Oberhaus Clan Happenings (& Eatings)

Tickled Pink

2012-02-10T11:57:00.001-08:00

It's happening. Right before my eyes. The adoration Brynna has for her big brother gets stronger by the minute.

I see it in the way she tries to suppress an ear-to-ear grin when he takes her by the hand and they walk around the house together. I see it in when he cracks her up with his silliest of antics while trying to get her to stop fussing at the dinner table. I see it when he sweetly gives her a toy he had been playing with that she suddenly decided she wants.

To Brynna, Brogan is pure gold.

It's nothing that we, as parents, can teach. It's just there. It's God-given, for sure. It also helps that Brogan really is a terrific big brother. He impresses us constantly with his unprompted acts of kindness toward her.

And Jason and I have the pleasure of having a front row seat at this magical event. Thank you, Lord, for these little gifts.

Big Bear Time

2012-01-31T11:54:00.000-08:00

We have a new routine. It consists of going in to wake Brynna up at full 30 minutes before we actually need her up. Why, you ask? She needs her Big Bear Time. She can't leave the crib without it, actually.

I'll tell her "good morning" or "hello" and ask her if she's ready to get up. Then she stands up, points to the giant bear that Nana and Papa gave her for Christmas and utters two syllables from behind her paci that only I can interpret as "Big Bear" and the games begin. The bear hops into her crib. Then she very discriminately selects which book she would like to share with Big Bear by adamantly nodding yes or no to each book that I offer. Once her selection is in hand, she snuggles in for a little quality time. With her bear.

It looks a little something (or a lot, actually) like this:

Thank you, Toby Keith

2012-01-28T07:51:00.001-08:00

Brogan's memory has always been sharp but he's just now getting to the point that he remembers songs that he hears on the radio or that - eh hem - Mommy sings around the house. So the other day he was climbing the stairs and I heard him singing something familiar. He was very clearly singing:

"My soda (solo) cup...I fill you up...Let's have a party!"

What can I say? It's a catchy tune. At least he didn't learn it from watching the video version. There are entirely too many questions-in-waiting in that one. Phew!

Iced Mocha Cocktail

2012-01-24T12:23:00.000-08:00

Wow. That's all can say. Wow.

This cocktail -- if you like coffee -- is A-MAZ-ING.

Here's what to do:

Dissolve a teaspoon of instant coffee granules in a shot* of water. Add a shot each of vanilla vodka, milk chocolate liquor, and white chocolate liquor. Fill glass (or shaker) with ice. Stir (or shake) well.
Serve ans savor!

*Shots are approximately 1 ounce. Give or take.

It's heaven in a glass. I swear it.

Oh, and, drinker beware: These go down really easy!

If you'll excuse me, I need to go "test" this recipe again. For recipe integrity purposes, of course...

More Mommy Genius

2012-01-22T19:36:00.001-08:00

I came across a few more winning ideas recently and I thought I'd spread the word. Check out these great brain-children from moms who have found that necessity (and wine, I can only assume from my experience) is truly the mother of invention.

So, does that mean these moms are the step-mothers of invention? Or maybe the grandmothers? Hmmm....

Tub Angels

When Jack Frost is being none-too-kind and temps outside make playing in the snow a no-go, load the snow into a bath tub and let your rugrats enjoy it without the threat of immediate frostbite. When the snow melts, the water simply runs down the drain. No muss, no fuss! You may just want to establish a firm "no-snowball-fights-in-the-house" rule.

Peanut Butter & Baby Food Sandwiches???

Substitute baby food purees, like blueberry or pear-strawberry, for jelly on your kids' PB&Js. Or, in our case, SB&Js. (Hooray for soy butter! Don't judge...It's yummier than you may think!)

Rice Krispie Treat "Cookies"

Instead of laboring over the mixing, rolling and baking of sugar cookies, opt for a batch of Rice Krispie Treats! When you spread the warm mixture out, use a rimmed cookie sheet and press it down to close to 1/2-inch thickness. Allow to cool then use cookie cutters to create festive shapes. Decorate as you would regular sugar cookies and enjoy!

I actually made these at Christmas time this year. They were a huge hit with Brogan and the "cookies" were really delicious!

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What genius tips have you come across that you love? I'd love to hear them!

Diet Tricks, Part 2

2012-01-08T04:39:00.001-08:00

I'm dusting off a few of my old tricks for the new year and--since I doubt I'm alone in this quest to shed the holiday pounds--I thought I'd share them with you all.

Get More of the Green Stuff

While, yes, more cash is always nice, that's not the green stuff I'm referring to. I'm talking leafy green veggies here. My personal favorite is spinach. I eat it all the time. Straight from the bag. Yep, I like it that much. So, I capitalize on my love of this iron-packed, meaty leaf and bulk up my pastas with it. Not everyone's...just mine. Aside from my son, my family does not (yet) share my appreciation for spinach so I don't load the main dish with it. Here's how to do it a la carte:

Create any pasta dish for your family as usual.
Fill your bowl or plate with fresh spinach.
Drizzle it with olive oil. Add a dash of salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Microwave your plate for 30-45 seconds, just until the spinach is warm and starts to wilt.
Top with a small serving of the pasta dish and enjoy!

This way, you get to enjoy the yummy meal but you'll be filling up on spinach and not calorie-heavy pasta.

My other green friend it romaine lettuce. I like to buy the big heads and use the cruchy hearts for salads. Those big, floppy outer leaves are my secret weapon. I use them for sandwiches...instead of bread! Wrap them around some deli turkey with a dab of low fat honey mustard and you'll never go back to bread. It's crispy, filling and, therefore, satisfying. The fact that you're skipping carbs and will look great this summer isn't a bad side effect either.

Sweet and Creamy

I mentioned my final trick already: Low Fat Honey Mustard. I tend to like sweet things so this condiment is right up my alley. I use it as a dipping sauce for, to be honest, raw spinach leaves, which it a great way to get your "chips and dip" fix. I also use it in place of mayo on my sammies. What's great about it is, because it's so sweet, a little goes a long way.

Happy Slimming, My Friends!

Happy Holidays 2011

2012-01-04T18:40:00.000-08:00

(Click to Enlarge)

This is the image I'd like to use to remember the 2011 holiday season. Not the actual image.

The actual image from our holidays would include projectile vomiting (Brynna on Christmas Eve while trying to open presents), coughing up a lung (me, starting a few days before Christmas and lasting nearly to New Year's Eve), lethargy and loss of appetite (Brogan, starting on Christmas day, which, if you've followed my blog, you know is completely out of character for my little trash compactor), and intense body aches (Jason, the day before New Year's Eve). Now there's a Christmas card that would not soon be forgotten.

Let's just say we were all happy to say good-bye to 2011. Here's to a happy and HEALTHY 2012!

Brogan Live, Act 1, Scene 1

2011-12-17T12:41:00.001-08:00

Brogan's very first music performance was last night and it was every bit as memorable as we expected but in some unexpected ways.

The kids, including ours, were darling. That is one for the "expected" column. As were the smiles that both Daddy and I got, individually, from Brogan each time he picked out our faces in the crowd. (I was a moving target because I was following/chasing Brynna around the sanctuary. In hindsight, we really should have gotten a sitter.)

What was in the "unexpected" column was that there was little or no antsing, no nose picking and absolutely no inadvertent flashing of the audience. Not a single kid! And these were all children between the ages of 3 and 5. It was remarkable.

What also surprised us was Brogan's utter indifference to the whole program. Sure - he sang, marched and rang his little bell with the best of 'em. But, truly, he could not have cared less about being there. To each his own, as they say. And this was obviously not high on his To Do list.

Here are a few glimpses of our unforgettable evening...

Brynna wanted to check out the stage and see what all the fuss was about.

Brogan and Addison were each other's moral support throughout the evening. Their exchanged glances were priceless! Just check out this video and you'll see what I mean...

Adorable, right?

Wanna Hear Something Random?

2011-12-04T04:14:00.000-08:00

Rest assured, this is going to be one of those posts that rehashes some of the cute things my kids are saying right now but I have to start with the "random" inspiration for this post.

If anyone of you have ever had the pleasure of knowing and having regular conversations with a 3 year old, you are familiar with the off-the-wall stuff that they talk about. For those of you who have not had this pleasure (or it's been too long to remember that special phase), it goes like this: If a thought enters their mind, they are going to talk to you--and anyone else in earshot--about it. Or, at least, that is what my 3 year old does. I mean it. If he thinks it, he says it. I'm hoping he'll develop a filter soon but no luck so far.

Anyway, I guess I've gotten into the habit of responding to these one-off thoughts by saying something in the ballpark of "Well, that was random," because Brogan now prefaces his rambling by saying, "Wanna hear something random?"

Ah-hem. Yep. That one is all me.

And in other Random News, here are a few of the other hot phrases around here...

Brogan still says "mazagine." Daddy has tried working syllable-by-syllable with him to get it right. Brogan can do it slowly but as soon as he says it in regular conversation, it's right back to "mazagine." I, for one, love it that way. I know he'll figure it out eventually and I'm going to enjoy it while I can.

I've lost track of the bagillion other witty things he's said lately. He's speaking so well and really picking up slang terms and colloquialisms. He's a riot to listen to. Just ask his Nana and Papa...they're excited to be able to talk to him on the phone and not need me to interpret 100% of the time anymore.

Brynna says "nah-nah" for just about everything right now. It goes something like this:

*Points Finger in general direction of desired object * Says "Nah-Nah!" * And if it's her sippy cup that she's wanting--look out! "Nah-nah" is said with increasing intensity until said cup is on its way to her gaping, baby-bird-like mouth. The girl loves her water. Not so much juice, but she digs water.

When she races Brogan down the hall, you're sure to hear her say "Gah, gah, gah!" (Translation: "Go, go, go!"). She's also recently added "bah" (ball) and "uh-oh" to her lexicon. Oh, and instead of saying certain animal names, she makes noises that somewhat resemble a "neigh" when she sees a horse and "raar" when she sees a tiger. It's pretty darn cute. And so is she.

P.S. Here's a quick run down of the random kids pics: (1) Brogan dressed up as an Indian...I mean, Native American...for his Thanksgiving Feast at school. His vest is the first "costume" I've made for him. (2) Brynna barely sits still anymore so cute pictures are a rarity. This is one of her literally backed into a corner (so she couldn't move) at Brogan's Christmas performance. More to come on that soon...

Look Who's Talking Now

2011-11-29T04:07:00.000-08:00

Brynna said her first word!

TICKLE!

It would be out of my nature to not set up this story properly so bear with me...

We do a lot of tickling around our house. Jason and I are addicted to hearing our children laugh and the quickest way to get our fix is, well, by tickling them. This, apparently, has not escaped the keen notice of our now-15-month-old daughter.

I was working on the computer one morning last week with my legs crossed. My socked-foot was dangling at just about Brynna's tummy height. She saw her chance. She seized it. She toddled over to me, grabbed my foot and said, "Tickle, tickle, tickle." I was stunned. It was one of the cutest things I have ever seen.

Since then, she capitalizes on every tickle opportunity that presents itself. If she catches sight of a foot without a shoe on, she's going for it. Even if that foot happens to belong to her. (Which is adorable in a completely different way.)

So, there you have it. Brynna's first word, beyond Momma and Daddy, was "tickle." I love that she used her first word to try to make someone else laugh. I take that as a sign of good things to come.

Thanksgiving Plan

2011-11-22T03:58:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, I considered Thanksgiving just holiday that someone made up as an excuse to eat in excess. (Much like some people think that Valentine's Day was contrived as an excuse to sell chocolates and greeting cards. I'm not one of those people, by the way.)

Now that I love to cook, though, Thanksgiving is like a culinary Super Bowl. It's what I've been training for all year long. With only two days to go until game day, it's almost Go-time. Much like the crazy Black Friday lady on the Target commercials, I'm running drills and getting stretched out for the big event.

Here's a peek at my Thanksgiving play book:

A Salad, for Good Measure (and so no one gnaws an arm off while waiting for the Main Event):

Walnut Side Salad

1 bag spring mix salad

1/2 cup balsamic dressing

1/2 container grape tomatoes

1/3 cup bacon crumbles

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

1/3 cup feta crumbles

1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted

Black pepper, to taste

Toss spring mix with dressing, onions and bacon. Top with tomatoes, feta, walnuts and pepper. Serve immediately.

The Bird: Maple-Roasted Turkey with Sage Butter (Get the recipe)

The Gravy: Turkey Gravy, from scratch, thank you very much (Get the recipe)

The Dressing: Pepperridge Farms Herbed Stuffing

Simply prepare as directed on the package, mix in one beaten egg and pop it in a 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes.

This is a family tradition and, as my husband informed me, is not to be messed with.

The Main Side: Hashbrown Casserole

2 lbs frozen hashbrowns, thawed

1 stick melted butter

2½ c corn flakes, crushed

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

½ chopped onion

1 can cream of potato soup

1 pkg (8 oz) sour cream

1 block (8 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1-Thaw hashbrowns in bowl filled with ice water; drain. Return to bowl. Set bowl in refrigerator while mixing the other ingredients.

2-Sautee onion until soft.

3-Crush corn flakes and mix with melted butter; set aside.

4-Mix salt, pepper, onion, soup, sour cream and cheese in very large bowl.

5- Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

6- Working fairly quickly so hashbrowns do not start to turn color, fold hashbrowns into sour cream mixture. Spoon into greased 9x13 casserole dish. Sprinkle with corn flake mixture.

7-Bake for 45-55 minute or until top is toasted.

Instead of Sweet Potatoes: Roasted Butternut Squash, a new one this year

Cranberry Kicker: Cranberry Conserve with the addition of a little red onion for a savory note

The Bread: Another family favorite, Pillsbury Cresent Rolls

I'm leaving desserts up to my In-Laws this year but if I were going to make something, I was going to try Pumpkin Bread Pudding. How good does that sound???

God Gave Me You

2011-11-17T10:35:00.000-08:00

So I've had the Blake Shelton song, "God Gave Me You," stuck in my head the past few days and I was singing it while cleaning up after lunch today. Brogan asked me what I was singing and I told him the name of the song.

Then I asked him, "Did you know that God gave me you?" In his three-year-old voice of disbelief he answered, "Nooo." As if I were just being silly. So I said, "No, really, Buddy. You were a present to Mommy from God."

What happened next was priceless.

Brogan's face lit up and he looked up toward Heaven and said, in his most sincere tone, "Thank you, God, for giving me to Mommy." My heart melted right there on the kitchen counter. I know I've said it before but, he is such a sweet little guy. I love, love, love that kid.

Thank you, God, for Brogan.

Yielding to a Higher Power

2011-11-08T07:39:00.000-08:00

So, Brogan recently started asking God questions. Wonderful, right? Well, sort of. In theory, it is wonderful and something that I hope he continues to do his entire life. The problem arises when he also answers the questions himself and, miraculously, God tends to rule in Brogan's favor. Amazing, isn't it?

For instance, this morning, Brogan asked God if he could roll his truck on the table behind the sofa. The one that displays several framed family photos and a few breakable nicknacks. The same table that Mommy had just reminded him not to roll his truck on. Yep, that 's the one. So, in this instance, when "God" told Brogan that it was OK, I quickly stepped in and said, "No, I think God said to ask Mommy if it's OK, and Mommy says no."

Nice try, though, Little Man. Nice try.

I think it's great that he recognizes that God is the ultimate authority. And, although I don't approve of it, I do think it's pretty crafty of him to circumvent Mommy's authority and go straight to the Big Guy. I'm going to have to keep my eye on this one. He's just now 3 and a half and is learning how to work the system. Lord, help us.

Genius Mommy Tips & Tricks

2011-10-25T03:24:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, you love learning about those little things you can do that will make your life as a Mommy (or Daddy, for that matter) more efficient and just plain easier. If you're really like me, you forget all of those great tips about 30 seconds after reading or hearing about them. Ugh.

So I've decided to compile a list here and add to it as I come across new gems of wisdom. Please, please, please leave a comment if you have anything you'd like to share!

I'm launching the list with several goodies I found in the October 2011 issue of Parents Magazine. The magazine celebrates its 85th anniversary this year so the staff compiled tips from across the decades. Pretty timeless stuff. I hope you find it as helpful as I do!

Art To-Go

Save the cardboard tubes from paper towels and wrapping paper to store or transport your child's artwork home from school.

Tidy Treat

To avoid messy drips from the bottom of an ice-cream cone, put a small marshmallow in the bottom of the come before scooping the cold stuff. It absorbs any melted ice cream before it can leak out, and it makes a sweet surprise when your kids reach the end of the cone.

Art Smart

To make painting less messy, put old baby bottles to good use. Remove the nipple, snip off part of the tip, partially fill the bottle with paint, and reassemble the bottle with the nipple inverted. The bottles are less likely to spill and the nipple removes excess paint from the brush on the way out.

Clean Routine

One squirt from the liquid soap dispenser tends to be too much for little hands. To dispense a pint-sized amount, wrap a rubber band around the neck of the dispenser several times so the pump will only go down halfway.

Sticker Shock

Kids tend to gravitate toward food products with cartoon characters on the package, but most of those products are not the healthiest or least expensive choices. To keep everyone happy, add stickers of their favorite characters to the products you want to buy once you get home from the grocery store.

Don't forget to leave a comment with tips and tricks you've come across. It may just be the solution that another mommy needs!

Sticky, Sweet & Salty Appetizer

2011-10-24T07:12:00.000-07:00

And did I mention delicious? Because they really are. I was skeptical when I made these for my newly formed Supper Club last night but they were a huge hit.

They can be served warm, at room temp or--as I learned this morning after sampling a leftover Devil--cold and are equally fantastic. Which makes them pretty perfect for taking to holiday parties. Just make sure to let them cool for a few minutes after removing them from the oven... That bacon grease is HOT! (That's experience talking, folks.)

Enjoy!

Devils on Horseback

(From AllRecipes.com)

Ingredients

20 wooden toothpicks

1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

20 dates, pitted and left whole

20 whole smoked almonds

10 bacon slices, cut in half crosswise

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Soak the toothpicks in a bowl of water. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce and ground ginger. Place the brown sugar into a shallow bowl. Spread open a pitted date, then stuff it with a smoked almond. Wrap the date with half a bacon slice, secure it with a toothpick, dip the bundle in soy sauce mixture, and then dip it into brown sugar. Place the wrapped dates into the prepared baking dish. If desired, sprinkle a little more brown sugar over the bundles.

