Today, Adam and I celebrate 4 years of marriage.
We've accomplished so much in a short amount of time,
I can't wait to see what the next 4 years hold..
Showing posts with label collage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label collage. Show all posts
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Monday, May 6, 2013
Squirt earns his keep
Yesterday we visited our favorite local hike, Wallace Falls, to take advantage of the gorgeous pretty-much-summer weather. It was 90 degrees. In Washington. In May.
The last time we did this hike we (in February) did about 1/3 of the total trip. It was a good day for a hike (considering), but still a little cool and muddy. This time around we did the whole thing. With baby in tow.
Two of our main goals as parents is to keep doing what we loved to do before having a baby (within reason - no ATVing is in our immediate future) and to share our love and appreciation for the outdoors with our children. Which means until Penny is old enough to get herself up that mountain, mama and daddy are going to schlep her up ourselves. Luckily she looooves to be worn and is not that heavy (at 14 months she weighs in just under 20 lbs...).
One of the ways we made it easier on ourselves was to give everyone a "job." Penny's job - if you can really call it that - was to be cute and happy in her Ergo. Nailed it.
Mama's job (to start with) was to be the water carrier. I pulled out my CamelBak that I've had since college, which alleviated carrying around a water bottle and opened up both of my hands to either tend to Squirty or Penny.
Daddy's job was to carry Penny. He had her on his back 90% of the way up to the top, but we ended up switching off because Penny got over being covered in Dad's sweat and needed some Mama time :) So Adam took over carrying the water.
Finally, Squirt's job. Our backs were full - which left no where to pack our lunch. And thus, the best invention known to hiking-kind. The dog pack!
Squirt is wearing a Ruffwear Approach pack. We're in the process of running this pack through it's paces (keep an eye out for a full review soon!) but so far we are really pleased with it. It has two large pockets plus two small ones, with several high quality bells and whistles to boot. We packed our snacks, lunch, Squirt's food and a few miscellaneous items for Penny and he carried it all comfortably without needing to readjust the pack during the 4 hour hike.
Yesterday's weather will probably be one of the top 5 most beautiful days in Washington this year. Even though this hike is an extremely popular one (the parking lot was full by 10a), the trail itself was not terribly crowded. The viewpoints and lunching area were clogged up, but we bypassed most of them and opted to view them on the way back.
There were so many great photo opportunities and it's a shame that the noon day sun was right above us (for the non-photographers out there that means pretty much everything gets washed out in all the brightness!). But you didn't just hear this Washington girl complain about there being too much sun. Nope, not me.
The last time we did this hike we (in February) did about 1/3 of the total trip. It was a good day for a hike (considering), but still a little cool and muddy. This time around we did the whole thing. With baby in tow.
Two of our main goals as parents is to keep doing what we loved to do before having a baby (within reason - no ATVing is in our immediate future) and to share our love and appreciation for the outdoors with our children. Which means until Penny is old enough to get herself up that mountain, mama and daddy are going to schlep her up ourselves. Luckily she looooves to be worn and is not that heavy (at 14 months she weighs in just under 20 lbs...).
One of the ways we made it easier on ourselves was to give everyone a "job." Penny's job - if you can really call it that - was to be cute and happy in her Ergo. Nailed it.
Mama's job (to start with) was to be the water carrier. I pulled out my CamelBak that I've had since college, which alleviated carrying around a water bottle and opened up both of my hands to either tend to Squirty or Penny.
Daddy's job was to carry Penny. He had her on his back 90% of the way up to the top, but we ended up switching off because Penny got over being covered in Dad's sweat and needed some Mama time :) So Adam took over carrying the water.
Finally, Squirt's job. Our backs were full - which left no where to pack our lunch. And thus, the best invention known to hiking-kind. The dog pack!
Squirt is wearing a Ruffwear Approach pack. We're in the process of running this pack through it's paces (keep an eye out for a full review soon!) but so far we are really pleased with it. It has two large pockets plus two small ones, with several high quality bells and whistles to boot. We packed our snacks, lunch, Squirt's food and a few miscellaneous items for Penny and he carried it all comfortably without needing to readjust the pack during the 4 hour hike.
Yesterday's weather will probably be one of the top 5 most beautiful days in Washington this year. Even though this hike is an extremely popular one (the parking lot was full by 10a), the trail itself was not terribly crowded. The viewpoints and lunching area were clogged up, but we bypassed most of them and opted to view them on the way back.
There were so many great photo opportunities and it's a shame that the noon day sun was right above us (for the non-photographers out there that means pretty much everything gets washed out in all the brightness!). But you didn't just hear this Washington girl complain about there being too much sun. Nope, not me.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Walks to the mailbox
Although Penny has been walking since she was about 10 1/2 months old, only recently have I been giving her the freedom to walk outside. Now that most days really feel like Spring, we make it a daily ritual to walk to the mailbox together.
It's so funny how living life through your child's eyes puts things into perspective. The simple act of just walking outside. Penny's gone through life always in someone's arms (outside), and suddenly one day - mama sets her down and encourages her to follow. The look of shock on her face was priceless. And the more I thought about it.. it was a big milestone for me too. After all, this entire lifetime that Penny and I will share together will be of me letting her go further and further away from me. It brings joy, pride and a twinge sadness to a mama's heart. Just a while ago she rested underneath my heart and now we're walking to the mailbox together.
