The Kitchen & The Haircut

There's been a gaping whole in my life, err, kitchen recently.

I was sitting on the couch late last week relaxing when I heard a strange sound. I turned the volume on the TV down and looked at Aiden's monitor (he was napping) to see if the sound I heard was coming from Aiden's room. Nope.

"What the heck is that?!" I thought to myself as I stood up and looked around our downstairs. And then I saw it. The keypad on our microwave was going crazy. I went over and pressed the "clear" button. The sound stopped and I walked away wondering why my microwave was acting up, but thankful that it seemed like a freak thing. As soon as I sat back down on the sofa it started again.

"What?!?!" I really didn't understand what was happening. This time the clear button didn't work. I had to climb up on a chair and unplug the microwave.

This went on for a while, me naively thinking each time that somehow I fixed it. Unfortunately this was not the case. Our microwave---our THREE YEAR OLD microwave--was dead. Fixing it would cost more than a new one, so the microwave research began.

Our old over the range microwave was a GE, but after my research I found that this was a common thing with GE microwaves and we made a vow to never purchase a GE product again.

After a day and half of not having a microwave, I was lost. I use it so often, especially for heating things for Aiden. So, Adam and I made a decision and went out and bought a new one. I wish that was the end of that story, but it wasn't until two microwaves later that my kitchen was back to normal. The first one we bought was broken right out of the box. The second was perfect. I loved it, but the digital display was blue. My stove's is green. I couldn't stand the mismatched colors, so back it went.

We FINALLY found one that worked for us and guess who installed it? Yup, me! :)

No more microwave! :(

Finally installed!!

On a happier note, my little man got his first haircut this past weekend! I loved his hair the way it was, all cute, curly, and whispy, but I was also tired of people thinking he was a girl. My mom came down to visit for the weekend so while she was here I asked her to put her haircutting skills to work. We both agreed that she'd just take off the bulk of it. Afterall, I didn't want my baby boy to look too grown up!

Pre haircut--look at all of that hair!

Pre haircut--notice all of the curls/bulk on the sides?

I just got my haircut for the first time! Hooray!

Do you like my new 'do'?

Have a good week!

Curious Aiden

My little monkey is saying and doing new things all of the time, so I'm not sure why I was so tickled when I rounded the corner and found him doing this...

(yes, the outlet has protective plugs in it)


I could almost hear his thoughts, "Hmm...this is where I see Mommy plug it in!"


Perhaps I have a little helper in my future!

A Visit From Grammy!

My parents live in NJ (where I grew up) and ever since a certain little someone has come into our lives, my Mom has made a point of seeing him about once a month. (Dad comes, too, but not everytime.)

Grammy came in on Saturday afternoon for a weekend visit and Aiden was so happy to spend time with his favorite person (other than Mommy and Daddy!). My mom didn't get to start playing with Aiden until around 3 o'clock on Saturday, but they made the most of their first day together by reading books, playing, laughing, and just being silly.

On Sunday, Adam and I took take a "daycation" and went to a local water park called Wet 'n Wild. We had so much fun! It was great to spend the entire day having fun together as a couple without the baby. Sure, we talked about him and missed him, but we rarely get to spend an entire day baby-free. It was much needed and so wonderful.

While we were gone Grammy and Aiden had fun of their own. My little one was very happy to spend the entire morning and afternoon being entertained by his Grammy. Later on Sunday Grammy and Aiden went swimming.

Fun in the pool

Basting the little turkey

I love my Grammy!

Needless to say, we all had a great weekend!

Tasty Tuesday: Caramelized Butternut Squash

I've seen it in the grocery store a thousand times. I've fed it to my son from a baby food jar plenty of times as well. I think most people, like me, have a fear of it and walk quickly by it as they peruse the produce section. I have not known what to do with it myself, until now! It's long, it's round, and it has seeds like a pumpkin...it's butternut squash! (Ha ha. I know, I'm corny. I can live with that.)

My little Aiden loves butternut squash, but until recently I had never made it for him myself; I've always bought it mixed with something else in a baby food jar. Last week while grocery shopping, I picked one up and decided to buy it, even though I didn't know what to do with it. When I returned home I looked up butternut squash recipes online and I found a plethora of recipes and flavors to choose from, but one struck my fancy immediately: caramelized butternut squash.

