I stumbled across some food blogs during my intense bouts with morning sickness.
What? Does that seem strange to be reading about food while so nauseous you can't even enter the kitchen?
I know, I know, it even felt bizarre to me but I was so sick I was desperate for something, anything that sounded or looked good to eat. When I was pregnant with Dia, protein really helped and I've always read/heard that eating (even if just crackers) can actually help relieve morning sickness. After scanning a few posts from these yummy cooks, I ended with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Simple, yes, but I was finally able to keep down a meal. So I guess these girls have a special place in my heart.
Yes, I Want Cake is more than just a food blog. She is a recently retired teacher thanks to the birth of her first child. She stayed ridiculously active and in shape during her entire pregnancy and while she bakes a lot, it's always from scratch and she strives to eat high quality, nutrient-dense food (even if it does have wheat/dairy/sugar). She is going on a no sugar stint for the month of July, though! I'm actually pretty excited to see what she comes up with in the way of desserts in the next 30 days. I think most everyone can glean something from this one.
Clean Eating Chelsey probably shares closest with my own eating style. Lots of raw, always vegan, vegetable-filled, always gluten-/dairy-free goodness. She's also a runner, so she keeps up with her fitness regime all while eating cleanly. I've enjoyed her recipes and thoughts a lot these last few weeks. Plus, this girl has the best give-aways! And she does them a lot. I encourage everyone to include at least one all vegetarian meal a week. Chelsey is a great one to look to for something simple, healthy and vegetarian that everyone can enjoy.
Cait's Plate is one of those fun little blogs where I get to enjoy observing a young working woman in New York City. Clearly, we have nothing in common and her eating style is nothing like mine, but I still have a lot of fun following her adventures. I have a feeling a lot of you meat/dairy/gluten-eaters may benefit from her food creations.
Hoping you find yummy culinary inspiration for the weekend!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Playing For Smarts
Just want to direct your attention to this great series of blog posts from a delightful home-schooling mom who writes one of my favorite blogs, Cultivated Lives. You don't have to be a home-schooling mom to appreciate this series, either--it's simply a great philosophy for raising children.
And it's simple: let them play! She has much wisdom, science and practical experience with this seemingly basic concept. I think you'll enjoy it as much I do.
Also, for anyone in the Arizona area, the home-school convention is a coming! We missed all the fun last year due to a death in the family, but hope to get in on the excitement and inspiration this July 22 and 23. And hopefully you can excuse my tardiness in posting this...the early registration (complete with early bird discount) has, um, expired. Sorry! But you can still get in and it's a great day or weekend to spend with your spouse. It's the ideal spot to get mutually inspired, strike up exciting conversation and both seek the Lord for the direction of your children. Plus, it's freezing in there and when it's this hot in June (97 degrees at 10am?), a freezing convention center in July is mighty appealing...
Playing with Dia until then...
She turned Grandma's ice cube trays into a boat--genius!
And it's simple: let them play! She has much wisdom, science and practical experience with this seemingly basic concept. I think you'll enjoy it as much I do.
Also, for anyone in the Arizona area, the home-school convention is a coming! We missed all the fun last year due to a death in the family, but hope to get in on the excitement and inspiration this July 22 and 23. And hopefully you can excuse my tardiness in posting this...the early registration (complete with early bird discount) has, um, expired. Sorry! But you can still get in and it's a great day or weekend to spend with your spouse. It's the ideal spot to get mutually inspired, strike up exciting conversation and both seek the Lord for the direction of your children. Plus, it's freezing in there and when it's this hot in June (97 degrees at 10am?), a freezing convention center in July is mighty appealing...
Playing with Dia until then...
She turned Grandma's ice cube trays into a boat--genius!Tuesday, June 28, 2011
A Nice Little Something For the Kids
Since we've been staying "abroad" (AKA at in-laws and parents' homes), it's been both wonderful and difficult to get the right food in my girl's tummy. Both of our families are passionate about healthy, organic food and if they aren't gluten-free themselves, they are happy to comply. But not only have I been too nauseous to prepare meals on some occasions when others weren't there to cook, we've also found ourselves out and about several times now with little but french fries and smoothies (NOT even organic, ugh!) to eat. Am I the only one who would really appreciate restaurants offering more beans and cooked vegetables? You don't even have to put it on the kid's menu, because, let's face it, if a kid's menu did not include gluten and copious amounts of processed cheese on literally every item then it wouldn't be American would it? (Insert sarcasm here.)