And then there's the little things that she reminds me to do..
It's so funny how living life through your child's eyes puts things into perspective. The simple act of just walking outside. Penny's gone through life always in someone's arms (outside), and suddenly one day - mama sets her down and encourages her to follow. The look of shock on her face was priceless. And the more I thought about it.. it was a big milestone for me too. After all, this entire lifetime that Penny and I will share together will be of me letting her go further and further away from me. It brings joy, pride and a twinge sadness to a mama's heart. Just a while ago she rested underneath my heart and now we're walking to the mailbox together.
And then there's the little things that she reminds me to do..
Saturday, March 16, 2013
The Maternity Sash: The process of one year
Ahh the wonders of Pinterest. I love looking there for inspiration, don't you? I was newly introduced to Pinterest when planning for my maternity shoot (thanks to the wonderful Theresa at TC Photography) and was able to find quite a few ideas that I loved and that my photographer helped me recreate.
One of the sweetest ideas I came across was the maternity sash. You can find beautiful versions on Etsy, but I opted for the DIY route. One of my manifestations of nesting was becoming a little crafty. We were in the process of moving so I didn't have a way to put that energy towards a baby room, which wouldn't have been necessary anyways because even at a year we still bed-share.
So I visited my local craft store, used a few tutorials on fabric flowers and put together my own maternity sash!
The end result - a sash that I used for belly, newborn and one year old pictures. Who knows? Maybe it'll stick around for many of Penny's other milestones. Adam would like to put the kibosh on that because he thinks the feathers are gaudy, but I thought they were quite cute!
One of the sweetest ideas I came across was the maternity sash. You can find beautiful versions on Etsy, but I opted for the DIY route. One of my manifestations of nesting was becoming a little crafty. We were in the process of moving so I didn't have a way to put that energy towards a baby room, which wouldn't have been necessary anyways because even at a year we still bed-share.
So I visited my local craft store, used a few tutorials on fabric flowers and put together my own maternity sash!
The end result - a sash that I used for belly, newborn and one year old pictures. Who knows? Maybe it'll stick around for many of Penny's other milestones. Adam would like to put the kibosh on that because he thinks the feathers are gaudy, but I thought they were quite cute!
P.S. - I miss those little squishy cheeks so much!
Did you use a prop throughout your baby's growth to keep a theme going?
Friday, March 8, 2013
Penny's Birthday Party
Ok, a short break from moving/unpacking while Penny naps and I get to decompress...
This weekend was a whirlwind! It started on Friday night when my parents and brother drove up to have dinner and help out in the morning for the party. Saturday was Penny's birthday party - with probably over 30 adults and close to 10 kids. Itcontinues ended on Sunday with us moving to our temporary home for the next 6 months.
Side note: My mom is the party food QUEEN. She knows how to arrange a veggie / fruit / cheese & cracker platter like none other. Although I would say that I inherited her love of entertaining, I definitely did not inherit her platter arranging ability at all. Everyone has their niche in this world, and I guess that is one of my mom's. Sadly, looking through the pictures from this weekend - there are no pictures of the food :(
On the menu:
melon balls wrapped in proscuitto
deviled eggs - it's not a party without deviled eggs, in my opinion.
various platters of veggies, fruits, crackers and cheese
smoked salmon with cream cheese and pear jam dip
Rigatoni "Pasta Pie" with ground turkey and mushrooms - a big hit!
Marble cake with butter cream frosting and ice cream.. I was going to attempt the paper towel trick for a fondant look a like, but got side tracked and ended up just frosting it. Oops!
And what you've been waiting for.. {cup}CAKE SMASH!
There were actually 2 smashes for Miss Penny. A week before her birthday, we scored an awesome deal at Target and got her one year pictures taken. Here's a sneak peak..
And the real deal. As you can see, her practice the week before came in handy!
Also, at Adam's request, we had a pinata for the kids. Which really ended up being for him.
It was a crazy, hectic and fun party and I couldn't imagine celebrating Penny in any other way.
This weekend was a whirlwind! It started on Friday night when my parents and brother drove up to have dinner and help out in the morning for the party. Saturday was Penny's birthday party - with probably over 30 adults and close to 10 kids. It
Side note: My mom is the party food QUEEN. She knows how to arrange a veggie / fruit / cheese & cracker platter like none other. Although I would say that I inherited her love of entertaining, I definitely did not inherit her platter arranging ability at all. Everyone has their niche in this world, and I guess that is one of my mom's. Sadly, looking through the pictures from this weekend - there are no pictures of the food :(
On the menu:
melon balls wrapped in proscuitto
deviled eggs - it's not a party without deviled eggs, in my opinion.
various platters of veggies, fruits, crackers and cheese
smoked salmon with cream cheese and pear jam dip
Rigatoni "Pasta Pie" with ground turkey and mushrooms - a big hit!
Marble cake with butter cream frosting and ice cream.. I was going to attempt the paper towel trick for a fondant look a like, but got side tracked and ended up just frosting it. Oops!
 |
| do you think her cake topper is adorable? It was a custom order, but you can find more of the artist's work here. |
There were actually 2 smashes for Miss Penny. A week before her birthday, we scored an awesome deal at Target and got her one year pictures taken. Here's a sneak peak..