Caramelized Butternut Squash:

Ingredients

2 medium butternut squash (4 to 5 pounds total)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

(note: I cut this recipe in half and it was more than enough for 2-3 people)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off and discard the ends of each butternut squash. Peel the squash, cut them in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inch cubes and place them on a baking sheet. Add the melted butter, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. With clean hands, toss all the ingredients together and spread in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 45 to 55 minutes, until the squash is tender and the glaze begins to caramelize. While roasting, turn the squash a few times with a spatula, to be sure it browns evenly. Taste for seasonings and serve hot.

(recipe taken from Ina Garten/Food network)

I served this delicious side with my pan-seared lemon-butter tilapia with basil.


Bon appetite!

Playing Catch Up & Tasty Tuesday: Banana Bread

Wow, I've been quite the neglectful blogger lately! July has been a busy, semi-irritating month here at the Lane house.

Since my last blog entry we went up to New Jersey to celebrate Aiden's first birthday with my side of the family. What a great day! Aiden got to see a lot of family, some that he's never even met, but I admit that it was a little overwhelming for him. Most days it's just Aiden and Mommy at home with a play date thrown in here in there, and of course outings to stores or the library. But over 40 people in one house all looking for his attention was a little much for my poor little guy. Regardless, it was a wonderful day to celebrate my little one's first year of life and for me to catch up with family and good friends.

Other than Aiden's NJ birthday party, we haven't done any other traveling, but Aiden and I both came home from NJ with colds. Actually, Aiden's started before our trip, but fully manifested itself after our travels, as did my cold. I can't remember the last time I had a cold in the summer, but it was awful and took me almost two weeks to get rid of. It's no fun being a sick mommy!

Now that we're both better we've been catching up with friends, celebrating other birthdays (Adam's and my friend Megan's son) and enjoying the summer weather.

Now that I've caught you up on current happening, it's Tasty Tuesday time!

Last night I finally decided to make banana bread with my over ripe bananas instead of throwing them away. Sure, I know that banana bread is super common and you've probably made it a thousand times, but I was thrilled with the recipe I used last night. Give it a try!

Banana Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten.* Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

(Recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com)

*Tip: Over stirring the batter leads to a very dry bread. Stir only until flour and banana mixture is just combined.

I followed the recipe above, but I changed two things. I used one cup of all purpose flour and one cup of whole wheat flour vs. two cups of all purpose. And, in addition to the brown sugar called for in the batter, I sprinkled extra brown sugar on top of the batter before baking to add a sweet crunch to the bread. This is seriously the best banana bread I have ever had!

Enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday: Lemon Butter Tilapia with Basil

I consider myself a pretty good cook, but sometimes I still surprise myself with how yummy something I make tastes. Last night I was looking to make a quick dinner. We had spent the day swimming at my in-laws' home and by the time we got back to our house it was dinner time and the boy was super cranky. I decided that I wasn't doing anything in the kitchen until Adam put Aiden to bed (yes, he was that bad) so there I was rummaging through my freezer and my pantry looking for something decent I could make in a pinch at 7:30 at night, waaay past our dinner time. Chicken? Nah... I've had too much chicken lately. Didn't feel like it. Pasta? Adam would kill me I made a pasta dish again, especially since we're heading to NJ on Thursday and we'll be having Italian food for four straight days. And there it was. Tilapia. I had a bag of individually frozen fillets waiting for me to turn them into something delicious!

As soon as I decided on the fish, I knew I would make some kind of butter sauce so I started melting 4 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan on super-low heat. (Hint: Add a teaspoon of EVOO to your butter so that it doesn't burn.) Here's what the final recipe was:

Lemon Butter Sauce with Basil:

4 tbsp butter
Pinch Salt (I used unsalted butter, so it was necessary)
1 tsp EVOO (adding it to your melting butter will help prevent it from burning)
Juice of one lemon
Fresh Basil, slightly rough chop

Directions:

Melt the butter on very low heat, adding the teaspoon of EVOO to the saucepan at the same time as the butter. When the butter is melted add the salt and the lemon juice. Keep the basil aside until the fish is ready to serve.