Bake in the preheated oven until the bacon is brown and crisp, 15 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes before serving; serve warm or at room temperature.

NOTE: I made another batch the same way but subbed small chunks of gouda for the almonds. I think a more pungent cheese (like asiago) would be even better.

Brynna Walks!

2011-10-19T18:08:00.000-07:00

This hardly needs an intro but I will say this: There are not many things more special in life than watching a child take some of her first steps. Brynna started her journey 3 days ago. It's a journey that I hope takes her to many wonderful places during her lifetime. We love you, Baby Girl!

Small Feats

2011-10-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

I've noticed that there is a serious lack of Brynna videos, or any videos for that matter, on the blog lately. So, to celebrate Brynna's latest achievement (she walked last night for the first time!), I thought it fitting to post a video. Only, it's not of her walking. Sorry. I haven't been able to catch her in the act, yet, but as soon as I do, I'll post that video, as well. In the meantime, sit back, relax and enjoy this short but sweet clip of Brynna being Brynna.

Bedtime Posse

2011-10-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

Brogan takes quite an entourage to bed each night. It started out small enough, as I'm assuming most entourages do, and has slowly grown over time. I'm thinking it won't be long before we'll have to move him into a larger bed to accommodate him and all of his amigos. Please, allow me to introduce you to the crew:

Jirafe (second from left) started the party. He was actually the first stuffed friend ever given to Brogan. You may notice the star on his left foot...that signifies that he came with a star--yes, a real star--that we registered in Brogan's name. Sweet, right? Jirafe was a present from Grandma, purchased within probably 2 hours (if that) of her learning that she was going to be a Grandma for the first time. I love that about her.

Next, came Barry (center). He's a Build-A-Bear bear that we outfitted in Brogan's first Gator onesie. What I would have given to watch Grandpa go through the song and dance that is standard protocol at the Build-A-Bear Workshop. I bet it was priceless.

The next friend to join our group was the legendary Gerry (seated on Barry's lap). He came to us from one of my co-workers in New York, Lauren, long before Brogan arrived. Little did we know then what a constant companion and comfort Gerry would prove to be for Brogan. Let's just say, I ordered an extra "Gerry" and stashed him away in the event that the original Gerry meets an untimely demise. Lord only knows the drama that would follow such a catasrophe as that. It's unthinkable.

The smaller bear on the right is "Birthday Bear." My sweet Aunt Lisa sent him to us for Brogan's 1st birthday. He didn't actually join the posse right away, though. He used to reside somewhere random in the toy room but has since been promoted, for whatever reason, to a nighttime comrade.

Baby Alligator (who is actually a crocodile) hails all the way from the San Diego Zoo. Brogan's Godparents, Gene and Barbara, brought him back for Brogan after a family vacay to California. He has been going "night, night" with Brogan since the day he came home with us. He is the one cotton companion most likely to do a disappearing act in the wee hours of the night (or morning), usually because he slipped through the bed rails. Since Brogan is such a good boy, he doesn't get out of bed to retrieve him...No, no...He leaves that to Daddy or Mommy. Lucky us.

You may or may not have noticed earlier...but Jirafe is packing heat. Yes, that is a gun he's holding in his lap. A water gun, of course. That gun made it's way to Brogan's bed right around his third birthday after several nights of hysterics about "bad birds coming." To this day, I have no idea where this originated or what it really means. All I know is that giving him a water gun to shoot the "bad birds" away totally worked.

And finally, Monster (far left). This little guy was a present from our friends, the Holt family. The Holts hosted an Easter Egg Hunt this year and Monster was part of the goody basket that Mama Holt (aka Becca) sent home with each child. I wasn't able to go but I can only assume that it was one great Hunt since Brogan wants to remember it every night. That's the only thing I can think of when I look at that crazy little blue creature. You just never know what they're going to love, do you?

Taking all of these stuffed friends with him to bed, I think he feels less alone for the long stretch that is Nighttime. One day, he'll be too big for these friends and they'll be retired to a box somewhere in the attic, no doubt. (Sniff) But for now, they are his besties and snuggling in with them makes all the difference in the world.

Columbus Day Resolutions

2011-10-10T18:31:00.000-07:00

In general, I am not a big fan of New Year's resolutions. I think it's silly to wait for a particular time of year to make a change for the better. Especially New Year's Day. Most resolutions made on New Year's Day are made with the understanding that most people don't keep them. What a cop out. If you're really serious about making a change or taking a new direction, why wait? Do it now.

And so here I am. Celebrating Columbus Day, if you could call it that, and I'm making a few resolutions of my own. (Yes, it was a complete coincidence that today is a national holiday, but it sure made for an interesting blog post, don't you think?)

#1: The obligatory "lose weight."
I really hate when people make this one because it usually packs the gym with well-intentioned shape shifters from about January 3 - February 15 every year. I do have a really good reason for this one, though. My 10th anniversary is in less a month and I would like to shed the extra 5 lbs. that have crept up on me. Forgive my hypocrisy just this once because I'd like to look really hot (or as hot as I can after 2 kids) for my sweet husband. I'm working out harder and trying to eat less. We'll see how it goes.

#2: Drink more water.
As in a gallon a day. Seems like a lot, doesn't it? Well, I managed to do it today (in addition to two 20 oz. coffees, at that) and it wasn't too difficult or annoying (think potty breaks). I'm interested to see how easy it seems day after day after day, though. I have enough "annoying" in my life right now, I really don't have time for self-induced annoyingness. Here's to my attempt at epic hydration...Cheers!

#3: Wash my face nightly.
I realize that I should already be doing this but I'm not. After getting the kids in bed, putting the house back in order, and spending some uninterrupted time on the computer or talking to my husband, I'm happy to have brushed teeth by the time I collapse into bed. I have to admit, though, I started this one last night and my skin feels so much better in the morning after having rid it of the day's gunk the night before.

So, that's it. Nothing to difficult to commit to but big enough that I think I'll see results of some kind fairly soon. As we all know, nothing it more motivational that results.

What would your Any Ole' Time resolutions be?

You've Gotta Try This Recipe

2011-10-06T07:01:00.000-07:00

I made my Spinach & Artichoke Dip Chicken again this week and felt compelled to post the recipe again. It is really good. Jason even dubbed it "good enough to make for company." Nice.

Click here for the original post with the full recipe. Your mouth will thank you. And if you do try it, please post a comment and let me know what you thought. Be honest!

Fall Fun

2011-10-04T03:31:00.001-07:00

We visited our first pumpkin patch as a family last weekend. This was actually only the second time Jason and I have been to a pumpkin patch/corn maze so we were pretty excited, too. Being from Florida where fall usually made up of about 36 non-consecutive hours, there isn't much hoopla and ruckus raised over this season. It's a pity, too, because it's a great segue from summer to winter. (It's almost like someone planned it that way. Crazy.) All the mums, bails of straw and friendly scarecrows everywhere you turn in Tennessee really get you in the mood for the holidays and I, for one, love it.

It was a pretty day for pumpkin picking. The air -- in the form of a stiff breeze, at times -- was a little chilly but 3 out of 4 Oberhauses had a good time. As you can tell from the look on her face below, Brynna would have traded the whole event in a heartbeat in exchange for a soft blanket and her warm bed.

Brynna snuggled with Daddy for warmth most of the day.

Cranky babies aside, the folks at The Fruit and Berry Patch in Halls did a great job of making it a special day. The trip was organized and spearheaded by one of the moms in my MOMS Club, otherwise I would not have know about this wonderful little place.

While we waited in their quaint little store for the others in our group to arrive, we nibbled on a fresh fried apple pie pocket. It was warm, cinnamon heaven wrapped in a soft crust. What a delight!

Brynna and Daddy at the small pumpkin patch by the store

Then they loaded us onto a trailer pulled by a big John Deere tractor. Together, we traversed peach patches, rows of muscadine grape vines, and a strawberry field until we arrived at the pumpkin patch. The pumpkin stems were pre-cut so their was no tug of war between the little ones and their trophy squashes.

Brogan's friend helped him select just the right pumpkin

The happy pumpkin picker

Each child picked a pumpkin then ambled over to the sheep and goat pen where they were able to treat the perpetually hungry critters to handfuls of dried corn kernels. The kids had a blast.

Yummy!

Back on the trailer, they hauled us to a small corn maze (the perfect size for small children) and told us how to find our way back to the store.

Fearlessly navigating his first corn maze

Back at home base, I happily paid less than $10 (with a credit card, even) for the entire family to visit the pumpkin patch. That includes the pie, a coloring book and bottle of fresh apple cider for Brogan. Now that was a good deal. And there's not much you can say that about these days.

Thank you to the owners and staff at the farm for helping us make such warm memories on a cool fall day. Rest assured, your pumpkins seem quite content at their new home.

She Has Top Teeth!....Well, Tooth

2011-09-29T08:09:00.000-07:00

Brynna is 13 months old today and I am very happy (and a little relieved) to announce that she finally cut a tooth on the upper deck. Hallelujah!

I also wanted an excuse to post a few pictures of this little cutie. As always, just click on the photo for a larger view. Enjoy!

Well-Deserved Cuteness

2011-09-21T17:29:00.000-07:00

The summer of 2011 was a long one for me. Between the scorching temperatures outside that kept us mainly inside, the budding independence of my 3 year old, and fulfilling the needs of my then-infant daughter, it was pretty much the longest three-month span of my entire life. I earned my stripes, so to speak. And, no doubt, a few (more) grey hairs.

The great thing about parenthood, though, as most empty-nesters will tell you, is that you seldom remember the difficult, crappy stuff. Sure, there are those occasional, "I'll never forget the time he..." stories that raise your blood pressure every time you recount them, but for the most part, parents typically block out the bad things and remember all of the sweet, wonderful moments.

I, too, will soon forget the stress of my trying summer at home with two very young children and will only reminisce fondly about things like this:

The fact that Brogan still says "mazagine" instead of "magazine." It's adorable.

Or when he decided to combine two familiar sayings to make the soon-to-catch-on-and-be-a-classic phrase: "Uh-oh, goes the weasel."

Or when he get's excited about something and tells it to me in his super-animated manner. He's a doll.

Or how impressed and entertained we all are by Brynna's new repertoire of "tricks." Her performance includes nodding her head for "yes" and shaking it (usually with great vigor) for "no." She rarely employs either one at the appropriate time but that absolutely, in no way detracts from their cuteness. She also closes both eyes at the same time in a double-wink of sorts. And then there is her tongue...she sometimes sticks it straight out and, at other times, pops it out of the corners of her mouth. It's this new muscle that she has just learned how to operate and she get's a real kick out of using it to mimic whatever we are doing.

Two more things I just can't get enough of are Brynna's smelly toes and her head-butting me. Stay with me here. When I change her diaper, she stretches her legs toward me and offers me her toes. Yes, thank you. Those are just what I ordered. I sniff her toes, drinking in that clammy but not-too-young-to-be-stinky baby feet smell, then I plant a kiss on the soles of her feet. I don't know which one of us enjoys it more. It's heavenly.

And I've apparently kissed her on her head so many times that it's how she thinks people kiss. When I ask her if she wants kisses, she offers me her forehead. This get's interesting when she's sleepy and clumsy. The result is often her head-butting me in the lip. That is one fat lip I'm willing to endure.

God, I love those kids. Can you blame me? And, after the summer we had, I needed some sweetness from my two little B's.

A Tale of Two Chicken Dinners

2011-09-18T03:41:00.000-07:00

I'm doing my best to stretch a dollar these days, as I'm sure we all are, and one of my favorite ways to get a boo koo bang for my grocery buck is to purchase a rotisserie chicken, shred the meat and use it for at least two meals. And that is precisely what I've done for the following two recipes, one of which (the pesto pasta) is actually my husband's favorite meal at home. The other thing I do with the chicken is make my own chicken stock. It's cheap and tastes so much better than the stuff in a can or box. It's also super-easy. Here's how:

Homemade Chicken Stock

1 chicken carcass

1 onion, quartered

1 carrot, chopped into 2-inch pieces

3 garlic cloves, peeled (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Additional spices are optional (I like to use a bay leaf, 1 spring rosemary and 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning)

Directions

1. After removing all of the meat from your chicken, place the carcass, skin and any drippings in a dutch oven.

2. Add your veggies and spices.
3. Fill the pot with water until the bird is covered by at least 1 inch of water.

4. Bring water just to a boil then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 4 hours.

5. Strain broth into air-tight containers. Refrigerate up to 3 days and freeze up to 3 months.

FYI, my favorite use of homemade stock is Ina Garten's Butternut Squash Risotto. It's amazing! And, once you've made it with homemade stock, it's almost not worth making without it.

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Now on to the main events: Chicken Pesto Pasta and Chicken-Cabbage Stir-Fry. You may notice that these recipes have numerous ingredients, which usually drives the price of dinner up, but, bear in mind that I usually have most of the ingredients for these two recipes in my pantry or freezer, including the basil pesto. In fact, I highly recommend making the pesto ahead of time. It makes the pasta recipe come together in--no kidding--15 minutes. If you do make the pesto ahead, though, hold off on adding the Parmesan cheese. Mix it in right before using it.

Chicken Pesto Pasta

Courtesy Me!

1/2 lb. penne or other short-cut pasta

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 large onion (yellow or red), chopped

1/2 of a shredded chicken (about 2 cups)

2/3 cup basil pesto (I suppose you could use the jarred stuff but I'm a pesto snob now so I don't recommend it)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Paremsan cheese for dusting

Note: Basil Pesto Recipe can be found here.

Directions

1. Heat water for pasta and cook pasta until al dente.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and saute until it begins to soften. Add chicken to skillet and season with salt and pepper.

3. Mix pesto into drained pasta. (Otherwise the shredded chicken with absorb the pesto before it's distributed to all of the pasta.) Add sauced pasta to skillet with chicken and onion then toss to combine.

4. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan.

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Chicken & Cabbage Stir-Fry with Noodles

Courtesy Parents Magazine

8 oz. fresh or dried Asian egg noodles

1 Tbs. toasted sesame oil

2 Tbs. peanut or other neutral oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger

1 head Napa or savoy cabbage, shredded (5 cups)

2 carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks

2 Tbs. oyster sauce

2 Tbs. soy sauce

2 tsp. mirin or honey

1 to 1-1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the noodles until just tender but not soft, about 3 to 4 minutes; drain the noodles, toss with the sesame oil to keep them from sticking together, and set aside.

2. Heat the peanut oil in a 12-inch skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the cabbage and carrots, and toss to coat them in the oil; cook until the vegetables soften, about 3 minutes.

3. While the vegetables cook, in a small bowl combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, and mirin and mix well. When the vegetables are soft, add the chicken and noodles and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until just warmed through. Then add the sauce and toss well to coat everything and serve.

Nutritional facts

Calories 298, Total Fat (g) 15, Saturated Fat (g) 3, Monounsaturated Fat (g) 5, Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 4, Cholesterol (mg) 87, Sodium (mg) 883, Carbohydrate (g) 26, Total Sugar (g) 4, Fiber (g) 3, Protein (g) 16, Vitamin C (DV%) 46, Calcium (DV%) 11, Iron (DV%) 12

Bye-Bye, Bottles!

2011-09-13T03:30:00.000-07:00

We marked a somewhat bittersweet development this week...we are now officially baby-bottle free. Sigh. Oh, how I loathed washing those suckers but, oh, how I relished the bedtime bottle with Brynna. No matter what concoction I put in there--breast milk, formula, cow's milk or a cocktail of any of the above--it always seemed to cure what ailed her, soothe her and put her in an extra-cuddly state of mind. It was a few peaceful moments every day that I counted on that she and I could be together. A little guaranteed Mommy-Brynna time.

And she loved her bottles. We learned early on to have a pacifier close-by for when the bottle ran dry. Tears were imminent. Giant, crocodile tears. I-wish-we-had-gotten-them-on-video tears. It was the end of the world as she knew it. So what would happen when we repossessed her last, and arguably favorite, link to infancy??? We shuddered to think.

Our pediatrician urged us to go cold turkey and we knew from experience with Brogan that, as far as the bottle (and paci, for that matter) was concerned, the sooner, the better. So, I went for it. Just like a Band-Aid...Quick and painless. Or so I hoped.

Night #1: I went about our nighttime routine as usual. Lights dimmed. Diaper changed. PJs on. Then came the time that I would normally give her the bottle. Dun, dun, duuuun. She was definitely scanning the room for it. I made our way to the glider but instead of sitting her in my lap facing me as was typical bottle-giving protocol, I faced her outward with her back to my chest and read her a book. She actually paid attention without grabbing for the book for the first few pages. Her curiosity got the best of her eventually and she had to reach for it but I think it was distracting enough to wipe the thought of the bottle from her mind. Book complete, we continued our routine with the addition of a few swigs of water from her sippy cup. Lights out. Munchkin in bed. Mission accomplished. She slept well and actually slept in a bit longer the next morning.

Night #2: Just as flawless as night #1. Plus, she actually leaned back against my chest and snuggled in as we read the book. This was a good sign. Again, she slept soundly all night and slept in the following morning. The sleeping in is most likely a result of not having downed 7 ounces of fluid immediately before bed. That leads to one bulky, wet diaper in the morning. Trying to sleep on that is no treat, I'm sure.

So, tonight is Night #3. If it goes as well as the others, I'm boxing up all bottle paraphernalia and making plans for what to do with my newly vacated cabinet space. Can you say panini press? :)

More Recipe Verdicts

2011-09-11T07:57:00.000-07:00

I made peace with turkey and made two more of the recipes on my must-try list. Ironically, neither of these turkey products was ever on the recall list. (Oops.)