Also, at Adam's request, we had a pinata for the kids. Which really ended up being for him.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Family Hike
This weekend we embarked on our first hike of the year!
While we lived in Washougal, our favorite hike nearby was Beacon Rock - the core of a dead volcano that was ~20 minutes from us. We loved that hike because it was close, had great views and a good work out during the week. So naturally when we moved, I set out to find our next family hiking area.
Wallace Falls has some of the best reviews for hikes in our county so I set it aside and waited for a good weekend to come up for us to venture out. We were a little worried at first because we heard that it might still have some snow - so we bundled everyone up.
Once we arrived we found the parking lot FULL of hiking groups - at least 2 large groups of high schoolers, several families and couples. So we knew that the terrain wouldn't be too bad.
The entire hike is 11 miles round trip with 1,200 ft in elevation gain to visit the lower and upper falls, but we decided only to make it up to the lower falls. which made it about a 5 mile round trip. We definitely could have made it all the way but wanted to have some relaxing time when we got home.
A few minutes into the hike we realized that this would be our new family hike that we could hit several times during the month. It starts along a power line trail and gently amps up the incline over a mile or so. You hike along a river and through misty old growth. Even though it was a busy day with lots of hikers and dogs, the sounds of the forest weren't overpowered. The river, birds and occasional small woodland creature could be heard scurrying through the pine needles.
Oh, and Squirt accompanied us as well. Several times throughout the hike we stopped at a spring or along the river to let him have a drink. His response? Running full force into the water.. and I was reminded that in his heart he is a river dog. We used to go to the river by our old house almost every afternoon, and he loved diving for rocks.
BTW: Our two favorite outdoor accessories: the Ergo carrier and our Keen shoes. I've had a pair of Keen sandals that I've worn for the last 5+ years, and this winter I scored these sweet Hoodoo boots on sale. They're supposed to be primarily for the snow, but worked perfectly for our muddy hike. No break in period either. *Love*
While we lived in Washougal, our favorite hike nearby was Beacon Rock - the core of a dead volcano that was ~20 minutes from us. We loved that hike because it was close, had great views and a good work out during the week. So naturally when we moved, I set out to find our next family hiking area.
Wallace Falls has some of the best reviews for hikes in our county so I set it aside and waited for a good weekend to come up for us to venture out. We were a little worried at first because we heard that it might still have some snow - so we bundled everyone up.
Once we arrived we found the parking lot FULL of hiking groups - at least 2 large groups of high schoolers, several families and couples. So we knew that the terrain wouldn't be too bad.
The entire hike is 11 miles round trip with 1,200 ft in elevation gain to visit the lower and upper falls, but we decided only to make it up to the lower falls. which made it about a 5 mile round trip. We definitely could have made it all the way but wanted to have some relaxing time when we got home.
A few minutes into the hike we realized that this would be our new family hike that we could hit several times during the month. It starts along a power line trail and gently amps up the incline over a mile or so. You hike along a river and through misty old growth. Even though it was a busy day with lots of hikers and dogs, the sounds of the forest weren't overpowered. The river, birds and occasional small woodland creature could be heard scurrying through the pine needles.
Oh, and Squirt accompanied us as well. Several times throughout the hike we stopped at a spring or along the river to let him have a drink. His response? Running full force into the water.. and I was reminded that in his heart he is a river dog. We used to go to the river by our old house almost every afternoon, and he loved diving for rocks.
BTW: Our two favorite outdoor accessories: the Ergo carrier and our Keen shoes. I've had a pair of Keen sandals that I've worn for the last 5+ years, and this winter I scored these sweet Hoodoo boots on sale. They're supposed to be primarily for the snow, but worked perfectly for our muddy hike. No break in period either. *Love*
 |
| Is there anything hotter than a babywearin' daddy?? // New Keen boots! |
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
The K.I.S.S. method for baby photography
Remember that saying about "The K.I.S.S. Method?" Keep It Simple, Sista! If you've been following along, you've seen my monthly installments of Penny's development and mini-photo sessions.
Having worked in the photography industry and being a hobbyist photographer myself, I know a few tricks to get the light to work for you. My number one tip? Don't use the flash. Ever. It creates unnatural skin tone, shocks your little client, and makes for that undesirable shadow.
Sure, it's not the best picture I've ever taken but doesn't her skin look so much natural?
Do those numbers look like gooblygunk to you? No worries ;) You don't have to know exactly what ISO or F-stop means to get good pictures. Just play around with the settings on your camera. Watch a few youtube videos. Digital is free; taking hundreds of pictures won't cost you a thing :) You don't need to be a professional photographer in order to take "pin-worthy" shots! Some of my best pictures were taken really off the cuff, when I allowed it to get fun rather than really try to create and sculpt the perfect shot. You don't always need backdrops or lights to get really good shots. Knowing about picmonkey for quick, easy editing is my second tip!
Photographer, author and educator Erin Manning provides her top 3 tips for capturing better newborn photos. Erin gives you advice on setting the scene and getting close to the baby for those perfect images, as well as using a SanDisk Ultra SDHC card to make sure she never misses a shot.
