the nelsons

merry merry.

2011-12-22T20:17:00.000-08:00

this has been my best holiday season to date. aren't the holidays about a billion times better with kids? we are busy christmas-ing with our families this week - soaking in loads of love, savoring yummy food, snuggling by the fire and bobbing our heads to lots of christmas music (noah especially).

hope your holidays are merry and bright.

peace and love,
the nelson family

coconut macaroons.

2011-11-28T11:31:00.000-08:00

i experimented with these cookies a couple of weeks ago, and was pleased with the end result. i always have coconut around the house, and thought these would make a tasty treat. and the coconut oil gives them a delicious, buttery flavor. they can be eaten raw, but i think best straight out of the oven, toasty and warm. fast, easy and delicious.

*try dipping the macaroons in chocolate for a more decadent treat...

coconut macaroons
{could-be raw, vegan and gluten-free}

ingredients
2 cups finely shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
1 1/2 cups almond or coconut flour
1/2 cup agave syrup (or can use honey)
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup brown rice syrup (or maple syrup would work as well)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp salt

directions
combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix together until evenly combined.

using a small ice cream scoop, scoop mixture and press in tightly. remove macaroon from scoop, and press together to form a well-formed macaroon with a rounded top.

can be placed in the fridge at this point, and eaten raw....or place in a oven preheated to 375 degrees and cook for 10 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

enjoy. xo.

fourteen months.

2011-11-16T20:14:00.000-08:00

our darling boy, you are fourteen months. it seems like such a mouthful. fourteen! today a friend of ours commented on how big you are getting. she told me that you are not a baby anymore. even though you may not look it, i respectfully disagree. you will always be my baby.

our piles of baby clothes get bigger every day, and it tugs at my heart just a little as now that i shop for you, nothing looks like a baby anymore. gone are the baby blues and baby yellows. even the onesies are few and far between. i call them big boy clothes, and you look like such a big boy in them. and your feet! oh, they are such a big size six. and it's hard to find a pair that fit. but we finally caved and bought you some real shoes. with real soles. for real running and real climbing, and all sorts of big boy activities.

you love to copy and imitate everything we do. and you have become such a helper around the house. you love to hand me the pillows while making the bed in the morning. you help me put away the laundry, and vacuum the floor. and when we cook dinner, you insist on holding your own spoon or spatula, and i love watching you tap, tap, tap and stir away.

though you only have a few words in your vocabulary, you have a way of communicating that makes perfect sense to me. i can always tell exactly what you want. and you are determined. you'll grab me by the hand, and pull me down to the ground, letting me know you want to play. you point with persistence, and get excited to show us everything. the birds in the sky. the cars driving by. blinking lights. you are curious and interested in everything. wanting to know what everything is, and how you can get a hold of it. and i take any chance i can to get you to hold my hand. i'll hold mine out, and you'll wrap your sweet little fingers around mine...melting my heart every single time. but you also love walking on your own, and exploring everything around you. you have something which we call your confident strut. you'll walk fast and with a smirk on your face, swinging your arms around - like you've been doing it for years.

you love to make us laugh. you love tricking me by pretending that you are about to throw me the ball, but then will quickly hid it behind you back. you play peek-a-boo and love falling back into the pile of pillows on our bed. always with a big, "whoooaaaaa, " just to see our reaction. our very new favorite trick is when we tell you to jump. you'll squat on those sweet little chubby legs, and with a grunt, pop up quickly and throw your arms high above your head. for all you know, you've just jumped a million feet in the air. it's the cutest thing in the world.

and you dance. it wasn't a common occurrence at first, just once in a while. but now, every time you hear even the slightest hint of music, you'll get a big, toothy grin on your face, and your head will start bobbing. your arms start swinging. in the home, in the car, it doesn't matter. you love music and you love to move.

you amaze us every day with how much you know. i'll ask you to point to something, or to hand something to daddy, just out of habit, and i'm always so shocked by when you actually do something i say. you are a sponge, and so very, very smart.

your personality is full of sunshine and happiness, and we love how much of that you bring into our lives.

we love you so much for being you.

happy fourteen months baby boy!

xo.

**miss months 12 and 13? catch up on them right here and here.

award winning chili.

2011-11-03T10:46:00.000-07:00

i think the last time i took home a trophy was for recreational soccer when i was 8. and even then, i'm pretty sure they gave one to everyone in the league. we were all mvp's. so you can understand why this is a pretty big deal to me.

this chili is so so good. and so so easy to make. my poor husband had to serve as recipient of this chili as i tweaked and tested multiple times, which resulted in a week and a half of the same dinner every single night, and he didn't complain once.

and the weather is really cooling down here, making it finally feel like fall. it is such a warm, comforting time of year, and the perfect time for soups and chili's. so make this. you'll want to eat the leftovers (if there are any) for every meal. guilty as charged.

creamy white chicken chili.
serves 4
ingredients
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed (i just diced up a rotisserie chicken)
1 medium onion, diced
1 T olive oil
2 cans cannellini beans
14.5 ounces chicken broth
2 4.5 ounce cans chopped green chilies
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup half & half
8 ounces reduced fat sour cream

directions
heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. add the chicken and chopped onion and saute for about six minutes, or until the chicken is seared and the onion is translucent. add the garlic and cook for another three minutes.

add the beans, spices, chicken broth and green chilies and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer for thirty minutes.

turn off the heat and add the sour cream and half & half. serve with shredded cheddar cheese an a little more sour cream to top it off.

and if you live in texas you must go to central market immediately and buy these chips to serve with the chili. amazing. if you don't? sorry.

enjoy! xo.

lately.

2011-10-31T04:10:00.000-07:00

i certainly haven't been blogging. i've actually been on a bit of a technology-hiatus (except for instagram, of course), and it's been kind of lovely. i've had very few days surfing the internet. very few days of pinning, and even fewer of blog-surfing. but its always nice to step away for awhile, and then come back. it's like meeting back up with an old friend and catching up on life.

baby noah and i have fallen into a nice routine over the past weeks and are enjoying the under-80 degree weather that dallas is so graciously giving us. we meet up with a couple of our good friends for walks every morning, always ending in a play date at the park. noah loves the park. it's so fun to watch him explore and play. he's so comfortable with his body, and i continue to watch in amazement as he pulls himself up onto the playground toys, and slide down the slides (always insisting on doing it himself). he has moved into toddlerhood full-speed and it is my favorite stage yet. he's a little sponge, our boy, and mimics everything i do. he is quite the little helper around the house, wanting to put away the laundry, help me cook dinner (with his own spoon/spatula/whisk), help me shop by putting/throwing the groceries into the cart, and his very new favorite...vacuuming.

i've been baking batches and batches of pumpkin bread as well. i always feel like it is a good sign to be baking lots though. it is no secret that it is my favorite time of year to be doing it, but it is also a sign that we have more people to give it away to. more friends, and more special people in our life that i want to bake for. because nothing says true friendship like baked goods. am i right?

we enjoyed a chili-cook-off and trunk-or-treat with many of these said friends this past week. noah, dressed up like a bear (cortney says grizzly, i say teddy), loved passing out the candy to all of the kids. cortney loved taste-testing all the chili. which mine, might i add, happened to take top-prize of the night. it came with a trophy and everything. i promise to post the recipe soon. it will definitely be a fall/winter staple in our household.

we are happy in our home, and happy that the holidays are upon us. they really kind of snuck up on us, don't you think??

happy monday. xo.

pouty face.

2011-10-27T19:05:00.000-07:00

the scrunched up nose, puckered lips...the squinty eyes. all accompanied by a little grunt. this new look is making an appearance a lot these days.

though he may be pouting, i'm still obsessed with it. makes me laugh every time.

he turned one.

2011-10-25T18:54:00.000-07:00

oh...didn't i tell you? of course not, i've got about a million things to catch up on. including month 12 and 13. wow, when did those fly by? i'm lagging in the blogging department these days. but he did turn one. and he was adorable and it was fabulous.

here is a peek of how we celebrated...

xo.

off to new york...

2011-10-10T19:07:00.000-07:00

with these two heartbreakers.

(check out that sweet belly...)

be back next week with some fresh new stuff.

have a great week. xo.

friday links.

2011-10-07T04:07:00.000-07:00

am loving these simple animal prints for a baby room.

these pumpkin pancakes with cinnamon syrup look delicious.

a fabulous kitchen shortcut: how to toast nuts in the microwave.

an organized life...so many good ideas.

how to peel a head of garlic in less than 10 seconds. fantastic.

halloween party ideas that really pop.

these zombie pumpkins would look so cute on the porch.

i can see myself popping these mini pumpkin donut muffins in two at a time. (can you tell i like pumpkin?)

all sweaters are cuter with elbow patches.

a homemade "miracle" cleaner - all my pans are in desperate need of this.

have a great weekend. xo.

lately, i've come to realize...

2011-10-06T04:38:00.000-07:00

noah, discovering the joys of almond butter, straight from the spoon.

it doesn't matter how much baby noah does or doesn't wake up at night. the next day, i will still be tired.

most of the food that i eat is usually just a vehicle for almond/peanut butter.

it seems that i'm passing that trait onto my baby boy.

it's really hard to come up with new ideas for healthy dinners every night. i'm stockpiled with ideas for recipes with loads of butter, cheese and the works. but there is really only so much i can do with fish/chicken and vegetables.

and it doesn't matter how hard i try to eat healthy all week. by friday, i always cave and bake something. usually involving chocolate chips.

there are no boundaries between a mother and child. we literally share everything. food, sleep, my body...you name it.

i've never really known how to style my own hair.

and i'll probably never really know how to iron well.

it doesn't matter how many times i clean the kitchen floor. it still never looks clean.

but i'll still eat something that's fallen on it - even past the ten second rule.

the majority of my time is going to be spent at parks and playgrounds in the next coming years. but i'm perfectly okay with that.

i'm probably never going to like running.

but i love walking. so i try to do lots.

that's all. xo.

a picture story about a boy and a ball.

2011-10-04T04:08:00.000-07:00

"wait...is that what i think it is? i better get a closer look."

"it is. i know it. i've just got to get over this fence."

"getting closer..."

"can i play?"

happy tuesday. xo.

over the weekend, according to my iphone.

2011-10-02T21:05:00.000-07:00

it was a happy 30th to my favorite cowboy....

xo.

13 months.

2011-10-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

dear little one,

at thirteen months, i hope to never forget...

how you climb. you love to show off how you can climb, by yourself, into your stroller. it's the only way you like to ride in it. standing up, holding onto the handles. like you are driving it yourself.

how you had your first temper tantrum in the pharmacy of a cvs. it was over a candy bar. i think it was a snickers. it was such a cliche.

how much you love helping in the kitchen. you love to "cook," with your spatula in one hand, and a pot in the other. i think there are as many kitchen utensils in your toy box as there are toys.

or how you still insist on being nursed to sleep. nothing calms you more, and it's kind of adorable how excited you get for it.

how your eyes light up when your dad comes home from work. you greet him with a smile and a snuggle, and don't want to leave his side all night.

how you blow bubbles in the bath. you love to make us laugh.

how i still can't stand to hear you cry. for even one second.

or how much you love the park. and sliding down the slide all by yourself. and swinging on the swings. it's all your favorite. as long as you are outside, you are happy.

how happy you are first thing in the morning. you are practically giddy to be awake, and are such a great example of how a day should be started.

nothing is as good as waking up to your smile.

happy 13 months baby bear. xo.

12 months.

2011-10-01T18:39:00.000-07:00

picture taken by the talented julie burton

today you are one.

today you are a toddler, as much as we hate to admit it.

you walk, and climb and run and are the busiest of boys.

today you love to meet new people, but are still shy of strangers.

you babble and talk in circles, in a way that seems to make perfect sense.

today you love being outside and in the sunshine.

and you love playing with a ball more than anything else.

today you still don't sleep very well,

but you are an excellent snuggler, so it's ok.

today you point at everything, and get excited to show us new things.

today you are loud. you bang, and throw things, and scream and babble.

today you love to imitate everything we do.

you are also a just a little bit stubborn.

but you have us wrapped around your little finger, so it doesn't matter.

today, we love you even more than we loved you yesterday.

and today you turned one year old.

one year ago, you changed our lives forever. you brought new purpose to our lives. you became our purpose. and you've made our lives so much better. we love you so much. thank you for letting us be your parents.

happy birthday (our forever) baby noah.

xo.

baby noah sleeping.

2011-09-27T04:47:00.000-07:00

it's fun to see the little habits that start to form with baby noah without even trying. for a while now, we've developed a little routine with noah where we will give him a bath together, get him in his pajamas, cortney will read him a book, and then pass him over to me to get him to sleep. just recently, noah recognizes what's coming, and once he's done with his book, he'll give cortney a kiss. open mouth. all slobbery and adorable. and as cort turns off the light and walks out the door, noah will wave goodbye to him, as he excitedly gets ready to nurse to sleep (seriously...he gets excited. almost 13 months in, and still one of his favorite things to do).

and almost 13 months in, there is still nothing better than rocking and cuddling my little boy as he sleeps peacefully. it makes my heart so warm, every single time.

happy tuesday. xo.

friday links.

2011-09-23T04:33:00.000-07:00

happy first day of fall! the best season, in my humble opinion. onto friday links...

a sweet alternative to the caramel apple.

there is nothing i don't love about this outfit.

this country cottage makes me want to pack up our stuff right now and move in.

tis' the season for pumpkin, and this banana-pumpkin bread seems like it would hit the spot.

a creative way to de-clutter your paper piles. i need this.

i want to build this amazing treehouse for my kids, but would most likely end up using it for myself.

another way to go green - 35 pest and disease remedies.

itsy bitsy yoga. i guess you are never too young to start.

