Archives for posts with tag: outside

Babies, Amiright?

June 26, 2015 //
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I have still been cooking. I have even been coming up with a few new recipes. I even revamped previous recipes to make it seem different and new. I have gotten zero posts up lately! I have an almost 9 month old (two more days!) Who just popped his first tooth through. Simultaneously he began a very intense case of separation anxiety from me and me alone. My time to get things done has decreased. I get more sleep. But my days are filled chasing around two little boys, both of whom are often literally clinging to my body. Ha!

As a mom you cannot do it all. Something has to give. Taking time to photograph and write down every night’s dinner has been that thing. I am usually trying to feed two children and myself at the same time. I am trying to keep dinner as tear free as humanly possible. Being a momma to two very attached momma’s boys is a delicate balancing act! I actually have a couple photographed and recorded recipes that I just never got around to posting. But my kitchen is vacuumed. A TON of laundry is folded and put away! My sink isn’t over flowing with dishes. There is room to add more. Kids have been exploring outside. Kids have been taken to their various activities. Kids have gone on a day trip out of state. Forts have been built. I have been getting in my runs and Pilates. Breakfast, lunch, and dinners have been prepared for all every day. Sitting down to blog, eh, not so much. Babies, amiright?

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Every season is different. There will come a time where Alexander will sit around without demanding my undivided attention every moment of the day. His big brother has those moments. He will get there too. This first year of infancy is all about survival. Things tend to even out after they turn 1. Or so I have learned in my parenting experience. I should end this small update and try to get one of those backlogged recipes up. Then I should go and throw some of those dishes in the dishwasher to make room for the future ones that are just itching to make their way into my never ending pile!

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Categories Uncategorized

Warm Salady Weather

March 14, 2015 //
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No new recipe last night! It was make your own meal out of leftovers night. Those are fun too. Spring has been in the air. It was so gorgeous outside yesterday. The warmest it has been lately. All week has been warm but yesterday took the cake.

We have been getting outside every day. Even if it is for a short while.

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As I was sitting on that blanket with the baby last night I wanted a salad. I wanted something fresh, cold, crisp, and light for dinner. Spring and summer scream salads. For me at least. I still had my leftover Lemon Thyme Chicken. I even saved the zoodles/yoodles. I threw together some spinach, arugula, and carrots in a bowl. I cut up the cold chicken, threw that in there. Then I poured the reserved sauce and veggies over the salad. It was delish! Two healthy meals just from one night of cooking.

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To keep at it with this beautiful weather I am going for a run this morning outside. With a new pair of running shoes. Life is better in pretty weather. At least it is when you have recently had a baby and have been cooped up in sub zero temps! I am so excited about the spring and summer I can barely contain myself. I love to be outside. I love to GO places with my boys. I love to have adventures. This weather makes it so much easier. Alexander is getting older. Jackson is practically self sufficient. I expect a lot of adventure is headed our way.

Do you love easy leftover meals? 

Do you love to have adventures in gorgeous weather? What are some of your favorite spring/summertime things to do outside?

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Categories Jack, Recipes, Running

The joy of fireworks

July 5, 2012 //
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Yesterday we spent the day celebrating the 4th of July. As did most of America. I couldn’t help but think back to where we were a year before. Jack was just 5 months old. He was starting to get fun. I am pretty honest about the fact that I didn’t LOVE the newborn phase. I found it really exhausting and I just didn’t love it. I won’t lie. It is a big reason why I don’t want to have another baby. He wasn’t quite out of that phase a year ago but he was getting there. I thought last year’s 4th was pretty fun. Sort of. I was tired from being up all night with my boy though.

When I think about yesterday it blows and I mean BLOWS the previous year out of the water. As a matter of fact it blows every single 4th of July of my entire 27 years out of the water. I had the best time. Jack was filled with such joy. Especially watching the fireworks. He had never really seen them before.

cooling off the American way!!! mmmm

Momma and ice cream, two of my favorite things

We started out the day heading down the street to our big park that was having a little festival. We played some games and Jack and Jason ate some food. It was a little too hot though. There were duck games in baby pools and my son kept wanting to crawl into the baby pool. So we headed home to our little water park set up in the back yard.

get dada!!!!

He LOVED playing with the hose

He loved loved loved playing in our yard. It made his day. He had such a blast. It was so hot out though. 100 degrees felt like 105! The ice cold water from the hose actually felt good, that is how hot it was!

He took a nice long nap once we were done outside. My family came over. My parents, one of my brothers and my sister in law. The 4 youngens went on our boat while my mom and dad hung out inside in the cool air conditioning. We did a lot of wakeboarding and swimming in the lake. My brother and I were even working on some tricks on the wakeboard. Trying some jumps! My goal by the end of summer is to be able to get some decent air and land without a wipe out. I have been able to do smaller jumps/hops without falling but bigger air is great until I hit the water again! HA!