Do those numbers look like gooblygunk to you? No worries ;) You don't have to know exactly what ISO or F-stop means to get good pictures. Just play around with the settings on your camera. Watch a few youtube videos. Digital is free; taking hundreds of pictures won't cost you a thing :) You don't need to be a professional photographer in order to take "pin-worthy" shots! Some of my best pictures were taken really off the cuff, when I allowed it to get fun rather than really try to create and sculpt the perfect shot. You don't always need backdrops or lights to get really good shots. Knowing about picmonkey for quick, easy editing is my second tip!
Photographer, author and educator Erin Manning provides her top 3 tips for capturing better newborn photos. Erin gives you advice on setting the scene and getting close to the baby for those perfect images, as well as using a SanDisk Ultra SDHC card to make sure she never misses a shot.
What is your tip for taking better pictures?
I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for SanDisk.
I received a product sample to thank me for participating.
I received a product sample to thank me for participating.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Inspiration: Penelope's First Birthday
With Penelope's first birthday right around the corner, it's time for this day dreaming Mama to get her ideas on paper (the screen?) and do some real planning.
Aren't themed parties the funnest? I'm going to have to take advantage of getting to choose the themes for her birthdays while I can.
Giraffes have been Penny's theme since her baby showers. I was totally into giraffes before Carters jumped on the zoo animal bandwagon half way through my pregnancy, which on one hand made me feel so unoriginal but then on the other hand, so many cute giraffe clothes started popping up :)
And I've had my eye on this giraffe from Melissa and Doug for quite a while too!
Aren't themed parties the funnest? I'm going to have to take advantage of getting to choose the themes for her birthdays while I can.
Giraffes have been Penny's theme since her baby showers. I was totally into giraffes before Carters jumped on the zoo animal bandwagon half way through my pregnancy, which on one hand made me feel so unoriginal but then on the other hand, so many cute giraffe clothes started popping up :)
Do you have themed birthday parties for your kids? What has been the most unique theme? My two recent favorites:
That Mama Gretchen's "Everyone loves an Italian Girl"
and sweet Mia's Southern Tea Party-
and sweet Mia's Southern Tea Party-
complete with heirloom teacups and meatloaf muffins!
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
ABCs of Me
Thanks Sarah for sharing this! This type of post reminds me of filling out these "surveys" via email in middle school (and then forwarding to everyone) and later on myspace.. Don't act like you never did one either!
{A} Age: 26
{D} Dogs: Romeo and Squirt. Also known as "Poof-poof" and "Squirty McWigglebottom"
{A} Age: 26
{B} Bed size: King. It started out just for Adam and I..then we got Romeo, and then he got too old to jump up. Then we got Squirt. Then we got Penny.. and that's when Squirt was no longer welcome up ;)
{C} Chore you hate: folding the laundry. I don't mind doing the laundry, I don't mind stuffing cloth diapers. But I hate folding laundry. To the point where the only folded items in our house are linens. Everything else is either stuffed in a drawer or hung.
{D} Dogs: Romeo and Squirt. Also known as "Poof-poof" and "Squirty McWigglebottom"
{E} Essential start to your day: Snuggles with my Pennypot!
{F} Favorite color: Lately purple. Historically - pink and blue.
{G} Gold or Silver: Silver
{H} Height: 5'5
{I} Instruments you play: I played the baritone sax all the way through my freshman year of college. I was a music major that first year, where at the end I learned that although I was good in high school, college is where all the other good kids go and I was not that good in comparison ;)
{J} Job Title: SAHM!
{K} Kids: Penelope - 10 months. Furry-kids: Squirt 2 1/2 years, Romeo *almost* 13!
{L} Live: WA State
{M} Married: July 4 2009
{N} Nicknames: B
{O} Overnight hospital stays: None, besides when I was born.
{P} Pet peeve: Leg bouncing. It makes me nervous. And Adam does it out of boredom!
{Q} Quote: When life gives you lemons, make lemonaid!
{R} Righty or Lefty: Left
{S} Siblings: Two younger bros - Nick and Paul
{T} Time you wake up: Anywhere between 6-9a. Depending on Miss Penny's whims that day.
{U} University attended: Western Washington University
{V} Vegetables you dislike: Radishes
{W} What makes you run late: Nursing Penny really quickly before running out the door..
{X} X-Rays you've had: Teeth and shoulder, I think.
{Y} Yummy food: Baked goods. I am totally a sucker for cakes and cookies!
{Z} Zoo animal favorite: Orcas
Will you play along?
Pick your favorite letter and leave me a comment :)
If you keep a blog and make a post out of this, leave me your link!
Pick your favorite letter and leave me a comment :)
If you keep a blog and make a post out of this, leave me your link!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
My sweets: 10 months
While I was pregnant, I had a serious problem with the sweets. No joke. I used to say that you were taking all the sweetness out of me, so I needed to make up for it. You are definitely my little sugar bug, and although I don't regret sharing my sweets with you, I have to pay a high price for it at the dentist..
Your mama tries to be brave, but the dentist is definitely her least favorite place to be. And she's going to have to visit him A LOT in the next few months.
But back to you -
This month you've...
- started standing on your own! I thought you might be walking too, but these were just you attempting to gain balance.
- learned how to clap. At first you just fist bumped yourself, and then moved to having one hand open and the other in a fist, now it's full on baby claps :) You mostly clap when you want something.