5 ingredient almond butter pumpkin brownies. i think i will.

galaxy nails - a how-to.

have a lovely weekend. xo.

a really long story mostly about showering and face masks.

2011-09-22T04:06:00.000-07:00

yesterday, while top chef just desserts was playing in the background (because it is about baking, of course) as i did some chores around the house, i started crying.

you see...the contestants were in a theater watching willy wonka and the chocolate factory, and to their surprise, were sitting next to the original charlie bucket, veruca salt, and all the characters of the movie the whole time. why did this elicit tears, do you ask? i don't know. something about the kind of music they were playing? or maybe the fact that they were all still alive? either way, i didn't get much sleep the night before, and this for me, is a sign of exhaustion. and being an emotional person anyway (if you know my family, you understand), you can see why the sight of the older, grouchier version of these beloved characters from my childhood would send me into an upset. right? right? just humor me.

i tell you this to explain why when cortney offered to take noah with him last night - to a youth church event that he is in charge of, i happily handed him over. in fact, i may have shoved him into his arms a little bit. no mom-guilt involved.

let me set the story straight. i could not be happier to be a stay-at-home mom. i know that i have the cherished opportunity that a lot of moms would give their left arm for, and i am eternally grateful for it. every.single. day. i count my blessings that my day revolves around the care and raising of my sweet baby boy. that being said, for the last, almost 13 months, there have been very few times where he has left my arms, or hip, or my sight. i joyously wake up to his sweet face in mine every morning, attach him to my hip the rest of the day, and then, quite literally, have him latched onto me all night long. and having a baby who nurses aggressively and exclusively, and, by no ones fault but my own, thinks a bottle is only useful for heaving across the room, leaves very little room for time separated. not that i've ever really wanted it anyway. leaving my baby boy behind with anyone else usually (and by usually, i mean always) sounds like the most ridiculous idea ever. so i hope you can see that i'm not complaining. i love it, and i like to believe that we are both very, very happy with our arrangement.

that being said, yesterday was just one of those days. i was physically and emotionally exhausted. my head was all floaty, and i didn't feel present all day. it made me feel like the worst mom ever. this phase noah is in, is a busy one. and a loud one. and a messy one. everything dangerous is climbed on. everything fragile is thrown across the room. everything tiny and important is tucked underneath the couch far from my reach. and for a boy who still has nights where he just doesn't want to sleep, seems to remain fairly unaffected by it, and on my sluggish days, is almost fast enough, and most definitely strong enough, to get away from me.

so i was tired, and cortney's offer seemed like a dream come true. i thought of all the possibilities. he suggested that i go to the gym without a constricted time limit on it. i thought maybe using my unused gift certificate to get a massage would be nice. or maybe a run to the mall and being able to walk around peacefully and uninterrupted could be dreamy. i had about 90 minutes, and i needed to make it worth it.

so what did i do?

i showered.

i took a really long shower. nothing sounded better. because with noah's need for multiple naps slowly diminishing, he usually showers with me too (and they are usually lukewarm to protect scalding his precious head. and usually only 3 minutes long, which is exactly the amount of time it takes him before he finds my razor).

it was glorious. and hot. really, really hot. and long. really, really long.

a few other things i did? i peed all by myself. that sounds weird. and laugh if you must, but i've mastered the ability to strategically hold my son and go to the bathroom at the same time. if you're a mom, you know exactly what i'm talking about. i also lounged around in my robe. i browsed the internet. i put on a face mask. you know...the kind of masks i would have used pre-baby. before the possible sight of it on me would put baby noah into a tailspin, asking, "who's that terrifying person that sort of looks like my mom from the neck down, but instead has a horrifyingly stark white substance covering her face and makes her kind of resemble a clown (which, of course, are always scary)?" or...the more likely scenario...i get too caught up in other things and forget about the face mask which then forms a sort of cement, hardened deep into my pores, and takes the rest of the night to remove. i also painted my toenails. and i watched up all night. a show about two new parents trying to keep it cool. which was pretty funny and in some ways, surprisingly accurate.

anyway...it was the great. but do you know what was even better? having my husband and baby come home. two smiling faces that i got to cuddle with the rest of the night. sometimes you need a little time to yourself to appreciate what is right in front of you. i'm learning this slowly. even with all cortney's many attempts and offers to take charge for a few hours. i'm learning that a little time away makes me a better mom and a better wife. a little time away keeps me sane. and makes me happier. and i don't even feel guilty about it.

oh yeah, and i still forgot about the face mask.

hope your thursday is a beautiful one. xo.

security blanket.

2011-09-21T04:59:00.000-07:00

some kids have a blanket.

others a stuffed animal.

all noah needs is a toy stacking ring.

he's adorable.

xo.

tickling the ivories.

2011-09-20T04:52:00.000-07:00

we've really missed our family since getting back to dallas the last couple of weeks. baby noah loves all of them so much, and it is so fun to see the unique bond he is forming with each of them.

i love this picture of noah and my sister, anna. this may be the most calm/still noah was the entire time we were staying at my parents house. or ever. he loved the piano - both banging on the keys and watching it played. i hope that love continues to grow....somewhere in between his obsession with balls, sports and climbing dangerous objects. i grew up playing the piano. and i admit that i was forced to practice much more than i ever volunteered to do, but now appreciate my mom taking the time to set that timer above the keys and make me play until it went off.

blog friends, what are you thoughts of making your children play a musical instrument? i think it instills discipline, focus and gives them a diverse skill set. i like the idea of my children being well-rounded.

even if it is a little forced on my end.

have a great tuesday. xo.

two weekends ago (according to my iphone)...

2011-09-19T04:49:00.000-07:00

we went to austin.

and went on some hikes.

ate some good food.

(just like his mama...)

and Noah flirted his way into a big balloon situation.

went to the big game.

and it was a blast.

i love spending time with my sweet little family.

happy monday. xo.

thirsty.

2011-09-14T08:41:00.000-07:00

congratulations, dallas.

you've hit record breaking numbers this summer - for most days OVER 100 degrees. as in 70+. hottest summer on record. wow, you're amazing.

but now that you've made the books...can you please take it down a notch? we're ready for some fall weather.

thanks.

sincerely, and sweatily,

the nelson fam. xo.

p.s. - for all my want-to-be commenters, i've now removed the function that makes you sign in before you comment on my posts. super annoying...sorry about that. feel free to comment away :)

still adjusting...

2011-09-13T10:37:00.000-07:00

...from traveling over the last few weeks.

be back soon.

over the weekend, according to my iphone.

2011-08-22T04:25:00.000-07:00

we read lots of books

ate some banana walnut cake (no sugar added)...

found a new spot to play...

had some early mornings...

did some laundry...

tried all weekend to pick up this ball...

drank green smoothies (another baby's favorite)...

roasted lots of veggies...

and climbed mama....

xo.

a recipe for your weekend.

2011-08-19T13:20:00.000-07:00

image via here

it's amazing how many ways i'm finding around my "no sugar for 21 days" challenge. to clarify, i didn't add the chocolate chips. and brown rice syrup doesn't count.

chocolate peanut butter chews.
ingredients
1 cup crisp rice cereal (i use GF's Nature's Path)
1/4 cup smooth all-natural peanut butter (we buy the organic costco brand)
3 tbsp organic brown rice syrup
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp dark chocolate chips

directions
line a plate with parchment paper. in a medium sized bowl, stir the peanut butter, brown rice syrup, chocolate chips and vanilla extract. microwave on high for 30-45 seconds. stir well and immediately mix in the cocoa powder. stir until incorporated. immediately stir in the rice crisp cereal until completely coated.

roll mixture into balls, and place on parchment paper. freeze for 5 minutes. let stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before stuffing all of them in your mouth. makes about 7 balls.

recipe comes from this blog.

have a great weekend. xo.

thought for your thursday: dinner table talk.

2011-08-18T04:47:00.000-07:00

we've gotten into the horrible habit in our home of loading our dinner plates with food, plopping down on the couch, and eating as baby noah passes back and forth between us, mouth wide open. and i should mention that the tv is usually on in the background.

as our boy is getting bigger and i feel like good habits can be formed, i want to start implementing family dinner at the table. place mats, napkins...the works. and no television in the background. the great benefits of having a family dinner together are no surprise. studies show that children who eat dinner regularly with their families are less likely to get involved with drugs and alcohol, get better grades, have less stress and eat better.

it was common practice in our home growing up, and i could always count on dinner being on the table at 6pm, sharp. it is something that i have really grown to appreciate in my mom - knowing that she took the time and effort to get us eating well, talking and spending quality time together.

i'm sure as our family gets larger and older, nights will become busier and family dinners will become few and far between. so why not get the habit started now, and make it stick the nights that we are able to make it happen?

tell me, do you sit down to dinner with your family, significant other, or even just yourself?

happy thursday. xo.

as of late.

2011-08-16T04:58:00.000-07:00

just a few weeks shy of 12 months, our boy is thriving these days. while at church on sunday, a young woman asked me if he "ever stops". and of course, i told her that he doesn't. he hasn't since birth. he's always been alert, active and on-the-go. a mind of his own - our own, personal, little curious george. watching him move and figure things out is so entertaining as he does everything with a sound effect, with his moves never necessarily gentle. he plants the best kisses, high-fives, he steals food off my plate, and gives loves and cuddles freely and openly. he is happy, care-free and independent.

so when my good friend here in dallas asked if i'd like to join a gym with her this last week (to help get our post-pregnancy bodies back in shape), and leave our kids in the gym's child care - it being seemingly clean and safe - something i thought i would always be able to do before i had kids - my stomach dropped. this happens frequently when i consider leaving baby noah anywhere without me, for any amount of time.

by western society standards, i, as a mother, am doing everything wrong. i nurse in public, nurse to sleep, the acronym CIO means "cuddle-it-out" in our household, we co-sleep, and have only left noah without both of us less than a handful of times. and that handful of times is only for a couple hours, or most likely, less. ever since the day he was born, i have felt a strong need to keep baby n. near me at all times. to have him know that i will console him, cuddle him and make him feel safe. anytime i've left him, i get anxious and worried that he is scared or confused, which of course leads to mom-guilt, and then the inevitable proclamation that i refuse to leave him ever again.

i've been told, "it's good for him!" which really just sounds ridiculous to me, because how can a baby being separated from his mother, for any amount of time...be good for him? good for me? maybe i can back that belief, but very hesitantly, which is why i am going back and forth trying to decide if i can be at the gym for an hour without running to the child care center, where i have left my son with strangers, to check and see if he is OK. and happy. which, i have no doubt he will be, because in the presence of other children, he doesn't even know i exist.

as baby noah gets a little older, i am getting less worried that he always needs to have me in sight and by his side. but still, the gym-idea scares me a little.

so, my question to you, my blogging friends, is, have you ever left your child in the gym child care? if so, how did it go? what can i expect? do you trust...the child care professionals watching your children??

xo.

curry roasted cauliflower and double coconut jasmine rice.

2011-08-15T04:18:00.000-07:00

towards the end of my pregnancy, i developed a real taste for spicy foods. like, really spicy foods. i'm not sure if it was my way of trying to induce labor to my almost 2 week late baby boy, or if i really enjoyed the extra heat. either way, it stuck, and i still can't get enough.

we tried these dishes over the weekend and they were delicious. never a huge fan of cauliflower, i could definitely eat it curried, spiced and roasted like this every time. i prefer roasting my vegetables over any other way of preparing them...and paired with coconut rice? i mean, come on...this combination is perfection.

curry roasted cauliflower with sweet peas.
ingredients
i head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 4-5 cups)
2 tablespoons canola or grapeseed oil
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 cups frozen sweet peas, thawed
fresh cilantro leaves

directions
preheat oven to 450 degrees. toss the cauliflower florets in the oil in a large bowl. add spices and toss again to coat each floret well. spread cauliflower onto foil lined baking sheet.

roast for 20 minutes, until cauliflower is beginning to blacken and is easily pierced with a fork. stir the thawed peas in with the hot cauliflower on the baking sheet, and sprinkle with fresh cilantro. serve with double coconut jasmine rice.

double coconut jasmine rice.
ingredients
1 cup jasmine rice
1 cup water
1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
fresh cilantro

directions
combine rice with water, coconut milk and salt in a small pot over high heat. bring the liquid to a boil, stir, and turn the heat down to low. cover and allow the rice to cook for 20 minutes.

at this point, most of the liquid should have been absorbed by the rice - check by stirring with fork. remove pot from heat, stir in shredded coconut and let stand, covered for an additional 10 minutes. fluff with fork and serve with fresh minced cilantro and curried cauliflower.

recipes found here.
the best. happy monday. xo.

friday links.

2011-08-12T04:18:00.000-07:00

such and endearing way to display children's artwork over time. i love this.

i really wish i could pull off red pants, because i love these. would you try them?

this recipe for sweet potato brownies has me intrigued. i love sweet potatoes. i love brownies. i'm willing to try a marriage of the two.

would love to wrap up our little fish in this shark robe from baby aspen.

big hats forever.

i love organization. and i love these mini chalkboard labels.

how to crack a padlock with nothing but a paperclip. this could come in handy.

this autumn brittle is so pretty. and makes me crave autumn.

run the boston marathon from home by simulator? i have no desire to run at all, let alone a virtual marathon on a treadmill for hours.

have a dreamy weekend. xo.

whole wheat banana oatmeal cookies.

