Thursday, September 20, 2012

From the Mouths of Babes

Carter has reached that age where being taken by surprise by what he says is common.   It's an endearing quality that all children have.  They have not developed that understanding about what is appropriate to say and what is not, often times just saying whatever comes to mind.  Most of the times their quips are harmless and funny.....others, depending on your location at the time, are rather embarrassing.   I know some adults who do not have this understanding and let's face it we have all had our own "open mouth, insert foot" moments.   In our household we have had a couple of those moments in the last few weeks. 



A couple weeks ago Carter was asking for Lucky Charms.  Peter was headed to the store, so he promised to pick some up for him.  Well you know how it goes when a guy goes to the store without a list and is expected to get more that three items one will inevitably not be purchased.......but that is a whole different blog post to consider.  Long story short, no Lucky Charms were brought home.  Carter noted this and Peter said that he was sorry he forgot them.

 A couple days later on my day off we were at home and Carter came up to me and asked,"Where's daddy?"

"Remember he had to go to work today?", I said.

"Daddy get Lucky Charms?",  with the intonation and facial expression of,  he better get some lucky charms.

"Oh yeah he forgot, but we will get you some." I replied completely unable to keep a straight face.

I text Peter telling him he was in trouble.  Carter had a box of Lucky Charms brought home for him that night.




Last weekend my Mom hosted a Pampered Chef show at here house.  Carter and I went up for the weekend.  While I was in the kitchen area talking to 5 ladies about Pampered Chef products Carter was playing with his Uncle Mason.  The next thing I know Carter comes walking into the kitchen completely naked holding up his diaper and proclaims, "I'm wet!"  I felt a little embarrassed but the women got a good chuckle out of it one even making the comment to my mom that she "didn't know there was going to a stripper at this party."  I laughed and said, "Yeah, he's 2."  (Which I often say to Carter when he is being a typical 2 year old.  I just look at him and say "Yeah you're 2." Sometimes it makes him stop and look at me funny other times he just agrees with me and continues with what he was doing good or bad.)   

I am not sure what it is with children around 2 or 3 years old and not wanting to keep their clothes on.  I remember my brother Mason going through this stage.  Peter says he went through it too.......between the age of 21-24.  (sigh!)   I told him he didn't know what he was talking about, because he still likes to be naked.  

He did not deny it.





No matter how mortified we get by what comes out of our children's mouths or the odd moments they decide they want to naked, I believe it is a right of passage for parents.  We have to go through this. Besides it makes for great stories for when they are graduating, getting married, having kids of their own.  But I don't want to think about that too much.  That is a long way off and I just want to enjoy these moments as they come.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Apple Picking

My cousin has an apple tree in her back yard and every year they have an apple picking party. The apples are similar to a granny smith, so they are awesome for baking but a little tart for eating.   This year the apple picking happened a little earlier due to the crazy weather, or lack there of,  we have had here.






My FIL Hong is visiting this week so he joined in on the action.   After showing Carter what he had to do he helped for all of about three minutes then decided he would just hold the bag open for everyone else, which led to him running off and playing with the other kids.





In the end we got 2 large bags of apples, though at the time I had no idea what we were going to do with them.   We enjoyed some beverages and chatted with the other apple pickers, then headed out for Pizza per Carter's request.  The next day I borrowed two apple peeler/corer/slicers and ended up freezing 7 bags of apples for pies or crisps.   It only took us about 2 hours from start to finish and I had Hong and Peter helping. 

Then I baked a pie.......a caramel apple crisp pie.



It was yummy.

  

Friday, August 17, 2012

Eco Friendly

In an effort to be Eco friendly we have changed a few things around our home.  It takes some getting used to some of the changes you can make, but in the end I think they have been worth it.



I have purchased several hard plastic reusable to go cups over the last year.  They have lids and straws making them relatively spill proof....unless your a toddler drinking out of it.  I use them daily. They have allowed me to make healthier choices and drink more water.  In the last couple months I have dropped and broken 3 of my cups and this makes me sad.