Fish:

4 Tilapia filets
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder

Directions:

Rinse the Tilapia in saltwater. (I usually let it soak for at least 5 mins.) Season both sides of each fillet with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook the fish on the grill over medium high heat or pan sear in olive oil over medium high heat. (Mine came out better pan seared.) Just before serving the fish, add the basil to the lemon butter, then spoon mixture over each fillet. I had more than enough lemon butter, enough to serve with at least 6 fillets.

I served my fish with corn on the cob. It was light and SO delicious. Adam kept laughing at me because I kept saying, "Oh, my gosh, this is SO GOOD!"

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!


p.s. Sorry, folks, no picture this week! I ate it before I thought about taking a picture of it. :)

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

My sweet Aiden turned one year old today. I still can't believe it. It's been a YEAR. Really?!? Seriously....really?!?

I have to admit that I have been a little emotional about his birthday. I'm not sure if that's "normal" or not, but it has choked me up several times, however, nothing choked me up more than when Adam and I opened the door to Aiden's bedroom this morning to find our little cutie standing waiting for us!

Now, I realize that he's 1 and you'd think he would be a pro at that by now, but this was the very first time he has pulled himself up to stand in his crib. The fact that he did it for the first time on his birthday morning as we came in with balloons singing Happy Birthday simply brought me to tears. It's his birthday, but he gave us the gift of that special memory... so sweet!

After we got the birthday boy up and fed we headed out the door as a family to get Aiden's one year pictures done. I decided 6 months or so ago that I wanted to bring in a cake and balloons for his 1 year pictures and that's exactly what we did.

After our photo session we headed home so the birthday boy could nap. After lunch we filled up Aiden's baby pool so that he could cool off on this 96 degree day. Adam and I had so much fun watching Aiden splash and play and try to swim like a big boy in a tiny pool. We even got some relief from the heat--we filled up Aiden's other pool and took turns sitting in it. Yup, we're making memories.

We spent the rest of the day trying to make Aiden feel special and loved... I guess besides the fact that his daddy wasn't working on a Thursday, it was a pretty ordinary day.

Tasty Tuesday: Pico de gallo

I used to hate tomatoes, but I've recently became a fan of grape tomatoes--delicious! I was in the mood for a quesadilla the other night so I broke out the griddle and got to work. Wanting to make my quesadilla just like the one I get at Qdoba, I decided to make my own pico and it turned out great.

Yes, I've made pico before, but I usually use Rotel or another canned item. I'm not a huge fan of canned foods, I'd much rather buy frozen fruits and veggies if I can't get them fresh, so I am super excited about this recipe. If you're using canned tomatoes to make your pico--STOP! This seriously is the best, most fresh pico I've ever had.

Pico de gallo:

Ingredients:

1 pint grape tomatoes

1 medium red onion

1 jalapeno

cilantro

salt

pepper

Directions:

After washing your tomatoes, quarter each grape tomato and place them in a medium sized bowl. Dice the red onion and add it to the tomatoes. Salt and Pepper the onion and tomatoes to taste. De-seed the jalapeno (unless you want your pico to be super hot! The seeds are the hottest part of the jalapeno.) dice it, and add it to the bowl. Take the cilantro off of the stems and give the leaves a rough chop. Or, you can use kitchen shears to cut the cilantro to the desired size. I love cilantro, so for me, the more the better. About 1 cup of loosely pack cilantro should be enough, but I probably add a tad more. Thoroughly mix the pico, adding more salt and pepper if desired. Enjoy!

I used this both inside my quesadilla and as a salsa on top and it was fantastic, but it would also be great with tortilla chips, in a salad, or as a topping for tacos.

One of those days

I am very well aware that I am abundantly blessed. I have a loving husband, the best baby boy a mother could hope for, and beautiful home. BUT...

I am feeling blue today, which is odd because I got out of the house on my own this morning sans Adam and Aiden AND I actually DID something that wasn't related to being a wife or mommy. I met some women from my church at a local restaurant for breakfast and afterward we went to paint pottery. It was nice to be out of the house and I was glad to get back in touch with my creative side for an hour or so. Then why so blue, you ask? Because I was overwhelmingly aware of how much my life changed almost one year ago.

