The Monday Report: Sun = Fun

 How thankful am I that warm weather has come again? So very, very thankful!

Here's a peak at what we've been up to on these first sunshiny days...

 Last Wednesday I ventured out with the girls to Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve to meet up with a group called Stroller Hikes. I strapped the girls in the beast double BOB stroller and we joined a few other mommies and tots on a walk out to the farm (that's Charlie up top looking at the sheep) and a picnic lunch. I really enjoyed getting out for some exercise and sunshine. I still get a bit nervous about going out with both girls by myself so it was nice to be with other moms in case I needed a hand with one of the girls. But help was not needed, both girls did great. We had no problems and it's successful trips like this that make me more confident that I can handle going out with the girls. We will definitely be joining up with this group again!

 We had fun plans on Saturday to visit the Bay Area Discovery Museum and it was a beautiful day to go! We'd never been before and Charlie had a great time.There was tons to do and explore. The picture above is of Charlie walking through a huge hollow log. We had the opportunity to go for free because we were selected as part of a review team on trekaroo.com, a website devoted to travel with kids. I will be writing a review for the site later this week and I'll link up to it on the blog.

 The rest of our Saturday was spent hanging out outside, washing cars and playing in the water. Did I mention how much I love this warm weather? It just makes me so happy! And Charlie's little legs in shorts make me happy too...so cute!

 But wait! There's more! Sunday afternoon Grammy and Grandpa stopped in for a short visit.

A very good way to top of our warm weather weekend.

Until next time...stay sunny!

The Monday Report

Our weekend was filled with great times of worship and celebrating with family.

He is risen and we are blessed!

Dying Easter eggs.
So glad I had the foresight to do this outside because we wound up with a whole cup of green dye on the patio. So thankful it wasn't the kitchen rug!

The excitement over her Easter basket is palpable...no?
And are you diggin' the Christmas PJ's?

Delicious lunch with the family

Celebrating Kevin and Marissa's 21st birthday. Cheers to you both!

Showing of the Easter loot

Happy Easter! He is risen indeed!

And We're Back!

Things have been quiet on our little blog for quite some time now. I've actually written a lot of blog posts lately, they just happen to be written in my head while showering, nursing, cooking etc. You should read them, they're witty and insightful. Unfortunately none have actually made it from my head to the computer.

Life around here has been a wonderful, wild ride lately. Our beautiful baby girl was born on January 24th and she has blessed, stretched and grown us in so many ways. Annalise Kay has to have been the world's easiest new born. Sleeping, eating and sitting happily in her bouncy seat have been her favorite past times since day one. She added sleeping through the night and generously lavishing us with heart melting gummy grins around 2 months old. I mean, wow! Does it get any better?

2 months old...now that's something to smile about!

But please don't think that life around here is all puppies and rainbows. Going from one little girl to two has been a real challenge. I've had to resign to the fact that my whole house will never be clean all at the same time and that Nick will survive if he has to match his own socks from the clean clothes that have been sitting in the dryer for the last three days. I shower by noon on a good day and getting to blow dry my hair is a miracle. And the "sleep when the baby sleeps" naps are much more rare with two...so enjoy them all you one baby mamas!

Charlie Marie continues to grow and change. She talks up a storm and loves to read books, collect rocks and play with her baby dolls. She is busy, busy, busy and would happily run on nothing but granola and ketchup if we let her.

Keeping life fun!

Life for Nick and I is so wonderful and so different than April 4th of 2008 when we were married. It's been four years to the day (Happy Anniversary Handsome!) and life is good!

Tasty Tuesday

Yesterday, after preparing a tasty new recipe, I thought, "I should post our families favorite recipes to the blog," and "I'll do it on Tuesdays...Tasty Tuesdays!" Thinking I was oh so clever I sat down this morning to read a few favorite blogs before writing my own. And, what should I find as I brows the blogs but my dear cousin Natalie over at Nat Your Average Girl has posted a Tasty Tuesday recipe...and it happens to be an enchilada recipe like I was planing to post! So, Natalie, I promise I'm not copying you, but I guess great minds like us think alike :)

Anyways, on to the recipe. This recipe I found on Martha Stewart when looking for some freezer meal ideas that would be quick, healthy and frugal. This one seemed to fit the bill and let me tell you, it go rave reviews. Nick said that he was just disappointed because with this meal there just doesn't seem to be any excuse to go out for Mexican food. So try it...I'm sure you won't be disappointed (unless this takes away your excuse to go out too :)

Vegetable EnchiladasFood Black beans Cinco de Mayo Corn Dinner Enchiladas Main course Mexican Pepper Jack cheese Spinach Tortillas Everyday Food Quick Dinner

Get a freezable Mexican meal rolling in no time with a no-cook filling and a sauce made from pantry ingredients. Jack cheese and a combination of black beans and corn tortillas give this meatless dish complete protein.

Everyday Food, December 2007

• Prep Time 30 minutes
• Total Time 55 minutes
• Yield Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for baking dishes
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3 cups grated pepper Jack cheese (12 ounces)
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 box (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
• 16 corn tortillas (6-inch)

Directions

1. Make sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add 1 teaspoon cumin, flour, and tomato paste; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Whisk in broth and 3/4 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

2. Make filling: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups cheese, beans, spinach, corn, scallion whites, and remaining 1 teaspoon cumin; season with salt and pepper.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil two 8-inch square baking dishes; set aside. Stack tortillas, and wrap in damp paper towels; microwave on high for 1 minute. Or stack and wrap in aluminum foil, and heat in oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Top each tortilla with a heaping 1/3 cup of filling; roll up tightly and arrange, seam side down, in prepared baking dishes.

4. Dividing evenly, sprinkle enchiladas with remaining 1 cup cheese, and top with sauce. Bake, uncovered, until hot and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes; serve garnished with scallion greens.

IT'S A....

We had our big ultrasound yesterday to check on baby Jones. It was so exciting to see the little wiggle worm and to "oh" and "ah" over the sweet little hands and feet. I have been dying to know whether we're having a boy or a girl. And we're having...

A girl! Charlie Bug is going to have a little sister!

It will be so much fun to have two little girls so close in age.

Here's to lots more pink and frills! Hooray for little girls!

We have NO IDEA what we will name this little cutie. Our boy name has been picked out forever but we're stumped on another girl name. Any suggestions? (And no, sister, we're not going to name her Monica :)

And just for kicks, because she couldn't get any cuter, her are some pictures of the big sister herself. Doesn't she just look so excited about having a sister?

Mischievous

Pirate Baby?




The scrunchy smile




Ahhh, a baby sister!

World's cutest one-year-old

She's One!

We can hardly believe it...our little pumpkin is one year old today!

How did she go from this...

to this in one years time?
We couldn't possibly love our spunky punky any more!
Happy Birthday Charlie Marie!

Aprons

I love aprons! I love them and I've started a small collection of them. Some are new, some vintage and I think they are just great. I love that they are old fashioned and hearken back to days when all mothers got to stay home to take care of their husbands, children and house. They are the stereotypical icon of the house wife...and I like them. I also love them for all of the reasons housewives of the past wore them, because they are so darn practical. They keep my clothes clean and provide a place to wipe my hands or dry a dish in the kitchen. And today I made one! I had a fun kit that came with the pieces all printed on a sheet of fabric and ten easy steps to complete it. I was able to use my fancy new Gingher scissors (wow! Are they ever amazing! Thanks Steve and Marla!) to help me complete the little project. This has me itchin' to keep on sewin' because it's just sew much fun!

Here it is...and feel free to ooh and aah over those pretty scissors