- New foods: roasted butternut squash, pasta with a little bit of sauce, scrambled eggs (a hit!), roasted cauliflower, ham and cuties. Pears and chicken remain as top favorite. We've also pulled out our juicer and have experimented with different flavors, such apple/carrot, and apple/pear.
- We thought you might have a dairy allergy, after giving you some dehydrated yogurt drops you broke out in hives. It wasn't the first time you had yogurt before, so it was a little strange. After a few days we tried plain yogurt without any problems, so it must have been a fluke!
- expanded your babbling vocabulary. No new words, but we are still working on "up," identifying 'dada,' where our nose is, and 'woof' when we see the doggies.
- kept mama and daddy guessing as to when more teeth will come.. but right now we're still at DEUX DENTS.
- weighed in at 18 lbs 6 oz, 28.5 inches.
- developed this amazingly high pitched little girl scream. It can be deafening!
In less than 2 months, you will be a YEAR old! We've got to get that birthday party planned!
Love always,
Mama and Daddy
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Holiday Recap
So the whirlwind month of December is over and I feel like a can breathe in a huge sigh of relief,
Don't get me wrong, our family had so much fun.. but to be honest, we've probably been more social in the last 5 weeks than we have all year so it felt like a lot of events crammed into a very short amount of time.
And of course, the holidays means family time...
Penny and her cousin Pamela are literally two peas in a pod (hahaha I made it punny). Those two girls, although 5 years apart, are definitely going to be inseparable one day. Then you've got Penny's 3 boy cousins, ranging from 9 to 6 months older than her...who better not throw mud and sticks at her when they get older. hrmph. But now that Penny is crawling and pretty much able to fight back, play time with the boys is fun and it's awesome to watch them all interact.
It had been my Christmas wish for Penny to get her two top teeth, which didn't happen.. and then I hoped they would sprout by New Years.. which didn't happen.. So I suppose I can hope that they will come out by her birthday (in two months, so she has time!).
Don't get me wrong, our family had so much fun.. but to be honest, we've probably been more social in the last 5 weeks than we have all year so it felt like a lot of events crammed into a very short amount of time.
And of course, the holidays means family time...
It had been my Christmas wish for Penny to get her two top teeth, which didn't happen.. and then I hoped they would sprout by New Years.. which didn't happen.. So I suppose I can hope that they will come out by her birthday (in two months, so she has time!).
Monday, December 10, 2012
Candy Day {anti-Black Friday}
This post is a little late in coming but I still love to share :)
Doesn't it seem like the holidays is where the most traditions are started?
My favorite way to bring in the holidays is Candy Day.
Until this year, Candy Day didn't really have a name. It was simply the day after Thanksgiving (aka, Black Friday) where my mother in law and two sister in laws got together and we made Christmas candy. This year was our third year.
Before last year, we just had the oldest grandchild to mind - Pammy. Then last year Pammy was accompanied by a new baby brother and cousin.. This year Penny jumped on board, along with another cousin who moved from Georgia. Things get a little crazy.
Some of our candy staples include:
This was adapted from a recipe found at The Yummy Life. It's so easy because you make it in the microwave!
You will need:
1. Combine the butter, both sugars, syrup, sweetened condensed milk, & vanilla in the microwave safe bowl.
2. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, stir, microwave for another 2 minutes, stir, and microwave for another 2 minutes (for 6 minutes total).
3. Prepare your baking pan with parchment paper (or tin foil if you don't have any) while microwaving. Lightly spray with cooking oil.
4. After the 6 minutes, carefully take the bowl out of the microwave and stir again, so that everything is well mixed.
5. Pour the caramel into your prepared cooling dish and sprinkle with sea salt (or your choice of toppings). You can put it in the fridge for about an hour, or if you have the patience (and I applaud you if you do), just let it sit out and cool.
6. Once completely cool, remove the caramel in one whole piece from the parchment paper. Cut into whatever sized pieces you want!
Voila! So delicious, I promise it won't stick around for long.
Doesn't it seem like the holidays is where the most traditions are started?
My favorite way to bring in the holidays is Candy Day.
Until this year, Candy Day didn't really have a name. It was simply the day after Thanksgiving (aka, Black Friday) where my mother in law and two sister in laws got together and we made Christmas candy. This year was our third year.
Before last year, we just had the oldest grandchild to mind - Pammy. Then last year Pammy was accompanied by a new baby brother and cousin.. This year Penny jumped on board, along with another cousin who moved from Georgia. Things get a little crazy.
 | |||
| Clockwise from the top left: Uncle (Adam's twin bro) and biggest cousin keeping the littles out of mischief / Penny ergo'd up while I bake / Big kids showing off their architectural skills with the ginger bread house / Sampling along the way is a necessary evil |
- Peppermint Bark
- Tiger Butter
- Fudge
- Chocolate covered pretzels (my favorite!)
- Peanut Brittle
- Crockpot Apple Cider
- And a new recipe .. Salted Caramels!
You will need:
- 1/4 cup butter, cut in 8 pieces
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup (we used Karo)
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- coarse sea salt
- Your choice of toppings - such as chocolate to drizzle, nuts or sprinkles
- A 2 quart microwave safe bowl
- A baking pan lined with parchment paper and cooking spray
1. Combine the butter, both sugars, syrup, sweetened condensed milk, & vanilla in the microwave safe bowl.
2. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, stir, microwave for another 2 minutes, stir, and microwave for another 2 minutes (for 6 minutes total).