We've also finally faced the situation I knew was coming: birthday party cupcakes. Rory and I have always taken the firm stance that we would not raise our children with deprivation. If they really want the cupcake, then, well, let them eat cake (and I mean that to no way reflect Marie's issues...). Our thought is that as long as we keep sugar out of the house (that's right--you won't find white granules of anything other than salt in our kitchen), we can feel free to allow our children (love being able to say the plural now!) to sample various other cuisines (AKA junk).
So as I was saying, this last weekend we went to a friend's birthday party and this was the first time Dia saw her friend's hands and mouth covered in blue icing where she turned to me to say, "Try?" and nod her head. Big blue eyes wide and innocent. Please, mama? For me, too? Oh man, did they have to put the blue icing? Electric blue no less. But I knew this day was coming.
And I tried to dodge it. "Oh, D. That food hurts our tummies. How about some more oranges?"
She complied and dug into more fruit. Until we went to say goodbye and I looked over just as she placed a whole handful of some other child's cupcake into her mouth. Again wide-eyed and still mostly innocent.
I instantly grabbed a cupcake for her, put it on a plate and we sat together while she "tried" her cupcake. She wasn't crazy about it or especially thrilled. I think she really did just want to try it. And I'll be honest, the minute she abandoned it, I tossed it. In my defense, it was also nap time and I knew her first strong dose of sugar right before sleepy time may not be helpful.
She didn't eat much but I instantly knew I had to get water and veggies in that girl, pronto! If sugar is the Wicked Witch of the West, I knew water and whole healthful foods would be her tornado.
And the easiest way to get veggies in a kid is to add them to pasta. Too tired to stop at the store or cook too much, I scoured my mom's fridge for anything that would blend well into sauce, which, if you don't already know is everything. I especially wanted the nutrient rich spinach but found zucchini. High in vitamins A and C, not to mention magnesium, potassium and manganese, zucchini is a great summer food to get in our kids' bodies. And this sauce is completely free of cans, packaged foods (my mom makes her own sundried tomatoes but you can buy them in the store, too) and sugar. It's also delicious and clearly not just for the kids...but they will love it.
Here's how I made her sauce (which she ate two bowls of the first day alone!):
Summer Zucchini Tomato Sauce
Serves 4
4 fresh organic medium tomatoes (any variety will work, but I recommend heirloom), diced
5 sundried tomatoes
2 slices yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves pressed
1 zucchini, shredded
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons oregano (*more or less to taste)
2 tablespoons Italian seasonings (*more or less to taste)
Salt to taste (I prefer Himalayan pink salt--it's pricey but so nutrient-rich that you don't need much to flavor your food. It lasts forever and with the summer heat I like adding nutrient-rich salt to our diet.)
Fresh basil, oregano or any other vegetable you have on hand (shredded spinach, carrots, squash, etc.) all work wonders, but I was just going with what was available.
*I find that seasonings can be very personal, so feel free to start out small and add more as you taste it. I have a hard time measuring because I'll keep adding while I taste until I just love it.
I start out my sauce as I start most everything I cook: by heating olive oil over medium heat and sauteing the onion and garlic until the onion begins to look transparent. (I dice the tomatoes and shred the zucchini while I wait.) Then add tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, zucchini and spices (except salt). Cover pot and let simmer about 30 minutes to an hour, stirring regularly. You may need to add more oil at this point if it looks like it's getting dry. I don't add water or any extra liquid, though, because the tomatoes and zucchini are so water-dense that it complements the sauce very well. I add the salt very last so that I don't add too much. Feel free to shorten or lengthen the simmering time depending on your style of sauce--a longer simmering time yields a more liquid-like sauce while the shorter time results in a thicker, chunkier sauce. Like I said before, I made this while Dia napped so start to finish it took less then an hour or so. Really, there is no right way with this stuff just go by what looks and tastes the best. (Sorry, type-A-ers. I cook to taste, not to recipe.)
Add to organic brown rice pasta (or any other kind of pasta you like) and top with organic sheep's Parmesan cheese. That's our preferred method, anyway, but you can also use this for lasagna or anywhere else you like marinara sauce.
Enjoy!
