Keeping up the tradition!

Helping dad with the star

We always got to put the star on the tree when we were kids...and though she's still too little to technically 'put it on' we let her adjust it and make it just how she wanted it.

Putting an ornament 'in' the tree

 

It is so fun to have a little sweetie pie for Christmas this year!  She loved decorating the tree and wants to help wrap all of the presents, and don't even get her started about Christmas lights!

 

If we go anywhere at night we see our neighbors lights up on the way out and she starts whining and signing 'more' because she wants to see more Christmas lights.  All through town she can spot them!  It's amazing to me for how little she is she definitely knows the difference between a bunch of regular lights and the twinkle of Christmas lights.  

My Sweet Fairy

Halloween 2012: 16.5 Months

I was ALMOST the terrible mom that didn't dress my baby up for halloween because we weren't going anywhere fun.  Boy am I glad I didn't listen to myself!!

We had such a good time handing out candy and chillin on our front porch and this little girl was loving all the attention. 

(that tutu ps. cost me $3 to make...SOOO easy!)

Puppy Love

Melanie loves her puppies (they're actually nasty old beasts....but they'll always be my puppies). 

Yesterday morning she fed Joey (the dachshund) all of her food piece by piece and Joey was so patient and sat by her bowl waiting for her next bite.  That little rascal has totally redeemed herself in my eyes because she is so good with my sweet girl!

Step up from trying to feed them rocks like a few weeks ago :)

Heaven in my mouth

OH MY GOSH

I finally worked up the courage to feed my husband two things and not care what he said about it:

Chicken
Curry

This recipe is AMAZING:  http://chaosinthekitchen.com/2009/07/lime-and-coconut-chicken/

It's called Lime Coconut Chicken, but it's really more like Coconut Curry Chicken and it made me SO happy inside.  Like....SOOO happy. 

You need to make this.  It's sweet and spicy and I don't even know how to explain how it tastes. Just please make it and make yourself as happy as I am right now. 

Meatball Sub Recipe

So....boring title....but AMAZING sandwich:

Rachel Ray's Meatball Sub

The picture is not nearly as appetizing as it is in real life.  Toast some tasty sub rolls with some provolone or mozzarella and load that bad boy up. 

Plus its a great way to get some stretch from your ground beef since there is so much egg, breadcrumb, and onion in the meatballs themselves. 

Please try it.....you seriously will love it.

OH!! 
And the 5 minute marinara sauce...you can't beat that stuff...once you get it just right for your tastes....you will put it on everything.

Hey Girl (Ryan Gosling Edition)

So I know not everyone that comes by this little corner of the interwebs is a Latter-Day Saint like myself....but I just couldn't help myself!!! 

Seriously after a bad day I just look through this website.  I read them out loud to my husband and he listens politely and hates it quietly inside while I laugh my FREAKING GUTS OUT!!!

http://mormonheygirl.tumblr.com/

If you need any help deciphering the mormon jargin to get the joke...just give me a shout....I'll help :)

It's my freaking birthday!

That's right folks...the hubby did it right this year! We went to Tucson and spent a lovely evening at the El Conquistador!  We swam in the pool, watched the olympics in our cozy bed, and walked all over that place...like 5 miles...I'm not kidding)

Dinner at PF Changs (which Tyler hates, which makes this a significant point)

Shopping at 2 malls (which Tyler also hates and I didn't buy anything and he didn't complain ONCE)

Gelato (Alpencarmel= creme brulee burnt sugar and gianduia=chocolate/hazelnut  SOOO GOOOD)

Midnight trip to Taco Bell (nachos bell grande and cinnamon twists)

It was our first night away from our sweet baby who stayed with her grandma Curtis.  According to grandma she was great and as terrible as it sounds...Tyler and I were also great.  It was a much needed break for this momma.  I just wrapped up 13 months of non-stop baby due to breastfeeding so it was so nice to have some Tyler time :)

P.S.

The garden's a bust....more watering neccesary maybe? 

I got sprouts, so according to my intial post here, I'm not allowed to be mad.

ugh....

please excuse the pride

So hang in with me for a few paragraphs while I roll in my own glory....hahaha

As you can tell from my prior post I was anxiously anticipating the end of my breastfeeding experience.  (which by the way I realized boiled down to my irrational fear of not having a constant source of available nourishment) Anyway....

There are blogs and posts and forums and websites and experts dedicated to helping moms wean their children.  Tonight, I put my sweet baby in bed after her bath NO nursing and she fell asleep as soundly and quietly as ever. 

Here is where the pride comes in...haha...I think I did myself a huge favor by following the eat, play, sleep routine and only nursing her before sleeping when it was time for bed. I usually rocked her with her pacifier to lay her down (and I also realize how lucky I am she took a pacifier).

Who knows if it will work for the rest of my sweet peas, but in the meantime, I am SO excited it went so well, especially because I was SO prepared for it to go so badly. 

the end. sorry. i know this was awkward.  :)

Putting Melons to Good Use

So....this post is NOT about melons. Stop right here if you don't want to hear about mommy-hood in too much detail or are not interested in my breastfeeding habits :)

Today is the day I eliminated our mid-day nursing session and it totally threw me off.  I was so worried about how she would feel, if she would notice, if I needed to make up the bonding time in some other form, if I was getting her enough fluids and nutrition, but I realized I should think of myself just as much. 

i love breastfeeding.