While I was at the restaurant I realized that while some parts of my life had been temporarily put on hold, everyone else's life has gone on as usual. The Bible Fellowship class that we belong to has grown and although we attend the class, I feel like a stranger to these people. When we got to the pottery place I felt even more out of place. I was sitting there thinking, "Wow, out of all of these girls, I'm the ONLY one who has a baby..." I conversed, making mostly small talk, and I listened to how this one and that one got together recently or how this one is having people over tonight and how everyone was going. Sure, the invitation was extended to Adam and me but I had to decline. "Aiden goes to bed around 8."

Adam and I used to the the ones who loved to have people over for game night or dinner and a movie. That hasn't been so easy for us over the past year but we try to make seeing our friends work when possible. Our get-togethers are scheduled for earlier in the day now and we tend to make sure we are getting home no later than 8 o'clock if we go out. Going somewhere together at 8 has been out of the question for a loooong time.

I came home around 1:30 this afternoon to a sleeping baby and a hubby who was relaxing on the couch. After Aiden woke up we decided to take him out for his first trip to Krispy Kreme. On the way to KK I broke down and my poor husband didn't see it coming...

Between my sobs I told him how hard it is to be a part of a group that you can't really be a part of. I told him that while I love Aiden more than I ever knew that I would, I miss the other part of me, the part that needs to not be a mommy once in a while. I told him that our class has turned back into a class of mostly married couples without children and while these people are fun to be around, it's just a different lifestyle when you have a child to take care of. And while we do have wonderful friends that do have children, we can't rely on those few couples to be our world. Then there's family. We don't have that where we live either, and sometimes it's hard. Really hard. That's why friendships are so important to me. My friends are my local family.

Adam listened and didn't say much, but I know it's not the same for him. He's ultra independent and he also spends a large amount of his time out of the house having constant contact with the outside world. "We can try a different BF class," he offered, "but I don't think that will change anything." Maybe. Maybe not.

Maybe the summer has just been difficult for me because everyone tends to get so busy when the warm weather strikes; graduations, holidays, vacations, barbecues, family gatherings. Maybe I'm just in a funk....

I'm still feeling a little blue, but it didn't take long for me to get over my sobbing fit when I saw the cutest little face enjoying his first ever bite of a Krispy Kreme donut.

I have my days; I'm human. And I really would like some things to change, but oh, man, that boy melts my heart. He certainly has changed my life, and despite my off day, I love him for it.

Tasty Tuesday: Blueberry Gargonzola Salad with Steak

I just came across this recipe a few weeks ago and I've already made it three times. The recipe didn't originally call for steak, but I added it to turn this salad into a meal. This is perfect for both a quick dinner or if you're looking for a recipe for a get together. The presentation of this salad is beautiful and what's best, it's super easy to make!





Ingredients:

1 bag mixed salad greens
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
1 cup roasted, salted almonds (Glazed walnuts may be used instead)
3/4 cup sliced fresh chives (about 1 inch pieces)
3/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
3/4 cup bottled raspberry-walnut vinaigrette
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves

(recipe courtesy Southern Living Magazine)

Directions:

Toss together all ingredients in a large serving bowl. Portion out salad onto dinner plates and top with sliced grilled steak.

Bon appetite!

Cleaning House

I grew up in a VERY clean house--everything was always in place. My husband, on the other hand, did not. Now, I wasn't there, but over the eight years I've been with my hubby, I've come to realize that keeping a clean, clutter free home was not something that was made a priority during his formative years. Thus, there is a constant struggle in my home over organization and what each of us considers clean and I have been losing this struggle, especially since we've added a little addition to our family. I can't take it anymore. We've been blessed with a larger-than-we-need-f0r-n0w home with a lot of closets and lots of space and those closets and space have quickly filled up with "stuff". Sometimes I feel like I'm suffocating in my own house from all of our "stuff". I feel like I'm being weighed down and it is affecting every part of me. I want it out.

I was reading an article the other day about reorganizing your home in 7 days. This article suggested tackling one room/project a day for a week so that the overwhelming task of reorganizing an entire house doesn't seem impossible. I'm doing it!

I started yesterday and I've decided to clean/organize the house from top to bottom--literally. I started upstairs in our bedroom, which includes a bathroom and a fairly large closet. I didn't finish our room yesterday (afterall, I still have a baby to take care of) and I recognize that my project may take more than a week, but I'm committed to it because I refuse to raise my son in a home of clutter. I refuse to allow him to think that it's acceptable. And I refuse to let him leave my house when he's grown up to have his wife teach him how to clean.