After we were wiped out and exhausted from all our activity we headed back to land to eat. Then we were all so tired we lounged around for a while. We were able to catch the fireworks. From our boat! We casually meandered out onto the lake, with Jack. It was dark so we drove nice and slow. Most of the boats on our lake were out there to watch the show. We weren’t going to do this at first. We thought Jack might be too tired etc. But last minute we decided to just give it a shot. I am so thankful we did! Thank goodness for spontaneity! HE LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT!!!!!!!! He loved the fireworks. He was cheering, ooooing, ahhhhing, and making this happy growl sound that only he can make. We got it on “video.” I write it that way because it was too dark to see us but you could hear all of his reactions.  The joy he had for the fireworks was so wonderful. It made my heart swell with joy. THIS is why it was the best 4th ever. I just couldn’t get over how much he loved it. He sat so well on my lap on the boat. In his life jacket. Even with the heat. He was just so taken by the boat, the water, and the fireworks. We even had to sit there for a while before the show began. He was an angel.

enjoying the show

It is incredible to see things through your child’s eyes. I never thought experiencing something through someone’s perspective could make YOU so happy. But it is possible with your child. I have been learning that since he turned 1. He grows daily in so many ways. The way he looks at the world and the things that bring him joy are just so innocent and pure. I love being able to see all of that. Sure his tantrums grow weekly. He had a few mini meltdowns throughout the day. The heat is hard on everyone. But that was all erased by the moment above. All I will remember about this 4th of July, 2012, is this night on the boat. The happiness at each exploding firework. His reactions and cheering and laughter. The way he would grab on to my hand or leg and squeeze very hard each time he got excited. I didn’t get to see his face much but I got to feel that. The way he went rigid with excitement and then would squeal so loud! It made my heart so happy. I look forward to what joy we can find in today when he wakes up!

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Categories family, Jack, love, Momommahood, motherhood, parenthood, parenting, playtime, preschool activities, toddler, Toddler activities, toddlerhood, weather

Beach in March? You betcha!

March 7, 2012 //
1

First thing is first. I love having a 13 month old during warmer weather! Love it. Last year at this time Jack was barely a month old, not doing much, and it was still pretty awful outside. Everyone was exhausted and overall, it wasn’t fun like it is now. Let’s face it, having a newborn in winter weather isn’t exactly fun. You are pretty much stuck inside.

Yesterday we went outside 3 different times. We went to the store, I made Jack walk holding my hands, through the parking lot. When we got home we played in our back yard.

He loved walking around outside

making his way through the grass

I truly believe you haven't had a full childhood until you have pressed your face to a screen. He did this all on his own 🙂 Clearly my child

We had a blast. It was still morning time. We had a long and warmer day ahead of us. Nap time came after this trip outside. I have to say I found nap time particularly boring yesterday. I just kept hoping he would wake up soon so we could head to the park. It just looked too pretty outside to be stuck inside!

After he rested he agreed, a trip to the park was definitely needed.

This boy loves nothing more in life than being on a swing

Yay for Spring!

We had a blast. He played with some of his toys. Another boy came up and snatched one of his toys without asking. His face was priceless. He definitely does not like it when people act unfairly. He was not happy. He did something similar at the Children’s Museum last weekend when a 5 or 6 year old started shouting at him and messing with him and what he was playing with. He smacked the kid’s hand and stared him down. Yesterday he just gave the kid a dirty look because that kid’s mom intervened. I don’t want him hitting, however, at the Museum this kid that messed with him was in the wrong and Jack was only standing up for himself. We were in a baby/toddler area and this kid did not belong there. His mom actually picked him up and PUT him in the baby/toddler area! She was in the wrong and so I let my child handle himself. I was proud. We were right there if we needed to step in. I definitely want him to know that it is ok to stand up for yourself if someone is treating you wrong. Once he has more of a vocabulary we will work on using his words. For now the only way he could express those feelings was to swat the kids hand away from him.

On to the afternoon. We came home and had some down time and a snack. We watched some Toy Story 2 together. I had apples and peanut butter. Jack had his favorite movie snack, cheerios! We both started to get antsy before the movie was even over so back outside is where we went. We even walked down to the beach behind our house. I made him walk all the way there, holding my hands. He was interested in walking very close to the water. He loves swimming, but I explained to him that it was still way too cold for that. I know this summer we will be in this lake a lot. He was already itching to check it out. My little fishy!

He was interested in what was on his hand. He likes sand more than grass though

We spent a nice amount of time just playing in the grass. He was filling his buckets with toys, dumping them out, and filling them back up. Wait until he realizes you can do this with sand and dirt! I will admit, I was anxious over how dirty he was getting. Crawling on the ground and his new shoes were filthy (as you can see above) but I let it go. I have to get used to that, he is a little boy after all. I remember how filthy I got playing outside as a child and I am a girl! Granted I have two brothers, so my playmates were boys. I still have to get past my current “no don’t touch that” instinct. I think I did well yesterday. I didn’t stop him from doing anything that wasn’t dangerous! Phewf, I survived! He had a blast. And it felt good to get out of the stuffy indoor scene.

Today is supposed to be even warmer. We have swim in a little while. But I expect we will spend a good amount of time outside again. Maybe we will go to the other park that is a little farther of walk but smaller and more geared towards the littler ones.

Happy Spring!

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Categories Healthy Living, Jack, Momommahood, motherhood, parenthood, parenting, toddler, toddlerhood, weather