Anyway, here are the verdicts:

Open-Faced Turkey Joes - I prepared these when my in-laws were in town. Everyone enjoyed them but I thought they were just OK. I think the sticking point for me was that I used a jar of store-bought spaghetti sauce, which is what the recipe calls for. That is the first jar of sauce I've used in...well, probably two years. And once you get used to your own homemade sauce, it's hard to go back to the jar.
Crustless Smoked Turkey & Spinach Quiche - This was fantastic. Brogan even liked it and he is not usually a fan of things with a quiche-like texture...mainly because he doesn't really dig eggs. We told him it was bread and cheese (which was only a fib on the grounds of excluding the other main ingredient). We ate the quiche for a dinner with a side salad and it was substantial enough to count as a light supper. I don't know that I love the Jennie-O Turkey Ham, though. It has a texture and taste very similar to hot dogs. I'll use ham next time.

So that's it for now. I'll post again when I try the last few recipes. Now that the heat wave has finally broken, these will be on the table soon:

3-Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine
Fontina & Marscapone Baked Pasta
Make-Ahead Chicken Cornbread Casserole
Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta & Pine Nuts
Parmesan Polenta & Spicy Sausage.

Mmmm, they are sounding good already!

Tandoori Chicken

2011-09-09T20:10:00.000-07:00

We've been on a bit of an Indian food kick lately. Jason's parents were in town and we had the pleasure of sharing with his mom her very first ever Indian dining experience. And, let me tell ya, we did it right. We went to Taj, a locally-owned Indian restaurant. We ordered two appetizers then all strategically order a different entree and shared them--appropriately--family style. Everything was fantastic. Including the homemade mango ice cream that we only had room enough to share one teeny tiny bowl of for dessert. We never leave disappointed and that night was no different.

Having had such a satisfying Indian meal just days ago, you'd think our quota would be filled for a while, right? Wrong. I couldn't shake the taste for the delicious blend of spices that only exists in Indian food and Jay was a willing consumer so I tried my hand at Tandoori Chicken. Not the bright red version that they cook in a 900-degree oven...but a yummy riff on Tandoori Chicken that I altered a bit from a recipe I found on FoodNetwork.com. Mine went a little something like this...

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 large onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, torn into 1/2-inch pieces

3 tablespoons melted butter, for basting

Spice Rub:

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon red chili powder

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I used lime b/c that's what I had in the fridge)

Tandoori Sauce:

1/2 cup plain, greek yogurt

2 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream (I used almond milk...it's creamier than regular milk)

1 tablespoons Moroccan spice blend (recipe below)

Moroccan Spice Blend :

1 tsp each cumin, ginger & salt

3/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp each cinnamon, coriander, cayenne, all spice, cloves & tumeric

Mix together and store in an air tight container.

Directions

To prepare chicken: Rinse under cold water and pat dry. Place the pieces of chicken on a large plate.

To prepare the spice rub: In a small bowl, combine the salt, chili powder and lemon (or lime) juice to make a thick paste. Rub the paste evenly over the chicken. Set the chicken aside for 15 minutes to let the flavors absorb.

To prepare the tandoori sauce: In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, milk (or heavy cream), and spice blend. Whisk until well mixed. Add chicken to a large freezer bag and pour sauce over it. Sprinkle cilantro over the chicken. Seal the bag then rub the sauce evenly over the chicken, thoroughly covering the chicken. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Add chopped onion, pepper and garlic to a roasting pan that has been lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Top vegetables with the chicken. Roast for 15 minutes, then remove and baste with the melted butter and drippings from the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken back to the heat and roast for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until juices run clear when pierced with a fork.

Serve with rice. Preferably Basmati.

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This was so good that I could make it tomorrow and enjoy it all over again. Yep. It's that good.

Thank You, Lord...For Beer?

2011-09-07T18:50:00.000-07:00

God is great. Beer is good. People are crazy. And when I say "people" I mean me after a long day with my kiddos.

I'd like to give a quick shout toward the heavens to thank Him for my many, many blessings...not the least of which is a fantastic little beverage called Budweiser Select 55. Not only is it cool, refreshing and takes the edge off of particularly frustrating days, but it is also basically 2 beers for the caloric price of 1. Only 55 calories per beverage!

God, no doubt, had me in mind when he inspired my friends at Anheuser-Busch to craft this lovely libation. It's extremely light on beer flavor, which takes a little getting used to, but is well worth the sacrifice. To me, it is, anyway. I suppose it all circles back to your motivation for drinking it. I think you can figure mine out.

So I'm not sure if it's completely appropriate, but thank you, Lord, for this beer.

Birthday Noshes

2011-09-04T04:46:00.000-07:00

There were so many happy customers and tummies at Brynna's party that I decided to put all of the recipes here. Dig in and enjoy (again)!

Pink Lemonade Sangria

Courtesy Sandra Lee via FoodNetwork.com

1-1/2 cups frozen blueberries

1 (12-ounce) can frozen pink lemonade concentrate

1 bottle (750ml) Chardonnay

1/2 cup Congac (I used brandy instead...it's way cheaper)

3 cups lemon lime soda (I used Sprite Zero)

In a larger pitcher, combine all ingredients and stir. Refrigerate for 1 hour to meld flavors.*

*I actually combined all ingredients except the soda and popped it in the fridge overnight. I then added chilled soda just before serving it to preserve the fizz.

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Broccoli Salad

Courtesy little Kroger Coupon/Recipe Booklet

10 oz bag of broccoli florets

1/4 medium red onion, finely chopped

4 oz crispy bacon pieces or bacon bits

1/4 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds

1/4 golden raisins

1/4 cup lite mayo

1/4 cup sugar

2 T red wine vinegar

Combine first 5 ingredients (broccoli, red onion, bacon, sunflower seeds and raisins) in large bowl. In small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, sugar, and red wine vinegar until smooth. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to coat 30 minutes before serving or cover and chill up to 24 hours. Stir before serving.

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Sweet & Spicy Chicken Cups

Courtesy Kathy Boehm, One of my BFF-from-high-school's Mom

1/2 cup peach preserves

3/4 cup salsa

1 T taco seasoning mix

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped

1-2 T fresh cilantro, chopped

30 mini philo shells

1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir preserves in a small sauce pan over medium heat until melted.

Stir in salsa, taco seasoning, chicken and cilantro.

Spoon mix into shells and top with cheese.

Bake 5 minutes.

Serve any extra filling with TOSTITOS Scoops!

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I think these were the most popular, non-boxed items. Let me know if there is anything I forgot to post. I'm all about sharing recipes. Enjoy!

Brynna Turns 1

2011-09-03T19:27:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe but Brynna has been gracing us with her presence for a full year now. My, my...how time flies when you're playing a supporting role in someone else's dramatic interpretation of life. I'm kidding, of course. For every ounce of drama Brynna has brought to our lives, she has brought 10 times as much love and heart-warming moments. She is a doll. And I thank God everyday for her.

Just as with Brogan, there are a few distinctive things that have made our first year with Brynna unforgettable. Brynna would not be our Brynna without...

Spending the first 8.5 months of her life redecorating Mommy's clothes (and our home) with her spit up on a daily basis. After almost after ever meal, actually. Every single meal. If something went in, at least some of it was bound to come back out.
Inspiring Mommy to attempt an elimination diet for 2 months while nursing her in an effort to remedy the aforementioned spitting up. It did not help. But I did develop 35 ways to prepare turkey, squash and rice. (Score!)
Teaching us, first-hand, that (A) not all babies nap as long as Brogan did when he was an infant, (B) most babies cry more than Brogan did when he was an infant, and (C) girls are emotional little creatures starting at Day 1...maybe even sooner if you consider the amplified morning sickness that is typical when pregnant with a girl.
Stealing our hearts (and the hearts of countless strangers when we're out and about) with her warm smile, intense eyes, sweet cuddles and infectious personality.

Here are a few of the highlights from her actual birthday, which fell on a Monday, and her big party today.

She was a happy girl on her birthday (Aug. 29th) despite being quite congested. She's in the process of cutting all 4 top front teeth. Bless her heart!

Wait, Mom...Where's my tiara?

Ahh...that's more like it.

Let the festivities begin!

She wasn't wild about the cake but she loved playing in the icing.

Who can blame her?

She really enjoys using a spoon these days. Not that any food actually makes it to her mouth but she likes the idea of trying.

Then it was time for the big party!

Doesn't she look sweet in her party dress? (Thanks, Nana & Papa!)

The cupcakes were a big hit!

Apparently she is a big fan of strawberry icing.

Did I mention her intense looks? This is Exibit A.

Brogan was so helpful in opening all of her presents. And she didn't mind one bit.

The pretty princess with her "Paris Hilton" purse.

Happy 1st Birthday to you...

We love you sweet girl!

Preschool Beginnings

2011-08-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

As some of you already know, Brogan and preschool got off to a rocky start. Crying. Kicking. Screaming. And even one vomit incident, if you must know. It was not pretty.

We had been priming him all summer...every time we'd drive by the school we'd point it out and ask if he wanted to go there (OK, we didn't ask every time because we pass the school at least four times a day. Can you say "overkill"?) But, anyway, we discussed it often. Every time, he'd give a positive, if not enthusiastic, "Yes, I want to go to Montessori school." (FYI, it's never just "school," it's always "Montessori school." An overachiever already.)

The prospect of school was actually motivational for potty training, too. We'd say, "Brogan, if you want to go to Montessori school, you have to learn to use the potty like the big kids." "I will, I will," he'd always assure us. And, sure enough, he did. One 4-day weekend and two minor accidents later and we were dressing our big boy in big boy undies. Hooray!

Equally as frustrating as the separation anxiety itself was the 2-day delay in its onset. He started school on a Wednesday. Wednesday and Thursday went off without a hitch. It was Friday that it all became too much for him. For any number of reasons, he decided he did not want me to go. Bless his heart. And mine, for that matter. It was heart wrenching to pry his little arms from around my neck. And I'll remember the episode long after he's forgotten it. Honestly, I'm so glad it was me and not Daddy. Daddy's a big softie where Brogan's concerned (which makes me love my sweet hubs even more). I'll spare you the play-by-play but the drama ended just after Brogan got so upset that he threw up. Fun times.

Things got a little better after the weekend (no tossing of the breakfast cookies) but drop off was still pretty rough on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Then something wonderful and completely unscripted happened Wednesday night. Brogan called me into his room, as he often does but had been doing more of lately since his confidence in my permanence was shaken (after all, if I could abandon him with those strangers, who's to say that I wouldn't do a nighttime bail out?). I asked him what he needed and he said, "I just wanted you." Aw. Poor guy. So I explained to him that even when Mommy isn't in the same room with him, I'm always in his heart. I told him he can take me with him everywhere he goes.

Bingo! The light went on in his eyes and a warm smile spread over his face. That satisfied whatever doubt had crept into my little boy's head. Mommy was always going to be with him.

The next morning at drop off, when his chin started to quiver, I touched his chest and reminded him that "Mommy is always with you." I watched as he bravely changed his shoes (they wear a different pair indoors) and the teacher encouraged him to come to the window and watch as I drove away. As I pulled out of the parking lot, I rolled down my window and waved at my little guy, then I put the icing on the cake: I held up the hand sign for "I love you." He flashed the same sign back at me with a huge smile on his face. He knew his Mommy loved him and that's all he needed to get through the day.

I know it's unlikely, but I can only hope that my love will be enough to help get him through the many challenges that Life holds down the road for him. My dear, sweet Brogan.

Who Is Brogan Today?

2011-08-22T06:59:00.001-07:00

Or, more accurately, who is he at this particular moment in time? It varies. He could be a super hero one moment and a cuddly critter the next. The kid has range. These are the characters starring at our house lately...

Super Heroes:

Captain America

Iron Man

Bat Man

Speedy Boy (from one of his bedtime books)

Animals:

Cat

Penguin (usually when he feels like sliding through the kitchen on his tummy)

Bunny

Chinchilla (thank you, Diego)

Roadrunner

Friends:

Preston

Connor

Tate

When he assumes the persona of one of his friends, it's not only him that get's to role play. He makes it a family affair. Mommy and Daddy are that child's mommy and daddy and Brynna dubbed the child's sibling. She is often Lillianna or Henry.

And when he wants to regress, he is Brynna. Yeah, that's not confusing at all. But he does listen and obey much better than she does so it's a welcome change.

I haven't looked into it much but I'm thinking (hoping) this is a normal, 3 year old phase. An "active imagination," if you will. Whatever the case may be, he loves to pretend that he is any number of different characters. While hard to keep up with at times, it really is quite adorable. That is, when I'm not trying to figure out who to call to the dinner table...

Recipe Verdicts

2011-08-18T11:45:00.000-07:00

You'll have to forgive me for the delay on this post. Several things--not the least of which was me cracking my glass stove top (yes, that can be done), necessitating the purchase of a new range--contributed to postponing the completion of my new recipe knock-out challenge. I do still have a few to try but I've been reluctant to either because (A) they are baked-casserole type dishes that require a hot oven for least 30 minutes and (B) the weather has been in the 90s and felt like the 100s for the last two months or (C) the recipe calls for ground turkey and there was a huge recall on turkey meat--bummer.

A and B do not play well together and C does not play well with anyone so surely you can understand my hesitation. I'll be saving the "makes-me-sweat-just-thinking-about-them" recipes for the cooler months, thank you very much. And the turkey recipes will still be around once turkey is again declared fit for human consumption (which I think it has been already) and I feel safe feeding it to my family. (I like to give food recalls wide berth.)

For the time being, these are my “recipes in waiting”:

3-Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine
Fontina & Marscapone Baked Pasta
Make-Ahead Chicken Cornbread Casserole
Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta & Pine Nuts
Parmesan Polenta & Spicy Sausage
Open-Faced Turkey Joes
Crustless Smoked Turkey & Spinach Quiche

As for the others, we had several huge successes and only a few that won't be gracing our table again. Here are the verdicts as handed down by the Oberhaus Clan food critics, in order of deliciousness:

Chicken & Spinach Lasagna - Ohhhh, yeah. This one is a keeper. I think it was our favorite of the bunch. Not only did everyone love it the first time around but the leftovers were just as popular. Brogan is notorious for loving something the first time we have it then snubbing his nose at round 2. That did not happen with this lasagna. In fact, he ate it for two dinners and two lunches. That sort of speaks for itself. You should try this one.
Spiced Pork Chops with Apple Chutney - We loved this one! (Toddler included.) The spices were different from what I typically use on chops, which was really nice, and the chutney was simple and delicious. This was the first recipe I tried and, to be honest, it was so good that I was nervous about loving ALL of them this much. (It would be down right annoying to incorporate 26 new recipes into our dinner rotation.)
Roasted Chicken & Bow Tie Pasta Salad - This recipe was a pleasant surprise. It's light, refreshing and delicious. Perfect for summer! Plus, as a bonus, it can be made the day before. If you do make it ahead, just wait to add the pecans until right before serving. I actually forgot to add the pecans that I had lovingly toasted and had sitting there, ready to go. To be honest, I didn't even miss them. The onion and grapes lend enough crunch that the texture doesn't suffer without the nuts.
Hamburger Stroganoff - This was excellent. Easy, light and had great flavor. I'm always looking for a way to slip in green veggies so added a 1/2 cup of frozen peas, which worked well. I made extra and froze it. It was good reheated but not as good as it was fresh.
Chicken Tamale Casserole - Another favorite! This all-inclusive casserole is super-easy and mega-delicious. Add a side salad and that's all you need for a great meal. Leftovers were terrific, too.
Grilled Balsamic Skirt Steak with Tomato & Vidalia Salad - I made the steak and skipped the salad after my husband reminded me that he's not that crazy about tomatoes. (He's trying--and liking!--so many new things these days that I sometimes forget that there is a line drawn at certain foods. Tomatoes being one of them.) The steak was good but, the next time it's going to grace our grill, I will marinate it in the fridge for a few hours, if not over night. Really nice flavors going on here, though.
Sauteed Chicken with Sage Browned Butter - Two words: Yu. Um! Not only was the chicken great but the fried sage was amazing. The recipe instructs you to discard the sage after sautéing it in butter. DO NOT DO THIS! Those crispy little leaves are pretty incredible. I'm sure the editors at Cooking Light may not approve but they are totally worth the extra fat and calories. Use the leaves as edible garish. You won't be sorry.
Pimento Cheese Stuffed Chicken - This chicken was fantastic. It came out of the oven moist and flavorful. There was a good amount of drippings in the skillet after the chicken was done so I used most of them to make herbed couscous. Here’s how: Bring 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup drippings to a boil. Mix in 1 cup couscous, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp each fresh basil, oregano & thyme. Remove from heat, cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in the juice of 1/2 lemon. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
Almond Crusted Chicken Cutlets with Scallion Beurre Blanc Sauce - Creamy and delicious! This recipe is on the richer side (it's from Rachael Ray, not Cooking Light) but when we're in the mood for something a little more decadent for dinner, I'll definitely reach for this one again.
Hawaiian Ham & Pineapple Kebabs - This was a yummy little number. It's great for dinner or a party. I did two things differently: (1) I added chunks of red onion to the skewers and (2) I marinated the ham in the sauce overnight. Both were good calls. The onion paired perfectly with the ham and fruit. NOTE: Keep an eye on the ham while grilling. It heats up quickly and can dry out if it's on the grill for too long.
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas - These were really good in an I-can-tell-these-aren't-terribly-bad-for-me kinda way. Which is funny because, although they are from Cooking Light, in terms of nutrition stats, they are "worse" than most of the others on the list. If I didn't already have a go-to Chicken Enchilada recipe, I would definitely make this again. The filling was delish! You could easily omit the tortillas and just bake the filling until bubbly and serve it as a dip with tortilla chips. Ooh, now there's an idea!
Grilled Corn, Squash & Tomato Penne with Ricotta - While good, this one was not great. For us, anyway. The corn was a bit distracting from the overall flavor and texture of the dish. Also, in thinking that my hubs would be highly disappointed if there was no meat for dinner, I added a few (4 or 5) strips of crumbled bacon. That is a must and I would definitely do that again.
Lemony Chicken Saltimboca - Tasty but a little on the salty side for me. I'm a bit sodium-sensitive, though. Man and man-child did not have issues with the saltiness and really enjoyed it.
Creamy Corn Soup with Sweet Beer Bread - The soup has potential. In the end, we added cubed ham (leftover from the ham kebabs), diced onions and some pickled jalapenos to make it more substantial and flavorful but the recipe as-is is a great starting point. The bread, on the other hand, ROCKED. And I mean "rocked" as in you won't want to stop eating it. One important thing to note is that you must use self-rising flour as the recipe states. All-purpose flour just won't cut it. I guess there is a difference after all...
Chicken Tagine - Mmmm hmmm. This will definitely be making more appearances at our place. If you like Indian flavors, this one is worth a try. I'll warn you, though...I looked e-very-where for a Moroccan spice blend to no avail. Instead, I found this recipe online and was quite happy with it. In fact, I'm going to keep a jar of it on my spice rack going forward

{MOROCCAN SPICE BLEND}
1 tsp each cumin, ginger & salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp each cinnamon, coriander, cayenne, all spice, cloves & tumeric
Mix together and store in an air tight container.
Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Peppers - We liked it but didn't love it. We actually enjoyed the leftovers much more. I thinly sliced the chicken and heated it and the leftover peppers with additional balsamic vinegar in a skillet. We topped flat bread with garlic mayo, the chicken and peppers and a slice of provolone cheese. For what it's worth, round 2 was superb.
Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash - The flavors did not sing in this tagine like they did in the chicken version on the list. And the meat I bought was tough. It needed to braise a while.
Maple & Soy-Glazed Flank Steak - The ingredients seemed promising but the taste did not deliver. This recipe card is long gone.
Asian Noodles with Chicken and Snow Peas - This one is a definite no. The vinaigrette was less-than flavorful and the texture of the rice noodles was just not our cup of tea. It, of course, made a HUGE amount so I was stuck eating it for days. Seriously, I at it 4 days in a row for lunch. Lucky me.