3. Prepare your baking pan with parchment paper (or tin foil if you don't have any) while microwaving. Lightly spray with cooking oil.
4. After the 6 minutes, carefully take the bowl out of the microwave and stir again, so that everything is well mixed.
5. Pour the caramel into your prepared cooling dish and sprinkle with sea salt (or your choice of toppings). You can put it in the fridge for about an hour, or if you have the patience (and I applaud you if you do), just let it sit out and cool.
6. Once completely cool, remove the caramel in one whole piece from the parchment paper. Cut into whatever sized pieces you want!
Voila! So delicious, I promise it won't stick around for long.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Halloweenie
Happy (late) Halloween everyone!-
Here's Lil' P in her very first Halloween costume - an octopus. Her costume was super easy.. stuffed Baby Legs (another Seattle owned company!) and socks, a long sleeved onesie and a felt hat that I sewed for the occasion. I originally was planning on making her a pierogie costume, but I eventually decided that no one would get it..so many another year ;) I already have next year's costume in the memory bank though.
Halloween was pretty uneventful.. as in, really uneventful. We didn't have a single trick or treater..so Penny didn't even get to show off her costume to anyone! Thank goodness for picture texting and digital cameras because otherwise this entire event would have gone undocumented.
Penny's costume is a simple long sleeved onesie, an octopus head felt hat with eyes glued on and a skirt of Babylegs. I attached the legs to a ribbon waistband and tied it around her cute tubby tummy.
After all that playing around and dressing up,
our princess was close to turning into a pumpkin
so we called it a night.
We also did a pumpkin photo shoot a few weeks ago.. My husband is beginning to wonder why I love taking pictures of our daughter naked.. and my response is that this is the very short period of time in her life where it is appropriate and cute :) I just love her chubby rolls!
Here's Lil' P in her very first Halloween costume - an octopus. Her costume was super easy.. stuffed Baby Legs (another Seattle owned company!) and socks, a long sleeved onesie and a felt hat that I sewed for the occasion. I originally was planning on making her a pierogie costume, but I eventually decided that no one would get it..so many another year ;) I already have next year's costume in the memory bank though.
Penny's costume is a simple long sleeved onesie, an octopus head felt hat with eyes glued on and a skirt of Babylegs. I attached the legs to a ribbon waistband and tied it around her cute tubby tummy.
After all that playing around and dressing up,
our princess was close to turning into a pumpkin
so we called it a night.
We also did a pumpkin photo shoot a few weeks ago.. My husband is beginning to wonder why I love taking pictures of our daughter naked.. and my response is that this is the very short period of time in her life where it is appropriate and cute :) I just love her chubby rolls!
Friday, October 26, 2012
Amber
I've decided that Penelope is one of those chronic teethers. She had her first episodes of teething pain back in July (at four months old), but we knew that she was nowhere near pushing those chompers out. At almost 8 months old, she has finally sprouted her first pearlies (post to come soon!). A few months ago, my parents visited our family in Poland and the main item I asked for them to bring back was a teething amber necklace for Penny.
Although I have personally grown up with amber all around me, when I became a part of the Natural Parenting community I read about many parents using amber during a baby's teething phase to help ease the pain naturally. I began to wonder how does a stone help with that?
Well for starters, amber is petrified resin, not a stone. It warms to the touch fairly quickly and is comfortable to wear for babies, which might be a part of the reason why they don't mind wearing it so much. Amber has been used as a medicinal property for as long as history has been recorded. Peoples from around the world have used amber in various ways, all to cure ailments of the body.
I personally have grown up around amber because of my Polish heritage. Baltic amber is lauded to be the best in the world and the Poles use a lot of amber in their jewelry and art. My mother's house has several gorgeous vases which present Polish amber wrapped in curvaceous silver. Her jewelry chest also features amber of varying colors and designs, from the common knotted rope to large stones in broaches (yes, she has broaches) and rings.
Amber presents itself in different colors based on several factors, including what kind of resin it is made from, degree of oxidation, inclusions inside and how it has weathered over the few million years. Different shades of amber depict their healing power and therefore quality. If you're not looking to use amber medicinally, then you've got a broad range of amber colors to choose from - ranging from yellow to sage green, to even black. Most commonly it is light or dark brown in color, clear to fully opaque. It can have flecks of organic material (read: fossils!) inside.
One of my favorite birthday gifts from Adam is a little necklace with a droplet of honey amber, which looks like milky honey. It has a little honey bee and flower charm. My niece, Pammy, who is five, once asked me "Auntie B, why is there a bee on your necklace?" She's so damn cute.
Although there are several hundred different variations of amber cataloged in the world, Baltic amber is considered to be the most valuable. Baltic amber is sought after the most for medicinal use due to its high concentration of succinic acid. Our bodies naturally produce succinic acid in the Krebs Cycle (I'm not even going to pretend to completely understand how the Krebs Cycle works, or attempt to explain it - read about it here.) which is a part of our metabolism. However, the little bit of succinic acid that we produce is automatically used for daily function. Adding a little bit of extra succinic acid into our systems has been linked to many health benefits, such as pain relief. The FDA has approved succinic acid in foods as an additive or supplement, preservatives, cosmetics, you name it. However, second to producing succinic acid ourselves, absorbing it via amber is the most natural way to get additional succinic acid.
