Thursday, April 7, 2011

Welcome Home!

My parents are home for the spring and summer - although spring has not quite arrived (yesterday, it was sunny, then snowy, hailing, thundering and lightning, and raining)!

We invited Gregg's parents over for dinner with my parents last night. We started with hors d'oeuvres and wine, then moved on to dinner.
Gregg's dad is making a joke with the wasabi mustard.
I roasted two pork loins, marinated overnight in pesto. I sauteed baby portobello mushrooms and served them with wild rice. Gregg made a fabulous chopped salad. We had ice cream with cinnamon-sugar biscuits and coffee for dessert.
We sent half a roast home with both sets of parents.
As they say, "a good time was had by all." We love having our parents nearby, and we love the fact that they enjoy each other's company; it's a blessing. Welcome home, Snowbirds!

12 comments:

Mary Potts said...

Oh, what a blessing to have both sets of parents alive and well. Everyone looks SO happy! Party on!
Hmmm... your weather sounds like Chicago weather.
Ahhh spring. Ain't it great?!

A.Smith said...

I am so looking forward to meeting them.

Did you get my email about my maybe coming up while they are working on my bathroom? I am not sure yet but since Pauline and Richard are not coming until the end of May it may be possible for me to take the train and...party! I miss you both and hope to see you really soon. Much love as always.

Gberger said...

Mary, spring is unpredictable and refreshing! Hugs to you.

Allegra, I just re-sent an email to you from Monday - it must have gone astray! xoxoxo

Busy Bee Suz said...

YES, a blessing to have all our parents...and they LIKE each other too. ;)
Your dinner sounds perfect; I love pork loins as well...they are so good and easy.
I saw someone yesterday with the name Gerstenberger...I was almost going to ask if she had relatives in your area, but then again, you would have told me that. Right?
Welcome home to the parents!
xo

Gberger said...

Suz, Gerstenberger is a REALLY uncommon name - as if I had to tell you that! - and most of them are somehow related, but we don't know many of them. One person did a huge search & traveled all over the country to discuss family history, and he spoke to my FIL. There is a store in Austria by the name, and when we were in Alsace, we were told it's an Alsatian surname (that part of France which has gone back & forth between French & German control through the centuries). That's about all I know!

ChiTown Girl said...

Oh, how I wish I had crashed your dinner party! The menu sounds delicious. And, I'll second Mary's comment. It IS such a blessing to be able to have both sets of parents alive and well. What a blessing, too, for David to have all 4 grandparents in his life.

Karen said...

Yummy! Recipes? Welcome back to your folks!

Gberger said...

Karen & ChiTown, I'm embarrassed to say how easy this was! The pork was brushed with CIBO pesto (available at Costco) and wrapped in saran wrap overnight, then baked in the oven (wrapped in foil). The mushrooms were sauteed in butter, olive oil and Italian herbs, then mixed into a wild rice blend that I had cooked in the rice cooker with "Better than Bouillion" chicken soup base (rather than plain water). The chopped salad had peppers, fresh peas & green beans, shrimp, grape tomatoes and romaine lettuce in a Caesar dressing with parmesan cheese on top.
Note to ChiTown: there was no slow-cooker involved here! =)

Pam said...

Wow..snow?! Although we've had warm, then chilly weather already here, I am typing today is shorts and a tee shirt! I know we will have more chillier days, but today it's 'summer'. : ) Welcome home snowbirds! I'm glad y'all had such a lovely evening! : )

Elizabeth said...

I love these posts about your parents -- so wonderful that they are all around and that they hang out together with you!

rebecca said...

truly...these are the best of blessings!!

Jason, as himself said...

They're so cute. And the dinner sounds absolutely delectable!