2011-08-11T04:45:00.000-07:00

i know, i know...i said i was off sugar for 21 days. and i meant it. these cookies are sugar free. they were moist and delicious and i didn't even miss it.

this is not cheating.....right?

p.s. i'm already cursing/regretting this stupid sugar-challenge.

whole wheat banana oatmeal cookies
(adapted slightly from this recipe)
ingredients
1 egg
1 cup regular oats
1 cup whole grain spelt flour (or other flours will work too)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped pecans (or nut of choice)
1/2 cup teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 banana, mashed, leave chunky
**add chocolate chips or cacao nibs to dry mixture for a little more umph...

directions
preheat the oven to 375 degrees. whisk egg in small bowl and set aside. mix dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl and set aside. mix wet ingredients in a small bowl, and then add the egg. pour wet mixture into dry ingredients. mix in nuts. stir well and shape cookies onto cookie sheet. makes 18 very small cookies or about 8 large cookies. cook for 10-12 minutes.

enjoy! xo.

21 days.

2011-08-10T04:50:00.000-07:00

i've challenged myself to a little challenge.

my darling yoga instructor from gaia flow yoga here in dallas has challenged those in her classes to a 21 day yoga challenge. 21 days of practicing yoga every single day. yep...every. single. day. it could be a 90 minute intensive class. 5 minutes of practicing handstands. or it could be 10 minutes of sitting in child's pose. anyway you do it, you need to do it.

why 21 days? because it's been said that it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. and i don't think i've ever done anything for 21 days straight.

obviously, i won't be making it to a 90 minute class everyday, which is why podcasts are so great. last night, i did this 20 minute lunar flow practice. and it was perfect (plus, they're free!). no excuses.

i've decided to go sugar-free for 21 days as well. why? because i don't think i've gone 21 hours without sugar before, and...well, it's time to break the habit.

join me in 21 days of something that makes you feel great.

happy wednesday.

"that was the day she made herself a promise to live more from intention and less from habit."

blogs worth reading.

2011-08-09T09:26:00.000-07:00

image via a cup of jo

as a blogger, i spend a lot of time blog surfing. it takes up a lot of my free time, and although sometimes i hate how lost i can get in it all, there are a lot of blogs that challenge me, inspire me, and help stretch my mind and creativity. a lot that are worth reading.

joanna goddard of a cup of jo is one of those. as one of the most popular women in the blog-world, she is also mother to an adorable little boy named toby, and frequently posts about her adventures in motherhood. her series, motherhood mondays, has become one of my favorite blog posts to read, and yesterday, posted a delightful post on breastfeeding.

you can read it here.

and read all here motherhood monday posts here.

xo.

over the weekend, according to my iphone.

2011-08-08T04:49:00.000-07:00

we went to costco. and ate a lot of cake.

thank you, paula deen.

oh, and baby noah got a tool belt.

it's so hot outside.

xo.

friday links.

2011-08-05T04:47:00.000-07:00

precious. i think this must be how our little boy always feels.

these lemon-lime ice cubes would be great for a party, luncheon, or just an every day refreshing drink.

i want to stay at this hotel. how cool would that be?

can you think of anything that sounds tastier than avocado fries with cilantro lemon dipping sauce? i didn't think so.

this outfit is taunting me. it's 110 degrees outside and i'm so ready for fall.

this nursing basket may be my new go-to shower gift. every mom-to-be should have one.

i think i love this idea. celebrating your half-birthday? it's almost time for me to celebrate mine.

loved this post about farmers markets and camping. i dream a lot about both things.

glazed doughnut muffins? um...yeah.

i've been coveting a vitamix for months now, but have been hearing some good things about the ninja blender. a lot cheaper...has anyone tried it? either way, i just need a blender that makes ice cream.

have a lovely weekend. xo.

amen.

2011-08-03T19:11:00.000-07:00

keeping it short tonight because we've had two sleepless nights in a row in our household. i'm blaming it on teething...but as a first time mother, i don't really know. i've taken a bath, drank my tea, and even did a little nighttime yoga to relax the mind. i'm calm, peaceful and ready for bed....but is my baby? we'll see. i'm off to bed to catch a few winks before any potential parties he might want to throw at 3 in the morning.

have a great wednesday night and an even better thursday. xo.

image found here.

water baby.

2011-08-03T04:50:00.000-07:00

there are few things in this world that can excite baby Noah more than water can. maybe watering the plants (still involves water), or climbing the stairs...or just plain getting into trouble....

well...no, no...he thinks water is the best. if he is within 10 feet of a pool, stream, ocean or bathtub, he's lunging for it. bath-time is one of his favorite activities and he'll smile his biggest smile, squeal his highest squeal and splash, splash, splash. he thinks he's invincible and that his feet are slip-free and will pull himself up with the faucet until he's level enough to study it's inner-workings. or to try to wrap his mouth all the way around it. he'll give me a puzzled look as if saying, "where did the water go?". bath toys don't stand a chance as he bangs them on bottom of the tub, and chucks them against the walls. he even knows how to lift the plug and let the water out...even though he acts like it's the end of the world once it's gone.

he's a smart little cookie, our little one.

and pretty adorable too.

**for those of you interested (and you're probably not), i sewed this towel all by myself....i don't believe it either.

xo.

signs of life.

2011-08-02T04:42:00.000-07:00

after a couple months of thriving green plants, but no fruit, we finally have some signs of life in our tiny garden. last year we had the opposite problem. we got some fruit really quickly, but the plants all died off really quickly as well. i am learning that gardening is all about trial and error, and although we may not get everything we hoped for this season, we will learn from our mistakes, and try again next year.

i have a dream of living in a tiny house with a huge garden that produces all the food that my family needs. i figure, by the time i finally get my green thumb, we might be pretty close to seeing that dream through.

do you have a garden? and if so, what are some of your best gardening tips?

happy tuesday! xo.

eleven months.

2011-08-01T04:10:00.000-07:00

oh boy, our boy. eleven months today.

and oh boy, how you've grown.

you are so smart. you are picking up something new every day. you are our curious boy, always pointing at new objects, and figuring out new things. what's "dat" and what's "dis" are your two new favorite words. i spend so many minutes of our day telling you about the world. you are soaking it in, and learning your surroundings. you remember where things are, and spend time studying new toys. how they work, and how they feel. you look like our little engineer as you pick apart and bang on new objects around you. you are more playful than ever, and let us know when you want to play games. your favorites still being, "chase baby noah" and "peek-a-boo". you love it when your dad teases and tickles you, and you're still the best of buds. he can make you laugh so hard that you almost fall over. i have to hold steady to keep from doing the same. your laugh is so contagious. it's like music to my ears.

you are still the happiest baby on the block. laughing and playful, and ever-so-busy. always on the go and faster than ever. i think it is safe to say that you can walk, but are not walking. you tease us all the time, taking steps from one thing to the next, only to drop back down to your knees and cruise around on the ground. you are faster down there, and you're a boy on a mission. you are always roaming to your next adventure, and have become an avid climber. nothing stops you as you scale furniture, toys and even our bodies as props - we're just an obstacle, as you are always looking for the next thing to pull you up, up, up. you have started taking "breaks" on the ground, laying your head down, with your big boy arms and legs sprawled out wide. it only lasts a second or two before you are up rearing to go, but that one second is one of the cutest things we've ever seen.

being outside is your favorite, and you prefer it to all other activities. you love to watch us water the plants, and panic at the sight of us walking outside without you. we love that you are already our outdoorsy-boy, and hope to keep you that way. you love to play in the sun, the water, and the grass. you love having your grandpa walk you up and down the stream in their backyard. you love watching the cars drive by, and the squirrels running up the trees. you love getting your hands and feet dirty. you are all boy, by true definition.

you flirt with everyone from the cashier at the grocery store, to the little girl passing us on the sidewalk. you will give them your irresistibly charming smile, and once they smile back, burrow your head into my chest. only to do it over and over again. speaking of burrowing... you are still the cuddliest baby in the world. it starts first thing in the morning, as you crawl up on my chest, and lay your head down, giving me my morning snuggle. you have loved being held more than ever these days. and you love the view from the top - to see what we are doing, and how we are doing it. you will still crawl into my lap, and lay your head against my chest - it being one of the best parts of my day. you burrow into my chest, trying to get as close as humanly possible. we call it, "trying to get back into the womb". i think we both feel safer and loved with you wrapped tight in my arms. our days end with you snuggling up to us, so close, and continue that way far into the night. you are soft and warm and your fingers around mine still make my heart feel like its going to explode right out of my chest.

you've taken our world by storm, and turned it upside down. we've spent eleven months getting to know you and your quirks. we've spent eleven months learning that you are our entire world and nothing is as fun without you anymore. we've spent eleven months becoming the best of friends. it's true what they say. it just keeps getting better.

happy eleven months sweet boy. xo.

over the weekend, according to my iphone.

2011-07-25T05:09:00.000-07:00

full of fresh mountain air, good food and lots of time with family. perfection. xo.

friday links.

2011-07-22T04:16:00.000-07:00

monkey see, monkey do. i love this blog.

the coolest appetizer idea.

how do you feel about faux bangs? since i've been trying to grow mine out for over a year now (and still kind of want bangs again), i think it's a fabulous idea.

the 50 best children's books of all time. i've got to get my hands on them.

the world's fastest workout. anything over 20 minutes seems crazy to me now.

i needed to learn these 13 most popular photography tips of all time. i loved the light-tent tutorial. natural light makes all the difference.

one day, i may need to know how to do this.

i love the idea of making my own churros, but i still don't think they'd ever be as good as those at disneyland.

simple, easy entertaining ideas. am a fan.

make your own cheese??!!?? stop it.

have a perfect weekend. xo.

thought for your thursday.

2011-07-21T04:40:00.000-07:00

following these simple rules would always make for a good day. and what a creative way to display and remind yourself daily!

image found here.

homemade lara bars.

2011-07-20T04:56:00.000-07:00

i hate to admit what a protein bar junkie i am. or, i should say, what i used to be. in an attempt to add more whole foods into my diet and rid our kitchen of all ingredients i can't pronounce, or are unsure of their origin, i discovered Lara Bars. made only of nuts and fruit, these bars are grain/gluten/and dairy free and are a great source of protein, fats and carbohydrates.

and as much as i love these bars, and their assortment of flavors (chocolate coconut, and banana bread are some faves), i'm not in love with the prices. depending on where you buy them, they can get close to $2 a bar, which is well-beyond our grocery bill budget. after seeing the short list of ingredients (literally...dates, peanuts, cocoa and salt), i thought making my own would be a fun little project, and from what i estimated, cost me a little less than $0.35 a bar with this recipe.

the ingredient options are endless by the way. as long as you have a sticky base (i.e. dried fruits such as dates) to hold them together, you'll be set. these babies are super easy to make and travel well. wrap them up for a nice little snack, and enjoy.

homemade chocolate coconut lara bars.
ingredients
1 cup chopped dates
1 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch of salt

directions
place all the ingredients together in a food processor*.

when the ingredients form a paste, they are done.

line a loaf pan with parchment paper and press the mixture into the pan.

freeze for 15 minutes.

remove paper from pan, and cut into individual bars.

*we are currently food processor/blender-less in our house, and haven't bought a new one since we are saving for a Vita-Mix (or am i just dreaming that we are?), so i mixed mine together with our magic bullet. i wouldn't recommend it...it took a lot of time working/mixing/shoving the ingredients together.

xo.

a boy and his ball.

2011-07-19T04:09:00.000-07:00

if a ball was the only toy in the world that baby noah had, he would be perfectly happy. we spend a lot of time playing catch.

he also loves being outside. and if he can't be outside, he loves looking outside.

uh oh, baby noah...what are you doing?

that doesn't look safe.

silly, tricky boy.

have a lovely tuesday. xo.

monday.

2011-07-18T08:41:00.000-07:00

i kind of like mondays. they are a fresh start. and i always seem to want a fresh start after the weekend.

i kind of fell apart this weekend. it seemed busier than normal...long days of sweating in the heat, no napping, and a wired, clingy baby. it's interesting, the phases baby's go through. this age, as much as it is my very favorite yet (as they all are), is exhausting. yesterday, at church, as i was wrangling my son away from all things he shouldn't be into/doing, a woman came up to me and commented on my "spirited child". isn't that mom-code for "out-of-control"? i'm pretty sure it is. and after a drawn-out process of trying to unsuccessfully get him to sleep on saturday night, i had to call cortney up, hand him our happy-to-not-be-in-bed baby boy, and walk away. i didn't say much. just went and laid on our bed.

thank goodness for husbands that don't ask too many questions, and babies that can make any tiring day better by snuggling with me.

here's to a new week!

and....we are flying back to utah to see our families this week! yay!

xo.

friday confessions.

2011-07-15T04:05:00.000-07:00

i love seeing baby noah in his swimsuit. if only to admire the size of his thighs.

i was surprised when the miley cyrus song, "party in the usa" started playing on my ipod this morning. but then i played it again 2 more times.

the last time i went to the dentist, i told him i was, "pretty good about flossing."

i'm way overdue to go to the dentist - mostly because i'm scared for them to be able to tell that i haven't been "pretty good about flossing."

i've started increasing my food servings because baby noah eats off my plate. but he doesn't eat that much.

i don't really understand it when people say that they are "craving vegetables". i mean really...??? because i'm craving cake.

i've made two batches of these muffins, in less than a week. each doubled.

and i think 3 or 4 of those muffins make a perfectly acceptable meal.

i've been streaming grey's anatomy on netflix over the last couple weeks, and watching so much of it that sometimes i find myself believing that i'm a doctor and using medical jargon.

i'm terrified of birds.

and i think birds know that i'm terrified of them, as i frequently find them stalking me, or dive-bombing dangerously close to my head when i'm outside.

i wonder every day if people are actually reading this blog.

it's the weekend! yay! xo.