Flip Day Pack: Organic<br>2 One-Size Diaper Covers<br>6 Organic Inserts

When Carter was born we started out using  disposable diapers.  I attended a weekly moms group where several of the moms used cloth diapers.  I was intrigued It was not something I had even considered until I saw how easy they were.  So after a lot of negotiations with Peter and research into the different types of diapering systems out there we made the switch.   We have been using the Bum Genius Flip system since Carter was 4 months old.  Even with cloth there are times when you will want/need the disposable option, such as if they are sick and need an antibiotic that could cause tummy issues or when traveling.  The cool thing about the flip system is that they make disposable biodegradable inserts that cost comparably what a regular disposable would.  These have come in handy for us on more than one occasion.  While we have not taken the plunge into cloth wipes, and probably never will, the choice to cloth our wee one has been a good one.


The latest change we have made in our home is no more paper towels.  We now have a stash of cut up old t-shirts that act as our paper towels.  These are also great when I want to do a quick surface cleaning.  I throw a handful into a tub, add warm water and dish soap to soak them, and viola instant "Clorox cleaning cloths".   We keep a bin on the dryer that we put the used ones in and throw them in the wash  when its full.  This is saving us money and allowing us to do a small part to decrease our paper waste. 


We also recylce as much as we can through Recyclelink.  We can throw everything into one bin without sorting  and we earn points on the poundage we recycle for rewards.   It may not seem like much but just a few small changes can make a difference.

What does your family do that is Eco friendly?    




 

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Rootbeer

I am not a root beer expert.

But this pregnancy has had me craving root beer floats a few times and I have to say I am becoming particular about which root beer I prefer in my float.

One of these craving led me to the store to purchase the goods needed to make the float. They only had one kind of root beer left. 

I settled for it........ but would prefer to never again have to.

I find that I prefer Barq's.

 

Now my husband would roll his eyes and tell me that they all taste the same.

No my love.....they do not.  There are certain foods and beverages out there by particular brands that are just better than others. 

Like ketchup for instance.  I am Heinz all the way.  I sent him to the store one time for a couple things including ketchup and he came home with the store brand of ketchup.  I told him that was not the right kind and he said,  "What's the difference? It all tastes the same."

I said no they do not and would not eat it.  Now don't get me wrong, I buy store brand on many things, but there are just some items you do not mess with.  Ketchup is one of them.  

So is root beer. 


Thursday, August 2, 2012

What's in a name?

Where do you begin choosing a name for your baby?  This is a question most parents have when the time comes to bestow a moniker on a wee one.



There are so many factors involved in the choice........

Does it sound good with our last name?

What middle name do we want?

Do the first, middle and last name flow well?

Is it easy to say or will people constantly mispronounce it?

Yes it's a pretty name but, do I really want my kid to be named _____?


How many ways can the mean kids make fun of the name?


Will he/she hate me forever or will they want  to change their name to Ochocinco?



 Then there are some people who know the instant they are pregnant what they will name there child. My hubby and I are not those people.   We have already started thinking about this and have a list of names we like, but nothing that is standing out screaming "this is the name to choose!" Well this is true for me anyway, I think he has his mind wrapped around one in particular.   


With our first child we narrowed it down to 2 we liked and waited to meet him.  We knew almost instantly that he would be Carter.   Over the last few weeks I have seen several names that caught my interest and I would point them out to Peter to  see what he thought.  Nothing has really stuck. 

We still time to debate and decide.  If anyone has any suggestions feel free. 

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

LB Reunion 2012

This last weekend we had a family reunion in my hometown.  A little on the warm side, but still a good time.  This year the gathering was held at the home of uncle G and Aunt K.   Festivities started June 29th with the main event on Saturday June 30th. 







Friday brought the arrival of most of the out of town folks.  There were burgers, hotdogs, and beverages for anyone who joined in along with some volley ball and I think a little horse shoe practice.   Cousin H  put together a slide show with pictures from past reunions and family shots, while cousin S provided the vocals.  We hope to add to the show in coming years. 