Like I mentioned before, Penny had a few unhappy episodes prior to wearing the necklace full time. Overall she is a happy and very easy going baby, so when she cries or fusses I know that there is something really bothering her. With the amber necklace, she has shown almost no signs of discomfort related to teething. Adam and I were sort of reserved about it, figured "hey, if it works it works!" But lately, now that Penny is in full teething mode - I am a 100% believer. There have been two times where at the end of the day, I look back and think "wow, she was really fussy today.." and realize that her amber necklace wasn't put on after bath time the night before. I really can't say that it's coincidence.
Although I have personally grown up with amber all around me, when I became a part of the Natural Parenting community I read about many parents using amber during a baby's teething phase to help ease the pain naturally. I began to wonder how does a stone help with that?
Well for starters, amber is petrified resin, not a stone. It warms to the touch fairly quickly and is comfortable to wear for babies, which might be a part of the reason why they don't mind wearing it so much. Amber has been used as a medicinal property for as long as history has been recorded. Peoples from around the world have used amber in various ways, all to cure ailments of the body.
I personally have grown up around amber because of my Polish heritage. Baltic amber is lauded to be the best in the world and the Poles use a lot of amber in their jewelry and art. My mother's house has several gorgeous vases which present Polish amber wrapped in curvaceous silver. Her jewelry chest also features amber of varying colors and designs, from the common knotted rope to large stones in broaches (yes, she has broaches) and rings.
Amber presents itself in different colors based on several factors, including what kind of resin it is made from, degree of oxidation, inclusions inside and how it has weathered over the few million years. Different shades of amber depict their healing power and therefore quality. If you're not looking to use amber medicinally, then you've got a broad range of amber colors to choose from - ranging from yellow to sage green, to even black. Most commonly it is light or dark brown in color, clear to fully opaque. It can have flecks of organic material (read: fossils!) inside.
 |
| Part of the amber color range - source |
Although there are several hundred different variations of amber cataloged in the world, Baltic amber is considered to be the most valuable. Baltic amber is sought after the most for medicinal use due to its high concentration of succinic acid. Our bodies naturally produce succinic acid in the Krebs Cycle (I'm not even going to pretend to completely understand how the Krebs Cycle works, or attempt to explain it - read about it here.) which is a part of our metabolism. However, the little bit of succinic acid that we produce is automatically used for daily function. Adding a little bit of extra succinic acid into our systems has been linked to many health benefits, such as pain relief. The FDA has approved succinic acid in foods as an additive or supplement, preservatives, cosmetics, you name it. However, second to producing succinic acid ourselves, absorbing it via amber is the most natural way to get additional succinic acid.
Like I mentioned before, Penny had a few unhappy episodes prior to wearing the necklace full time. Overall she is a happy and very easy going baby, so when she cries or fusses I know that there is something really bothering her. With the amber necklace, she has shown almost no signs of discomfort related to teething. Adam and I were sort of reserved about it, figured "hey, if it works it works!" But lately, now that Penny is in full teething mode - I am a 100% believer. There have been two times where at the end of the day, I look back and think "wow, she was really fussy today.." and realize that her amber necklace wasn't put on after bath time the night before. I really can't say that it's coincidence.
What do you think, does wearing amber really make teething better?
Does/did your baby wear amber?
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Pumpkin Patch
Today we took a trip out to our local pumpkin patch (the largest in our county, mind you!) with our dear friends, who have a 20 month old son.. who I may have secretly betrothed to our daughter.
We brought along a wagon for the kids to ride in, and set out to find our perfect pumpkins. The kids each got their own and we also got a "family" pumpkin (nice big ones). Penny's was a sugar pie pumpkin - which I plan to bake and have home made pumpkin puree for fall treats rather than the store-bought canned stuff - which incidentally is not real pumpkin, but squash. Home made pumpkin puree is so much tastier, not to mention healthier. After much searching, hemming and hawing over the perfect color or the best "face", we found our pumpkins, which weighed in over 40 lbs each!
It started out as a blustery day, where we weren't sure if this was such a good idea, to a fun little family outing and getting to spend time with friends.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Lucky #7 (months)
Dear Pennybaby -
This last month has brought on quite a few changes for you! Even with all of these amazing feats, I know you won't sit still for long! I anticipate that by next month you'll be completely mobile and getting into all sorts of trouble, and likely sporting some teethies!
- Moving: you can easily transition from sitting to going on all fours. Pulling yourself up into a seated position is still a work in progress. You do love to get help with 'walking' around the house, while someone holds your hands and you high step around with the biggest grin on your face. You can also pull yourself up into a standing position.
- Crawling: it's not true crawling just yet, but it is so very close. You know how to use your arms to pull and your legs to push, you've been really good at practicing baby yoga with your downward dogs and side planks (which I am super jealous of by the way - you can out side plank me any day!). It's just that cute-as-can-be tummy is still staying low to the ground. Nonetheless, when motivated, you can truly get yourself across a room in no time - on hardwood or carpet.
- Talking: still a lot of 'ba ba ba,' but in the tub last week you did manage a long 'ma ma ma' run - which made my heart swell with joy. It wasn't directed at me, but the fact that you can get that sound out is one step closer to calling for me. You've also started some baby babble, which is absolutely adorable.