We've also finally faced the situation I knew was coming: birthday party cupcakes. Rory and I have always taken the firm stance that we would not raise our children with deprivation. If they really want the cupcake, then, well, let them eat cake (and I mean that to no way reflect Marie's issues...). Our thought is that as long as we keep sugar out of the house (that's right--you won't find white granules of anything other than salt in our kitchen), we can feel free to allow our children (love being able to say the plural now!) to sample various other cuisines (AKA junk).
So as I was saying, this last weekend we went to a friend's birthday party and this was the first time Dia saw her friend's hands and mouth covered in blue icing where she turned to me to say, "Try?" and nod her head. Big blue eyes wide and innocent. Please, mama? For me, too? Oh man, did they have to put the blue icing? Electric blue no less. But I knew this day was coming.
And I tried to dodge it. "Oh, D. That food hurts our tummies. How about some more oranges?"
She complied and dug into more fruit. Until we went to say goodbye and I looked over just as she placed a whole handful of some other child's cupcake into her mouth. Again wide-eyed and still mostly innocent.
I instantly grabbed a cupcake for her, put it on a plate and we sat together while she "tried" her cupcake. She wasn't crazy about it or especially thrilled. I think she really did just want to try it. And I'll be honest, the minute she abandoned it, I tossed it. In my defense, it was also nap time and I knew her first strong dose of sugar right before sleepy time may not be helpful.
She didn't eat much but I instantly knew I had to get water and veggies in that girl, pronto! If sugar is the Wicked Witch of the West, I knew water and whole healthful foods would be her tornado.
And the easiest way to get veggies in a kid is to add them to pasta. Too tired to stop at the store or cook too much, I scoured my mom's fridge for anything that would blend well into sauce, which, if you don't already know is everything. I especially wanted the nutrient rich spinach but found zucchini. High in vitamins A and C, not to mention magnesium, potassium and manganese, zucchini is a great summer food to get in our kids' bodies. And this sauce is completely free of cans, packaged foods (my mom makes her own sundried tomatoes but you can buy them in the store, too) and sugar. It's also delicious and clearly not just for the kids...but they will love it.
Here's how I made her sauce (which she ate two bowls of the first day alone!):
Summer Zucchini Tomato Sauce
Serves 4
4 fresh organic medium tomatoes (any variety will work, but I recommend heirloom), diced
5 sundried tomatoes
2 slices yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves pressed
1 zucchini, shredded
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons oregano (*more or less to taste)
2 tablespoons Italian seasonings (*more or less to taste)
Salt to taste (I prefer Himalayan pink salt--it's pricey but so nutrient-rich that you don't need much to flavor your food. It lasts forever and with the summer heat I like adding nutrient-rich salt to our diet.)
Fresh basil, oregano or any other vegetable you have on hand (shredded spinach, carrots, squash, etc.) all work wonders, but I was just going with what was available.
*I find that seasonings can be very personal, so feel free to start out small and add more as you taste it. I have a hard time measuring because I'll keep adding while I taste until I just love it.
I start out my sauce as I start most everything I cook: by heating olive oil over medium heat and sauteing the onion and garlic until the onion begins to look transparent. (I dice the tomatoes and shred the zucchini while I wait.) Then add tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, zucchini and spices (except salt). Cover pot and let simmer about 30 minutes to an hour, stirring regularly. You may need to add more oil at this point if it looks like it's getting dry. I don't add water or any extra liquid, though, because the tomatoes and zucchini are so water-dense that it complements the sauce very well. I add the salt very last so that I don't add too much. Feel free to shorten or lengthen the simmering time depending on your style of sauce--a longer simmering time yields a more liquid-like sauce while the shorter time results in a thicker, chunkier sauce. Like I said before, I made this while Dia napped so start to finish it took less then an hour or so. Really, there is no right way with this stuff just go by what looks and tastes the best. (Sorry, type-A-ers. I cook to taste, not to recipe.)
Add to organic brown rice pasta (or any other kind of pasta you like) and top with organic sheep's Parmesan cheese. That's our preferred method, anyway, but you can also use this for lasagna or anywhere else you like marinara sauce.
Enjoy!
Monday, June 27, 2011
You Must Really Love Jesus
There are some things you just can't know about a person until you marry them. Beyond brands of toothpaste and cooking/cleaning habits, there is a lot that reveals itself bit by bit as you spend your days attached to someone else. There are also traits that continue to grow and develop and hopefully through much prayer they bring the best out of both of you.