Saturday brought everyone out to the house for lunch.   There was brisket, beans, salads and desserts.  After lunch the horse shoe teams were picked and the bracket was put together.  This year 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophies were beautiful wood carvings.   There were kiddie pools set up in the back yard for the little ones to swim in.






The horse shoe tournament was a heated affair, both literally and figuratively speaking, so when the water guns came out and a little water fight started no one seemed to mind.








A few people played a little volleyball and threw washers.  My Dad and his partner cousin M took second place.    














Thank You G and K for the use of their home and for everyone who helped make this year a success.  We really appreciate everything that you do.

Re-inventing Left-overs

Lunches at my job rock.  It is no lie that when you start working with us you will gain 10 pounds within a month.   The drug representatives are amazing and bring catered lunches to us almost everyday.  These lunches can be anything from  sandwiches or pizza to a roast beef dinner.   We truly appreciate this gesture, not only does it save us from having to run out when we are very busy, but it helps the pocket book a little to not have to buy lunch. 

There are 70 people that work in my office and most of the lunches are catered for 70 people. This often leaves a plethora of left over food after the lunch hours.  We have limited refrigerator space so keeping it at the clinic is not an option.  Most days we send out e-mails for people to come and claim some food before we (cringe) have to toss it. Tossing food makes me sad when there are so many that go without.  We also take any unopened containers to a local women's center.  Lately I have been trying to come up with different ways to re-invent the left over food. 


Baked Potato Bar = Twice Baked Potatoes OR Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Baked potato bar often includes potatoes, cheese, chives, bacon crumbles, broccoli, sour cream, and chili. 

For the Twice Baked Potatoes-- I grab 3 left over potatoes, cheese, chives, bacon , and sour cream.  After work I scoop out the insides of the potatoes leaving a small amount of potato to stabilize. Set aside the hollow skins in a baking dish.  In a large bowl I combine the scooped potato, cheese, sour cream, and bacon along with a splash of milk or cream and some fresh pepper.  Sometimes I will add a little onion powder.  Mix thoroughly and scoop the mixture back into the skins.   Bake about 20- 30 minutes or until heated through, sprinkle with chives and serve.  You can serve this as a side dish to your favorite meat, fish or poultry. 

For the Loaded Baked Potato Soup--  I grab 3-4 left over potatoes, cheese, chives, bacon, sour cream.  After work I dice up an onion. Saute  the onion and bacon in a little butter with salt and pepper till the onion is soft in a stock pot.  Chop up the potatoes and add them to the pot.  Add about 2-3 cups of chicken stock and about a 1/2 C of milk. Let simmer about 15-20 minutes.  Add in the cheese.  Simmer till soup starts to thicken.  To serve ladle into a soup bowl add a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with chives.

Fried Chicken Bar =  Chicken Salad Sandwiches OR Chicken Pesto Pannini's
This usually includes fried chicken, potatoes/ potato salad, a veggie and rolls.

 For the Chicken Salad Sandwiches-- I try to grab 3- 4 pieces to make sure I have enough chicken. If there are rolls left I grab a few of those as well.  Remove the skin from the chicken and begin pulling the meat from the bones. Chop the chicken up a little depending how big you like the chinks.   In a bowl combine chicken, 3/4 C mayo, 1/4 C of Dorothy Lynch Salad dressing (it's like french but WAY better), salt pepper, garlic powder, shredded cheddar cheese, shredded carrots and crumbled Ritz crackers.    Serve on the rolls with chips or side salad.

For the Pannini's-- Again using  3-4 pieces of chicken, remove the skin from the chicken and pull the meat from the bones. Butter 4 slices of a hearty bread.  On the non buttered side of the bread smear about 2 tsp of store bought pesto.  Layer on chicken and a slice of provolone or some parmigiana cheese. Place a second slice of bread butter side facing out onto the stack.   Grill the sandwich using a press to flatten.

If you think about it, re-inventing left-overs can correlate to everyday life. In our home we often have a good amount of left-overs and finding ways to use the extra in a new way give you more variety to your week.  I will share more another time.  Until then enjoy!