*you can read more of my confessions, here.

the berry bush.

2011-07-14T04:07:00.000-07:00

about 90 miles outside dallas, sits one of the oldest blueberry farms in texas. 30 acres of plump, juicy, pop-inside-your-mouth blueberries. normally, i don't love driving long distances for just day-trips, but when my good friend invited me to go with her last week, i couldn't pass it up. since it is a dream in our household to one day own a self-sustaining farm of our own, and with the opportunity to get out of the city for a day, it seemed like the perfect thing to do with my baby boy. every june and july, berry bush farms allows you to pick your own blueberries, and you only pay for what you pick. it's a very humble farm, run by a humble couple. the owner gave us a quick run-through of what a perfect blueberry looks and tastes like, and then we were off to work.

and it was hard work. wandering through the different bushes, picking blueberries, one at a time....not only is it time-consuming, but the stretching, squatting and hauling buckets of blueberries (and a 25 pound baby in my ergo baby) in over 100 degree heat, was quite the workout. i have a whole new respect for blueberry pickers, and farmers alike.

even though it was one of the hottest days that i've experienced while living here (and that's saying something), it was also one of the most fun. it was so rewarding to take home fresh food, picked by me, for my family to enjoy. and there is nothing like spending time out in the country with my boy. who, by the way, loved every minute of it. every time i picked a few blueberries, he'd lean forward with his mouth open, just like a little bird. we both left with our mouths stained blue. we also left with over a gallon of blueberries, costing us a whopping $11.

now that we are drowning in blueberries (not that it's a problem), i'm looking for reasons to use them, and although i'm not a huge blueberry muffin fan, a friend assured me this recipe would turn me into one. she was right. these were perfect. and chock-full of blueberries.

possibly the best blueberry muffins ever.
ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries

topping:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cut into pea-sized pieces
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

directions
preheat oven to 400 degrees. grease muffin tin well (including top of tin)

combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. place vegetable oil in a small bowl, add egg and milk - whisk together. mix into flour mixture. fold in blueberries. fill muffin cups right to the top and sprinkle with crumb topping.

to make crumb topping: mix all ingredients together with a fork until well combined.

bake for 15-20 minutes, or until topping it bubbling and golden brown.

yum. xo.

the rescuing hug.

2011-07-13T04:53:00.000-07:00

this picture is from an article called "The Rescuing Hug". the article details the first week of life for a set of twins. each twin was set in a different incubator, and one was not expected to live. a hospital nurse fought against hospital rules and placed the babies side by side in the same incubator. once they were together, the healthier of the two, threw an arm over her sister in an endearing embrace. the smaller, sick baby's heart rate stabilized and her temperature rose to normal. (you can read the full story, here)

this amazing story made me tear up and marvel at seeing the benefits of skin-to-skin contact, when needed the very most. it also made me think back to those first few days after baby noah was born, and the hours upon hours of us together, chest to chest. it was the most natural, bonding and amazing experience. almost like a magnetic pull, our two hearts pining for each other. we were told to put him in the hospital nursery at night - just so we could get some sleep. but neither cortney or i could bear the thought of it. our baby boy, our brand new baby boy, just hours out of the womb needed to be near us, and we needed to be near him.

even when we brought him home, he was almost never put down. babies so clearly give us the message that they want, and need to be held, and our boy is no different. there are numerous studies stating how important it is to keep mothers and babies close together after birth, and as noah has gotten older it has become so clear to me the importance of continuing the closeness, and the bonding that comes from it, well beyond their first year of life. there are so many days when i'll be talking to my mom, or to cortney on the phone, and i will hear myself saying...."noah doesn't seem to want me to set him down today". and for so many months, he would sleep nowhere but in our arms. i don't believe we raised him this way. i don't believe that we spoiled him. i believe that it is the most natural place for him to be. we still practice skin-to-skin contact in our home, whether its sleeping together, nursing, or a snuggle first thing in the morning. nothing beats his chubby little fingers around mine, or his arms around my neck. nothing is better than having him fall asleep in my arms. i can only hope that our sweet boy continues to want to be close to me, and to his daddy as long as humanly possible. we will do everything imaginable to encourage it.

read about the benefits of skin-to-skin here.

cuddle your little ones close tonight.

and have a good wednesday. xo.

almond butter rice crisp treats.

2011-07-12T04:51:00.000-07:00

sometimes it may seem like my blog is having an identity crisis. a lot of the time my recipes are decadent and rich (hello, 10 tablespoons of butter), and other times i like to keep in vegan and raw. truth be told, this is just how i eat. sometimes i'm craving a whole-milk-pounds-of-butter-drowning-in-chocolate type of dessert, and other times i like to experiment with less sugar.

i love cooking both ways, but with this recipe, what drew me in was the almond butter. i have a love affair with almond butter. i go through a jarful almost weekly, and will throw it in oatmeal, on bananas, in smoothies...you name it...it probably tastes better with almond butter. this is a no-bake recipe, which is great, because turning on our oven this summer is pretty much a death sentence.

they were a huge hit in our house, and in my opinion, give the traditional rice krispie treat recipe a run for its money. but probably because of the thick layer of chocolate on top :)

almond butter rice crisp treats
adapted from oh she glows
ingredients
1/2 cup chunky almond butter
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp Earth Balance (or non-dairy spread)
1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
3.5 cups Nature's Path Gluten Free Rice Crisp Cereal

chocolate topping:
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 tbsp almond butter
pinch salt
shredded coconut, to garnish

directions
prepare an 8 inch by 8 inch pan, lining it with parchment paper on both sides

in a large pot over low-medium heat, add the brown rice syrup, Earth Balance, almond butter and salt. stir well until combined and heated through. remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. stir in rice crisp cereal until well combined.

scoop into pan and spread evenly. press down with fingers and flatten. place in freezer for 5 minutes while you prepare the chocolate topping.

in a microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate chips and heat 60 seconds, stirring after 30 seconds. be careful not to burn. stir in almond butter and salt.

remove pan from freezer and spread chocolate over rice treats. sprinkle with coconut and place in freezer for until firm, about 15 minutes. slice into squares. bars will hold their shape quite well and room temperature, but we stored ours in the fridge to keep our chocolate solid.

enjoy! xo.

over the weekend.

2011-07-11T05:24:00.000-07:00

i didn't take any pictures.

we didn't do much.

stayed in, mostly.

it was hot and humid. and we were feeling lazy.

we took naps. cleaned up a bit. ordered pizza. rented a movie.

very ordinary....but perfect.

so, to make up for my lack of documentation of recent happenings, i leave you with a picture of quite possibly the cutest baby there ever was.....

just taking a bath. and being very modest, i might add.

happy monday. xo.

friday links.

2011-07-08T05:53:00.000-07:00

hi.

you have to make these enchiladas. i made them last night, and they were unbelievable.

this adorable wall garden would work great in the tiniest of spaces. i've got to do it next year.

irma's playhouse is pretty much the cutest/awesome thing i've ever seen. i'm totally commissioning Cort to do an exact replica for our kids.

i made these for the fourth of july and they were a bust. so i quickly whipped up these as a replacement, and they were amazing.

sweet baby rain boots.

a super simple homemade air freshener. baking soda is kind of a cure-all, no?

a trick to keep your baked goods fresh overnight! genius.

a great guide on to how to store every type of produce.

i love everything about her look.

have a great weekend! xo.

thoughts for your thursday.

2011-07-07T05:51:00.000-07:00

i've been reading this every morning since i found it. it so perfectly written, there is nothing else to say.

found here.

xo.

snacking style: homemade trail mix.

2011-07-06T05:42:00.000-07:00

i'm a big fan of snacks.

huge.

in fact, it's safe to say that i'm the epitome of a grazer, and am basically snacking all day.

as i've mentioned before on my little blog, we are in the process of purifying and simplifying our life in the nelson household...food being a big part of it.

and as a breastfeeding mother on demand, my appetite is out of this world. there are very few things that can tide me over. it's easy to want to reach for the quickest thing - and processed foods usually fall in that category. but i've found that the omega 3 fatty acids and fiber in nuts really has some staying power for me, and can keep me energized for a while. we've always kept almonds in the house, but there is something about a handful of almonds that leaves me feeling very unsatisfied. i decided to bulk/sweeten it up a bit, and this is what i came up with....

pure and simple. from the earth. and CHEAP, when you buy the ingredients separately, in bulk. we'll be keeping a steady supply flowing in our kitchen, and the current mix is made up of the following:

-raw almonds

-macadamia nuts

-peanuts

-dried pineapple

-unsweetened coconut flakes

-carob chips

what's your favorite snack?

happy snacking. xo.

over the holiday weekend.

2011-07-05T05:08:00.000-07:00

watermelon and pool time.

posing with his buddy, Tessa/clapping for the fireworks.

light saber glow stick/fireworks with daddy/being adorable.

driving the car (and thinking it's the best/most fun thing in the world!)...don't worry, we were parked in our garage.

hope you had a great, long weekend! xo.

ten months.

2011-07-01T21:37:00.000-07:00

our sweet busy boy, turning ten months today.

busy in every sense of the word. i think this has been your busiest month of all.

it is so amazing to see you come into your own, and turn from baby into little boy. you are so full of light and energy. always on the go, and always with an agenda. you are standing all the time and showing us how strong your legs are as you squat to pick something up, and then stand up again. cruising around the furniture, and walking with the help of our hands. you took your first step on father's day. what a great gift that was to your proud papa. although you've been hesitant to show us many more, we know that it won't be too much longer before you're walking all on your own.

you are all boy. there is nothing dainty about you. the way you play and explore. the way you climb and destroy. it just feels so...boy. i love your big boy hands and feet, and your soft, round tummy. just the other day, one of our friends called you, "the picture of health". and it's true. you're healthy, growing, thriving and strong.

you are most interested in "big people" things now, and i think you use your toys as just an obstacle course to get to your next adventure. watching you plow through the terrain, and scale things that i wouldn't quite think you'd be able to reach is one of the most entertaining parts of my day. you've found your way around the kitchen, and you'll cruise to the cupboards and drawers. you love pulling out the pots and pans, tupperware, and spatulas. i'll cook, and you'll be busy banging on your tools below, until all the sudden i will feel your arms wrapped tightly around my legs, ready to come up and see what is going on above. you anxiously await to see if i'll open the fridge, and speed crawl to try to get to the water filter before i close the door. you love pulling the knob and watch the water spill out. just one of the many things you are doing with intent now. you know how to do things. you do something to see what happens, over and over again. you are remembering. learning your surroundings. testing your limits. showing us everything you can do.

i've had the stairs blocked off with pillows. pillows! silly mom. it took you about two seconds to survey what was going on. you looked at me, looked at the pillow and ripped it off the stairs. you gave me a mischievous grin and started laughing as you started cruising on up. and just other day, i watched you crawl under the table to get your ball. you ducked your head underneath the chair, and as you backed up, you ducked it under again. it was the most amazing thing to me, that you knew to do that. you are smart. and it seems that you learn something new every day.

speaking of balls, you can't get enough. it is far and beyond your favorite anything. i think you could play catch all day long. we'll roll you the ball, and you'll shake your hands in excitement, pick it up, and throw it back. it is so adorable to see you excited, happy and playing. it seems like yesterday we had you swaddled tight in your bassinet, hanging on every movement, and every coo. you are quite the babbler now, and i think you just like to hear the sound of your own voice. you talk to me, you talk to yourself, and you talk to strangers. you sing in your own little language, and i nod along in anticipation to hear what you have to say next.

you are my little buddy, and we have conversations all day long. i love having you with me all day, tucked in your carrier, as we run errands around town. feeling you so close to my chest feels like right where you belong. you are so fun to be around, and everyone loves talking to you and talking about you. almost always ending with, "what a happy, big boy!"

there is nothing like waking up to your sweet smile and cuddly, warm body. i think this is also your snuggliest month. you love to cuddle when you wake up, or cuddle when you're tired. you'll snuggle up so close when we read a book. and you still love to hold my hands as you nurse and fall asleep. it warms my heart every. single. time.

we are soaking up every single day with you. you make our days so much brighter. you were born to make our lives richer, fuller and happier with each day that passes.

we love you so much little love.

happy ten months. xo.

friday links (independence day-style).

2011-07-01T05:04:00.000-07:00

start out the day with this 4th of july breakfast.

or this one.

this looks like a fun 4th of july party.

i'd stroll in wearing this independence day inspired outfit.

and pair it with these shoes.

something for the kiddos.

something for your home.

something for your sweet tooth.

and...one of the most impressive cakes i've ever seen.

have a great independence day weekend! xo.

thoughts for your thursday.

2011-06-30T05:20:00.000-07:00

the concept for this picture book made me laugh. and then it made me want to cry.

one of my biggest fears as a mother is the overload of electronics these days. i try very hard to in our home to keep the television off, except for when i slip in the occasional baby einstein video when i'm cooking dinner, or if i need background noise for the too-quiet nights that cortney is out-of-town. luckily, baby n. has shown very little interest in it and for the most part phases it out.

when it comes to electronics though - ipads, laptops, iphones, etc...that's a whole different ball game. if we are using it, he wants it. he lunges for the computer and attacks my phone. he knows what they are and where to find them. we try to keep him away from them, but with how prevalent they are in our lives right now, it's so hard. and sadly, i have to admit, i seem to sometime encourage it - there are a few iphone apps that have saved me during rush hour traffic with a cranky baby that is unconsoled by his other toys, my singing (not that i blame him) or books.

it's just another one of those mom-guilt things. i feel as if my sweet innocent boy is being tainted by the world every time he stares with glazed, wide eyes into my phone. where i would like to keep him protected in a world full of wooden toys and old books, i know i can't keep him from it forever. (unless it comes to video games...because that i'll never get behind). more than anything, i want him to grow up with an appreciation for the outdoors, real books, real games, and an active imagination. i've thought about just leading by example and slowly decreasing my use of all of them (our boy must think that my phone is just an extension of my body), and hopefully, it turns into habit.

but just like anything, there has to be a balance, and i assume as our children get older, and the world keeps getting faster and more advanced, we'll just have to find ours.

tell me...in the battle between books versus electronics, where do you draw the line?

xo.

homemade graham crackers.

