredients to make one too.  Poor Genny. First her much loved camera broke, and she couldn't blog without her photos. Then, yesterday her computer crashed!  No blogging for a few days for her.  I know she will want to blog this yummy recipe too, so I will just post the pictures  of mine.  And can I just say....DELICIOUS!!!!  Oh my!!!  Reminded me of the wonderful and simple fruit cobbler my Mama would make in the summers out at the lake.  She made it with fresh Marion berries, and we would eat it warm with ice cream, sitting out on the dock!  Oh I can taste it now, and smell the lake.

This is before it went into the oven.  This is not your typical cobbler, as there is no top or bottom crust. The dough puffs up and forms a crust around the berries, while baking.  For mine I used fresh blackberries and fresh bluebrerries.

It is topped with sugar, and this forms a nice crispy, sweet top crust.  It was so yummy, but the next time I make it, I will use a more shallow baking dish.

So much for Greg and I starting our exercise and healthier eating this week!