The husband and I had a few good, lengthy conversations about this, and he's agreed (finally!) that this is indeed important. So what I need now is prayer. Pray that I will be diligent in my task and prayer that the hubby will continue to support my efforts and be mindful about what he's agreed to.

I'm starting to feel the weight lift off of my shoulders...

Tasty Tuesday: Steak Kabobs with Coconut Rice

I made these steak kabobs for dinner the other night and paired them with a fragrant coconut rice. The result? Delish! This is a super easy meal to make!


Steak Kabobs Ingredients:

1.25-1.5 lbs steak, cubed (I used round steak)
2 medium green peppers, cut into medium size chunks
8-10 mushrooms, halved
1 medium red onion, cut into medium size chunks
Salt, Pepper, and Steak Seasoning, all to taste



Directions:



Preheat your grill.



Season your steak with steak seasoning or the marinade/seasoning of your choice. Cut the steak into evenly sized cubes. Set aside.



Prepare your vegetables according to the ingredient list above.



It's time to skewer your kabobs! I prefer to skewer the meat and vegetables in a pattern, but you can skewer them however you'd like, just have fun with it. Season with salt and pepper before placing on the grill.

Cooking time will vary depending on your grill temperature, the thickness of your meat and veggies and your preferred meat doneness. I grilled my kabobs for 8-10 minutes on medium high heat, rotating them once.

Here's how my kabobs looked when they were done

Coconut Rice:



This super simple rice is delicious and it is the perfect pairing for grilled kabobs!



Ingredients:
1 cup Jasmine or Basmati rice (I used Jasmine rice)
1 14.5 oz can coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 cup coconut flake



Directions:

Bring the coconut milk, sugar and salt to a SLOW boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. When the milk comes to a boil pour in the rice and coconut flake and cook for 10-12 minutes as you continue to stir the mixture frequently so that it does not burn. The mixture may begin to absorb all of the coconut milk before the rice is tender. If needed, add water a little bit at a time to the cooking rice until the rice is done. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.

Steak Kabobs with Coconut Rice

Enjoy!

Back from vacation!

We're ba-aaack!

Adam, Aiden and I spent nine glorious days in FL and boy am I tired! Why is it that so many of us seem to need a vacation after our vacation?! Here's how our trip went from beginning to end:

Adam dropped Aiden and me off at the airport a week ago Monday. I was so nervous to fly with the boy but he was soooo good. (I really should give him more credit!) Adam joined us in FL on Tuesday evening and we had a few beautiful days at the beach and the pool, getting sun, having fun in the water, and just relaxing.

Beach bum! Notice the bottle...he just fed Aiden

Having fun with Grammy

The boy LOVES the water...He kept licking the salt off of his hands and fingers. It was hysterical! And a little gross...

Beautiful Vanderbilt Beach in Naples, FL

He was obsessed with my Mom's beach hat

We celebrated my 30th birthday with my parents while we were in Fort Myers and Adam and I even had the chance to go on a date on Friday night, which was so fun, and so very needed! We went on a sunset dolphin cruise and then out to a late dinner at Bahama Breeze (yum!).

On the cruise

Manatee Zone

A $12 million house on the water....just gorgeous!

Beautiful sunset

On Sunday, after Adam left, I called him to let him know that he forgot our pillows and I wasn't able to fit them in my suitcase. He hadn't gone far and he was backtracking to get them, but it was getting late and since he had a 12 hour drive ahead of him, he decided that he'd stay in a hotel that night instead of driving straight through. To make a long story short, we decided that Aiden and I would go with Adam instead of flying home the next day and we'd go to Disney World on the way back, extending our vacation by a couple of days. What an unexpected treat! :)

Mommy and Aiden on Main Street, USA

Daddy and Aiden on Main Street, USA

Cinderella's Castle...it never gets old! :)

I think we have some video of Aiden in the water and at Disney but I'm still tired from spending 3 full days at Disney plus the looooong drive home. Sorry for the short commentary, but this is one tired Momma!