Thursday, June 28, 2012

The case of hormones and AC

I have a new found appreciation for air conditioning with this pregnancy.  I am sure at this point it is the hormones because I am not that big yet.   Even with the air conditioner I am having issues with the heat.  The other day at work I pulled my pant legs up above my knees and rolled my sleeves for a little while in an effort to get cooled off.  This was  in a room with no windows, in the middle of the building, and a regulation medical thermometer that said room temperature was 75.  Yep Hormones.

This weekend we have a family reunion..........mostly outdoors.........with predicted temps in the high 90's to 100.  

Awesome.

Needless to say I will likely be staying inside most of the time.  I am planning on leaving on Thursday to head out and help with anything they need help with on Friday.   This will mean me standing in the air conditioned  house giving orders with Aunt D and Grandma......or keeping those two in line, which can be a job in itself.

My Dad  and Theresa are on the truck together this week. We were talking about this weekend on the phone and he said, "When you get to the house on Thursday you will need to turn on the air conditioner."

I cried a little.   

I told him I  would probably not be able to stay the night there on Thursday.  He didn't really see why, but he's a guy and not pregnant so that line of thinking is not there.  Luckily a friend has a key and is going to  turn it on Thursday morning for us, so I am praying it is cool when we get there.

With the temperatures already in the100's I have a feeling it is going to be one hot summer for me.  I will survive.............. as long as I have airconditioning.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Sugar, spice and all things nice.....

That's what little girls are made of.

We found out we are having a girl! Honestly this pregnancy has been so different that we all  suspected a girl, but to have it confirmed is pretty awesome. I love that I will have a little girl, just as I love my sweet little boy. I know he will be a great big brother. The emotions that come with this confirmation are slightly overwhelming.  

Excitement over the beautiful baby coming our way. What will she look like?  What kind of personality will she have?  Will she be like her brother?

Anxiety over the beautiful baby coming our way.  How do we transition to two kids?  How are we going to fit us all into our 2 bedroom house?  

I have heard that your first child brings major change to your life, so does your second, then if you have more it's a cake walk.   How much of that I believe remains to be determined.  Anytime you have a major change in your life there will be some adjustment time for everyone involved.

This will be an exciting time for us.  We have many things to look forward to before the year comes to an end.  It will be one crazy roller coaster of a ride and I will be enjoying every minute.


Thursday, June 14, 2012

Girl Time

Something extraordinary happens when sisters get together.  

There is girl talk, laughter, tears........... peeing of the pants due to the laughter and tears.

Ok that last part may be due to the fact that I have a baby sitting on my bladder and a sneeze will do the same thing.

But I digress.

It's a magical time when your hair comes down and you are completely comfortable in your skin.



I just returned from a 5 day girly weekend with my sister S in Florida.  Yes, the sister who hates frogs.  It was a much needed vacation with some quality sister time thrown in.

I arrived on a Thursday afternoon, hungry and in need of a nap.  So we stopped on our way back to her place for a kids meal at a fast food joint, which I scarfed  in the car.  It was raining off and on so the beach was out for the day.


After a short nap we headed out to meet some friends for dinner at a place call Red Mesa Cantina.  It is Mexican food fusion and delicious.  I had a duck taco, steak taco and jicama fries.



Awesome!  I met several of S's friends including a gentlemen we'll call him J that she is currently seeing.



Friday was still a little cloudy and rainy so we went shopping at an outlet mall.  The sun stayed out enough to enjoy walking around the area.  This was not your ordinary outlet mall.... this mall had Coach, Michael Kors,etc.  It also had some regular store in it.  I got Carter a couple outfits and a dress from Motherhood that I had been eyeing for a while. 

Friday evening we went to a part of Tampa known as Ybor.  It is home to several night clubs, bars, restaurants, and fun little shops.



We went into one of the coolest vintage clothing shops I have ever seen.  We headed to dinner at the Columbia  It was very good!   I may have to try to copy their Spanish soup.  It was basically ham and bean only using chick peas and adding chorizo.   Amazing. 