2011-06-29T04:22:00.000-07:00

baby n. eats everything in sight. he loves to eat anything you are eating, and will try almost anything new. one of my good friends in dallas recently introduced him to graham crackers, and he hasn't looked back since. cort and i will watch in amazement as he inhales one almost completely whole. i thought it was pretty cute, so i picked up a box of honey maids to keep him entertained. it took me a day or two to glance at the ingredient list, but once i did, i wasn't too pleased. lots of extra oils and sugars! something i haven't wanted to introduce into baby's diet anytime soon. so, with the help of the internet, i found a recipe to make some graham crackers, all on my own.

this is not a recipe i'd usually tackle. it takes time, waiting and waiting, rolling out the dough, rolling, rolling, and rolling it out again (for which i enlisted the husbands help). i much prefer things that are quick and easy, but for my son, i will do almost anything and i decided to give it a shot. it actually turned out to be a lot of fun - i loved decorating the crackers, and though they didn't look that pretty this time...i figure they will improve with each batch. even better? the smell of cinnamon lingered in the house for hours. and the result? baby n. gobbled them up in record time.

homemade graham crackers
adapted from smitten kitchen
ingredients
2 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour (although i used whole wheat flour and they turned out great)
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp kosher or sea salt
7 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen
1/3 cup mild flavored honey
5 tbsp milk - full fat is best
2 tbsp pure vanilla extract

topping (optional)
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

directions
make the dough: combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a food processor with a steel blade or an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (used the bosch!). pulse or mix on low to incorporate. add the butter and pulse on and off, or mix on low, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal. in a small bowl, whisk the honey, milk and vanilla. add to the flour mixture, and mix on low until the dough barely comes together - it will be very soft and sticky. lay out a large piece of plastic wrap, and dust in lightly with flour, then turn the dough out onto it and pat it into a rectangle about 1" thick. wrap it, then chill it until firm, at least 2 hours, or overnight. meanwhile, prepare the topping - mix ingredients together and set aside.

roll out the crackers: divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. sift an even layer of flour onto a work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle about 1/8" inch thick. the dough will be sticky, so flour as necessary. trim the edges of the rectangle about 4" inches wide. working with the shorter side of the rectangle parallel to the work surface, cut the strip every 4 1/2" to make 4 crackers. this makes the traditional graham cracker shape. {note: i didn't even bother with all of this - i just rolled out the dough and cut the crackers the way i wanted, which is why they look awful...i'm such a rebel}. place the crackers on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets, and sprinkle with the topping. chill until firm, about 30-45 minutes. repeat with the second batch of dough. finally, gather any scrapes of dough together into a ball, chill until firm and re-roll. whew...are you still with me?

decorate the crackers (for traditional graham cracker-look): mark a vertical line down the center of each cracker, being careful not to cut through the dough. use a toothpick or skewer (i used the blunt end of the skewer), prick the dough to form two dotted rows about 1/2" for each side of the dividing line.

adjust the oven rack to the upper and lower rack positions and preheat the oven to 350.

bake for 15-25 minutes (big range depending on oven!! mine were closer done closer to 15 min), until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating the sheets halfway through to ensure even baking.

this was a big undertaking for me, and i can't guarantee that i will always be making homemade graham crackers...because let's be honest...sometimes convenience wins. but, this recipe is always nice to keep in my back pocket for overly-ambitious days.

enjoy! xo.

five faves.

2011-06-28T05:02:00.000-07:00

i can get overly-enthusiastic about things. and sometimes there is a product out there that is so essential to my day-to-day, that i thought that i had to share it with you, my blog buddy.

i think like most people, i feel that washing my face at night is just a nuisance. i'm tired, and just want to fall into the covers and cuddle my two boys. my sister introduced me to these wipes and they have changed my life indefinitely. not only to they take off your makeup, and give it a nice clean scrub, but you are not left with the raccoon-eye affect the next morning that so many similar product leave behind.

removing my makeup at night has really shook-up my nightly routine. i even put on face cream now. whoa. but, since i'm at the age where wrinkles are sneaking up on me daily, it's almost a necessity. i slather a good amount on my face at night - and don't rub it in too much. it smells great and leaves my face super soft in the morning. apricot oil is supposed to be great for cell reproduction and moisture retention, and this all-natural cream doesn't disappoint.

my new cropped jeggings from gap. cropped for average-sized people means normal-length jeans for Laura. and those are really hard to find. at the 40% off sale this weekend in addition to the already marked down price, i think they rounded out to about $12. a-mazing. super soft, super stretchy, and not too hot to wear, even during a Texas summer. my legs don't look like that in them, by the way....

i'm loving the sally hansen salon effects nail polish strips. as someone who has NEVER been able to paint her own nails and make them look even remotely decent, and now who doesn't want to keep the smelly, toxic polish in her house with a little boy reaching/eating everything in sight, these nail strips are a dream. i'm having such fun trying all the different prints.

danielle's roasted coconut chips. sigh. i don't actually have my hands on these at the moment. and i haven't been able to find them in any store since we left maui. but they are so delicious and melt-in-your-mouth satisfying, that i'm still thinking about them. i haven't been shy about my love for all things coconut right now, and if i could buy them, i would no doubt be going through 12 bags a week. so...it's probably a blessing. BUT..if you can get your hands on them, i'll pay you to send them to me. seriously.

p.s. read this post on 8 confessions of a new dad. so sweet :)

have a great tuesday. xo.

over the weekend, according to my iphone.

2011-06-27T04:19:00.000-07:00

- climbing stairs.
- lunch by a lake.
- almond butter crispy bars, homemade coconut popsicles and turkey burgers.
- lush and green red pepper plants.
- funky nails.
- pool time.
- cute feet.
- and plenty of baby n.

it was a good one.

happy monday! xo.

i want this book.

2011-06-26T09:53:00.000-07:00

Must Have Been Something I Ate.

jump on over to this awesome blog for a fabulous Vega giveaway.

xo.

friday links.

2011-06-24T05:09:00.000-07:00

how cute are these wood signs? such simple, sweet messages, and great daily reminders.

i finally found some popsicle molds, and am looking forward to making these this weekend.

i'm the worst at writing in journals, but this fun vintage postcard-calendar-journal, might be something i could handle.

these t-shirts make me want to plan a family reunion, and buy one of each.

this is the look i want to be sporting this weekend.

but i will most likely be wearing...these.

i'm looking forward to picking up this book soon...and possibly joining the vibram-movement. have you tried them?

am loving this cooling, all-natural california baby lotion on baby n. this summer.

another creative gift wrapping idea.

i can guarantee that i will be posting the recipe for these cookies very soon.

have a fantastic weekend. xo.

cracker toffee.

2011-06-23T05:48:00.000-07:00

i got a tip from this friend to make some cracker toffee for a recent girls night out party. when i first read through the ingredients, it didn't sound too appetizing. crackers? in toffee? didn't sound that great. what sold me was that it was candy, that took minimal effort (no candy thermometer!) and i happened to have all the ingredients on hand. the result? perfection. delicious on so many levels. you could do so many things with this recipe. i ended up throwing some coconut on half, but the topping options are endless. you could also turn this into a vegan recipe with a few swaps. the batch lasted approximately 18 hours. probably less. you can't help going back for...just one more piece.

cracker toffee

adapted from the delicious blog, everybody likes sandwiches

ingredients

enough crackers to line a baking sheet (i used stoned wheat thins)

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks

1 cup packed light brown sugar

big pinch of kosher salt (optional...i opted out, since the crackers already had salt on them)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup milk chocolate chips (or dark, semisweet, etc)

1 cup toasted coarsely chopped almonds

1 cup coconut

directions

line baking sheet with foil, making sure you have enough to make a rim around the pan. line the pan with crackers, breaking them up if needed to fill in gaps. preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

in a medium sized saucepan, melt the butter and sugar together, over medium heat. stir frequently until the mixture begins to boil. boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. remove from heat, stir in vanilla. if you are using unsalted crackers, add in salt. pour caramel over crackers and spread evenly with a silicone spatula.

put the baking sheet in the oven, reducing heat to 350 degrees. bake for 15 minutes, watching carefully that the caramel does not burn.

remove from heat and cover with chocolate chips. let stand for 5 minutes or so until chocolate begins to melt and spread evenly with a spatula. sprinkle with toasted almonds, coconut or any toppings of your choice. let cool completely, then break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

enjoy!

happy wednesday. xo.

happy new year. again. kind of.

2011-06-22T05:13:00.000-07:00

hope you had a great first day of summer yesterday! that couldn't feel more weird saying, because it's been in the upper 90's in dallas for a good 3 weeks now (and i always think of it as summer once it's over 80 degrees outside). june 21st is also considered the longest day of the year...which couldn't have felt more true when dealing with a teething/sick baby boy that has slept approximately 5 hours in the last 24. ah, motherhood.

anyway...yesterday also marked the beginning of the summer solstice, which in the Pagan culture, is the start of a new year. so, if you're like me and january 1st didn't work for you (and i'm pretty sure i didn't even make resolutions this year)...what better time to start off on a new leg. am i right?

did you know that thousands of people gather at StoneHenge every year to celebrate the summer solstice? wouldn't that be the most fun thing...having a summer solstice party? next year, i'll be better prepared.

we'll probably go to a park.

where there will be balloons.

i'll bring the pulled pork sandwiches.

you can bring the drinks.

i'd probably be looking pretty chic, wearing this outfit.

we'll take some pictures.

and i'll send y'all home with your own jar of ice cream.

can you tell i'm obsessed with pintrest much?

welcome summer. here's to a great rest of the year. xo.

i liked this.

2011-06-21T05:10:00.000-07:00

over the weekend, according to my iphone.

2011-06-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

a father's first.

2011-06-19T11:21:00.000-07:00

it's safe to say, officially, that baby n's first word is dada. he's been babbling it all weekend now, and even if cort disagrees, i know he's made the connection. it's fine i guess. i only housed him for ten months, have given him my body, my mind, my every waking and sleeping moment...should i keep going? but who am i kidding? i never had a chance....i don't blame him. one of the reasons that i married cort was because i knew what an amazing father he was going to be. now that we have the little mini-cort in our life, i can say confidently that he has exceeded my expectations in every way possible. i love him even more now that he is a father. the father of my child(ren). i love saying that.

i've had glimpses of what's to come with these two. camping trips, baseball games, a late night one-on-one of basketball or playing tricks on mom. they are the best of buds.

cortney adores his son. and the feeling is so mutual that it's heart-melting to watch (speaking of heart-melting...can you believe that picture?? matching shirts (cort's idea)! be still my heart...)

speaking of adoring...i adore all the father's in my life, particularly my own, who is a guiding force to me. where i get my wisdom, and my confidence. who roots for me daily. who still takes care of me and my growing family even though i'm all grown up. i love and admire him so much.

happy father's day and (1st) father's day! xo.

friday links.

2011-06-17T05:14:00.000-07:00

image found here

i'm obsessed with coconut.

cute nursing dresses? who would have known there was such a thing? i can't tell you how awkward i look trying to nurse in a dress.

here's some more coconut.

sweet organic baby sleepers. i love hanna andersson.

this is how i want to start wrapping all my gifts. environmentally friendly and to-die-for cute.

a free trip to paris!!!! not kidding.

genius idea to keep the birds and squirrels from eating our tomatoes this year.

flares are back!

shoes as a growth chart. awesome idea.

have a great father's day weekend! xo.

mom guilt.

2011-06-16T05:19:00.000-07:00

i've been taking a yoga class a couple of nights a week for the last couple of weeks. i love the studio, the instructors, and have been really feeling my practice coming back to me for the first time in over a year. cortney has been really great, making sure he is home in time from work so i can go to the 90 minute class, and i've felt like the alone time that he and baby n. get together has been so good for both of them.

still, as i was driving to my class last night...it happened. i got sick to my stomach. my heartbeat started to pick up, and i broke out in a cold sweat. i almost turned around and went back home. i was having the feeling that i wasn't living up to the mother that i should be. i've been gone too much at night lately. leaving my boys, when they need me. all for a silly yoga class. who does that? i'm being so selfish. do you know the feeling i'm talking about?

mom guilt.

it's such a sickening feeling, and i'm sure all mom's feel it from time to time. i've noticed as baby n. gets older though, that it's only getting worse. it's the feeling that nothing is quite good enough. time spent, or activities followed through. it never seems like enough, and definitely not good enough for what my perfect baby boy deserves.

when it feels like i'm out and about all day, toting him around from car-seat to carrier, with not enough time to crawl and expore?

mom guilt.

when i spend too much time talking on the phone and not doing enough talking with him?

mom guilt.

when he doesn't get enough fresh air/outside time that day.

mom guilt.

when i have to wake him up early from a nap. or don't get him home in time to take a good nap.

mom guilt.

the feeling that i'm not doing everything i'm supposed to. say it with me now...

mom guilt.

i think the fact that i'm a stay-at-home-mom might make it worse. i feel the pressure to fill the day with activities that will stimulate and encourage baby n.'s growth and knowledge. to make each day better than the last. after all, his happiness and health depend on me.

tell me...do you ever feel this way? how do you make yourself feel better? i'm a firm believer that if something makes you feel guilty or wrong, then just change it. but what if we can't shake the feeling? and when do our expectations as parents become unrealistic? how do we get past the mom guilt?