My first Mother's Day

This past Sunday was such a sweet day for me...It was my first Mother's Day! My Mother's Day celebration actually started on Saturday. Adam went to a childhood friend's wedding in Wake Forest, NC (I didn't go because we didn't have anyone to watch Aiden and the wedding started too late to bring him) so Aiden and I went to Portrait Innovations to get our picture taken together. While we were waiting for our pictures to be printed we went on our first solo dinner date together. This is how I described it to Adam via text message that night:

Me: "Aiden and I went to Jason's Deli on a date."

Adam: "Did he pay?"

Me: "No, I paid...and he flirted with other women throughout dinner..."

Adam: "That's not very gentleman like!"

Here's the pictures that Aiden and I took together:

My actual Mother's Day (Sunday) was a very nice, relaxing family day. It started off with me receiving a beautiful ring from Adam and Aiden (if you look closely at the front side it says "MOM").

Our afternoon plans were to go to Firebird's for a late lunch and then we wanted to head over to Adventure Landing to play mini-golf, but we have a baby, so those plans didn't exactly pan out. We got to Firebirds around 2:45, thinking we'd go at a time when it wouldn't be as busy, but there was still a 45 minute wait--not happening with a 10 month old. We wound up eating at Five Guys instead. Then on our way over to Adventure Landing Aiden fell asleep. Needless to say we didn't play mini-golf! Instead we went over to Lowe's and Adam sat with Aiden in the card while I bought some hanging baskets for the shepards hook I bought for my backyard.

No, it wasn't what we planned but it was a wonderful day. I am indeed beyond blessed to be a mother.

Tasty Tuesday (One day late...)

I haven't been quite the domestic diva that I would like to be lately...I've been feeling kind of blah, and when I get like that I don't want to do more than I HAVE to do (being that I'm the mommy of a 10 and 1/2 month old boy, there's plenty I have to do...). I need to get out of this slump of quick dinners and spotty housekeeping...

I really do like to cook, but this past week I can't seems to motivate myself.

So, in honor of needing to give myself a swift quick in the pants, here's a recipe that gets rave reviews everytime I make it:

Tuscan Beef Soup:

1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained (ground Italian Sausage would also be fab with this!)
2 carrots, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans, (14.5 oz each) beef broth
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups water
1 can (15oz) dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup chopped unpeeled zucchini
1 cup frozen cut green beans, partially thawed
2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
Shredded Parmesan cheese

Combine all ingredients, except kidney beans, zucchini, green beans, parsley, and grated cheese in a pot. Stir well, cook until potatoes are almost cooked through then stir in kidney beans, zucchini, green beans, and parsley. Cook until all ingredients are hot.

Garnish with grated cheese and extra parsley.

Tip:

This can also be made in your slow cooker! Use your "soup" preset (or cook on low for 6 hours) and then add the remaining ingredients and switch to high for one more hour. (7 hours total)

Mr. Noodle

I've been watching a lot of PBS Kids lately. More than I thought I'd be watching with a 10 month old. No, we don't sit in front of the TV all day, but our morning consists of floor play while we watch (some of) Sesame Street, Curious George, or (sometimes) Martha Speaks. I usually DVR one or more of these shows so that we can watch them later in the day, but we always watch one thing: Elmo's World. The boy loves his Elmo!

Now, Elmo is cute and I can see why so many kids love him, but I think the real star of the show is Mr. Noodle. (Not so much Mr. Noodle's brother, Mr. Noodle, but I do like when they are both on at the same time.) Why this affection for Mr. Noodle, you ask? I don't know if I can narrow it down to one reason. I just know that he makes me laugh and, in some ways, he reminds me of my dad. Scary, I know, but if you know my dad you can probably understand why.

So, here's to you, Mr. Noodle. You give this mommy a much needed laugh every morning. What else can a mommy ask for? :)

(This is the episode we saw this morning)

Soon and very soon!

I know that age is just a number. You're only as old as you feel, right? (Good grief....that means some days I'm a 60 year old woman!) I will be turning 30 years old thirty days from today--May 21st. I'm not upset about it. I won't be ashamed to tell people my age. I won't be eternally 29. I just can't believe how quickly it came. It feels like my twenties went by in the blink of an eye.

I just realized something: The reason my twenties went by so quickly is because they were so much fun! Between college and really being out on my own in my early twenties, to meeting the man of my dreams and marrying at 25, to having a career where I truly felt I made a difference, to buying and decorating a house, and finally to having my life long dream of becoming a mother become a reality, I have lived a wonderful, blessed life.