Throughout my little escapade, I was also systematically purging my food magazine collection; tearing out any recipe that looked remotely promising and trashing the rest. After all, who actually goes back into a food magazine that is sitting on the shelf to dig for a recipe that you think you saw in there 6 months ago? Not me.

So, as I said, I went through each and every magazine and tore out any recipe that I had any propensity to try in the future. Things like roast duck sound lovely but will I really ever get around to trying it? Probably not. So the duck didn't make the cut. But plenty of other recipes did, and there are a slew of potential keepers among them. I've satisfied my new recipe itch for now but will be sprinkling newbies in here and there. I'll be sure to pass along the very best ones to you all.

Happy Adventures in Eating!

NOTE: For links to and images of these recipes, click here to see my original post: No Recipe Repeats

Sweet Somethings

2011-08-06T03:53:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick update on what both--yes, both--of my sweet children are saying these days.

Brogan

"All my by self." Read it a few times and you'll realize what my little independent toddler is getting at.

"Will you" and "May I" are often interchangeable when asking questions. For example, "Mommy, may you please help me with my shoes?"

There are two amounts of almost anything. Either "just a widdle bit" or "a buuuunch."

When anyone remarks about how big he's getting, his almost-always reply is, "Yes, see my long legs?" Somewhere along the line, he got it in his head that long legs = big boy. He is too funny.

When Brynna is upset, he will go over to her, stroke her face and say, "It's OK sweet girl." How cute is that?

Brynna

"DAAAAD-dee" was officially her first word. This name applies to everyone in our house (including the dog) with slightly more emphasis on the person it actually belongs to.

"Mamamamama" is finally en vogue. Finally. It's sometimes said in a growl, which is lovely.

And I know this is only the beginning...

Book Recommendation

2011-08-02T04:13:00.000-07:00

For anyone with kids (or kid) around the age of 2 or 3, this book is a must-read. My eldest is 3 and this book could not have entered my life at a better time. For your sanity and for your kids' ultimate benefit, I highly recommend it. In fact, most of my friends have children that are a bit younger than mine but I plan to give this to them when their kids turn 2!

The book outlines ways to approach situations and family issues in a no-nonsense, faith-based, very logical way. (Not my will, but His will be done.) It's a quick read and a great foundation for parenting. I plan to read it literally continuously to help me stay sharp and keep my attitude in line, which is the number one thing that author, Rachel Jankovic, points out must be organized above all else in your home. It's a healthy dose of perspective for all of my fellow over-achiever mommies. (Why are we SAHM's, after all??? Is it really to make sure we never have a sink full of dirty dishes by the time our husbands get home from work? I'll give you a hint: NO!)

This book has given me a renewed focus and some new tools for how to best raise my kids and approach the issues that arise when bring up a crop of little ones.

P.S. I have to thank my BFF for introducing me to this book...

Thanks, Monique! I'll be returning your copy once mine arrives in the mail. :)

All I Can Say Is... Awwww!

2011-07-28T11:57:00.000-07:00

We've always known Brogan has a tender heart but he took it one step further today at nap time. I heard him mumbling in his bed but gave him a few minutes to quiet down on his own before going in there to remind him that he needed to be resting, not talking. When I finally went in, he had tears welling in his eyes and said, "When I'm old and I get dead, I'm gonna miss my Daddy." Gulp. Why is my 3 year old even thinking about this?

Come to find out, it stemmed from a conversation he had with a 6 year old that lives in the neighborhood -- we'll call him Landon -- whose Dad apparently passed away. Mix that with the over-active mind of a toddler who does not want to actually sleep at nap time even though he probably should and you've got the recipe for an emotional kiddie-cocktail.

We had a little chat about how dying isn't bad because we get to go to Heaven and see Jesus and all of our friends that have died before us. That made him perk up. "I get to see Landon's Daddy?" he asked eagerly. I assured him (and optimistically assumed) that he would.

He then segued into questions about how he was going to die. Really? He's 3! He asked if he was going to be nailed to a cross. "No, Sweetie," I assured him. "Thankfully, they don't do that anymore." Sheesh. Even not-so still waters run deep. I was finally able to placate him with a promise that Mommy and Daddy will do everything we can to protect him (and us) from dying before it's our time.

Bless. His. Heart.

It's Official...I'm Raising a Princess

2011-07-16T18:15:00.001-07:00

Somewhere in the world, a monarchy is missing its princess. How do I know this? Because she is living in my house, just two doors down from where I type this post.

Just before bedtime tonight, after her nighttime bottle, I was gently coaxing an elusive burp out of her and I thought I'd divert her attention by trying one of her headbands on her. I bought it when she was 6 months old while I nervously passed the time at Claire's waiting in line to have her ears pierced, which is the only reason that I remember how long I've had it. (I tend not to forget near-panic attack experiences.)

Anyway, I've been waiting for her melon to ripen and grow into it. Well, it has and she looks so stinkin' adorable with it on. What was even cuter was the smile that spread across her face when I placed the band on her head. I swear she thought it was her coronation because after finally getting that bashful burp to surface, I took the headband off so I could lay her in the crib. She. Lost. It. We're talking full-out, zero-to-sixty-wailing like I had ripped the tiara and her place in the line of succession to the royal throne from her grasp. It was pitiful. But quite comical at the same time.

To make sure that it wasn't a silly coincidence, I tried it again. (Yes, I'm a glutton for punishment.) Headband on. An even happier baby than before. A bubbly, exuberant one, in fact. Headband off. Heartbreak. All of this and she's only 10 months old. Maybe Daddy was right when he vetoed my idea to buy her tiny little diamond studs for her 1st birthday. Hell hath no fury like an infant scorned, apparently. Lord, help us.

Happiness Is...

2011-07-12T04:36:00.000-07:00

Happiness is walking into your infant daughter's room in the morning and having her squeal and flop around in her crib like a fish out of water because she is so excited to see you after 10 hours of quality sleep (her, not me) that she simply cannot contain her glee.

Yep.

That's good stuff, folks. On several levels.

Sneaky Little Stinker Bug

2011-07-08T13:45:00.000-07:00

We had another first. Brogan sneaked out of his bed to watch a movie. A PG-13 movie, which--in my opinion--would have been rated "R" when I was his age. When did movie ratings become so lax??? But I digress...

So, we had put Brogan to bed and had already done at least one bed check. He wasn't asleep, yet, but some nights it takes him longer than others to doze off. As we do on most Friday nights, Jason and I settled in and started our movie. This week it was a somewhat violent selection: "The Eagle" with Channing Tatum.

About 20 minutes into our flick, as my Dad calls them, I heard some unusual rustling noises outside of the room we were in. I looked toward the door but didn't see anything so I chalked it up to Canyon (our 135-pound dog) getting comfy in his bed in our bedroom just across the hall. Another 5 minutes or so passed then I happened to catch something out of the corner of my eye. It was Brogan. He was laying on the floor outside of the room, peering through the cracked door, watching our movie. I nudged Jason and told him to look at the door. We were shocked and a little impressed at the same time. Then we became two little kids in church, struggling not to laugh while the pastor is speaking. There was no way we could let him see us crack even a hint of a smile for fear of encouraging this behavior. This was a road we did not want to go down on a regular basis.

We called Brogan into the room and he very innocently explained that he called for me (which he did--once) and, when I didn't come right away, he came looking for me. Apparently he only got as far as the door to our TV room and could make it no farther. I, on the other hand, had heard his one sing-song call for "Moooom-my" and assumed he had fallen asleep after that. Well, you do know what they say happens when you assume. Ha! Did he ever teach me! Another lesson learned. Courtesy of our sly little 3 year old.

Well, Thank You, Joey Chestnut

2011-07-07T13:53:00.000-07:00

You may be thinking, "Joey, who???" Or you may know exactly who I'm talking about. Think 62 hot dogs in 10 minutes on July 4th for a fifth consecutive hot dog eating competition title and you've got your man. So what could I possibly have to thank Joey Chestnut for??? Well, you see, Brogan had settled into the annoying habit of taking FOR....EV....ER to eat every meal. It didn't matter if he loved what he was eating or hated it. (But, to be fair, he hardly ever hates anything he can ingest.) And it wasn't that he was playing with his food--we strongly discourage that. It was the talking. He would talk to me, or to his sister, or to Canyon (our dog), or to no one in particular and forget to eat. He might start out eating like a champ but by mid-meal he was a jabber box and needed constant reminders to take another bite. Since we also strongly discourage speaking with food in one's mouth: Talking = Not Eating. I had actually started to set a timer. When the timer beeped, I took his food away. Which was inevitably followed by tears and complaints of "I'm still hungy, Mommy." We, of course, would use that as a teachable moment and tell him that he needs to eat a bit faster the next time around so that he won't be hungry. He would agree, wipe his tears and go about his day. Only to follow up his performance with the same, snail's-pace behavior at the very next meal. Ugh.

Well, that all changed on July 4th thanks to my man, Joey. We were cooped up in the house due to Potty Training Boot Camp and there was little else on TV so we opted for the Nathan's annual hot dog eating contest. While I tend not to enjoy watching grown men shove food into their mouths at a nauseating pace, Brogan was enthralled by the fan fare and the red liquid that one of the competitors was using to soak his hot dog buns in. It was running down his arms and dripping off of his elbows, which made him look like some sort of wild animal devouring a fresh kill. Lovely. But for whatever reason, Brogan was hooked. Now when Brogan sits down at the table--a.k.a competition stand--he is excited to show us just how fast he can eat. Thankfully for him (and for us), his turbo speed is just about the pace of a normal human being. He does overload his mouth from time to time, just like the "pros" did at the contest, but that has been an easy enough thing to correct. After all, if his mouth is too full, how will he speak?

All Aboard the Potty Train

2011-07-04T18:14:00.000-07:00

We were beginning to think it was never going to happen. Ever. No really...Ever. Brogan was in no rush to become a member of the the Porcelain Party with even an ounce of consistency or loyalty. It was more of an occasional event that he liked to attend when he felt like giving his diaper a break. The kid could sit just quietly on a pile in his diaper for hours as content as Ferdinand the bull under his favorite cork tree smelling the--eh-hem--flowers without a care in the world. We were already planning on how to send him to college and stealthily disguise his Depends as to not impede his social life. (Adult diapers tend not to be a hit with the ladies.)

When we thought "potty training," we thought more along the lines of a "train wreck." A 35-car-pile-up-with-hazardous-

materials-style train wreck, at that. Boy, were we wrong. Truth be told, it was not bad at all. All it took was a dedicated 4-day weekend where we hardly left the safety and security of our home (and familiar potty), some cool big-boy underwear and a boat-load of "surprises" (a.k.a. toys from the dollar-rack at Kroger). Bada-bing bada-boom. Four days and only two pee pee accidents later and we are POTTY TRAINED. Halle-freakin'-lujah!

We are so proud of our little guy. Yes, so proud, in fact, that I'm posting a picture of his must-have undies of choice: Lego Batman. He's gonna love me for that one, I know.

-----------------------------------

On a side note: Can I just mention how disturbed I was by the results returned on a Google Images search for "potty success" when looking for images for this post? Why exactly do folks think it's OK to post pictures on the Internet of their kids on the potty??? Cute undies I'm OK with. Half-naked toddlers I am not. And that was only the beginning. Good heavens...

Trusty Navigator

2011-07-01T04:20:00.000-07:00

Who needs a Garmin when you have a Brogan?

We were headed to a friend's house for a play date this week and I called Jason for directions. I had been to the house before but not from the direction I was going to take that day. My call went to Jason's voicemail so I left him a message. When I hung up the phone, Brogan said, "No, no, no. I know how to get there, Mommy. Go North South, Tuesday, then right." Phew! Thank goodness my little GPS was with me. We would have never made it!

Happy 10 Months...and 1 Day!

2011-06-30T18:22:00.000-07:00

So as a quick update to yesterday's post...Brynna can now pull herself up to standing. Yes, this is a new skill. As of today. At this rate, she'll be driving by Christmas!

Big kisses for my girl! Mwah! I'm so proud of you!

Happy 10 Months, Brynna!

2011-06-29T06:12:00.000-07:00

My little love bug is 10 months old today. Wow! This year is zooming by! Brynna Belle (her nickname, not actual middle name) is absolutely thriving. She's somewhere in the ballpark of 20 pounds now, is crawling all over the house, is starting to cruise on furniture and (yikes!) climb the stairs. Hello, baby gate!

She continues to adore Brogan. He cracks her up on a daily basis with silly things that I can't imagine she would find funny, but she does. Oh, how I love my babies.

Happy 10 Months to Brynna!

P.S. Thanks for sleeping in this morning so that I could blog this post, Sweetie. Mommy loves you!

Ready, Set...Crawl!

2011-06-21T16:08:00.000-07:00

She's good. Once Brynna does something once, that's it. She's a pro at it in no time. Crawling was no different. At 9 months, her personal mode of transportation was strictly the "kick-flop and roll" approach. She would lie on her back and kick her legs and flop her lower half to change her trajectory then roll over and over until she reached her current object of desire. There was also scooting. Almost exclusively backward. Which is problematic since our species tends to have eyes on the front of its head. She was never quite sure where she was going. Then she found the "on-all-fours" position. The sequence went like this for a few days: Prop up. Rock back and forth. Collapse. Repeat. She started to take an occasional pace forward but nothing significant. Then we went to Grandma and Granpa's house in Florida for a few days and--bam!--she was crawling. Just like that. With all that new territory to explore, she couldn't help but get herself in gear. It was amazing.

Here are a couple of videos so you can see just how dramatically she advanved in a matter of two short weeks.

First Week of June

Third Week of June

Please excuse the half-naked boy that makes a cameo at the end of the video. He didn't know that filming was in progress. I was going to edit it out but Jason thought it was hilarious. I have to admit it is pretty cute.

Anyway, just like any girl, my Brynna is not content to stop at crawling. Now she pulls up on things to her knees and grows frustrated that she can't pull up to standing, yet. (She get's her patience from her Daddy.) We know that she'll get the hang of it very soon. It's just hard to impart that knowlege to an almost 10-month old. All in good time, Sweetie. All in good time.

How I Know He Loves Her

2011-06-08T04:12:00.000-07:00

This incident happened a few weeks ago but, the more I think about it, the more precious the memory becomes and I feel the need to chronicle it. Allow me to lay down a little background...

One way Brogan expresses affection for something or someone is to add "my" before its/their name. For instance, he refers to his lovey, Gerry the Giraffe, as "My Gerry." Like when he can't find Gerry among his blankets at night. Even in a sleepy stupor, he'll ask, "Where's My Gerry?" Or if he hears a key in the front door in the afternoon (or any noise downstairs, for that matter), he'll perk up and ask expectantly, "That's My Daddy?" We've come to know "my" as a term of endearment for him. It's a simple, sweet way to express his feeling.

Well, one day in May I was picking up Brogan from his Mother's Day Out program. My parents were in town so they kept Brynna at the house with them (which was soooo nice for a change -- thanks again, guys!). I went to Brogan's class room, collected his things, and signed him out as usual. We were only halfway down the hall when he stopped in his tracks, snapped his head up, looked at me and said, "Where's My Brynna?" with just a hint of panic in his voice. I assured him that she was safe and sound with Nana and Papa back at the house and that we'd see her when we got home. It took me by surprise, though, that he was aware enough to think about his sister even though I hadn't made a single mention of her. I knew then that Brogan loved his little sister. And I know he always will.

She's 9 Months Old!

2011-06-03T18:47:00.001-07:00

Well, it's official. Brynna has been out longer than she was in. My tummy, that is. And--WOW--is she ever getting big. And heavy! Her 9-month well visit is scheduled for next week so we'll weigh her in and see what she's tipping the scales at. I'm thinking in the neighborhood of 17 lbs. Add that to the weight of her car seat/baby carrier and you've got a whopper on your hands. She's in 9- and 12-month clothes; mainly to accommodate her plentiful thighs. (It looks like she takes after her Mommy is that aspect. Sorry, Sweetie!) Brogan was never a chunky baby so, even though she's not off-the-charts chubby, she seems huge. Just more for us to love!

She is getting fairly good at belly crawling...backward, anyway. If you need a baby to back herself under any given piece of furniture that is high enough off the ground to grant access to her aforementioned thunder thighs, Brynna's your gal. She also will get up on all fours in crawling position and will rock back and forth but we're still waiting on the momentous forward movement. All in good time, I know.

In the language department, she's babbling like a crazy lady. Actually, she sounds more like a crazy Korean lady. Funny, since she is obviously not Korean and that is not a dialect often spoken around our house. She has "Dada" pretty much down pat and she totally knows who Dada is. She'll "Mamamamama" from time to time but never in my direction. (What gives?) She also growls when she's really happy. Does anyone else's baby do that? I hope so because it's hilarious.