"nothing else will ever make you as happy or as sad, as proud or as tired, for nothing is quite as hard as helping a person develop his own individuality, especially while you struggle to keep your own." ~ marguerite kelly

on a different note....look at this face...

how could you not want to spend every second with it?

happy thursday. xo.

dust.

2011-06-15T05:15:00.000-07:00

we have an overabundance of wood furniture in our home.

we do, and i feel guilty about it almost every day. this also means we accumulate a lot of dust. we are trying to keep a greener home around here, and furniture polish contains petroleum distillates, which are highly flammable and can cause skin and lung cancer. since baby n. is doing all but licking everything he touches these days, to help counteract my guilty conscious, and also save money, i thought i should be making my own furniture polish.

it was so much easier than i thought it was going to be and took me about 2 minutes to make. maybe less.

all you need...

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

mix together and store it in a recycled jam jar - pair it with a microfiber cloth, or old sock (to reduce the use of paper towels) and you're set.

in addition to the furniture polish, i threw out all our toxic cleaning products, and made my own out of things we already had on hand - ingredients, such as baking soda, vinegar, lemons.... and i swear everything looks and smells cleaner than it ever did before. plus, i feel better about my little contribution to the preservation of our environment, the health and safety of our baby boy, and a step closer to a simpler, and greener lifestyle. it's a win-win. um, win.

what you can't see is that i have labeled it "furniture polish"...as it could easily be confused for salad dressing.

which would be fine, i guess. :)

xo.

50 state stereotypes.

2011-06-14T05:48:00.000-07:00

this video made me laugh. this guy, paul jury took a 19,000 mile roadtrip through the 48 contiguous states in 48 days in attempt to find a direction in life.

that's one way to go about it.

i can't help but be a little jealous, considering i can count all the states i have visited on one hand.

i guess he only took one shirt with him.

happy tuesday. xo.

over the weekend.

2011-06-13T05:24:00.000-07:00

i made these chocolate chip cookie dough truffles. they went fast.

tried out some of our seasonal fruits - kabob-style, with the babcock's, at their j-dawg-themed bbq.

hit up our local marble slab (possibly twice) for some coconut ice-cream. so refreshing. with m&m's. because i put m&m's in everything.

does it kind of seem like our weekends revolve around food?? we did other stuff too...i think.

including lots of snuggling with this little rosy-cheeked love bug.....

cheers to a good start of the week, with lots of sunshine. xo.

friday links.

2011-06-10T01:00:00.000-07:00

via milk

loved this photo.

loving this blog about fashionable moms - so inspiring.

cracker toffee? yes, please.

are you a bodyrocker? if not, you should be.

enlightening article - shocking, how little i knew about it. we should all know the signs.

beautiful baby carriers.

pretty manicure how-to.

i can't stop thinking about this simple salad. i love brussel sprouts.

have a fabulous weekend. xo.

baking bread.

2011-06-09T05:40:00.000-07:00

the scent of bread is still lingering around our home. it's intoxicating and i think one of my all time favorite smells.

every other wednesday, i work with 8-11 year old girls in our church in a range of different activities, anything from service projects, to outdoor games, to homemaking skills, and tonight...bread baking. i am no expert bread-maker, but i love doing it. i love knowing each ingredient going into the food that i'm feeding my family, and there is something so homey and comforting about fresh-out-of-the-oven-bread. my go-to recipe, is one adapted from one of my favorite baking blogs, confessions of a bakeaholic. i've used this recipe time and time again, and even i can't mess it up.

for this particular project, since i only have the girls for an hour, i had to be creative with how i demonstrated the bread-making process. luckily, this recipe is super fast and easy, but does require two doses of rising-time. to display this i baked a couple different batches, showing the bread being made, the bread rising and the bread baking. this left me with loaves and loaves of bread. i'm not complaining, but my stomach that is holding the brick that was once half a loaf of bread (eaten with butter and homemade raspberry jam - recipe coming soon!) is. nevertheless, it will be all forgotten by the morning, and i'll be once again, ready to eat some project-leftovers for breakfast.

all in the name of service, my friends.

favorite honey whole wheat bread
adapted from confessions of a bakeaholic
makes two loaves
ingredients
3 cups warm water
1 T yeast
1/3 cup oil
1/3 honey (i used Texas honey...the very best)
1 T salt
5-6 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (i used King Arthur brand)
directions
disolve yeast in lukewarm water. add oil, then honey (it slips out measuring cup easier this way) then salt. slowly add flour until beater bar scrapes the sides of the bowl clean. let dough mix for 10 minutes. let dough rise in bowl for 30 minutes. punch and divide dough into 2 loaves, shape and place in greased bread pans. let loaves rise for another 30 minutes. bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

delicious eaten warm out of the oven with real butter and homemade jam.

happy thursday. xo.

just clap your hands everybody

2011-06-07T23:45:00.000-07:00

i woke up to a baby clapping his hands in my face. his eyes were still closed. baby N. has gotten in the habit of playing, clapping and even sometimes crawling before he's even woken up all the way. he's smiling...and trying to open them, but it's either too bright or he's still half asleep. we can't figure it out. it's hilarious.

i spend so much time trying to figure out what is going on inside that little brain of his. i can only describe his personality as of right now, as all lit up. his face is always glowing with a smile. his eyes are always sparkling with excitement. and his expressions are priceless. i wonder what it would be like to wake up every morning so excited that you're already clapping. i could learn a lot from him. he truly lives, each day to its fullest. sigh. so sweet.

i spent a lot of today hoisting his long, chubby little body from one hip to the next. some days he spends the whole day at the heel of my foot (and they are usually preceded by what seems to be an all-night nursing session) if i'm not holding him, he's chasing after me, babbling loudly, until he's able to reach my feet and pull himself up onto my legs, giving them a big squeeze. it's the cutest. i can't not snuggle him, every single time. he'll nuzzle into my neck, and search for my fingers wrapped around his waist, with his big dimpled hands. i tell him i love him, and kiss his cheeks. i am amazed at how fast he is growing and changing every day. i feel so honored to be his mother, and am so flattered that even though he is inches away from me 24 hours a day...he's not sick of me yet. i'll give it a few more months until he wises up. until then, i will spend each day memorizing how he feels propped up against my hip - chest to chest, and the softness of his cheeks and how they still droop in that new-baby kind of way.

don't i kind of sound like such a cliche?

this is nothing new to millions of people around the world who have experienced this before me, and the millions of people who will after. cort and i were discussing on a walk last night that, somehow, it still feels like he's the only baby who ever existed. the only baby that ever did the things that he does, and the way he does them. i know that every new mom feels the same way, but i'm still eating these moments up with every fiber of my being, and loving him in the largest way possible.

his life is definitely worth clapping over.

xo.

meatless mondays

2011-06-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

i used to be a vegetarian.

now i'm not.

i even dabbled with veganism for a while. i have a lot of respect for people that can live this kind of lifestyle, because it's not that easy. (although my good friend, morgan, over at little house of veggies makes it look easy...and delicious.) even today, i like to mix in plenty of vegan recipes in once in a while. i like a good balance. but as of right now, it's safe to say that i'm carnivorous. while i was pregnant, i didn't quite feel like i was getting enough protein, even with upping the amount i was taking in from alternate meat-less sources. so, i caved. and then i started breastfeeding and felt like i needed even more protein to keep up with my ravenous child. most specifically of the meat-variety. i'm talking steak, and other like-tasting sources. i haven't turned back since. i won't say that i'll never go back to a vegetarian lifestyle, because i still hold a lot of the same ethical beliefs. and in treating our environment better and preserving natural resources. i really do believe that there are a lot of benefits to going meat-less.

for that reason, (and also... because organic, free-range meat is expensive), cort and i are implementing meatless mondays at our house. this shouldn't be too hard a challenge, and i think actually, quite a fun one - thinking outside the box and away from our meat and veggies staple every night.

last night, i made a recipe that came from one of my favorite vegan blogs, angela from oh she glows. the protein power goddess bowl (i may have left the actual name out with serving the dish to cort) includes an abundance of protein in the lentils and kale. two of my favorite ingredients. and kale is such a superfood, we should all be eating more of it. you can find the recipe here. i'll definitely be adding it in the mix.

protein power goddess bowl - image via here

what are your favorite meat-less meals? do share.

happy tuesday.

over the weekend

2011-06-06T05:58:00.001-07:00

i started blogging again.

took me long enough, eh? anyway, after a much-needed family vacation to maui, i came back feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, ready to jump back into the blog world, full-swing. it seems with vacations, for me, with as many goals as i want to accomplish before the trip (tone up, pack light, etc), i come home with even more. i think that is the sign of a good vacation though - one leaving you happy, and refreshed - ready to conquer your everyday life again. so, that being said...blogging is back on the priority list. happy to be back.

mama's beach boy

also over the weekend, we made it over to our community pool for the first time this year. with dallas now officially being HOT - high 90's all week - we thought it would be a good time to break it in, baby n. loves splashing in the water and had a blast soaking in some vitamin d, decked out in his cute sun hat. the sun and water really wear him out, and he crashes. he ends up taking really long naps after anytime we've been swimming (in maui he slept like a champ).

we also hit up joe's crab shack with some friends. i can't even recall the last time i ever went to that restaurant (maybe in high school??) but i have to admit, it did not disappoint. i've got a real love affair with their dungeness crab smothered in bbq sauce. to my delight, the corn on the side was even sprinkled in the famous sauce. i cleared the plate, and then after, ate my weight in frozen yogurt at tutti frutti.
story of my life. and pretty much the perfect saturday night.

i also made some cookies sunday afternoon to welcome our new neighbors next door. there hasn't been a whole lot of baking going on around our kitchen these days. my husband has put a lock on the oven doors since it was doing a number on our waistlines. so it felt really good to break out the mixer and sneak in a few (or was it 7?) cookies of my own. i stuck with classic chocolate chip, but as i was looking for a good recipe, i suddenly remembered my friend carlee telling me years ago that putting vanilla pudding mix into the batter helped make them a bit fluffier (as I am the queen of flat-as-pancake-cookies) it worked, and they were delicious. thanks carlee.

bake them. and try not to eat all the batter, because the cookies are worth it. i promise.

"puffy" chocolate chip cookies
adapted from a few recipes, here and there, with a key-addition from carlee roderick-wheat
ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 pkg (3.4 oz) vanilla instant pudding mix
2 1/2 to 3 cups flour (i used 3)
12 oz package chocolate chips
directions
preheat oven to 350 degrees.
in a large mixing bowl, combine the sugars and butter. mix until thoroughly combined. beat in the eggs and vanilla. add pudding mix, stir until incorporated.
in a small bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour with the baking soda and salt. blend into egg mixture.
add additional flour, 1/2 cup at a time until reaching desired consistency. i used 3 cups.
stir in chocolate chips. milk chocolate, semi-sweet, white, butterscotch...whatever.
drop spoonfuls of dough on cookie sheet. bake for 10. cool for 10. eat.

happy monday. xo.

nine months.

2011-06-01T14:09:00.000-07:00

it's hard to believe that the 1st of June makes you nine months old. you've almost spent as much time out of the womb as you have in it. our sweet, playful nine month old baby boy.

i found myself looking through all your newborn pictures just the other day. you, wrapped so tightly and snug in your swaddle, with such sleepy eyes. i can't believe it is the same boy who now races from room to room, pulling things off shelves, climbing up stairs and furniture, yanking on cords, shuffling through books and trying to eat shoes. you, the boy who frequently shows us his now, toothy grin - with your fourth tooth just peeking though - and laughing at everything.

i dare say this is your most fun stage yet - though i'm sure we've said that every month. it is so exciting to watch you now do things with intent. you discover, and learn so much every day. you clap when you are happy, when you see your daddy and when you want to play. you love balls, and will squeal with delight as we pass it back and forth. you love to play chase and will laugh the whole way as we follow you up the stairs. you are so fearless, and will now take your hands off whatever you are holding onto, to stand - if only for a few seconds - to show us you can do it all by yourself. you have the best facial expressions. one of my favorites is your scrunched up eyebrows and puckered lips, as you try to figure something out, or play with something new.

you are the cuddliest of all babies. you snuggle in so close at night, insisting that we are always touching. you lay your head on our shoulder when you are tired. you will crawl into our lap, stand on your chubby little legs and wrap your arms around our neck, and then crawl away again. just checking in. you reach your arms up, or tug on our pant legs to be held, and will grip onto our clothes if we try to put you down. you prefer the view from our arms.

you are finally loving food. really loving food. you went straight to the table foods, showing us that not all babies follow the book (if we hadn't figured out that you are the complete opposite of the average baby, already). you will eat anything off our plate, and love all the big boy food. you are still a champion nurser, and insist on it frequently. it's hard to imagine you ever growing out of it. but i'm in no rush. i love it just as much.

you have spent nine months making each day better than the last. nine months of us holding our breath as you try out a new skill, hit a new milestone or show us a new trick. nine months of charming complete strangers. nine months of a kind of happiness only relatable to those that are experience life with a first born babe.

you make us so happy. you make us so proud.

happy nine months love. xo.

eight months.