Today is a Gratitude Monday (remember how I posted about this like once before? Well, it's still a big part of my life even though I haven't been faithful to blog about it.). All I can think about when I examine my life with a grateful heart these days is my husband. I make no pretense about having a perfect or even easy marriage. I cannot even begin to exaggerate or make something out of nothing. But when you marry a good man, well, you marry well. You marry right. And you set yourself up for a life of joy.
When I met Rory at the ripe ol' age of ten (yes, ten years old...fresh out of fourth grade!), he was many things: funny, fun, friendly, sold-out for Jesus, funny, fun, friendly, really funny, addicted to candy and amazingly caring with his sisters and mom (and soon my sisters and my mom as well). Hard-working wasn't the first phrase that came to mind, though. In fact, my parents did not approve of us getting engaged (we were such rebels!) until Rory could have more time to prove his work ethic and ability to provide for a family (they were smart and probably right, but we all admit that us getting married was one of the greatest things we've ever done).
I've also never really been the damsel in distress kind of girl, either. Back then I couldn't imagine ever needing a man to provide for me.
Fast forward eighteen years, one daughter, one baby on the way and two houses later and my husband is the poster man for studly.
I grew up with a workaholic father and think my heart grew up needing lots more love and attention than I received. Rory definitely filled that void. But as I've been so faithfully loved and cared for, I've found myself needing so much strength and hard work from Rory, too. And I can't tell you how he has delivered. I can't tell you what it does for this wife's heart and soul to so fully rest in the strong hands of the same man who cuddles me.
When we bought our new house (Talk about grateful!!! We are crazy for our new home and could honestly probably retire in it it's so perfect for us.), we also found out we were pregnant. And I'm one of those paranoid mamas who won't go near fresh paint or a construction zone due to the chemicals and toxicity levels. That left two houses to be renovated by one man.
Can I tell you that when renters come to look at our old house every single one has the same things to say, "Wow. This is the nicest house we've seen." That would be the work of studly man right there.
And can I tell you how amazing our new home is looking? It does not even resemble the structure we bought. Again, every single ounce of credit goes to the man who not only wakes up at 5 (or earlier) every morning to run his own business, but also comes home everyday to spend at least an hour or so with his "Blondies" as he likes to call Dia and me and then goes back out to work on our house. He spends his weekends there, his nights, his holidays, you name it. I could never have known when we got engaged at 21 that I would so respect a man with such amazing work ethic.
But he hasn't just worked. He also texts like crazy so I always know what's going on and just what he's thinking about. (I love getting inside his head and feeling close to every little detail!) He has taken a night or two off to take me to the movies or come home early if I'm especially morning sick (aka all-day and night sick). He regularly comes home to poopy diapers that I couldn't stomach to clean (still using cloth!), stops to pray and figure out the next discipline strategy (he listens to an amazing child-rearing CD while he drives around town) and brought me cash every day when I lost my ATM card. He calls us, takes Dia out, and generally stays intimately connected with the two girls who could not live without him. To say he's amazing is not only horribly cliche but ridiculously understated. I can't tell you how many times I've cried just because in the midst of so much stress, so much chaos, he is still so so kind. So good. So fun. So funny. He's still that delightful boy I met almost two decades ago, but now he's all grown up and so...wonderful. Strong. Such a warrior.
In the midst of this he's had some doozies at work. Some situations that could have easily knocked him down. He came home after one especially hard day and said that after a few choice events had taken place, his right-hand man turned to him and said, "Man, you must really love Jesus. I don't think I'd have handled that so well."
You must really love Jesus.
Yes, he does. I know this. I live this. If my husband is any testament to the power of anything, it's Jesus. And I love Jesus and know Him so much better just because of knowing my husband. I believe a lot of men face crowds and auditoriums and preach about godliness. My husband comes home on Wednesday at 10pm after a ten-hour work day and several more hours sanding floors and peeling laminate and hugs me. Talks with me in bed about the stresses of MY day. My simple little existence of trying not to vomit and keeping Dia alive and happy. I want nothing more than to shower him with every ounce of everything I have. He gives me so much that all I have is more to give him. And I know that's exactly what Jesus talks about and is about.
He is my stud and my hero and today I'm grateful that I got to meet him so young and grow up with him so well.