Still, to this day, she adores Brogan. They've started to play together and really enjoy one another. Bath time and playtime is waaaay more fun if Big Brother is involved.

Watching their relationship develop is one of the neatest things I've ever had the privilege of witnessing. I love my babies and watching them learn to love and care about one other is absolutely priceless.

Happy 9 months, Brynna Bell!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

UPDATE: At her 9-month well visit, she weighed in at 19 lbs. 2 oz. For those of you that are paying attention, that is a full two pounds more than I thought she weighed. That explains a lot! But -- make no mistake -- I love every chunky ounce of that little girl. You have my heart, Brynna. And, if my intuition serves me correctly, I am the first of many, many "victims." Watch out boys...

The Perfect Summer Spritzer

2011-05-31T04:40:00.000-07:00

What could be more idyllic for a summer day by the pool than a watermelon cocktail? I've always wanted to try this but it seems a little overkill for two of-age participants. I'll be in Florida soon, though, with plenty of friends and family that will be willing to consume an adult beverage or two (or four) so I'll be testing this recipe out. Poolside, of course.

Watermelon Killer Chiller

1 watermelon (6 lbs.)

12 oz. vodka

12 oz. lemon-lime soda

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Slice off the top quarter of the watermelon and scoop out the flesh. Reserve the melon rind to use as a your punch bowl. Puree flesh and strain back into the rind/bowl. Stir in vodka, soda and lime juice.

Sounds refreshing, doesn't it? Cheers!

No Repeat Recipes

2011-05-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

Every so often I like to challenge myself to a month of No Repeats for dinner. It's a way for me to finally try all of those recipes I've clipped out of a magazine, seen on Food Network or emailed to myself that I honestly want to try but just haven't worked into the Rotation. You know the one. You have 3 or 4 of the same things every other week with maybe a new recipe sprinkled in here or there. At that rate, I'd get to try out these new dishes...um...by the 5th of NEVER. So I suck it up and knock 'em out all in one month. I weed out the crummy ones and keep the keepers and--viola!--my recipe repertoire is expanded.

The last time I did this, though, I didn't plan the entire month out ahead of time and ended up spending a fortune at the grocery store. Good for Kroger. No so much for my budget. This time I'm approaching it a little differently. I'm going to lay out the 30 dinners that I'd like to try and strategically plan to make them when I can get the most bang for my grocery buck. Yes, TLC's "Extreme Couponing" has made me want to be a smarter shopper. C'mon...I'm not the only one that get's excited when boneless chicken breasts go on sale, am I? Or am I? I like to think not.

Anyhoo, these are the new recipes I'm working with for my upcoming Re-Runless Month of Meals.

Open-Faced Turkey Joes
Grilled Balsamic Skirt Steak with Tomato & Vidalia Salad
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
Crustless Smoked Turkey & Spinach Quiche
Sauteed Chicken with Sage Browned Butter
Pimento Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Chicken Tamale Casserole
Asian Noodles with Chicken and Snow Peas
Roasted Chicken & Bow Tie Pasta Salad
Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta & Pine Nuts
3-Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine
Spiced Pork Chops with Apple Chutney
Creamy Corn Soup with Sweet Beer Bread (I plan to try the cheddar-chive variation)
Make-Ahead Chicken Cornbread Casserole
Chicken & Spinach Lasagna
Chicken Tagine
Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Peppers
Lemony Chicken Saltimboca
Hamburger Stroganoff
Fontina & Marscapone Baked Pasta
Maple & Soy-Glazed Flank Steak
Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash
Almond Crusted Chicken Cutlets with Scallion Beurre Blanc Sauce
Parmesan Polenta & (Not-So) Spicy Sausage
Grilled Corn, Squash & Tomato Penne with Ricotta
Hawaiian Ham & Pineapple Kebabs with Grilled Veggies

I'll throw in some of the usual suspects just to make sure I don't get completely burned (or stressed) out. Sometimes it's nice to rely on the no-brainers. I've linked those that are online to their recipe pages. If one of those that are not online sound good to you, hit me up for the recipe. I'll post an update once I've given these a whirl and let you know which ones made the cut for us.

Wish me luck!

Brogan Turns 3!

2011-05-13T19:47:00.000-07:00

What a day! Dollywood in the morning. Party in the evening. What more could a 3 year old ask for? I mean, really? Brogan had a blast and so did we.

Good Weather + No Crowds = A Perfect Day at Dollywood. We hit the park at about 10 a.m. The weather was a little on the cool side but still nice. There weren't many people there so lines were nearly non-existent. The fun began immediately: Brogan loved the tram that we took from the parking lot to the gate. Oh, to see life through the lens of a 3 year old. Once inside the gates, he wanted to ride every ride. Every single one. Not just in the Kiddie Area. Everywhere. Even the big scary rides that give Mommy a hint of motion sickness just thinking about them. Yep, even those. As fate and safety standards would have it, though, our 37-incher is still a bit vertically challenged for 75% of the rides. Phew!...As far as Mommy was concerned, anyway. I'm not quite ready for that level of parental anxiety. But bravo to him for wanting to try them. He surprised both his Daddy and me with his boldness. We'll try again in a few years once he satisfies the 48-inch requirement. Hopefully he'll retain his unabashed gusto for all things that zoom, dip and flip. We shall see.

Park fatigue set in shortly after lunch so we headed to the car around 2 p.m. A quick nap on the ride home recharged Brogan's (and Daddy's) batteries for the party that evening. And what a party it was! Here are a few of the highlights...

The Dirt Cake was a hit!

The first words out of Brogan's mouth when he saw it were, "We can eat it?"

Then it took him no more than 3 seconds after blowing out the candle (safety first, after all!) to start playing with the tractor. No one that has known him for any length of time was surprised by that. Especially me. Hence the pre-party cake photo shoot.

What was a little surprising, though, was that Brogan was a bigger fan of playing with the cake than actually eating it. Not that we had to twist his arm, of course. He liked it. As did everyone else, including his best friend, Preston (seen below with the sugar-induced yet genuine look of glee plastered across his face), who had been asking to "eat the tractor" since his Mom let me hide it in their fridge the day before. (Thanks, Mo!)

If you're interested in seeing if you dig it (sorry, I couldn't resist), here is the intriguingly delicious "cake" recipe.

Dirt Cake

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 (3.5 oz) packages instant vanilla pudding mix

3 1/2 cups milk

12 oz. whipped topping

32 oz. chocolate sandwich cookies with creme filling (2 bags of Oreos)

Directions

1. Chop cookies very fine in food processor. (The white cream will disappear.)

2. Mix butter, cream cheese and sugar in a bowl.

3. In a large bowl, mix milk, pudding and whipped topping together.

4. Add cream mixture to pudding mixture.

5. Layer cookie and pudding mixtures in your container, starting and ending with the cookie mixture.

6. Chill until ready to serve.

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Then there were the presents. The kid totally racked up. It was like Christmas in May. As you can see by the look on his face, he totally gets into the excitement of opening gifts now, which is great fun for all involved.

Among the many treasures he received from our generous friends and family members were:

...a Handy Manny construction set from Mommy and Daddy...

... a bath fishing set and police gear from Grandma and Grandpa, a real fishing set from Nana and Papa, and a bubble stick from Preston and Lillianna. All of which Brynna was nice enough to hold on to for Brogan while he was busy entertaining...

... a "pet" frog and frog kite from Brogan's Godparents, Gene and Barbara...

...this awesome Gator jersey from The Powell's...

... and a cool fishing hat from Uncle Jeremy!

This post would not be complete without a quick mention about what an unbelievably good baby Brynna was. Despite not logging the best naps earlier that day, she was more than pleasant the entire evening. She spent at least an hour in her excersaucer completely unattended to and entertaining herself. We would check on her from time to time but she never needed more attention than that. It was amazing. Thank you, Sweet Girl!

And many thanks go to our friends and family--both those that could make it to our house and those that celebrated from afar--that made our little man's day so special. Happy Birthday, once again, to our dear, sweet Brogie!

Spiced Banana Bran Muffins

2011-05-13T19:28:00.000-07:00

This perfectly lovely muffin recipe is from the side panel of the Kroger Bran Flakes box. Who woulda thought that they'd be so yummy? They are everything a bran muffin should be: Moist, flavorful, and just the right balance of sweet and salty. In fact, they remind me more of banana bread than banana muffins. And who doesn't like banana bread? As if that weren't enough, they're pretty healthy, too. Here are the details if you're interested and/or hungry for something new for breakfast:

Ingredients

1 cup bran flakes cereal
1/4 cup skim milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup melted margarine
2/3 cup mashed ripe banana
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions

Heat oven to 375-degrees F. Soak cereal in milk in a large mixing bowl for 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and spices). Add "wet" ingredients (honey, margarine, and mashed banana) to cereal mixture. Stir wet ingredients until well mixed. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and gently stir until combined. Fold in nuts, if desired. Spoon into greased muffin pan, filling 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes. (They almost always take at least 25 minutes for me.) Cool 5 minutes then, remove from pan.

Hope you enjoy them!

When the Kitchen's a-Rockin...

2011-05-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

So my parents have been in town, which has been FABULOUS, but I've been busier than ever. In a good way. I love, love, LOVE to cook and entertain so between having company for dinner nearly every night and a certain 3-year-old's birthday party to throw, this Kitchen Diva has been cranking out some good eats. Here are a few of the items that have received rave reviews.

Quick Fruit Dip

1 part whipped topping
3 parts strawberry yogurt (or any flavor you like)
1/5 tsp vanilla extract
Dash of cinnamon

Mix all ingredients and chill at least 2 hours.

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Baked Spaghetti

I've been making this one for ages and it's still a crowd pleaser.

1/2 lb. spaghetti
2 cups spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded Mozzarella or Monterrey jack cheese
3/4 c Italian-style bread crumbs
Olive oil for dish and to drizzle on top

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook the pasta, drain and reserve.
3. Lightly oil a two-quart casserole dish.
4. Spread half the pasta in the dish. Top with half of the sauce, half of the cheese and half of the bread crumbs.
5. Repeat layers.
6. Drizzle top with olive oil.
7. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until top starts to brown.
8. Turn oven broiler on and brown the top evenly. Rotate dish as needed.
9. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

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Asian Burgers

I made slider versions of these for Brogan's birthday party. I served them on little King Hawaiian dinner rolls. They went over really well.

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 lb ground pork
1/2 cup bottled Sesame or General Tso's sauce, divided
3 scallions, green and white parts used separately
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup mayo
Splash of soy sauce
Lettuce leaves, options

For the mayo topping:

1. Slice the scallions very thin. Reserve the white parts for the burgers.
2. Mix mayo, 1/4 cup of bottled sauce, thinly sliced scallion tops and soy sauce. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

For burgers:

1. Dice the white parts of the sliced scallions.
2. Mix beef, pork, remaining 1/4 cup bottled sauce, diced white parts of the scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and salt.
3. Make into patties and refrigerate to let them set up a bit. (I made my patties the night before.)
4. Grill to your liking! If you make sliders, they only take about 4 minutes per side. Top with mayo topping and lettuce, if desired.

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On a side note, I love the vintage aprons at JessieSteele.com (as seen in the photo above). Hint, hint, Hubs.

For the Love of Shoes

2011-04-26T11:24:00.000-07:00

I saw it happen. I witnessed it with my own eyes. I caught the very moment that my daughter fell in love with shoes.

As every mommy knows, it is nearly impossible to keep shoes on an infant's feet. You're lucky if you can keep them from wiggling out of a pair of socks and those are secured by elastic around their chubby little ankles. Although I too think that itty-bitty baby shoes are adorable, I usually don't waste my time with them. I know that I will inevitably spend the day chasing after the cutest Keds you have ever seen as my daughter hurls them off at the most inopportune time -- say, for instance, when we're walking across the monstrosity of a parking lot outside of Super Target while it's raining and my son insists on hopping his way into the store versus walking like all of the other human beings in a 5-mile radius. Yep, that's when it usually happens.

That being said, I was giving the Keds another try because (a) I have them and (b) they make me smile the entire 30 seconds she manages to keep them on. So I crammed her chunky little feet into the canvas and tightened the little Mary Jane-style straps as tight as I felt I could get them without causing permanent damage. Right after the second foot was in, she hiked both legs up in the air in order to grab her feet as she's done a million times. That's when it happened. She froze mid-kick. She just sat there in awe, staring at her shoes. Then the cutest "I-know-something-you-don't-know" smile slowly spread across her sweet little face. And that was it. I could see it in her eyes and it was written all over her face: Brynna loves shoes.

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If you're curious about the Mary Janes in the photo,

you can find them at LemonadeCouture.com.

BBQ Chicken Spaghetti

2011-04-17T13:47:00.000-07:00

I know it sounds a little strange but stay with me. BBQ Chicken Spaghetti is reminiscent of a Chili 5-Way from Steak 'n Shake with chicken instead of beef. Or, if you've never had the pleasure of savoring a Chili 5-Way (you poor soul!), think pulled BBQ chicken sandwich, minus the bun, plus pasta and cheddar cheese. That's some delicious-sounding math, if you ask me.

Here's how I do it:

1. Make the BBQ sauce.

Yes, I make mine from scratch. You could easily use your favorite bottled sauce, though. Just note that if your sauce is on the thicker side, save some of the pasta cooking water to thin it out a bit.

I adapted my sauce recipe from a Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwich recipe by Ellie Krieger. I like my sauce on the sweeter side so I sub honey for some of the molasses. Truth be told, I usually make the sandwich recipe and use half of the chicken for it and the other half for this spaghetti dish later in the week.

This is Ellie's sauce recipe with a few of my tweaks:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 large red onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

1/2 cup tomato paste

2/3 cup water

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons molasses

2 tablespoons honey

1 Splenda packet

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, vinegar, molasses, honey, Splenda, pepper, salt and Woozie sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes

2. While the sauce simmers, pull the meat off of the rotisserie chicken and shred into bit-sized pieces.

3. Toss the pulled chicken with 1/2 of a thinly sliced red onion and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic in a skillet just to heat it through. Should only take about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

NOTE: If you are using leftover chicken from the sandwich recipe, your chicken is already coated in the sauce and has probably absorbed a good bit of it. Add 1/2 cup ketchup and 1 tsp chili powder to the skillet to loosen up the sauce a bit.

4. Top cooked spaghetti (or any pasta) with chicken, sauce and shredded cheddar cheese.

I Love Baby Names

2011-04-12T07:05:00.001-07:00

There are so many wonderful names out there these days. I especially love the trend of using surnames as first names: Anderson, Garrison, Carson, McClain, McKinnley. The list goes on and on. If you were lucky enough to have a palatable maiden name, you can use that as a middle name, or a first name, for that matter. A friend of mine was able to give her third son the lovely middle name "Miles." Nice, right? My maiden name, on the other hand, is Mashek. That doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.

Judging by my own kids' names -- Brogan and Brynna -- I'm an obvious fan of the slightly off-beat options. Some of my admiration of quirky monikers no doubt originates with having shared my name with countless Jennifer's in every class from kindergarten through college. I have developed an appreciation for one-of-a-kind names. While I'm not willing to go so far as some in Hollywood have (c'mon...Moxie Crimefighter Jillette, really?), I do admire those that go out on a limb for a name that they love. For instance, Jessica Alba named her daughter "Honor," Halle Berry has a little girl named "Nala," and Gwen Stefani named her first son "Kingston." They aren't names that I would go with, but they aren't off-the-charts looney, either. No comment about Gwen's name selection for son number two: Zuma Nesta Rock. Sigh. I guess she veered too close to "normal" the first time around and had to set the record straight.

Here are a few of my favorites right now. (Note: If you plan to have kids in say, the next five years...or ever, really...start thinking about baby names now. If you pick a name and still love it by the time your offspring arrives, you know you have a keeper.)

For Boys

Porter

Micah

Pierce

Fischer

Colton

Carter

For Girls

Kylen

Juliet

McKenna (runner-up for Brynna's name)

Tessa (would have been Brynna's name if not for a Daddy veto)

Ava

I also love many of the classic and more traditional names. At the top of the list: Luke. It's such a strong name. Other favs are Ethan, Andrew (Brogan's middle name), Noah, Brooke and, any way you choose to spell it, Katelyn (Brynna's middle name).

The lists are constantly changing and growing. If you like where I'm going with these name ideas -- which are perfectly acceptable and usable for pets, too! -- you may want to bookmark this post as I will update it as new names strike my fancy.

Feel free to take, use, or share any of these names that you like. We will most definitely not be using them. Two and through for us.

Happy baby (or puppy) naming, Folks!

Welcome to The Land of Why

2011-04-06T13:18:00.001-07:00

We have officially entered the Land of Why. All of you who have children over the age of 3 know what I'm talking about. Everything - and I mean everything - you say is followed by the question, "Why?" from your kid.

"We're going to Kroger today, Buddy."...."Why?" "So we will have food to eat."...."Why?" "Because we need food in order to live."..."Why?"

You get my point.

Before I entered this God-forsaken land, I used to think, "Oh, that won't be so bad. I like the idea of Brogan being curious about the world around him," and I planned to take on the challenge of being the "Because" Lady with great gusto. Like I said, that was before. This is now. The problem, you see, is that the question "why?" is not always appropriate. For many things the answer to this seemingly infinite question is, well, "Because it just is." I honestly do try to give an answer every time but sometimes there just isn't one.

Thankfully, we're just passing through the Land of Why and will soon be moving on to the Land of Public Embarrassment. Gee, I can't wait for that stop on the Child Development Train.

Oh, and one other cute footnote that I want to record for all time (and his future public embarrassment) is the phonetic way Brogan says "I love you." It actually comes of "I wuv oooo." And we melt whenever he says it. We do love our little Why-er. :)

Spring Has Sprung

2011-04-04T18:05:00.000-07:00

You could say this spring has gotten off to a bit of a touch-and-go start. Even now I'm listening to thunderstorms pass overhead through open windows because it was 80 degrees outside today. Tomorrow, we're expecting our high temp to not even reach 60. Only to be back in the 70's again in two day's time. And did I mention that we had sleet late last week? Sheesh - make up your mind already, Mama Nature.

Nevertheless, we had a breezy but beautiful weekend and were able to get the gang outside for a few landscaping projects. Nothing major but enough to stir up the dirt for an earthworm round-up. And what almost-three year old boy doesn't love that? Brogan actually held his first worm on Saturday. We were so proud.