It is one moment in my day where the two of us can sit quietly.  She snuggles up to me, I watch some of my recorded shows, and I can breathe.  I'm not cooking, cleaning, chasing, playing, teaching....I'm just taking care of my baby in the easiest most natural way. 

I'm not in a hurry to wean her and I'll probably keep my morning and night nursing for another month or so....ugh....but the thought of it literally makes me nervous and sad inside.

I'm not sure if it's the reality of her growing up, if it's my selfish relish of quiet, if it's the niavete of feeling like I'm giving her nourishment better than her beets, avocado, and apricots (my milk is basically water at this point)....I can't put a finger on the reason for my feelings and maybe that in itself is what is so unsettling. 

heck.  maybe it's all of that.

This is the first time in my time as a parent that I'm feeling anxiety about a choice.  And I hate it.  But at the same time I don't want to breastfeed for another 6 months...it has to happen somehow I suppose.

Boo hoo.

Girly Food

So, once again, Tyler had another arrangment for dinner(his work peeps), so you know what that means???

GIRLY FOOD

I whipped myself up a batch of the following:

- Cheese tortelinni

- Shrimp

- Red peppers

- Onions

- Tomatoes

- Spinach

- Olive oil and Parmesan Cheese sauce

- Sprinkle of chili flake, garlic, salt, and pepper

and it was flipping amazing. Period. The. End.

She loves digging

11.5 months old

Watchin my food breathe (it's not as horrible as it sounds...trust me)

I love to hang from the oven handle like a little kid when cookies are on the verge of done...

One of my favorite things in the world is to take the time to watch cookies 'breathe' in the oven.  Take a second and watch your cookies subtly inhale and exhale as they cook...it'll make you feel good.

Faith in my little seeds

I FINALLY DID IT!!! 

I've talked about planting a garden forever and I've been too lazy/conviced I couldn't do it all in one day to actually do it. 

 So, Friday night after the munchkin went to sleep I went out and started digging a trench to bury my boards.  Seeing my slow efforts, my hunky husband rolled up with the tractor and dug me some ditches in no time and nailed my boards together. 

Saturday morning, Mel and I rolled to Home Depot in our little white car and LOADED the trunk with fertilizer and soil...it was a stinky ride home.  Tyler picked up some chicken wire on his way home from work since I didn't have room in my car overrun with poo :)

When she went to bed that night and I unrolled chicken wire, went to town with the staple gun and even got to use my sewing skills with metal 'thread'.  (see below)

After my hardscape was complete I lugged 6 bags of 40 pound poo around my giant yard and mixed my perfect soil concoction.  Sunday morning (this morning) before the sun got too bright I went out to do my 'sowing' and planted watermelon, squash, bell peppers, and tomatoes. 

Some people think I'm crazy to do it all from seeds but to me it's about the processes.  If I get any kind of green to pop out of the grown in the next two weeks....I'm a freaking winner.  If I get any actual food from them...slap a gold medal on this chest! 

Best Sandwich Ever....I'm not kidding

I know it's not so pleasing to the eye....but let me tell you how happy it made my stomach!!!

french bread grilled in a pan full of butter
american cheese
turkey deli meat
tomato slices
pickles
avocado

HEAVEN

I could eat this everyday :)

Pull it ALL out

So, I decided to get gutsy and paint my toenails will the munchkin was awake.  I know it may seem ridiculous to call this gutsy....but when you've got that little face and ten curious fingers in front of you....its gutsy, okay?

My solution was to distract her with the depths of my nail polish bag and boy did she have a good time!

She carefully removed EACH item and threw placed it aside.  I tried to pack up before she was done but we quickly realized it was vital to remove the last several bottles of nail polish before we packed up for the day...haha. 

Let's Do This!

Finally, much thanks to my cousin Kate, I've opened up my long discussed Etsy shop!  Now having done it, I'm not sure what took so long!

I'm starting with pillows since it's a minimal initial investment but I'd really love to get into duvets, curtains, and even shower curtains or tablecloths.  I added my little "widget" on the right side of my blog so if you're interested it will take you right there :)

I've got a couple more pillows up my sleeve...just need to get the perfect fabric and get sewing. 

If any readers out there have any suggestions or ideas....this girl would love to hear them! 

Eskimo Baby

Mom is a little too worried about this sweet baby getting a chill!

We love going for walks in the morning and we only have a few more opportunities until it gets hot.  It's time to get out and enjoy nature while we can!

I was warned

Yeah yeah...alright....it's true....

Pinterest is addicting

Blast!  Time to set time limits so I actually get some sleep.

The Ladies

Me and my sweet little girl for her first Christmas

I have an amazing friend who offered to do some pictures out of the goodness of her heart and I just love this one.  Melanie was exactly 6 months old in this picture.