For those that have read this blog for a significant amount of time, you know how we have struggled. How many times I have been broken and hopeless for our marriage. But this, our seventh year, is confirmation and tangible proof that staying and fighting for what's right and holy IS right and holy. And so richly worth it.
Thank You, Jesus for knowing exactly what I needed and putting it in such a great package. I love my husband.
Counting my way to 1,000 gifts....
36. Four letter words: love, work, hard, stud.
37. Texting. Seriously it may be ruining traditional communication, but I love being able to send messages/pictures to my husband.
38. Family
39. Extended family who make room for us in spare bedrooms, spare couches and even the floor.
40. Helping hands of family who come even just for a day (thank you, Luke and Rachel!) or everyday (that's you, Dad!!!) or most days (Sonja, you're diehard!), and those who help in other ways, too like entertaining D.
41. Being silly and finding joy even in chaos (Dia put on Papa's boxers--I wear them to bed so she wanted to give them a try. P.S. you can somewhat pick out our current living condition from the background in the pic...a family of 3 in one bedroom!)
42. My sweet girl who always has the funnest ideas!
43. Still sleeping in our family bed....D likes to either put her arms around me to fall asleep or put a pillow over her head and no one touch her. Either way, we are tickled with her!
44. A husband who delights in food as much as I do and relishes bringing me crazy meals that sound good.
45. My baby bump. It's here earlier than with D... and we already love you, baby!
46. My big girl who points to the belly bump, grins and says, "Baby!"
47. Stroller Strides instructor Kelly who took me from knee-injured and weak to being able to drop and give her twenty in a few weeks time. Not to mention 3 inches off of my waist and legs...ok, this was pre-pregnancy. Ha ha.
48. Sisters who love my babies like I do.
49. Getting jiggy with the music man at the splash pad.
50. Our beautiful new home. I call it "Grandparents Central" because we are literally 5 minutes from my mom and 7 minutes from my in-laws. You best all better be visiting!
51. A husband who's hunkier today than the day we married
Today is a Gratitude Monday (remember how I posted about this like once before? Well, it's still a big part of my life even though I haven't been faithful to blog about it.). All I can think about when I examine my life with a grateful heart these days is my husband. I make no pretense about having a perfect or even easy marriage. I cannot even begin to exaggerate or make something out of nothing. But when you marry a good man, well, you marry well. You marry right. And you set yourself up for a life of joy.
When I met Rory at the ripe ol' age of ten (yes, ten years old...fresh out of fourth grade!), he was many things: funny, fun, friendly, sold-out for Jesus, funny, fun, friendly, really funny, addicted to candy and amazingly caring with his sisters and mom (and soon my sisters and my mom as well). Hard-working wasn't the first phrase that came to mind, though. In fact, my parents did not approve of us getting engaged (we were such rebels!) until Rory could have more time to prove his work ethic and ability to provide for a family (they were smart and probably right, but we all admit that us getting married was one of the greatest things we've ever done).
I've also never really been the damsel in distress kind of girl, either. Back then I couldn't imagine ever needing a man to provide for me.
Fast forward eighteen years, one daughter, one baby on the way and two houses later and my husband is the poster man for studly.
I grew up with a workaholic father and think my heart grew up needing lots more love and attention than I received. Rory definitely filled that void. But as I've been so faithfully loved and cared for, I've found myself needing so much strength and hard work from Rory, too. And I can't tell you how he has delivered. I can't tell you what it does for this wife's heart and soul to so fully rest in the strong hands of the same man who cuddles me.When we bought our new house (Talk about grateful!!! We are crazy for our new home and could honestly probably retire in it it's so perfect for us.), we also found out we were pregnant. And I'm one of those paranoid mamas who won't go near fresh paint or a construction zone due to the chemicals and toxicity levels. That left two houses to be renovated by one man.
Can I tell you that when renters come to look at our old house every single one has the same things to say, "Wow. This is the nicest house we've seen." That would be the work of studly man right there.
And can I tell you how amazing our new home is looking? It does not even resemble the structure we bought. Again, every single ounce of credit goes to the man who not only wakes up at 5 (or earlier) every morning to run his own business, but also comes home everyday to spend at least an hour or so with his "Blondies" as he likes to call Dia and me and then goes back out to work on our house. He spends his weekends there, his nights, his holidays, you name it. I could never have known when we got engaged at 21 that I would so respect a man with such amazing work ethic.