(Click photo to zoom in)

And he helped me plant his very first garden, too. OK, so it only has one plant -- a purple petunia -- but I thought we'd start small. His friend -- the yet-to-be-named ladybug garden ornament -- has agreed to keep an eye on Brogan's flowers while he's away. To be honest, I think he's more keen on the bug than the plant but, oh well, a Mom's gotta try. You never know what is going to tickle their fancy.

Tonight's soaking rain should be just what the new "garden" needs to get off to a great start. Fingers crossed in hopes that we don't get a random April freeze. At least we know the ladybug will make it.

Happy Spring, All!

Sausage, Red Beans & Rice

2011-03-30T04:39:00.000-07:00

We're not huge Cajun food eaters around here. Not that we don't like Creole cuisine, it's just not my go-to cooking style. It's probably because I have always been a wimp when it comes to spicy foods and Cajun seems synonymous with heat. Thanks to my jalapeño-lovin' hubs, I have gradually opened my palate to a new realm of flavor options. Who knew that "spicy" foods were more about flavor and not just being hot for hot's sake? Not me. Lesson learned.

(For all of you that are scared of heat, like I was, another lesson learned is that honey or sour cream tame even the spiciest of dishes. These comes in very handy when trying to feed a toddler from the same pot that I want Daddy to happy with, too.)

All of that to say, I made Red Beans and Rice for the first time this week and - man - did it ever go over well with the family. I thought it would be rather run-of-the-mill but we were so happy with it that I thought I'd share it with all of you. As for the heat-factor, we simply added hot sauce to our individual servings. Here's the how-to, if you're interested:

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1/2 green pepper, seeded and chopped

3 chicken sausage links, cut into bite-size pieces -- Any flavor will do (I used a garlic and provolone)

1 can red beans, undrained

1/2 c medium grain white rice

Salt and Pepper

2 bay leaves

2 tsp dried thyme

2 scallions, chopped

1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil then saute onion and green pepper for 5-6 minutes. Move the veggies to one side of the skillet. Add the sausage to the open side so that it has good contact with the pan and can caramelize a bit. After you have some nice brown surfaces (4-5 minutes), add the red beans, bay, thyme and broth. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, make the rice in a separate pot. Cook the rice just until there is still a bit of water on top of the rice (probably 7-8 minutes shy of the full cooking time). Add the rice and water to the skillet. Stir slightly and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Check the rice for doneness. When it's tender, remove the bay leaves and add more salt and pepper, as needed.

Top individual servings with scallions, sour cream and hot sauce to taste.

Hope you enjoy it!

Look Who's 7 Months Old!

2011-03-29T16:36:00.001-07:00

Here's a peek at my darling daughter first thing this morning. Happy 7 months, Brynna!

Tickle Monster

2011-03-20T17:51:00.000-07:00

Here's a sweet moment shared by my two little munchkins. This is quite typical of their relationship: He likes to make her laugh and she's tickled pink just by being in the same room with him. Enjoy!

Thanks for Crying. Please, Hold.

2011-03-16T13:24:00.000-07:00

I put my daughter on hold today. Allow me to explain.

I was doing dishes and had just started washing what had to be my 100,000 bottle, which - by the way - did not cause confetti or balloons to fall from the ceiling. Huh. Imagine that. Anyway, Brynna started to cry during her afternoon nap. Normally, I would quickly rinse the suds from my smart blue rubber gloves (Yes, I sprang for the nice Clorox ones. Fancy, I know.) and dash up the stairs to see what my darling daughter needed. Well, not this time. This time I already knew what her malfunction was: She had rolled over and couldn't get comfy enough to fall asleep again. She started this about a week ago but it usually happens toward the end of her nap so I would just go get her up. Again, not this time. This time she managed to flip over at one hour into her nap after only taking a 30-minute morning nap. Bottom line: The kid needed to hop back on the train to Snoozeville.

Unfortunately, the only way to remedy this issue is every mommy's nightmare: Let her cry it out. So that's what I was up to. What surprised me was what popped into my head as she started her protest for the third time. I knew I was going to have to let her cry and I only had a few more bottles to wash so I was staying put. As she began to wail, I heard a pleasant recording in my head say, "Your crying is very important to us. All representatives are busy at this time. Please continue to cry (or go back to sleep) and a mommy will be able to assist you as soon as possible. If you must continue to cry, please do so in a manner that does not wake your sleeping brother in the adjacent room." Repeat. It's silly, I know, but that soothing operator voice got my mind off of my screaming child for a while.

Brynna did eventually go back to sleep and woke up happy. Mission accomplished and one more pint-sized customer served. Ding!

Fundraisers for Grown-Ups

2011-03-10T04:37:00.000-08:00

Right off the bat let me throw out a quick disclaimer: I may offend some of you with the following observation but, it is just that. An observation. Try not to take it personally if you are one of the "fundraisers" I'm blogging about. In fact, I am a big fan of entrepreneurship and an even bigger fan of any excuse to get out of the house sans kiddos so keep the invites coming! I rant because I love. Besides, this blog is all in good fun. Just go with it.

Lately I've taken notice of all of the work-from-home, Tupperware-type businesses that are popping up for stay-at-home moms. Maybe they popped up along time ago and I'm just now fully undergoing this suburban rite of passage. Whatever the case may be, I have been smacked full in the face with the gambit of in-home parties: Pampered Chef, My Thirty-One, Premiere Designs Jewelry, and...well...Tupperware. Just to name a few.

It began to dawn on me just how much these set ups have in common with school fundraisers - or, at least, the ones that I used to do when I was a kid.

Parallel No. 1: Mark-Up

Everybody along the line needs to make a profit so, while these products typically really are great quality, the price is inflated so that the consultant - or marching band, boy scout troupe, youth group, etc. - can take a cut and the company still makes money. Would the same product cost significantly less at Target? Absolutely.

Parallel No. 2: Peer Pressure

Do you really need a $79 casserole dish or an $18 roll of gift wrap? Uh, no. But your sweet friend has gone through the trouble to set out a cheese tray and a few bottles of wine and host the gig at her house. Much like the doe-eyed child at your front door with their Mom smiling sweetly at you from the street has braved the elements to come ring your doorbell. So, of course, put me down for one of each.

Parallel No. 3: The Joy of Delivery

Just about the time you completely forget that you even ordered anything at all, there is a knock at the door and - surprise! - your order has arrived. Ah, the magical powers of catalog orders. Sometimes delayed gratification really does trump the instant variety. It's kind of like when you make real mashed potatoes instead of spuds from a box. Sure, they take longer but they are so worth the wait.

Truth be told, in-home merchandising and school fundraisers are both genius ideas that have obviously stood the test of time. I just think it's interesting that we end up doing the same things as adults that we did as kids. We just add wine so that it feels more sophisticated and grown up. Cheers to that!

Impromptu Rice Pudding

2011-03-07T04:36:00.000-08:00

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved rice pudding. The texture. The taste. The way that it's good hot or cold. All of it. My mom used to make the Betty Crocker version from the old-school, big red cookbook. Mmmm. Good memories. It's not exactly the quickest recipe but, when I do make it, I usually end up eating it within a day or two. All of it. By myself. It's a good thing that it is a little labor- and time-intensive or I would make it much more often. I know that they sell prepackaged version at the grocery store but I love it so much that I can't buy it. I would eat way too much of it if it were that easy to replenish my stash.

Anyhoo, I had a little epiphany last night. I had rice left over from dinner and I got to thinking...could I pull off a quickie rice pudding if I mixed a bit of this with cinnamon and a little vanilla pudding? I always have Sugar Free Snack Pak puddings in the cabinet - vanilla for me and chocolate for Jason, of course - and cinnamon is a staple at our house, so I was in business. I mixed 1/2 a cup of rice (mine was medium grain so it was a little more tender than long grain rice), one vanilla pudding cup, a couple healthy shakes of cinnamon and a splash of skim milk to thin it out a bit as the sugar free puddings are lusciously thick. It was magic! I enjoyed it equally at room temperature last night and chilled this morning. Note: That means I actually exercised the restraint to save half of it just for the sake of trying it cold. Yes, I am that dedicated to my craft.

The moral of the story is this: If you ever find yourself with a few extra ingredients on hand, throw them in a bowl, add some cinnamon (my husband can tell you how many times I've added this spice to off-the-wall things "just to see if it works") and see what happens. You may just pleasantly surprise yourself. I certainly did.

Bedding and Bling

2011-03-06T04:10:00.000-08:00

We had two major events at our house this past week. The first (chronologically, not ranked by enormity or emotional impact): Brogan now has big boy bedding! We're hoping the new sheets will lead to the wearing of big boy undies and the using of the big boy potty. His diaper leaks at night more often than not so we're going with the you-don't-want-to-get-your-new-sheets-wet-do-you? angle. No luck so far but we're trying. We'll try anything at this point. I really don't want to have a 3 year old in diapers. The countdown in on. Two months from today, this little squirt will turn 3. Sheesh -- time is a-flyin'.

So anyway, this bed-in-a-bag scenario came about out of necessity... Jason and my necessity to not get up at least once a night to help sort out Brogan cover drama. In his sleepy stupor, Brogan would wake, usually crying, tangled in a mass of blankets, kick them off, and not be able to cover himself again. Properly, anyway. (The green blanket must be beneath the blue blanket. Duh.) Now that he has a sheet and comforter tucked in at the foot of the bed -- viola! -- he can do somersaults in there and he'd still be snug as a bug. And he couldn't be more excited and proud of himself, either. He can't wait to hop in bed each night. Huge bonus!

He even got to pick them out himself. Well, after Mommy narrowed it down to three, affordable choices that would not precipitate an entire room decor redo, that is. Brogan went with the Woolrich (camping-themed) set from Target. Excellent choice, my little budding Design Star.

Our other big event was Brynna's ear piercing. One word: Trauma. Not for her. For ME. My Lord, if I had known the near anxiety attack that I would have had to suppress while putzing around Claire's for 30 minutes waiting for our turn at the piercing station, I would have had a generous glass of wine before I left the house. I'm even getting a little edgy as I think about it now. The angst caught me off guard. I was worried for her and I was questioning my judgment for planning to hand my kid over to be harpooned by a complete stranger. I didn't expect to feel that way so it sent me into a bit of a tail spin. Sure, Brynna cried a cry that neither Jason nor I had ever heard before (and I will never forget, thank you very much) but she was over it within two minutes. It was Mommy that was still shaky and in need of a hug an hour later, once we had loaded the kids into the car.

I am glad that I did it, though. She looks more adorable than ever and, after cleaning them three times a day for the next six weeks, it will be completely over and done with. She'll never know life without earrings and, as the tech at Claire's pointed out, "It's smarter to do it now than when she's 5 and runs out of the store after having the first one pierced then not letting you pierce the other one." Wouldn't that make for a fun day? Glug, glug.

Munchkin Update

2011-03-01T17:29:00.000-08:00

Life is whizzing right along for the Oberhaus Clan. Brynna is 6 months old today. Or yesterday. I'm not really sure. February and its 28 days threw me for a loop. Either way, Brynna was born on August 29th so we're headed to the doctor tomorrow for her 6-month well visit where they will weigh her and measure her and - if the rolls on her thighs are any indication - they will undoubtedly tell us that she is thriving and to "keep doing what [we're] doing."

She is chowing down on all sorts of veggie purees: Butternut squash, carrots, sweet potatoes and peas, so far. She had a lovely gagging reaction to the peas the first time we introduced them, which was quite amusing, but otherwise has had no ill reactions to any foods. She took a little longer than Brogan did at getting used to eating solids but now that she's gotten the hang of it, she may just give Big Brother a run for his money at the dinner table. We might have two competitors on the Professional Eating circuit in a few years. Look out Joey Chesnut...

Brogan is still, by far, her favorite person. She completely lights up when she sees him. One night as it was getting close to bedtime, she was sitting on my lap just watching him play and he started to jump around on the couch. Nothing special. Just little hops then he'd flop on a pillow. Well, that did it for Brynna. She let out the biggest laughs we have heard to date. It was incredible. Mommy and Daddy kill themselves trying to make her laugh but Brogan can do it without even trying. Go figure.

Our Brogie Bear is doing wonderful, too. He amazes us daily with everything he's learning. And he is such a good big brother. No sign of resentment or jealousy toward Brynna. No asking us to take her back to the hospital. No wondering when she's leaving. Nothing of the sort. In fact, the other night while I held her I joked, "Mmmm, Brynna's so sweet, Brogan, and I haven't had any dessert. I think I'm gonna eat her." He got a little panicky and, with tears welling in his eyes, pleaded, "No eat her, Mommy! I wike her!" Gasp. So sweet. And at the doctor's office this morning (for a curious rash he developed, which turned out to be a miscellaneous plant reaction), he declined the nurse's offer to "keep his cute little baby sister with her." Brogan would have none of it. She was coming with us.

There have been numerous other cute Broganism that I've failed to blog about, which means they are doomed to the abyss of my tired mommy brain and will never again see the light of day or a computer screen, but here are a few I've managed to dredge up from recent memory:

Food has several degrees of good:" Tasty," "Nummy," "Sooo Good" and "Amazing." It varies from day to day which is better or worse on his sliding scale but he always has an opinion. Hardly ever do we hear, "I no wike it," but it does happen on rare occasion and it's usually texture-related.

His newest and strangest epicurean delights: celery and parsley. Raw parsley. Blech! But he "wikes it!" Amazing.

He has started using "fantastic" a lot...mainly because Mommy uses that word a lot. Little does he know that mine is usually oozing with sarcasm.

Then there's the singing. He is desperate to sing a song but doesn't really know the words to any just yet. He's getting close on the Alphabet Song but he usually just echos whatever Mommy or Daddy are saying. It's like singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" in a round but the timing's just a little off. It's darling. And so is he.

As the Smoothie Blends

2011-02-25T04:16:00.000-08:00

Well, I (actually, we...meaning me and my little garbage disposal child) tried another one this morning. It was a hit! Not too sweet, nice and creamy, and quite satisfying. Here's what I threw in the blender*...

1 cup fresh broccoli stems

1/2 cup almond milk

1/2 cup water

1 ripe mango, chopped then frozen

1 ripe banana, chopped then frozen

3 cups fresh spinach

1 6-oz. low fat vanilla yogurt

1 cup crushed ice

Blend the broccoli stems really well with the almond milk and water before adding the other ingredients...unless you like having little chunks of broccoli scattered throughout your smoothie. To each his own.

*I want to give a quick shout out to my parents to thank them (publicly) for the awesome KitchenAid blender they gifted me with. This thing is a beast. It has an 7-cup pitcher, which is perfect for smoothie experimentation. It gives me plenty of room to add more ingredients to make my concoctions palatable. (Note: Vanilla yogurt makes everything taste better. See my post on green smoothies if you need further details.) Anyway, without them and it, my Smoothie Madness would not be nearly as fun or successful. FYI, the model I have: KitchenAid KSB560MC.

Happy Blending!

Orange Ya Gonna Try This?

2011-02-18T09:55:00.000-08:00

I'm a little gun shy with the green smoothies after my last escapade with the romaine disaster so I thought I'd go orange and try a carrot smoothie. Total success! It's rich and creamy and not overly sweet.

The hubster - a.k.a. the ultimate food critic -thought it was "decent" but too carroty for a non-carrot eater. (He will only eat carrots when they are in fried rice or chicken pot pie. Or, in other words, when they are completely undetectable.) He said he "could drink it but wouldn't choose to if other options were available." Now that's an endorsement if I've ever heard one.

Nevertheless, for those of you that are not frightened by our crunchy little beta-carotene-packed friends...here are the details:

Ingredients

1 can sliced carrots, refrigerated in can then drained

1 banana, sliced then frozen

1 Bartlett pear, chopped then frozen

1 cup apple juice

2 cups almond milk (I'm sure regular milk will work perfectly fine, too)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp powdered ginger (fresh would be lovely, too)

1/2 cup ice

Directions

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Add more milk or juice if it's too thick and not blending well. Serves 4 (or one hungry momma and one toddler that will, apparently, eat AN-Y-THING)

This was totally delicious and satisfying. A great way to start the day!

I'm thinking of going on a two-smoothie-a-day meal replacement plan for a week or so to see what it does for me. With that in mind, I'm going to need some smoothie ideas. Let me know what you think I should try. Nothing (well, almost nothing) is off limits so let me hear your ideas!

Quick Brynna Clip

2011-02-15T04:37:00.000-08:00

I was attempting to capture on video what can only be described as "demon noises" that our baby girl is currently very fond of making. It cracks us up. She, of course, refused to deliver (except for a few at the beginning) once the camera was on, but we did get this cute clip of her.

Note: The voice (squealing) at the end is Brogan's. It sounds like it could be Brynna but it doesn't match up with her mouth movements, resulting in a dubbed, ninja-movie-type effect. Kinda funny.

Notice how she lights up when he comes into the room? I love that.

The Best Chocolate Cake. Ever.

2011-02-13T11:12:00.000-08:00

I am not a huge chocolate eater. Don't get me wrong, I like it and - if forced to, can eat it in mass quantities - but it's not one of my vices. Not to worry, though...my husband, as usual, is the yin to my yang. He adores chocolate. Brownies, cookies, truffles - you name it. And the fudgier, the better. If there were a 12-step program for chocoholics, he would need to be on it. Thank goodness, for his sake, chocolate is still legal in most states so he's not planning to give up his obsession any time soon. Even if it was, he'd go underground with his habit in a heartbeat.

With Jason's love of the coveted confection in mind, I decided to indulge his sweet tooth for Valentine's Day. Really, I was just looking for an excuse to make a new, yummy dessert and the romantic holiday seemed like a fine occasion for it. I made it on Friday and, let me tell you, I have never enjoyed a chocolate cake this much. Ever. It's fudgy and rich and out-of-this-world delicious. It reminds me of the cake version of a mud pie, if that makes sense. I like it with a little - OK, a lot - of vanilla ice cream. And talk about an easy recipe. Sheesh! It took me 30 minutes - including set up and clean up - to make this cake.

