Entertaining a 15 Month Old - (For More Than Three Consecutive Minutes)

 

Welcome to the world Tyler (Monstercheese) Corona - We cannot wait to meet you!



Another Kitchen Keeper + Ballet Burn

Cilantro - Jalapeno Latkes with Chipotle Sour Cream.

A tasty, simple, and healthy dinner idea. I am hesitant to post the entire recipe {anyone remember the Saved By the Bell episode when the spaghetti company sues Screech for plagiarizing their recipe straight from the cookbook?}ha!

I am nervous Cooking Light may get upset with me for distributing their deeelicious recipes weekly on my blog. Let me know if you're interested and I'll share the details.

Yum.

I danced ballet for 15 years growing up and have tried {unsuccessfully} to find a good workout close to dancing - {DJ night at Bob's doesn't count}. One of my friends asked me to try Ballet Burn with her at the most charming little gym downtown, Heat, and it was fantastic! I recommend it to anyone looking for some fun/intense toning cardio {imagine doing squats on one foot, in releve, other leg lifted out and pointed straight up, while simultaneously performing calisthenic arm movements all to the tune of Michael Jackson's "Beat It"}. Was probably supposed to look something like this:

I may have a little trouble lifting Van for the next month or so, but as Evans so lovingly advised, I have already loaded up on the Tylenol in anticipation of tomorrow morning's pain.

Here are some of the bibs I sewed for baby shower gifts! Off to ice my gluteus maximus.

Get us out of here!!

I think I've been spending a little too much time in the kitchen lately.

There is nothing like a random 60 degree and sunny day to get us up and moving outside!!

We made the most of our warm day:



Someone needs a sandbox!





Snack break at Umstead

Due to the other cool/rainy days Van and I were forced to stay indoors, I have gone a little stir crazy with the DIY projects.  I decided to make a new headboard and give our room a little makeover (it is with hesitation I post a picture of our bedroom, but here it is at its simplest):

I also broke out the sewing machine to make some homemade goodies for lots of upcoming new babies. Today is Evans's birthday and I surprised him with a pair of these:

And a big breakfast. We are headed to dinner tomorrow night at our favorite restaurant and have a weekend full of activities planned. I am excited to leave a recent compilation of Van chasing Sophie videos (they have a love/hate relationship) so that I can look back on Evans's 31st birthday and remember what we were up to! Van has been screaming (loudly) lately...sometimes he's not even upset. Any moms reading with some advice on how to help him tone it down a little would be very much appreciated!! :)

Hope you have a great weekend!!

Culinary Adventures

When you have an extra mouth to feed {and/or limited time to cook}, its easy to fall into routine, predictable food ruts. Thanks to my sister-in-law's invaluable and much needed subscription to Cooking Lite, I have been trying lots of new recipes and have to share this unlikely keeper:

Chicken Sausage, Sweet Onion, and Fennel Pizza

3 oz. chicken apple sausage, chopped
2 tspns olive oil
1 chopped sweet onion
1 chopped fennel bulb
1/4 tspn salt
1 pizza crust
3/4 cup shredded Gouda cheese
1 tblspn chopped fresh chives

Evans threw the sausage on the grill while I browned the onion and fennel in oil and salt.  I topped the crust with the onion mix, Gouda, then chopped sausage, and baked in a 450 degree oven for about 10 mins. I sprinkled with chives before serving.  The entire recipe took a total of 20 mins and Van actually ate a few bites as well--score!

{Each slice is only 210 calories and so deliciously satisfying...like any other pizza, its even more tasty the next day for lunch :)}

Lefties Have Rights Too!

Could left-handedness be genetic? I know its way too early to tell for sure, but Van holds nearly everything with his left hand--including crayons and markers. I love being a leftie but hope for Van's sake, he develops better handwriting than I did!

Recently, Van is highly entertained by what we call his "diversity puzzle" --an awesome Christmas gift from cousin Frasier.  If you are in the market for a fun toy or gift for a child, this is very fascinating for Van {and us}. Thanks Auntie Snags!

As we speak, Van has shut the door to his room and is insisting I stay out. So far he only knows the response "yes" {vs. no} which can be very amusing. You can ask him anything {ie: Do you want mommy to stay out of your room?} and the answer is an endearing little "yyyyyeeeeessh!"

[I am guessing all of the diapers and wipes are strown across the floor--all of his drawers emptied out--and if I am lucky he has pulled every book off his bookshelf  and maybe even crushed up some graham crackers on his rug{we are talking a matter of 2 minutes...}]

:)

Almost the weekend and the ice is melting. Thank goodness!!

The First Shiner.

Pitter, patter...pitter, patter....faster, faster---CRASH. {Insert loud cries here}

My arms are tied, my ears digesting decibels I never thought possible, my eyelids heavy--and yet--despite Van's new recent hobby of hiding our kitchin utensils in the trashcan...

...and discovering the joy of unraveling the toilet paper roll...

I am finding nearly 15 months to be one of my favorite ages yet. 

Van is FULL of life and I love trying *trying* to keep up with him. 

He started swim lessons over the weekend, enjoyed a girl friend's one year old birthday party, met some neighborhood friends, and managed to squeeze in visits with grandparents.

The black eye has softened quite a bit since his accident but I anticipate more bruises to come.  A fine line exists between letting him play and discover things for himself vs. constantly telling him "no"--  Evans and I are doing our best to balance his natural curiousity with our discipline.

I leave you with some deep thoughts with Van at breakfast. Hope you had a great weekend!

Happy New Year and New Things!

Wow! Christmas was over in a flash and we enjoyed every second of our holidays together. We are starting the new year at full-speed: Van begins his swim lessons this weekend, both Evans & I are starting new roles with work, and in between we are chasing down our fast-moving toddler. 

This year I look forward welcoming/spoiling/kissing a new niece {maaaaaaaybe nephew...but I am saying niece} and cannot wait for Vermont visits to snuggle the newest addition to our family. I also get to celebrate my BFF {of too many years to count} tying the knot!!

Yay for an exciting year to come. Here is our holiday recap via photographs. Hope yours was joyful joyful!



{Post Christmas Eve Service...Notice Van's jams from the Night-Night Fairy!}

Christmas Morning!

Lots of snow on Christmas! Van couldn't wait to get out and play...

Super-cowlick and a holiday Teenie visit!

We missed Vermont family enormously but enjoyed time with both sets of Van's grandparents, aunt, uncle, cousin Oliver, and friends! Our  NYE in Richmond was so much fun. Lastly, if you have any desire to know whats in my bag {sounds so enticing, eh?}, check out Savoir Flair.