But he hasn't just worked. He also texts like crazy so I always know what's going on and just what he's thinking about. (I love getting inside his head and feeling close to every little detail!) He has taken a night or two off to take me to the movies or come home early if I'm especially morning sick (aka all-day and night sick). He regularly comes home to poopy diapers that I couldn't stomach to clean (still using cloth!), stops to pray and figure out the next discipline strategy (he listens to an amazing child-rearing CD while he drives around town) and brought me cash every day when I lost my ATM card. He calls us, takes Dia out, and generally stays intimately connected with the two girls who could not live without him. To say he's amazing is not only horribly cliche but ridiculously understated. I can't tell you how many times I've cried just because in the midst of so much stress, so much chaos, he is still so so kind. So good. So fun. So funny. He's still that delightful boy I met almost two decades ago, but now he's all grown up and so...wonderful. Strong. Such a warrior.
In the midst of this he's had some doozies at work. Some situations that could have easily knocked him down. He came home after one especially hard day and said that after a few choice events had taken place, his right-hand man turned to him and said, "Man, you must really love Jesus. I don't think I'd have handled that so well."
You must really love Jesus.
Yes, he does. I know this. I live this. If my husband is any testament to the power of anything, it's Jesus. And I love Jesus and know Him so much better just because of knowing my husband. I believe a lot of men face crowds and auditoriums and preach about godliness. My husband comes home on Wednesday at 10pm after a ten-hour work day and several more hours sanding floors and peeling laminate and hugs me. Talks with me in bed about the stresses of MY day. My simple little existence of trying not to vomit and keeping Dia alive and happy. I want nothing more than to shower him with every ounce of everything I have. He gives me so much that all I have is more to give him. And I know that's exactly what Jesus talks about and is about.
He is my stud and my hero and today I'm grateful that I got to meet him so young and grow up with him so well.
For those that have read this blog for a significant amount of time, you know how we have struggled. How many times I have been broken and hopeless for our marriage. But this, our seventh year, is confirmation and tangible proof that staying and fighting for what's right and holy IS right and holy. And so richly worth it.
Thank You, Jesus for knowing exactly what I needed and putting it in such a great package. I love my husband.
Counting my way to 1,000 gifts....
36. Four letter words: love, work, hard, stud.
37. Texting. Seriously it may be ruining traditional communication, but I love being able to send messages/pictures to my husband.
38. Family
39. Extended family who make room for us in spare bedrooms, spare couches and even the floor.
40. Helping hands of family who come even just for a day (thank you, Luke and Rachel!) or everyday (that's you, Dad!!!) or most days (Sonja, you're diehard!), and those who help in other ways, too like entertaining D.
41. Being silly and finding joy even in chaos (Dia put on Papa's boxers--I wear them to bed so she wanted to give them a try. P.S. you can somewhat pick out our current living condition from the background in the pic...a family of 3 in one bedroom!)
42. My sweet girl who always has the funnest ideas!
43. Still sleeping in our family bed....D likes to either put her arms around me to fall asleep or put a pillow over her head and no one touch her. Either way, we are tickled with her!
44. A husband who delights in food as much as I do and relishes bringing me crazy meals that sound good.
45. My baby bump. It's here earlier than with D... and we already love you, baby!
46. My big girl who points to the belly bump, grins and says, "Baby!"
47. Stroller Strides instructor Kelly who took me from knee-injured and weak to being able to drop and give her twenty in a few weeks time. Not to mention 3 inches off of my waist and legs...ok, this was pre-pregnancy. Ha ha.
48. Sisters who love my babies like I do.
49. Getting jiggy with the music man at the splash pad.
50. Our beautiful new home. I call it "Grandparents Central" because we are literally 5 minutes from my mom and 7 minutes from my in-laws. You best all better be visiting!
51. A husband who's hunkier today than the day we married
Sunday, June 26, 2011
A Baby Who Needs YOU
A sweet precious little six-month old girl, Daisy Belle, was stung last week by a scorpion. You can read the whole story here, but, in short, she stopped breathing and was air-evacced to the UMC in Tucson. It has been a horrendous experience for her, her parents and family and she is just now recovering.
The family was 9 days away from their new health insurance kicking in when this all took place. Please, if you have a moment, click here and help them out. Please pray and if you can help financially in any way, I know they really do need it.