I tend to shy away from most Paula Deen recipes since she is not exactly a nutrition-conscious cook. It's all about taste with her and more power to her for it. It's just not my cup of tea to include a stick of butter (or two, in this case) in everything that I make. If I am going to splurge, though, I want it to be worth it. This cake is so worth it. Trust me. Better yet, don't trust me and try is for yourself. You won't be sorry.

Paula Deen's Double Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake
from Food Network Magazine

1 18.25-ounce package chocolate cake mix
(I used Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake mix)
3 large eggs
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus butter for the pan
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
(FYI, I did use light cream cheese - aka neufchatel cheese - and it was wonderful)
3 to 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, to taste
1 16-ounce box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped unsalted nuts
(I used chocolate chips instead of nuts. Did I mention my husband LOVES chocolate?)
Whipped cream, for topping (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

Combine the cake mix, 1 egg and 1/2 cup of the melted butter in a large bowl. Blend well. Pat the mixture into the pan and put it aside.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the 2 eggs and cocoa powder and beat until mixed. Carefully add the confectioners' sugar and beat until well mixed then slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup melted butter and the vanilla. Beat until smooth. Using a spatula, add in the nuts. Spread the filling over the batter in the pan.

Bake the cake for 40 to 50 minutes, being careful not to overcook it: The center should still be a little gooey. Let partially cool on a wire rack before slicing. Serve with whipped cream (or ice cream).

Eyebrow Action

2011-02-10T17:56:00.000-08:00

Brogan learned how to raise his eyebrows tonight. Simple, right? Once you know how to do it, yes, but for someone that just acquired this new type of muscle control, it's pretty darn cool. He was tickled pink. And we really enjoyed watching his satisfaction.

A friend reminded me recently about a part in a Jennifer Lopez movie, The Back-up Plan, when one of the characters described parenthood as "awful, awful, awful...and then it's great. Then it's awful, awful, awful...and then it's great." Tonight was one of our little moments of great.

Green Smoothies, Anyone?

2011-02-08T04:22:00.000-08:00

I'm on the hunt for a good green smoothie.
Here are my criteria:

I'd like it to be low in fat.
It must include lots of veggies but preferably nothing that I really don't like (i.e. cilantro).
I want to be able to buy all the ingredients at Kroger. No hemp seeds or acai berries for me, please. Extra trips to a health food store are just not on my agenda these days.
I need to be able to make one big batch and drink it throughout the week.
And it has to taste good, which usually means it includes at least one fruit.

Here's the one I've tried so far.

MANgo That's Good Green Smoothie

(Yes, I developed the title myself. Like it?)

1/2 cup fresh mango
1/4 cup fresh basil
1 cup fresh spinach
1/4 cup cashews
1 cup almond milk
1/2 cup crushed ice

Chop mango, basil and spinach before adding them to the blender. Blend and enjoy!

VERDICT: I thought this one was delicious but it's not really "low fat" considering the cashews that are called for. I made a double-batch but it was not great the next day since the ice that makes it really frothy had melted in the fridge. My husband thought it tasted like "pesto in a glass," but I'm not basing this on him. I would fall over dead if he starting drinking green smoothies for breakfast EVER.

On deck is The Green Smoothie featured on Good Morning America. I'm going to buy the "fixins" for it today. This smoothie calls for cilantro, which is a violation of rule #2. I'm keeping an open mind, though, since I've seen this recipe pop up again and again during my recipe search. It must be good, right? We'll see how it goes.

If you have any good recipes or ideas to share, please send them my way!

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UPDATE: So I shelled out 20 bucks for organic produce yesterday and was eager to try the Good Morning America smoothie. The verdict?...Bleh! I am not a fan. As in, it-made-me-nauseous not a fan. And this is coming from a person that prides herself on being able to eat almost anything in the name of good nutrition.

These are my beefs:

None of the ingredients are frozen so it ends up being room temperature. Never a good idea when blending greens into a drink, in my opinion.
Overall, the taste is just not good. It's what you might think a green smoothie would taste like if you've never had a green smoothie. It's like a salad bar in a glass. Perhaps some more sweetness will help?
Surprisingly, the cilantro didn't bother me. It was the dang romaine lettuce. It didn't puree smooth enough so I can tell there are bits of lettuce in it. Not an appealing texture.

Nevertheless, I have an entire blender (we're talking 8 cups, folks) full of this lovely mixture. I've added a banana, frozen blueberries, and ice and popped the whole thing in the freezer. When I can find the nerve, I'll go blend it and try it again. I can't let all that produce go to waste now, can I? Wish me luck!

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ANOTHER UPDATE: OK, with copious amounts of fat free vanilla yogurt added, It's not bad. Glad that I was able to salvage it and have been enjoying it the past two days. Wanna hear the crazy part? Brogan loves it. Go figure. Not too sure what it's going to do to his poo but we should find out in the next 12 hours. Yippee!

Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread for Pennies

2011-02-06T18:05:00.000-08:00

If you're like me, this always happens: You buy some lovely fresh rolls or buns from the bakery, use half of them then watch the other half get old and stale in your pantry before you find some way to put them to good use. Well, I found a way to always use up those pesky stragglers. With just a few ingredients, you'll never have to waste another roll and you'll always have cheesy garlic bread on hand. Bonus!

Here's what you'll need:

Bread,* of course
Spreadable butter
Garlic powder
Cheese, shredded or sliced (Mozzarella works well but you can use any cheese you have on hand, which is also great for using up that smidgen of cheese you have in the skinny drawer in your fridge. You know the one.)
Dried parsley flakes (or basil, oregano or thyme)

*This works with any type of bread. I've even used left over hot dog buns and they were delicious.

Here's the How-To...

Split the rolls/buns. Top with butter spread, a light dusting of garlic powder (Careful! This can get over-powering!), cheese and parsley. FYI, if you don't have cheese, the bread is still great as garlic bread.

Cover the top of one side of the roll with wax paper. Quickly flip it on top of the other half to make a "wax paper sandwich."

Cover with plastic wrap, then foil and store in a freezer storage bag.

To bake, simply remove the bread from the freezer, spread the foil on a baking sheet or directly on the oven rack. No need to defrost! Discard the plastic wrap and wax paper. Place the bread on the foil cheese-side up and bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye on it until it's as soft or crispy as you like.

Spinach & Artichoke Dip Chicken

2011-02-06T04:36:00.000-08:00

I did it. I finally made a recipe (a) almost completely from scratch that (b) features one of my favorite foods: spinach and (c) my family really liked it! It's a trifecta of culinary contentment. My husband always gets a little edgy when I tell him I don't actually have a recipe to follow and that I'm just "winging it." Being not the biggest fan of spinach to begin with, he was especially nervous to try last night's concoction. While it may not have made his Top 10 List (c'mon, it does have spinach as the main ingredient after all), he did enjoy it and said we can add it to the dinner rotation. Hooray!

It's really easy, really delicious and not too bad for you, either. (You'll notice all the lower-fat dairy products on the list.) Knowing my hubby's aversion to leafy green stuff, I intentionally used more artichokes than I think one typically might for a spinach-artichoke dish to make it a more 1:1 spinach to artichoke ratio. Keep that in mind if you decide to try this recipe.

Ingredients

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup low fat cream cheese, softened
4 chicken breasts (I used two huge breasts and filleted them into two each)
1-2 T olive oil
5 oz. fresh spinach (half a bag)
3 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
1/2 can quartered artichoke hearts, chopped
[Wondering what to do with the other half of the can of artichokes?
Try this recipe for Ham & Cheese Hash Browns from Cooking Light.]
1/2 cup part-skim Mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

MIX sour cream, Parmesan, cream cheese and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Set aside.

HEAT olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken until lightly browned but not cooked through. About 2-3 minutes per side. Place the chicken in a casserole dish.

REDUCE the heat under the skillet to medium and add a splash more olive oil to the pan. Saute garlic for 1 minute. Add spinach with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss with tongs. Once spinach begins to wilt, add the artichokes. Saute together for 2-3 minutes.

REMOVE skillet from heat and stir in cheese mixture. Once it's all combined, top chicken evenly with spinach dip. Top each breast with Mozzarella.

BAKE for 20 minutes at 400 degrees or until cooked through. Broil for up to 5 minutes more to brown the cheese, if needed.

SIDE DISH SUGGESTION: Buttered noodles with Parmesan and parsley.

If you get a chance to try it, please let me know what you think!

Photo Shoot...Well, Sort Of

2011-02-01T18:00:00.000-08:00

Take two happy, alert babies, one bored Mommy and a new camera and this is what you'll get...an amateur photo shoot. Hope you enjoy the (two) fruits of my labor!

Giggly Girl

2011-01-22T04:46:00.000-08:00

Baby giggles should be classified as antidepressants. Need a Zoloft? Nah. Instead, head over to a friends house that has a well-fed, well-rested infant and -- viola! -- you'll be feeling better in no time. It is impossible to be in a bad mood around a giggling baby. Try it. You won't be able to help yourself. The good feeling is completely contagious. I'm convinced that it's even more enjoyable for the parents listening to said giggling than it is for the child actually doing the giggling.

Here's a little glimpse at our giggle bug today. She doesn't break into all-out cackling like she is known to do from time to time but it's still fun to hear her squeal while Daddy tickles her. As a bonus, we have a special guest appearance from an older sibling that is not so sure he wants to share the limelight. Too cute.

Diet Tricks

2011-01-21T04:36:00.000-08:00

For all of my fellow moms that are on the kick-babyweight's-ass bandwagon, I thought I'd divulge a few of my "diet" tips. I use the term "diet" as a noun, not a verb. I never diet. Instead, I work habits into my everyday routine. If you can't incorporate something into your diet long term, it's ultimately not going to work. Any weight you lose, will, unfortunately, show up again. It's like those shoes in your closet that you KNOW are ugly as hell but you can't get rid of them because they are sooo comfortable. If you don't throw them away for good, you will always go back to them eventually. And, yes, I'm wearing my ugly shoes right now. Don't judge.

Anyway, on to the task at hand. Here are my weight loss tricks:

When you think you're hungry, drink water. Sometimes we mistake the feeling of thirst for hunger. Try downing at least half of a bottled water and wait 15 minutes. If you are still hungry, go ahead and eat. If you're like me, this will happen 6 or 7 times a day. A nice side effect of all that water? A great complexion! Honestly, my skin never looks better than after a few days of being hungry all day long.

I also try to drink water right before meals. It takes the edge off of the hunger so that I don't woof down everything in sight.

Never eat when you are not hungry. This is particularly helpful if you work in an office, as I did, where there is always food sitting around or a party every other day to celebrate something. If you're not actually hungry (a) the object of your false desire will not taste nearly as good as if you were and (b) you'll probably regret eating whatever it is later.

The water trick will help you avoid the temptation to snack without merit, too. If you are trying to avoid said treats, go drink some water. If you're still hungry 30 minutes later and there is anything left in the break room when you come back, then go on and have a snack. Chances are, you'll get busy and forget all about the food anyway. Problem solved.

Don't weigh yourself every day. Any changes that you would see overnight can be chalked up to water weight anyway. To help with this, I don't own a scale. I only weigh once a week at the gym. If I did own a scale, I guarantee you I'd be on that sucker 3 times a day. I don't need another thing to make me crazy. My two year old has that firmly under control, thank you very much.

Stick to four 400-calorie meals a day. Or four whatever-calorie meals you want to achieve your desired weight. Here's a great little calculator that can tell you how many calories you need in a day to reach your goal.

Track your calories. This one is the most labor-intensive, and frankly annoying, habits to get into. I use SparkPeople. It does take a bit of time but it is totally great for accountability. It also makes me think twice about swiping a bite of this or a handful of that from my kid's plate. In the back of my mind I'm thinking, "Do I want to have to figure out how many calories are in two baby spoonfuls of hot dog mac and cheese?" The answer is usually no.

To maintain a little sanity, I don't count calories on Fridays. It's our one night a week to eat out and I refuse to torture myself that way. I try to abide by a strict Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy when it comes to dining out. Once you start looking at the nutrition reports from restaurants, I promise you that you will never want to eat out again. I seriously don't know what they do to make the food so bad for you. Whatever it is, though, it sure tastes yummy. And, lucky for me...today is Friday. Cheers!

Snow Day!

2011-01-11T17:46:00.000-08:00

We love snow. Especially when it's enough to (a) get out and play in and (b) cancel work for Daddy. Oh, and (c) when it doesn't hang around for days on end, which it actually is. It's getting annoying. Anyway, we got our wish early Monday morning. It snowed at least 3 if not 4 inches at our house. For us, that's a good amount. And more than enough to have some fun in. It was a fluffy snow so no snowmen to share with you all (that happened last week but I didn't snap any pics, darn it) but here are a few of the highlights.

A little extra care was taken in getting out into the snow this time after the incident during our last big snow. For those of you not on Facebook, let me clarify... Brogan's lip met an icy driveway last time. Here's the aftermath. You can see why he was a little gun-shy...

He was a trooper. After a nice cup of cocoa and some graham crackers (which he had no problem eating, by the way), he was ready to get back out in the elements. If anything, it taught him a valuable lesson about keeping your feet firmly beneath you. There is hardly a day that goes by when he does not mention falling and hitting his lip. Why does learning have to be soooo painful? Especially for Mommy and Daddy.

Best buds. Those two were out there for 3 hours! With a brief intermission to have some cocoa and dry their pants and gloves in the dryer, that is.

Amazingly, his hands stayed warm and dry in these fleece gloves. They simply do not sell waterproof gloves for toddlers around here. So frustrating. Forgive me if I'd like my kid to make it to kindergarten with all of his fingers!

Brynna and Mommy braved the cold for a little while, too. Is she not the sweetest thing? (Brynna, of course. Not Mommy. Mommy can't hold a candle to that cutie.)

Sledding in our backyard is tame, to say the least, but Brogan still had fun. He also went sledding across the street with the neighbors' 6 year old, Jacob. Brogan was in heaven. Whizzing down a hill on a sled with a "big kid." Are you kidding? He had a BLAST. The word perma-grin comes to mind.

This is his Mommy-made-me-pose-for-a-picture-before-getting-out-in-the-snow-for-another-round look. He wasn't nearly as annoyed as he looks.

Happy Snow Day, All!

Brynna Fun

2011-01-07T10:55:00.000-08:00

I caught some video of my happy baby girl today. Brynna LOVES the new play gym that Grandma gave her for Christmas (nice job, Bonnie!). She played in there for at least half an hour. For those of you that are hold-outs on joining the Parent Club or for those of you who have the luxury of children old enough to entertain themselves, let me explain and/or remind you: A half hour is an ETERNITY in baby time. I admit that there isn't exactly any Oscar buzz surrounding this footage. (Give her a break, People. She's only 4 months old!) I do think it is pretty darn adorable, though. Of course, that's just a proud Mama talking... Enjoy!

Leftovers Anyone?

2010-12-29T12:37:00.000-08:00

This recipe is the hands-down best excuse to buy a bigger bird than you need just to make sure you have leftovers. It actually calls for turkey cutlets but I use pieces of leftover turkey and it works bea-u-tifully. We don't typically have bacon on hand in our house but, as fate would have it, the turkey I always make for the holidays has bacon strips covering the breast to keep it moist and juicy. (Curious? Here's the recipe for that one: Maple-Roasted Turkey with Sage Butter)

Southwestern Turkey Clubs Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 4

8 slices bacon, (8 ounces)
4 turkey cutlets, (4 ounces each) -- or the equivalent amount of leftover turkey
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeno chiles
12 whole-wheat sandwich bread, lightly toasted
1 tomato, thinly slices

Directions

Working in two batches if necessary, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until brown and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes per side, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons rendered fat from skillet.
Season turkey generously with salt and pepper. Add to skillet, and cook over medium heat until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes per side; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
In a small bowl, mash avocado, lime juice, and jalapenos with a fork; season with salt and pepper.
Spread avocado mixture on one side of each slice of toast. Layer turkey, bacon, tomato, and toast to form four triple-decker sandwiches. To serve, skewer with toothpicks; slice in half with a serrated knife.

You can also find the original recipe here.

I did a twist on the Clubs this year since I had to consider the tastes and capabilities of a two year old. (Avocado and triple-decker sammies aren't exactly a winning combo for a toddler.) I still made bacon and warmed the turkey in the skillet with a little bit of the bacon grease but then I put them on bread (mayo on one slice, honey mustard on the other) with a little Gouda and popped them back into the skillet with a dab of butter to toast the bread and melt the cheese. Bingo! They were fabulous.

All of this turkey talk has made me hungry so I'm off to look for a snack that won't spoil dinner. Hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we have. Cheers!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-26T07:42:00.001-08:00

Thank you to all our friends and family that made this season especially bright.
We are truly blessed. Merry Christmas!

Polka Dots

2010-12-19T17:50:00.000-08:00

Cute two-and-a-half-year-old moment alert! In 3, 2, 1...

Brogan is becoming quite a little chatter box and wants to know what EVERYTHING is called. "What dat called, Mommy?" is uttered countless times on a daily basis around our house. I definitely don't mind satisfying his curiosity, either. I love that he's learning so much right now.

So I was changing Brynna's diaper the other day and Brogan noticed the dotted design on it. He thoughtfully sang out his usual question: "What dat called, Mommy?" I told him they were polka dots. Which he repeated back to me as "poo-poo dots." "No, Sweetie," I replied with a smile spreading across my face. "They are called pol-ka dots." I took care to enunciate more clearly this time. "Poo-poo dots," he replied. After a few more tries, he finally got it. Bless his heart.

I have to admit, his rationale was spot-on, though. After all, doesn't it make sense that a diaper would be adorned with "poo-poo dots"?

Pumpkin Fluff

2010-12-11T14:15:00.001-08:00

For all you pumpkin luvas out there, here is THE EASIEST pumpkin treat EVER.

Mix 1 can of pumpkin with 1 tsp cinnamon, a 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, and one packet of vanilla pudding mix (powder only, not prepared). Fold in a tub of Cool Whip. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (if you can wait that long) and enjoy!

Add some extra Cool Whip topping and graham cracker or ginger snap crumbles if you want to get fancy-shmancy.

Here's to yummy desserts that are ready in a flash! Cheers!