2011-05-01T13:03:00.000-07:00

our eight month old boy. that smile. those eyes that light up the second they're open. those cheeks. those feet. your hands. i know every single inch of you, and i can't get enough.

our playful boy is full of happiness and sunshine and you show it to everyone you meet. you, with your big goofy grin, will sit and stare, even at a stranger, until they smile back, only to give an even bigger smile and then bury your head in my chest. you love people and are so sweet. you could make even the unhappiest person, happy.

crawling is a thing of the past, and you are only interested in testing your strength and agility by climbing to all things within your reach. my eyes are almost never off of you, for if i blink, you are climbing up the stairs, or heading straight for anywhere and anything off limits. you like a challenge. i have learned to multitask well, always with at least one eye on you. and this includes naps, as you have proven only to take a good, long solid nap in our bed. just like your night time sleep. you know what you like, and there is no use trying to prove you otherwise.

you are independent, but always love to have us within your reach. you are a busy boy, always on the go, but still love to stop and snuggle. you are getting so big, but are still my little baby boy. you are the best of everything and we love you more and more every day.

happy eight months sunshine. xo.

seven months.

2011-04-07T20:30:00.000-07:00

good morning sunshine boy. my seven month old, sunshine boy.

you, our little guy, shot straight through six months and are, quite literally, racing through seven. i think I once read somewhere that the only thing consistent with having a baby is change. and changing, you are. not long after you turned six months old, you began to crawl. a slow, testing-it-out, kind of crawl that didnt last too long. soon, my son, you were cruising, and are cruising, any chance you get. if I blink, I will miss you, and you'll be climbing up anything you can touch. life has gotten so much busier, and yet, still so much sweeter, every day that goes by.

you are my little sidekick, and we're practically attached at the hip these days. you'll head off exploring, but after a couple of minutes will speed your way back over and climb right into my lap. we'll snuggle for a second, and then you're off again, laughing excitedly, usually to see if you can find the most dangerous object in the room.

you are a busy, busy boy, and changing your clothes or your diaper is usually a two man job. flipping onto your belly is your favorite trick, and you're so strong there is no way to keep you off of it. the days of watching you lie on your playmat, so still and peaceful are long long gone. your grip is a death grip, and if you want something, you'll find a way to get a hold of it. you are independent and determined. and oh, so very smart.

we know you love us, and you show us with your gummy smile and sparkling brown eyes. and for some reason, your favorite things about us are what we consider our worst attributes. you love me to sing to you, most especially, the wheels on the bus, and popcorn popping. and you never laugh harder than when watching your daddy dance.

you love baths, and splashing, and banging your toys. you love sipping out of your mama's water bottle and sneaking bites of her morning oatmeal. you love, and want, anything we are holding. you love snuggling at bedtime, and still sleep most soundly curled up next to your dad. you love reading books, and love to turn the pages. brown bear brown bear and goodnight moon will quiet you down after a busy day. you love your hands tickled and your back rubbed. you love smiling at strangers and then burrowing your head bashfully when they smile back.

you are our little buddy. our little love bug. our sunshine. our sweet boy. our life. you make us want about 6 more, just like you.

you bring so much light and goodness into our lives. we can't wait to see what you show us next.

happy seven months little cub. xo.

happenings.

2011-03-28T18:44:00.000-07:00

i'll be honest, i haven't looked at my blog, or any other blog for that matter, for a while. life has been happening around our household, with some wonderful houseguests in the form of the Babcock duo (minus the twins), and a whole lot of moving and grooving from the little man that rules our lives.

not only is he cruising around our ankles, but now he's climbing up into a standing postion on anything he can reach. between running after him, and providing ample cushioning beneath whatever object he's hoisted himself on to, this mama has had no time to do what i promised. and that is blog. not to mention, we had a devasting crash of our laptop, leaving me trying to blog on an older pc, in which trying to download pictures has become a nightmare. not to mention the inablility to format in any organized fashion.

anyway, enough excuses...i'll be back, all in good time.

we're heading out on a spring break tomorrow, and i'll be back in a week, rejuvenated and ready to to conquer all that i've had planned.

for now, i'll just leave you with the happiest/sweetest boy on the block...

have a great week.

xo.

monday.

2011-03-21T18:15:00.000-07:00

while on a run with my little man this afternoon, we took a detour and stopped at the park. it was such a beautiful day, and i could tell that baby n. was itching to get up, get out and roll around on the grass. sometimes it's nice to break away from routine. i had other plans...including finishing my workout (i think i squeezed in a pushup at the park), but they could wait. this is actually really hard for me. i'm a creature of habit, and like to have things planned out and prepared. i get anxious if i need to get something done and can't/haven't. but spending time with my sweet boy in the sunshine took priority over everything else today. that's what having a baby in my life has done to me. i'm starting to relax and little bit more, and just let life happen.

after an extremely unfortunate incident last week (still too fresh to talk about), i'm feeling very grateful for this blog and the chance to document our lives. because of this, i hope to be doing a lot more blogging/picture-taking in the near future. hold me to it.

happy monday. xo.

over the weekend...

2011-03-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

baby's first grass-stains.

pancakes, chocolate-pecan pie, thai steak noodle salad, ice cream sundaes, friday night pizza, mocha-chocolate icebox cake. yep, all in one weekend.

dallas blooms at the arboretum.

had a fabulous, fantastic birthday weekend with the campbell fam. great conversation, lots of baby-watching, loads of love. i can't even put into words how much i miss them already.

can't believe it's the middle of march!!!

happy monday. xo.

friday links

2011-03-04T08:41:00.000-08:00

happy friday everyone. i woke up this morning and thought it was thursday. don't you love it when that happens? it's almost as good as waking up in the middle of the night and realizing you have hours left to sleep. we've had a pretty productive week that included a six-month checkup for baby n. (still growing like a weed), a trip to the zoo, some jogs in 70+ degree weather, a couple lunch dates...and we'll be ending it with another pizza and movie night. thinking about trying a variation of this pizza tonight. something about caramelized onions and prosciutto that seems to be the perfect combination of salty and sweet.

n. is at the stage where i can't keep my eyes off him even for a second. even as i write, he's rolling his way over to an outlet. he seems to be interested in all things dangerous right now, and it keeps this happy mama b-u-s-y. and he's not even crawling yet.

onto friday links....

holy arms cameron diaz. i'm pretty sure i could never look like that.

i really want to see this movie. what are your thoughts on taking infants to movies? cruel to the baby, movie-goers, or both? i'll admit that i've done it.

have you heard of pintrest? i love, love, love this idea of cataloging all the things i love, but can't yet do/have yet. looking forward to start collecting.

if i had more money, i'm pretty sure i'd buy any one of these dresses.

i may or may not have a birthday coming up soon, and i may or may not make myself this cake.

am a fan of black wagon's adorable baby onesies.

my parents and sisters are coming in town next weekend (double yay!!) and i'm thinking about taking them to see this museum.

i had some more links from this week, but my sweet baby boy is begging for my attention, so that's it for me today.

happy weekending. xo.

six months.

2011-03-01T03:57:00.000-08:00

today, you, our little sweetheart, turn six months old. six months of growing big and strong. six months of hitting new milestones. six months of adventure. the best six months of our lives.

i always pictured what life would be like with a baby, but you have far exceeded our expectations. when you were born, our lives became entirely yours. our hearts were yours to keep. i think back on the hours of labor, and then the minutes after you were born. your cheeks rosy red, swaddled so tight, so warm and cozy in our arms. never wanting to put you down. never having a more natural feeling than you asleep on my chest. i never thought i could be happier than at that exact moment. the moment i first looked into your big, hopeful, mesmerizing eyes. the moment you first wrapped your chubby little fingers around mine. i never wanted that moment to end. never wanted you to grow, but to have you stay my newborn forever.

as each week, and then month, and then months have passed, i have had days where, just like the day you were born, i think that i could never be happier than at this moment. your smile gets brighter as each day passes. your laughter gets harder and louder. your personality, sweeter. your sweet baby skin gets softer. the rolls in your arms, wrists, legs and chins get chubbier. you make us so proud. you, our strong, healthy, growing boy.

the three of us are quite the team. we all share in the proud moments of watching you learn something new. you are a big boy, and will soon be bigger. soon you will crawl. and then you will walk. soon you will speak your first words. we have so much to look forward to. and as each new stage passes, we miss them, but we are gaining so much more. more of you.

each new stage brings a new kind of happiness into our lives. each new stage, and each new day, is exciting and special. and at each new stage, and each new day, we'll love you more and more.

happy six months happy boy. xo.

little cowboy.

2011-02-25T03:47:00.000-08:00

making this pizza tonight.

enjoying this movie. or maybe this movie.

going to do a lot of cuddling with both my boys.

happy weekend. xo.

dvd review: body by bethenny

2011-02-24T05:46:00.000-08:00

i've mentioned a few times on this blog about how i need to start exercising again. not necessarily for weight loss (though that wouldn't hurt), but i miss the feeling, and miss the energy that comes from it. i've had a few spurts here and there, but nothing consistent (although lifting my massive child has had some positive results on my arm muscles). being a mom, and trying to find time, is just plain hard. even when cort does get home, and i may get a minute or two to sneak away, i'd much rather spend time with my boys than go to the gym, so it usually doesn't happen. and until my sweet babe is big enough to go on jogs in the bob, we've just been settling for some nice walks. which are nothing to complain about.

when i saw that our cable was offering on demand fitness videos for the month of february for free (yay!), i committed to taking advantage of it. dvd's seem doable right now. first one up: body by bethenny: body sculpting workouts to unleash your skinny girl. i have to admit...i'm a self-confessed real housewives fan. i'll take them in any form. beverly hills, new jersey....any of them. and bethenny frankel is one of my fave's.

the dvd is a yoga-based workout, lead by celebrity trainer, kristen mcgee. the two are a good team, leading through three different segments (yoga, strength and booty blast. that's right...booty blast) that can be done separately, or together. bethenny frankel provides some good modifications for the yoga poses, which are great for beginners, and those which she says always takes advantage of - although, i have a hard time believing it, considering what great shape she seems to be in.

the 40-minute yoga segment was not easy, but not hard, and would be great for beginners or an intermediate. kristin starts out with a series of sun salutations, and then moves on to poses that focus on strengthening the lower body and core. no crazy inversions here - just the basics. they hold the poses a good amount of time, which allow you to feel the burn, and also get a really good stretch in. after i was done, my body felt open, and relaxed, which is exactly how you want to feel after yoga.

next up was the strength portion in which they instruct you in some very basic arms workouts. 10 minutes, 2 sets, 12 reps, 5 pounds, done. not bad, but considering i'm toting around something three times that weight, i'm not sure it would be doing too much in the long run. but for a good, quick arm workout...it works.

booty blast. 5 minutes of basic squats and leg lifts. also very doable. and it felt good after the yoga.

i liked that this workout was split up into segments, because i have to squeeze in little bouts of exercise all day. my baby boy also sleeps in "segments" (my sweet, sweet, catnapping child), and doing a 60 minute workout video, just isn't a part of my reality right now. that's why i'm also a fan of 20 minute workouts by jillian michaels (see my review here) and jackie warner (review coming soon).

bethenny provides some good comic relief during the video, points out that chaturanga's gave her killer arms (which i believe), and has a good and healthy attitude towards exercise. her motto: "do what works for you" is something i truly believe. just want to do the yoga? fine. only have time for a 10 minute arm workout? do that. want a day off? take it. whatever works for you, in your life right now, is just what you should be doing.

i am a fan.

happy exercising. happy thursday. xo.

stop what you're doing right now....

2011-02-23T06:25:00.000-08:00

and make these:

photo (and recipe) take here, because ours didn't even make it out of the pan :)

they are practically perfect in every way, for a couple of reasons. one...they contain a healthy (humor me) amount of butter. but not just any kind. the browned kind. which seems to make every treat that much more melt-in-your-mouth. two...the somoa cookie might be my favorite girl scout cookie ever. actually, it definitely is. and three...the recipe asks for you to mix with a wooden spoon. which made me feel all old-timey and awesome. and for some reason, mixing with a wooden spoon makes your effort that much more worth it. i think i'm going to start using one in place of all my electrical devices that i've bought/been given to do all my mixing for me. my arms could use the workout anyway. enjoy.

browned butter somoa blondies
adapted from the delicious, honey and jam
10 T. butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (i used milk chocolate, like always)

preheat oven to 350. in a pan over high heat, heat the butter until it browns (see below) and smells nutty- stirring constantly and keeping a close eye so it doesn't burn. let the butter cool for a few minutes, until barely warm. in a large bowl, mix together sugars and browned butter. with a wooden spoon, mix in the egg, vanilla, and salt. slowly mix in flour, coconut, and chocolate chips until blended. put batter in a greased 8x8 baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes-- do not overbake! the center should still be soft. let cool before slicing into squares.

{to brown butter}:

heat pan on medium heat.

cut butter in to pieces and melt in pan.

stir continuously. butter will foam up.

after foam subsides, small brown flecks will start to appear in bottom of pan.

continue stirring, until butter has reached a nice brown color, and nutty aroma.

when you want to lick the spoon, you know it's ready.

over the weekend...