Why, Hello There!
I'll be honest with you: I have lots of good excuses for not blogging. Lots! But I'll let the pictures do the talking for today...
As you can see, we are now dressing ourself. We like to layer.
Although it was months ago, we celebrated Passover as a family. It's one of my favorite holidays of the year and this year was very special doing it at our house and personally preparing all the specialties (roasted lamb shank, anyone?). Dia helped with the delicious haroshet.
We may very well be the corniest family on the planet! But we love each other. Lots of family nights out...although, not sure why Dia looks like we've tortured her.....I promise she had fun!
Dia loves Anthropologie! She relaxed while I tried on clothes. She also managed to bite into a $45 bar of soap...but if you happen to come across that bar in the store, I'll deny it!
We have also been ridiculously blessed with amazing neighbors. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be able to just walk across the street and ring the bell for friends to come play. Dia and our neighbor Scarlett became best of friends (even fought like sisters!) and we have loved getting to know their whole family.
We've also been busy with Stroller Strides. It's a fabulous mommy workout where you bring the kids (in the stroller). Dia not only loves the other kids, but she also loves to workout herself. She has been known to randomly drop and do push-ups, squats and lunges. Here I came into her room to find her using the dog leash as a resistance band and doing bicep curls! Talk about "children see, children do." Dia is my number one best workout buddy!
Just too cute not to share. I was in the kitchen when I kept hearing her call my name, but I couldn't find her. Hee hee.
And when Dia hit eighteen months, she and Papa dressed up for a nice dinner out.
He sent me this shot from dinner....they held hands while they ate. :)
And ordered extra olives. D's personal favorite food.
We've also made good use of the top deck at the Deer Valley Airport. It's so fun to watch the planes and even helicopters.
More Papa and Dia dates....
Proof that while we yes, do eat together, we don't look exactly like those Suess characters.
Dressing up with our amazing play silks. Thank you so much, Heather!
And now for the big news: WE'RE MOVING!
Grammy came to help pack and show Dia how a bookcase is really a fishing boat and painting stir sticks are the perfect fishing rods.
And as for those amazing neighbors, well, they threw us a farewell block party! Can you believe it? They literally are the world's best neighbors and Rory and I honestly reconsidered moving just because we didn't want to leave our friends!
These are the neighbor kids Dia considers family. We miss you guys!
The party was complete with an old-fashioned popcorn stand
And of course, fireworks a la Rory.
And since we had renovations to do at our old house in order to attract some great renters as well as some major updates to do on our new home, we moved in with Oma and Opa six weeks ago and basically have taken over their formerly lovely (and quiet) home.
Which means we pretty much spend every day either at Oma or Grandma's house. Dia has especially enjoyed her all-access pass to her auntie's jewelry, make-up and hair accessories...
Not to mention quality bonding time...
Delicious home-cooked meals
And spending lunch breaks with Opa.
Oma and Dia are master zoo builders/keepers. (Here it was nap time at the zoo.)
Grandpa knows how to build the best towers!
FYI, Dia loves jalapeno potato chips. These things are SPICY but Dia literally licked the jalapeno powder from the bottom of the bag...ok, so maybe not all of our food has been healthy or home-cooked.
And even though all her toys are in boxes in the garage, she has really shown me the power of her own imagination. All on her own she turned a few boxes and some kitchen appliances into her own kitchen and often makes me tea. :)
We've also logged many hours at the local splash pad
And even the local Summer Movie program. Last week Dia sat through a movie for the first time in the theater! "How To Train Your Pet Dragon" now owns the title of her first in-theater movie! She's crazy for dinosaurs and while she has no idea what a dragon is per se, we told her they were flying dinosaurs and she was hooked!
And to save the very best news for last....I'm also 11 weeks pregnant!
Horrendously sick and exhausted, it's been a rough few months. We could not be more grateful to have both my and Rory's family supporting and literally housing us as we transition into our bigger home with our expanding family. They feed us, entertain us, help us get our car out of the shop (that was a fun time, ha ha), help us re-surface our floors (DAD.....you are amazing), paint, pack, clean and so much more. I have never felt more blessed than to sit down at Father's Day not only with my amazing husband but also for the both of us to be able to look down both sides of a long table and see two families who so truly love us and our daughter.
We are blessed!
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