Precious Moments

2010-12-06T13:19:00.000-08:00

I had one of "those" moments with Brynna that I just have to share. It was a sweet kind of moment. A you-may-never-have-this-moment-with-your-daughter-again moments. It happened while I was nursing her during one of our early morning rendezvous a few weeks ago. (She's been sleeping from 11pm-ish until at least 8am every night for at least 5 weeks now; we're very lucky, I know). I always loved that feeding anyway. The house is quiet. Brogan and Daddy are sound asleep. It's just Brynna and Mommy. But on this particular morning, I had a particularly poignant experience.

I was holding her with one arm and with my free hand, as is my usual routine, I was removing fluffy lint from between her delicate little fingers with surgical precision. How this child collects more lint in her tiny hands than my new GE dryer lint trap I will never know. That is, however, very much beside the point. What happened next was the real kicker. As I was going about my motherly duty, she grabbed my finger and held on tight. I was stunned. Not that a baby her age was capable of gripping my finger, it was the situation that stunned me. I had a choice: I could either break the hold she had on me and return to my fastidious, somewhat-OCD task or I could sit there and relish the moment knowing that occasions like these are much too fleeting. Most of you that know me will probably assume that I went with option A. After all, I did inherit my parent's affinity for cleanliness and tidiness. But no, that is not what I chose. You'll be happy to know...I relished.

Game On

2010-11-17T04:12:00.000-08:00

So, our two-and-a-half year old is learning how to play us. Me, in particular, actually. No less than three times in the last week he has asked Daddy for something and--after deciding he didn't like Daddy's answer--came to ask Mommy who was in a different room. Wow. Really? Does it really start this early??? Apparently so.

He's also learned that crying (wailing like an infant, is more like it) receives almost immediate attention. This one he learned from his baby sister.

Then there is his new wake up routine. The last few times that he's woken up earlier than usual from a nap or in the morning, I just let him babble and play in his bed. Then he says it. The words that would make any good Mama Bird rush to the aid of her Baby Bird: "Mommy, Bogan's hungy." (He still hasn't mastered his r's.) Ugh. Be still my heart. What Mommy would deny her famished offspring nourishment? So, yes, that does it. Between knowing that he's hungry and not wanting him to get too loud and wake up his sister in the adjacent room, I'm in there in a flash.

Checkmate.

Brynna & Brogan, Take One

2010-11-10T20:48:00.000-08:00

I've had several realizations--or, as Oprah likes to say, ah-ha! moments--since Brynna has come along. Some are way too I-should-have-realized-that-eons-ago and will never be publicly admitted. Others are more I-would-have-never-thought-about-that-before-having-bambinos. Not the least of which is that there is some cosmic force that makes both of my children need something from me at the exact same moment. Not a day goes by without one being hungry and, inevitably, the other one needing to go down for a nap. Right. Then. Not two minutes from then. Right then. Ah, the joy of being a mother of two kids under the age of 3. Can you feel the love?

Another kinder, gentler ah-ha! occurred when I realized many of you have not had the pleasure of seeing Brynna--and in some cases Brogan, either--in action. I was trying to catch some of her sweet smiles but she hid them when the camera came out. Of course. I'll settle for this sweet clip, though. Hope you enjoy it!

Brynna's Arrival

2010-10-30T03:37:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know and are interested in all the sordid details, this is the account of how Brynna made her debut. The first debut of many, I'm certain. :)

Just when I had begun to think the day might never come (I was 3 days from my due date), it happened...

Much like every other night I was making dinner for the family and - also much like every other night lately - I had a few contractions. But these contractions were different. These were uncomfortable. We ate an uneventful dinner (the contractions stopped when I sat down to eat) then took the clan upstairs to Skype Grandma and Grandpa (Jay's parents) to wish Gram a happy birthday. We told them about my irregular contractions and she told me to hurry up and have the baby so they could share a birthday. Little did we know, I'd almost come through for her. Grandpa knew, though. He'd called it the week before. He said we wouldn't be able to Skype as usual on Sunday because we'd be in the hospital. Sure enough - that's where we ended up.

The evening progressed and soon it was Brogan's bedtime. Putting him down was an emotional experience for me. Deep down, I knew this would be the last time that he would be my only child and my sole focus. Life was about to change for all of us. We tried to pass the time with a movie but only 30 minutes into it, my contractions were not letting up so we decided it might be a good idea to get our things together. You know, just in case. Jason showered while I packed a few final things and Googled "differences between true labor and false labor." I refused to be "that lady" that they sent home due to false labor. No, if I went to the hospital, I was going to come home with a baby.

By this point, my contractions were fairly regular but only about 30 seconds long. Until, that is, 11 p.m. Literally two minutes after I went to bed. Everything I'd read said to try to sleep between contraction in early labor. Ha! That was clearly not going to happen. At the same time, though, I thought it was still too soon to go to the hospital and I wanted Jason to get some rest so I went downstairs to walk around. After a half-hearted attempt to watch an Iron Chef re-run, I decided we'd better mosey along to the hospital. I roused my drowsy labor coach, put on some make up and gathered my bag and pillow between increasingly intense contractions. Jason was not in a huge hurry to get there but I knew I'd feel better once I was surrounded by capable medical professionals.

Brogan was fast asleep so we simply delivered his monitor to my neighbor, best friend and gal pal that I can always count on in a pinch: Monique. She was so excited that it was finally time to meet Brynna! We shared a few quick hugs and I rattled off a couple last-minute Brogan if-this-then-that instructions. Then Jason and I were on our way.

What a different trip to the hospital this was as compared to the last time we had a baby. No speeding. No swearing. No rush. I even took the time to scarf down a Fiber One bar in the parking lot. I didn't know how long it would be until my next meal. Little did I know that I'd soon be placing my breakfast order...

We walked into the hospital at 1:02 a.m. and spent about an hour in triage. I answered medical questions, cracked jokes with the nurse and barreled through somewhat steady contractions. The nurse checked my cervix: I was 4 cm dilated and 80% effaced. I was happy with that and, more importantly, they were admitting us. Game on!

I really wanted to avoid an epidural and asked if I could walk around during labor. "Not a problem," the labor and delivery nurse responded. "Let's just get some fluids in you then you can get out of bed." Well, that never happened. My contractions got very intense and close together very quickly. (I am happy to report that my word of choice when I'm intense pain is "OW!" Hey - you never know exactly what you might say in that situation.) Between gasps, I asked them to check me again. If I hadn't progressed to at least 7 cm, then an epidural was going to be in my future. There was no way I could handle this pain for hours on end. Before the nurse could come over to check me, I felt the need to push, which they strongly encouraged me not to do, yet. I was on my side and could not roll over to my back but she managed to check me anyway. When she took her hand away, it was bloody and she said, "That's 10!" I didn't see her face but Jason said the look on it was priceless. It was 2:15 a.m. and it was time to push.

They called a tech to bring in a delivery cart and she asked who it was for (her exact words were something like, "Is it for the girl that was just 4 cm???") No one expected things to progress quite so fast. They quickly summoned Dr. Eaton - the one doctor at my OB's office that I had not met, yet, of course - she gingerly placed my feet in the stirrups and gave me the OK to push whenever I needed to. I pushed hard five or six times and, within about 2 minutes, at 2:27 a.m., Brynna Katelyn Oberhaus slipped into our world. They placed her on my chest, Jason cut the umbilical cord and we sat in awe of our new baby.

Brynna Pics

2010-10-30T03:34:00.000-07:00

You'll have to forgive me...I realize that not everyone is on Facebook (as if!) so I need to post some pictures of our new baby girl on our blog. Here are a few of the best shots...

Snuggle time with Mommy at the hospital. This, it turns out, is one of her favorite things to do. Mommy certainly doesn't mind. :)

The first time Brogan held his baby sister.

Rockin' her first headband. It was still pretty big on her. She does not share her brother's giant- head trait.

My parents were able to be here for her baptism. So special!

Yaaaaaawn!

Hanging out at the pool in Florida. The first of many trips to Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Gator Chomp!

2010-10-18T18:51:00.000-07:00

Despite their lack-luster offense this season, we still love our Gators! Allow Brogan to demonstrate a proper Gator Chomp...

Now that's one adorable little chomper! You'll never guess what he is going to be for Halloween this year...

Hi Morning!

2010-10-04T10:29:00.000-07:00

WARNING: Yes, this is ANOTHER one of my "cute things that Brogan says" posts. I can't help it. I'm so happy that he's speaking fairly proficiently now and he comes up with the most adorable way of saying things. If the thought of another one of these posts has you rolling your eyes right now, stop reading. Otherwise, by all means, proceed. Just don't say that I didn't warn you...

Brogan's vocab is expanding on a daily -- and sometimes hourly -- basis. It's amazing. Here are a few of the cute (and sometimes embarrassing) things he's saying now.

As with most toddlers, "Please" sounds more like "Peas." We're working on the concept of "even though you say 'please,' the answer is sometimes still 'no.' " At least he knows how to ask politely. Baby steps, people, baby steps.

For me, "Hey Babe!" is the easiest way to get Daddy's attention when he's upstairs and I'm downstairs. Simple and harmless enough, right? Well, it was somehow strangely mortifying when Brogan yelled it over the balcony the other day to get the attention of the cleaning crew working downstairs. I died.

The kid says "quesadilla" as clear as a bell. Seriously? He can't say "truck" very well but he's mastered a multi-syllabic word from another dialect??? Not surprising at all, the word is one of his favorite foods. No room for error there. Did I mention that Brogan loves to eat?

Our personal favorite right now is "Hi Morning." It's his version of "Good Morning." And, yes, it's just as cute as you might think. I sing him a "Good Morning" song to the tune of "Happy Birthday" each morning but his version of it (which is over-the-top adorable) is still "Hi Morning to you...".

And, last but not least, this one is courtesy of Daddy. Apparently, when something goes awry -- think slamming your finger is a car door -- the word of choice is "FOX!" Let that sink in for a few minutes and you'll understand how he came up with that one...

The Blenderless Smoothie

2010-09-24T08:43:00.000-07:00

If you're anything like me, you hate to do dishes by hand. I dislike it so much so that I look for the most dish-efficient way to do just about everything in the kitchen: From the order in which I chop things on the cutting board (meat is always last, even if I need it first) to mixing small amounts of wet ingredients in the mixing cup itself when baking. It's become somewhat of a personal competition. It's like when a man wants to shave a few minutes off of his drive time on a road trip. I, on the other side of the domestic coin, like to use one less dish or utensil every time I make a recipe. What can I say? Dorky? Absolutely. Do I care? Not one bit. I'm a dork that likes a challenge. (FYI, I'm actually guilty of the driving thing, too.)

The obvious question inevitably arises (mainly from my husband who is well-aware of my neurosis): Why not just load everything into the dishwasher? Well, you see, that's cheating. And it's the epitome of inefficiency. Why load a huge pot into the dishwasher that takes up as much space as 5 plates and 3 bowls? No, no, my friends. That just won't fly. At least not all the time. I'll bite the bullet and "splurge" on the luxury of a big-item load from time to time but I don't make it a regular event.

Being the dish-Nazi that I am, I was tickled pink to "develop" a no-blender smoothie. It's not exactly rocket science but, at the same time, the idea had never occurred to me before. If it hadn't occurred to me, it stands to reason, then maybe it hasn't occurred to others. Bottom line: I thought I'd share it with all of you.

Here's how it works: Simply smash one very ripe banana with a fork in your smoothie cup/glass. Add one strawberry banana yogurt (or any flavor of your choosing), top off with milk, and mix with the fork. Freeze for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. Remove from freezer and break up the frozen bits with your fork and stir again. Enjoy!

OMG-Good Breakfast Casserole

2010-09-22T06:32:00.001-07:00

There are no words that do it justice, really, other than to say that this casserole is easy-peasy and OMG-Good! Giving credit where credit is due, I adapted it from an Emeril Lagasse recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/breakfast-casserole-recipe/index.html

The biggest differences being that I used yellow onion instead of scallions and milk instead of cream. I do plan to try it with scallions but I'll probably never use that much cream in any single recipe for my family. I just can't bring myself to clog our arteries that way. Anyhoo, with no further ado, here are the yummy details...

Ingredients:

1/2 loaf of French bread, cubed - about 6 cups, give or take (We always seem to have half a loaf left over and this is a GREAT way to use bread that's not-so fresh.)
1 lb. sausage (I used Wamplers reduced fat.)
1/2 large onion, diced
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp dried sage
7 large eggs, slightly beaten
1-1/4 cups milk (I used 2% for a little creaminess but not too much fat.)
1 cup good cheddar cheese, shredded (I used Sweetwater Valley Farm's Buttermilk cheese. This cheese it OMG-Good all on it's own.)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat to 350 degrees. Spray a 12 x 9 casserole dish with cooking spray. Fill dish with bread.

Mix eggs with milk. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Brown sausage with nutmeg, sage and a little salt and pepper. Drain. Add onion to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes until onion starts to soften. Top bread with sausage and onion, then cheese. Pour egg mixture evenly over the casserole. Bake for 45 minutes or until top is nicely browned.

NOTE: The original recipe says you can assemble the casserole the night before and keep it in the fridge. If you do, I'd increase the cooking time to at least 60 minutes (if not more) to offset the cold dish and casserole. You may want to also cover it with foil for the first 30 minutes so that it doesn't get too brown.

Keep in mind that you can make this casserole for dinner, too. It's also extremely versatile - you can substitute a different meat and add any other veggies that you want to slip into your family's diet. If you get a chance to try it, let me know what you think!

Are We Crazy???

2010-09-13T19:28:00.000-07:00

As if bringing home a new member of the family just over two weeks ago wasn't enough, we decided to undertake another milestone on the Road to Big Boydom: The Big Boy Bed. As you can see from the look on his face, Brogan was more than willing to give it a try.

While we are staunch planners, we seem to be very spontaneous when it comes to big, 11th-hour decisions. We talk and plan and plan and talk then, right at the last minute, when we're 2 points down and there is one second left on the game clock, we do a complete 180. This time was no different.

We had planned to transition to the toddler bed after our trip to Florida in October. That seemed rational and made total sense. We didn't want to rock the little guy's world with a new sibling and new sleeping arrangements all at the same time. Then I had one of my "thinking too much" session while feeding Brynna one morning and -- viola! -- we were taking the front of his bed off. For a multitude of reasons, all of the sudden it just made sense to go for it.

It's been almost a week now and he has yet to get out of bed when he's supposed to be sleeping. (Except for the one time that he fell out in the middle of the night but that doesn't count.) He even waits for us to go into his room in the morning and at the end of nap time before he sets foot out of the bed. Maybe it just hasn't dawned on him, yet, that he could get up if he wanted to. Who knows. All I know is that he is doing great and we could not be more proud of our little man.

Welcome Brynna!

2010-09-09T17:40:00.000-07:00

Our new angel, Brynna Katelyn, arrived August 29th at 2:27 a.m. She weighed 6 lbs. 15 oz. and was 19.5 inches long. A perfect little bundle!

I have a lot more to post including the full story of her birth (I was able to go natural like I had wanted!) but my free time is being dominated by naps and other priorities like eating and basic personal hygiene. Once I have a bit more time, I promise to update the blog. Until then, zzzzzzz.....

Hi Mommy, Hi Daddy...

2010-08-23T07:47:00.000-07:00

Admittedly, this is one of those no-one-else-may-care-but-I-want-to-always-remember-it posts about Brogan. I hope it warms your heart like it does mine.

We are pretty big on telling him that we love him - probably me more often than Jason - but Daddy gets his fair share of "I love you's" in there on any given day, too. On rare occasion, we'll get a "wuv ooo" in response but what we are much more likely to hear is "Hi, Mommy" or "Hi, Daddy" in a tone so sweet it would choke a honey bee. Even more likely is this scenario: You'll be playing with him, having fun and he'll saunter your direction, put his head against what ever body part he can reach at the time with his towering 3-foot stature and say, "Hi, Mommy" or "Hi, Daddy" completely out of the blue. Translation: "Love you, Mommy," or "Love you, Daddy."
Ah. It's the BEST feeling. Such a sweet little boy. We are so blessed.

Better Late Than Never

2010-08-19T19:32:00.000-07:00

No, this is not a baby post. (She won't be considered "late" until September 2nd.) It's actually about our front sitting/wine room. I've only been working on it for...oh...a year and a half and finally - FINALLY - it's done! The last thing I was trying to find was the perfect rug. I've been eying this one from Target for at least a year but was too cheap to bite the bullet. Plus, I had a cat that was convinced that it was his mission in life to PEE on every rug I brought into the house. I wasn't about to spend another dime on rugs as long as it was going to be christened countless times by Jax. Well, all that has changed. The rug went on sale this week ($40 off!), the cat has moved on to greener pastures and I - apparently - find it much easier to spend Jason's money now that I'm not working than I ever expected. Needless to say, I pounced on the rug. And, if I do say so me-self, it is the P-E-R-F-E-C-T one for this room. What do you think?

Next time I redo a room, I think I'll find the rug first and match everything else to it. Seems bass akwards but that, in my case at least, would have saved me a lot of time. Oh, well. All's well that ends well and I, for one, couldn't be happier with the results. I may just have to host another wine and cheese party to celebrate! Cheers!

Big Week

2010-08-16T08:13:00.000-07:00

We passed the 8-1/2 month mark on Sunday and are forging full-steam ahead to 38 weeks (on Wednesday). Unbelievable. Leave it to me to go full term during one of the hottest months on record. I'm feeling pretty good, though, and have only just now reached the 20 lb. mark on my weight gain. Swelling has been minimal, too, so I should really be grateful.

Could this be the week Baby O 2.0 debuts? Part of me thinks so -- but only because it's a busy week for Brogan activities and that is how life goes for us. Big events tend to happen at the most inconvenient times. Another part of me thinks I will be pregnant forever but thankfully -- to my knowledge, at least -- that has yet to happen to anyone so I think I'm just being an irrational prego. We're allowed to get that way every once in a while, ya know?

Brogan starts Mother's Day Out again on Tuesday. We're excited for him to be in the older 2's class. He'll be one of the younger kids in there so he can learn some new tricks from the older ones. Hopefully he'll pick up on all of the good habits and none of the bad. Maybe he'll even be inspired to start potty training. A Mommy can dream, can't she?

Well, stay tuned on news of the arrival of the newest Oberhaus. I cannot wait for that post. :)