2011-02-21T06:13:00.000-08:00

made this pizza, as promised. it turned out ok, but not as good as my previous attempts. i substituted wheat for the all-purpose flour, and it did not turn out as good. lesson learned. but...movie/pizza fridays are a hit. at least with me. i like having something to plan and look forward to, even if it's a simple night at home.

also made some somoa blondies (recipe coming soon). yes, like the girl scout cookie. ok, now seriously. i have to stop baking things. i have to cut down my sugar consumption. seriously. starting tomorrow.

went on some long walks in some 70 degree weather. i never realize how cooped up i've been until i finally get outside. i think baby n. felt the same, because he's actually been enjoying his stroller again, and loves getting out into the fresh air. my vocal boy gets silent and wide-eyed taking in all of the scenery.

went to the galleria mall, to my favorite store and picked up some new favorite stretchy workout pants (a vday gift from my love). i live in these things. i don't know what it is about dallas and its malls, but they're all huge, most have ice-skating rinks, and they're always packed. we got in and got out. even before i could pick up an auntie anne's pretzel. sigh.

baby n. decided that he wasn't into napping this weekend. boy, did we try to get him there though. i'm exhausted just thinking about it. but on the flip side, he's sleeping in 3-4 hour stretches now, rather than waking up every hour (aren't you jealous?). yay. and knock on wood.

i leave you with a shot of our boy socializing at the little gym. the instructor kind of dotes on him. not that i blame him.

happy monday. xo.

friday links and a new tradition.

2011-02-18T06:04:00.000-08:00

i'm loving the weekends these days. with cort working pretty brutal hours and traveling way more than i'd like, it is nice to have the weekend to look forward to. and this weekend we are due for some 70+ weather and sunshine which makes this girl very happy.

i've decided to dedicate our friday nights to "pizza and movie night" over here at the nelson household. i experimented with this pizza recipe over superbowl sunday, and had some great success, so i'm thinking i'm going try a new recipe each week. and homemade pizza is so much tastier than any delivery i've ever tried. why am i just catching onto this?? i prepped the dough last night, and am going to top it with my favorites: pesto, mozzarella, tomato and basil. movie of the night? the husband has requested Secretariat. looks good. disney, i like. has horses in it. and diane lane, of whom i am a fan. any reviews?

moving on to friday links....

baby n. has started in on solids! so far rice cereal is a no-go, but avocados and bananas are a must. that's my boy - already knowing that real food is better for him. thinking about getting this baby cookbook and using it with my new beabe babycooker.

i am seriously lacking motivation with working out these days. i'm exhausted in the morning. i'm exhausted at night. i need a new plan. maybe i should try to take up running now that baby n. is thisclose to being able to be latched into the Bob? our walks are nice, but they just aren't cutting it (as in, no sweat is being broken) or maybe p90x again? hmm... new moms...what's your exercise like these days?

check out these adorable "bib-tees". they'd sure come in handy with all the food-slinging that's going on over at our house these days. oh, and these sweet baby summer overalls?? so precious. i'm such a sucker for baby clothes.

my cousin, ellie, has some serious sewing-talent. who knows the fastest, easiest way to teach me how to sew? i'm serious - i really want to learn.

after carrying around a diaper bag for a few months, all these bags look really appealing. i want one.

my sister, amy, is hilarious. she read us her junior-high journal entries over the holidays and i still laugh until there are tears in my eyes thinking about them.

i love butter. like, really love it. this post speaks to me. did you know i used to be a vegetarian, that rarely ate dairy?? yeah, i don't know what happened.

happy weekending....xo.

you parent your way, i'll parent mine.

2011-02-17T12:54:00.000-08:00

my sister-in-law, Amanda, sent me this link to an interesting/funny/true article this week on "the 10 most irritating, least helpful parenting tips ever", and i had to share with y'all. not before i became a mother did i realize how touchy a subject parenting was. almost as bad as religion and politics. like i said, this is interesting, funny and true.

have i said some of these before to other mothers?

guilty as charged.

1. "Sleep now, because once that baby comes you'll never sleep again." Technically this is a pregnancy tip, of course, but I'm shoving it in here anyway. Yes, Great-Aunt Hildy, I will sleep throughout my entire third trimester. Because I am part bear. ( this actually is true....you will never sleep again.)

2. "Sleep when the baby sleeps." Everyone gives you this one — annoying relatives, pediatricians, the cashier at the drugstore where you were buying newborn diapers. Are these people all robots, capable of instantly dropping off to sleep whenever their child is unconscious? Do they not have other things to do, like bathe, or simply relish the rare moments of silence you get when you have an infant? (i actually find this one helpful - although i didn't catch onto it until 4 months in when baby n. stopped sleeping like a newborn, and instead in 30-40 minute increments. missed the boat on that one.)

3. "I think your baby's hungry." Whether you're nursing or bottle-feeding, everyone assumes you don't know how to feed your child. And every time your child cries, whines, grimaces, or squirms, they are going to assume you are starving your poor baby and you need reminders to feed it. Lest you forget! This advice is especially maddening when they turn out to be correct. (yeah, i've gotten this one before, and sometimes its true. he is hungry. but he's always hungry!! i can see how some would take offense. but as you can see....baby n. is clearly not starving.)

4. "Relish every moment of your baby's first years, because they'll be grown before you know it." You mean, time only moves forward? I had no idea! I thought we'd be like this forever and ever! This sort of advice, obvious and innocuous as it seems, always put me on the defensive, as if I had just been carrying my baby under my arm like a football, muttering, "Grow up already, why don't you. Just GROW UP." (i can't even tell you how many times, sometimes in a day, that i hear this. mostly it just makes me sad.)

5. "I hope you're sleep training that child. Do you WANT him to be spoiled?" Oh, distant relative/person whose aisle I shared at the supermarket, I'm so glad you know exactly my child needs. And that you know, from your years of scientific research, that any child not allowed to cry it out will be a horrible waste of flesh! (don't even get me started....)

6. "I hope you're not doing that 'crying it out' thing. It's so barbaric. Enjoy your baby all through the night!" Again, kudos to you, whoever you are, for knowing what's best for our unique family situation! I will be calling you at 4 a.m., so you can enjoy our baby as well. (see comment above)

7. "Why are you bringing your child outside when it's so cold out?" It never ceased to amaze me that, no matter what my child's age, total strangers will express alarm and revulsion that I dared expose him to the elements. "And WHY ISN'T BE WEARING MITTENS? He's going to get consumption!" (i got this even though i was completely paranoid to leave the house with a newborn and didn't really take him out anywhere in the first six weeks. as if i didn't feel guilty enough....)

8. "Your child isn't really sad/angry/injured. He's just manipulating you." There's no doubt that children can push our buttons as if they've had professional training in it, but the notion that my kid's authentic feelings are in fact manufactured to elicit a reaction really chaps my hide If that were always true, he'd be a pint-sized sociopath. I'm pretty sure that's not the case. (seriously...a baby manipulating me?? a baby?? if that's the case, then my son is a genius.)

9. "Schools are just glorified prisons. If you loved your child, you'd homeschool." Oh, if only I loved my child enough to abandon my livelihood, tear him away from the community he so enjoys, separate him from the professionals who have dedicated their careers to childhood education, and forced him to stay home all day with me, where we'd be at each other's throats for hours! If only! Please note: I am not opposed to homeschooling, at all — in fact I wish it would work for us, but it would not. (have never heard this one, but clearly it would be annoying. how many people can really home school anyway? if so, more power to 'em.)

10. "If I were you, I'd just—" OH NO YOU DON'T. I know where this is going. Listen, unnamed distant acquaintance who last parented in the 19th century (it's true — I often get my unwanted advice from ghosts) you don't know diddly about my kid, and our relationship, and what works for us. (uh huh, uh huh, uh huh...i usually just take this one with a smile and a nod.)

everyone means well. parenting...it can be a little stressful, but all worth it...

i mean, just look at this face.

what's the most irritating, least helpful advice you've ever been given? and it's ok to point out if it was me, giving that advice.

happy thursday. xo.

friday links.

2011-02-11T12:12:00.000-08:00

hello, hello. haven't had a lot of motivation to blog these days. i'd blame it on sleep-deprivation, but even without it, i'm not sure i'd be considered the best blogger. i am taking pictures of baby n. though, and will be getting some up soon. the boy is getting cuter by the minute. even without a lot of sleep, the little guy sure is handsome. i on the other hand, am looking a bit ragged, and need a little grooming.

onto friday links....

am thoroughly enjoying this book.

some cute swimsuits, and inspiration to get back into bikini-shape before maui in may. yikes...better step up my game.

with that being said, i am dying to make these, and this.

and i already made this. it was the best.

wish my hair was long enough to pull off this look.

or short enough to pull off this girl's look.

going on an early valentines date with my valentine to night to this restaurant. have you tried their grilled artichoke?? be still my heart, it's delicious.

this should be the first step in organizing my closet. it's in serious need.

here's to a relaxing, romantic weekend and to getting stuff done next week!

xo.

5 months.

2011-02-01T05:40:00.000-08:00

our little ray of sunshine chasing the sunshine.

you're doing a lot of chasing these days. a boy on the move, even though you can't move very far. not long ago you hated your tummy time, and now we can't seem to keep you off of it. you'll scrunch up your little legs, and hike up your bum, and with your loudest grunt, you'll try to move forward. i can sense your frustration, and you let us know it's there - you want to be able to move so badly. but you'll get there soon enough. slow down little cub, you're growing too fast.

you are playful, and cuddly, and warm and soft. you'll wrap your dimply little fingers around mine and hold on tight. you'll pull at my hair. you'll grab at our faces. you're discovering your senses. you love to touch, and squeeze. you love to have your hand tickled. it's about one of the only times i can get you to sit still.

because you don't like to sit still for too long, unless you're perched in the crook of your daddy's arm. you look so calm, so cozy. just hanging out, watching sports with your dad. it's a vision of what's to come, and it makes me so happy to see your bond.

we're getting less sleep than we did in the months before. you'll call out to us - now in your big boy crib - but once you see us, you're all smiles. almost as if you know what you're doing. right now, it's ok. we know there will be a day where you won't want to call out to us at all. so we'll take these sleepless nights, one by one. and what you're lacking for in sleep, you're making up for in eating. you're doing plenty of that.

you are careful to keep us in your line of sight, never wanting us to wander too far. you love to be able to roll around, and stretch your legs, but not for too long. you are still the happiest in our arms. and that's just fine with us. in my wishful mind, i think you've started reaching your arms out for us to pick you up. you are, what your dad lovingly refers to you as, a cuddle-a-holic, and love human contact. you have a new disdain for your stroller, and prefer to be tucked into the baby carrier. where you can look freely all around you, and still be able to look up at us with your gummy smile.

we see more of your sweet personality every day. you are playful. and you get really excited. you now laugh freely and sweetly. we can tell you are going to be an independent little boy. doing things on your own time, in your own way. and you want to be doing what we are doing. eat what we are eating. hold what we are holding. you will grab at everything (usually just to taste it), and then drop it, just so you can grab at it all over again.

you love to play airplane, peek-a-boo and "this little piggy". you love to have your feet played with, tickled, and kissed. and you, our little yogi, can pull them all the way up into your mouth. and you do (along with everything else), every chance you get.

you're starting to show more interest in books. i'll hold them , and you'll put your squishy little hands right underneath mine, helping me hold it up. i'll point to things, you'll look. i'll read things, and you'll listen. one of the best parts of my day is sitting in our rocking chair, with you cuddled in my lap, watching you learn.

we smile, and you smile. every. single. time. and you give them out sweetly and generously. to family, to friends, to complete strangers. everyone always commenting on what a happy little boy you are. we pray for your happiness. we pray that you are comfortable, that you feel safe, that you feel loved. we'll never be able to give out enough smiles, or kisses, or cuddles, to show you just how much.

but we'll never get sick of trying.

happy 5 months little love. xo.

monday confessions.

2011-01-24T06:58:00.000-08:00

at any point in the day, you can guarantee that i have spit-up on my clothes.

i eat the same bowl of oatmeal every single morning. oats. almond milk. slivered almonds. blueberries. i'd probably eat it for every meal if i could.

i think i'm co-dependent. i'm going through a phase were i really, really miss Cort everyday that he's gone, and especially when he's traveling. i've always missed him, but this has been more so than ever.

i'm considering cutting bangs again. even after complaining every single day about trying to grow them out.

i spend a lot of time in a dark room these days, when it's time to feed baby N. or put him to sleep. now that he's so aware of the world around him, it's hard to keep his attention.

and he is so full of energy. he's talking and squealing and rolling and scooting. i can barely keep up with him now and he's not even mobile yet.

i miss my family more every day that i'm away from them. it doesn't get easier, like i originally thought it would.

i just washed our bed sheets for the first time since we've been home from Utah. yikes, embarrassing.

baby N. and i take a walk every afternoon to go steal a cookie from the leasing office. at first i just made up excuses about why i was there (taking a break from the cold, maintenance question, etc.). they figured me out. now i just walk in, say hello, and take a cookie.

i'm starting to lose interest in yoga due to how expensive it is. seriously...$15 a class?? i either need to pick up a new hobby or build my own little yoga sauna.

we have started to move baby N. into his crib at night. i have to get in the crib with him every night until he falls asleep to get him to stay in there. even though he's in the bedroom next to us, he still feels so far away.

happy monday. xo.

mug shot.

2011-01-23T18:47:00.000-08:00

i mean, seriously.

look at that face. this boy is full of smiles and loves showing them off. for the first three months of this life, we didn't think he had any dimples. as his face has leaned out a bit (but not much), we can now see they're in there, just hidden beneath the layers of cheeks (see this photo).

there are hard days when you didn't sleep much the night before.

there are days when you can't seem to find the time to shower because your baby only sleeps in 20-30 minute increments.

you feel unkempt, unattractive, and exhausted.

but seeing this smile makes it all worth while.

this post by my sweet sister-in-law says it all.

does anyone else besides me see a mini-Cortney in the making??