Adam, Aiden, and I are heading down to Ft. Myers, FL for my birthday week. I know I'm not a kid anymore, but I still love the idea of making a fuss over the "big" birthdays. I wanted to do a cruise, but I had to accept that bringing a baby on a cruise probably wouldn't work. Instead, we are spending the week with my parents at their Florida home. (I'm also toying with the idea of having a themed 30th birthday party...)

I am very excited to get away--I haven't been anywhere (except NJ) since Aiden's been born--but I'm also nervous, too. Adam and I decided that it would be best for Aiden if Adam drove to FL so that we could bring the things we really need while we're away. (It also helps that we're saving money that way...) So, yes, I will flying with my little man all by myself. All. by. my. self. It gives me chills...

Yes, my Aiden is a good boy, but he's never flown before, so I guess what I most afraid of is the unknown. What if he poops mid-flight? Where am I supposed to change him? (The boy wants to be changed immeadiately!) What if he cries the entire time? What if we have a delay on the runway? All of this stresses me out...

But I am choosing to look on the bright side. I'm going on vacation...woo hoo! The flight is only two hours (only...ha!) and if worse comes to worse, I can just feed him puffs for two hours straight. :o)

So, I am embracing my thirties with excitement. I can't wait to see what wonderful experiences the Lord has in store for me! And I'll let you know how the flight goes...

Tasty Tuesday

I had this for the first time on Easter and I loved it. It's the perfect "slaw" for people who, like me, HATE coleslaw. There are a bunch of variations to this recipe, but here's one that I made last night and it came out great. Happy tasting! :)


Broccoli Slaw Salad with Ramen Noodles

2 16 oz. packages broccoli slaw
1 3 oz. package Ramen noodles broken into small chunks, any flavor (I used beef)
1/2 cup scallions
1 cup unsalted peanuts
1/2 cup raisins, optional (I think they add great flavor! Next time I'm trying Craisins)

Dressing:

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup cider or balsamic vinegar
seasoning packet from Ramen noodles

P90X-ing

You've seen the infomercials. They're on allllll the time. I'll admit it, I would watch and wonder if P90X was something I could do, but I've spent money on programs before that weren't all they were cracked up to be and I wasn't down with wasting my money. Luckily P90X fell into my lap recently and I knew I had no more excuses...I had to give it a try.

Here I am on day five my P90X workouts and I am feeling good. Are they hard? YES! But I have a wonderful sense of satisfaction when I finish my work out each morning. I still did not take my "before" pictures; I guess I should do that today, huh? And noooo, I will not be posting my "befores" but we'll see what day 90 looks like and maybe I'll post some pics then.

That being said, I have two goals: to get fit and to be able to do a pull up. Yes, a single pull up. I won't be blogging about my P90X experience regularly, but I will keep you posted from time to time on how I'm doing. For now I'll just put it out there that I'm taking on this challenge and I'm excited about it!

p.s. Have you done the program or are currently doing it? I'd love to hear about it...

A New Beginning

I thought that I would be able to do it all. A housekeeping, dinner-on-the-table-when-the-hubby-got-home, baby-whisperer, blogging mama. (wait, I hear a buzzer here...) Wrong!


I do do the housekeeping, but some days I would be mortified if someone stopped by my house unexpectedly. I get dinner on the table, but most days it waaaay after the hubby gets home from work. Baby whisperer? I'll admit that my little guy is easy going, but there are certainly times when I feel like I need some help. And then there's blogging. Yeah. Right.

I wanted to be the mom who blogged about her beautiful birth story (c-section!), the ups and downs of motherhood (can we say breastfeeding?!) and of life in general. I wanted to post the countless pictures of the baby (Ok, so I did...on Facebook...) and to use my blog as a release from the daily grind of being a stay at home mom (which I am so incredibly thankful for, but there are times when it gets a little monotonous.).

So, here I am blogging for the first time a full 9 1/2 months after the birth of my sweet boy. And why am I doing it? Because I trying to turn a new leaf. I'm reorganizing and restructuring my house, my priorities, the way that I take care of myself, and yes, my blog. I'm doing something for myself for a change. Something that makes me feel connected to myself and my life on a different level. Something that I can reflect on later on.

Here it is world. Is it always pretty? No. But it's my life on the lane... (pun intended)