- Eating: You take part in dinner with us most nights per week. This month avocado has been a favorite (you are definitely your mama and daddy's creation!) adding in some of my home made apple sauce, home made pretzels, steamed carrots, broccoli, bananas, sometimes toast-fingers. You've also gotten pretty good at using the sippy cup!
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| Broccoli, bananas and avocado are a staple |
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Roughly 182 days...or, 6 months.
Here we are - the six month mark. It never ceases to amaze me how much you've grown each month, and when I compare it to over the last half a year.. I'm just blown away at the amazing feat you've accomplished! Way to go, my precious one!
I try not to romanticize my life with you, but how can I not gush about how much fun you are? We're the best of buds, baby, and having you in my life is such a blessing!
We love you so much, keep learning and growing.. but you don't need me to tell you that! ;)
Love,
Mama and Daddy
Penny's accomplishments over the last month include..
The big one: Sitting up! She started sitting up around the begining of August, but only on soft surfaces (like the bed) and kinda did this hula-girl wobble. Now, she sits by herself for an indefinite period of time! Next step..using those abs to pull herself up into a sitting position, which is not too far away.
She has this little song she sings to herself, it goes "ahhh yah yah yah yah!" It started out when she was bored, but now it's sort of melted into "pay attention to me!"
I've mentioned this before, but she loves to (in fact, insists) touch whatever is in my hands, especially glasses. When she has the chance to pull the glass to her face, she tries to suck on it.
She's such a chatty little thing in the morning.
She now shakes rattles and pulls toys towards herself.
We discovered her first beauty mark! Until now she didn't have any birth marks (except for stork bites that still hang around on the back of her neck and head, which are fading) but now she sports a cute little dot on her side.
She "bops" things with her balled up fist - toys that twirl, rattles, her thighs, her eyes/ears when she's tired..mama's face in the morning..
She's excellent at putting her foot in her mouth, and will suck on her big toe when bored.
She has tasted a few fruits and veggies - peaches, pears, watermelon and a brocolli floret. As mentioned before, we are going the baby led weaning route so these were not purees, but chunks of food.
At her 6 month appointment, she weighs 15 lbs 10 oz and is 24 1/4 inches long.. She definitely lives up to her favorite song, a variation of the "I'm a little teapot," - she is short and stout! But I love her rolls so much!
She also says "ma" "mam" and "ba"!
And here is a little photo shoot.
Friday, August 3, 2012
5th month collage
Here is the monthly installment of my favorite cell phone pictures from July.
Her development this month has been astounding; so many new sounds,
positions and interest in the world!
5 months
Here we are, at the 20 week mark..you are 5 months old!
We've fallen into a very comfortable rhythm for our family. You are the best little buddy I could ask for. Most days are quiet and spent at home, but we've also done our fair share of travel as well. We've divided our time between the lake house and house sitting, and also spent a week in Canada at family camp. You have become quite the little traveller.. flying at 2 months, your first international trip at 4 months.. maybe a visit to Uncle Nick in Germany before the end of the year is in order?? ;)
It seems like we don't really stay in the same place for too long but you do well in new environments. I'm so proud of you! I promise that we'll be settled into our permanent home soon.
Love,
Mama and Daddy
Some new updates for you:
You totally flirt now! When you see someone smile or something that you like, you totally give it the biggest smile and then tuck yourself into my neck, and peek shyly back.. You'll do this 4-5 times with each new person. It's so adorable!
For about a week you were doing raspberries. I had started teaching you how to and encouraging it more, and you did it for about a week and now it's very sporadic..Perhaps a new trick is in order?
We've started playing peekaboo, you sort of get it but not quite yet.. Soon though!
Last month's update said you were almost proficient at rolling over both ways, now you're a total champ! In fact, if you think that I'm not watching, you'll roll around all over the place and end up in a completely different orientation.
Bath time is now very messy! You like to send waves around the sink (yes, you are still small enough for the sink.. but not for long!) and sometimes it feels like I'm in the splash zone at SeaWorld. We also have inaugurated a special bath time song for you, Raffi's Baby Beluga. I grew up absolutely loving that song and I am glad I get to share it with you :)
You love all babies, but you especially love your cousin Pamela. I think it's a girl thing ;)
Your favorite toy is the bounceroo, which is on loan from your cousin Frankie. You also love rattles and your Sophie the Giraffe teething ring.
Although I'm not sure what your length is, you are now roughly 14 lbs. Way to go for being over twice your birth weight!
Your current schedule is waking up between 7:15-8 (although I try my hardest to keep you asleep til 8!), nap time is every 2 - 2 1/2 hours from there. Bath time starts at 7:30 and you are out like a light by 9p.
You are by no means a quiet baby, you love to chat and squawk.
Chatting and squawking is cute and all, but if you are not in mama's arms for too long, you begin to yell. I'll spare you all the video! You have definitely learned the art of projection.. Perhaps one day you'll take some opera lessons from your Auntie Annie?
You reach for anything that is in my hands. You absolutely love touching cold glasses, especially when they have condensation from a cool beverage inside.
Current nicknames: Penny (duh), Pennybaby, PenPen, Lil' P, Baby, and my personal new favorite.. Little Sugar.
Next month, you'll be 6 months old.. I can't believe it!
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