Next on our list for the evening was a drag show.



When  S lived where I do she used to go to the local shows all the time. She told me about the ones that she goes to down there and I told her I wanted to go to one.  So she made sure we made it to one while I was there.



Daphni is the star of the show there and she is 6'7" with her heals.  She recently became engaged and I had a great conversation with her fiance.  There are  stone pavers all over Ybor that you can buy and engrave with whatever you would like.   That was how he proposed.  Very sweet, they plan to wed in about a year in New York.



It was a blast to watch.



Then I was brought up onstage to take place in a booty shaking contest.  They have the contestants do a shot before they start...... luckily my S knew the bartender and when he came up with the tray he handed me a Shirley temple shot.

Daphni who was standing next to me asked me why I was not drinking and if I was under 21?  I told her I was pregnant and she said she had not even noticed.  Still not sure how I feel about that comment.   There were 6 of us on stage and Daphni went down the line asking the audience if they wanted us to stay for the contest.   I got a few cheers but Daphni turned to me and said "No one wants you to hurt your baby, you can go sit down."  It was a fun evening and I got some great pictures.



S and her friend who works with Daphni.

Saturday morning we went to brunch at a friend of ours home.  We graduated high school with this girl and she moved down to Tampa after college. Her daughter was in a dance recital and invited us to go.......little did we know it was a 2 hour show.   Not a big deal, but I fell asleep in the middle of it.

Later that evening we met up with my S's current beau and some of his family, whom she had not met either, for dinner.  I enjoyed seeing how he interacted with his family.   You get a good sense of what the guy is like when you can see them in that setting.  After dinner we went home to watch a movie and relax. 

Sunday was finally a beautiful day for the beach.




We went our early before it got too busy and enjoyed the sun and waves. For lunch we went to a beach side restaurant called Frenchy's.  Pretty good food, even though I was not a fan of what I ordered.  I don't like fish much but I decided to try it anyway and was not a fan.    We walked to some shops along the beach and decided to cook at home that night.  J joined us for a nice relaxing dinner and movie at home.

Monday we went to an Italian market called Mazzaro's to gather goodies for dinner that night.  They had an amazing selection of wines, a cheese monger counter, fresh pasta, bread counter, a selection of fresh made sauces, and a variety of jarred goods as well.

Cheese.......yum!

Carb overload.


Vino!

Fresh Pasta

Did the price tag really need to go right there?

I  wish that we had something similar where I live....... it was awesome.  

Right after lunch we were joined by S's friend K and her nieces to go to the aquarium where the dolphin Winter from the movie "A Dolphin Tale" lives. 

Winter and her trainers.
Panama is a 40 year old dolphin that lives at the aquarium.  She likes to show off. 

Panama on the left and Winter on the right.

Turtle Turtle!

A couple of the many sting rays.

This is Hope, she lost her mom at a young age and doesn't know how to hunt.  She will stay at the aquarium.  

Another Turtle.

This is Nicholas.  He was rescued when his mom  stranded on the beach and  later died.  When they found him he had 2nd and 3rd degree sunburns on his back.   He will stay at the aquarium because he doesn't know how to hunt. 


This aquarium specializes in rescue rehab and release of injured aquatic life.    It is life-long home to several animals that were too injured to be release, including Winter the dolphin.  They house 4 dolphins, about a dozen sea turtles, a couple sharks, many sting-rays, and other aquatic animals they either hatch or rehabilitate.   

We were able to walk to the aquarium because it is only a couple blocks from where S lives, but it sure was hot.  When we got home we relaxed in the AC for the afternoon, then made some delicious Italian food for dinner.



Tuesday was breakfast with sister and packing up to head home.  We ate at a little "mom and pop" place called Maggie Mae's right on the water. After packing up and relaxing a little we headed to the airport.


Sunrise on the bay.

Midnight bay view.



I had a wonderful time with S. It was great to spend time with her.  In the future I hope to take the boys down there, they would have an amazing time as well.