M-A-N-G-O.

Fawn loves the song Bingo and sings it constantly -- too cute, especially because he does it correctly!  I am constantly trying to expand our rotation of fruits and veggies.  My latest love is the mango -- the mangos at Whole Foods have been especially delicious as of late.  And, it's a great finger food for kiddies.  I cut it into french-fry sized slices and Fawn eats it up.  Only problem is that he calls it "Bingo" -- I guess there's only room for one "--ngo" word in a two-year old vocabulary.  More Bingo coming up.

Black Bean and Corn Wraps.

Buck has this thing about food temperature with respect to outside temperature.  When it's cold outside, making a menu for the family is easy because anything is fair game.  When the weather turns warmer though, Buck prefers cold food over hot food.  It's an interesting theory, and while I could eat soup any day of the year, I attempt to include cold food as much as possible into our menu as the weather warms to please sweet Buck.  So, here's a super-easy cold meal that is actually very healthy.


Combine:

3 scallions, sliced
1/4 of a red pepper, chopped
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
cilantro (either 1/4 C fresh chopped or 1 T of the refrigerated cilantro paste)
2 T olive or canola oil
2 T red wine vinegar
1/2 t garlic salt
1/4 t ground black pepper

Serve in tortillas with sour cream and shredded cheese.  (You can also add some shredded chicken if you prefer some meat.)

Enjoy!

You are not a cowboy.

I started singing Old McDonald to Fawn today.  It's one of his very favorite songs as he's into all things "farm".  He usually joins in and loves the responsibility of picking which animal sound we make next.  He also loves to stick with one animal for multiple verses ("cow again" "cow again" "cow again").  Today, instead of the usual joy, my singing was greeted with "no sing mommy, you are not a cowboy."  Okay.  Apparently only cowboys are allowed to sing Old McDonald.  Good to know.

Belle's Shrimp and Grits

After mentioning shrimp and grits in yesterday's post, I thought I might as well share the recipe.  It's super quick and easy -- one that I can start after putting Fawn to sleep and still get on the table by eight.  I used to make shrimp and grits out of the Food For Thought cookbook (the Boursin Shrimp and Grits).  It's a great cookbook, and the Boursin Shrimp and Grits are fabulous.  But, over the years, I've made some tweaks to fit our tastes and everyday budget.

For Two.

Cook the grits first -- use your favorite kind (if I've got the time, I use slow cooking like McEwen & Sons but last night I just went with good ole' five-minute grits).  I always make enough grits for four servings -- this way I've got some leftover grits for breakfast or to add as a side another night for dinner.  In terms of the liquid you cook your grits in, they will be MUCH creamier if you add some milk, half and half, or cream.  I try to do 2/3 water to 1/3 dairy (last night I used half and half because I had some that's about to expire).  Beware: with the dairy the liquid becomes very foamy and likely to boil over creating a mess!  After grits have cooked, leave burner on low and add half of a carton of garlic herb or chive and onion cream cheese.  Stir to melt.  The cream cheese is a significantly cheaper alternative to Boursin cheese and the taste is very similar.

For the shrimp -- saute 3/4 pound peeled shrimp in 1 T of olive oil, 1 T of white wine, 1/2 t thyme, salt and pepper to taste.  Serve the grits topped with shrimp, then prepare sauce in pan you used to saute shrimp.  Add some white wine (maybe 1/2 C) and deglaze pan/let about half of wine evaporate.  Remove from heat and whisk in about 2 T butter until sauce is thick.  Then pour on shrimp and grits.  Hope you enjoy!

Marvelous Monday.

Yesterday was one of the best days I've had in a long time -- most days are pretty great, but yesterday was one of those exceptional ones.  You know the kind where at the end of the day you realize just how much you have to be thankful for.

For starters, the weather was perfect -- virtually spring-like in February!  And, everyone in our house is on the road to complete recovery from our winter plague, so that always helps. 

Fawn and I started the day with some good, old-fashioned fun Thomas the Train style.  Thomas is one of his current obsessions, so we played trains for most of the morning. 

For breakfast we had "cereal bar" -- where I set out all of the cereal boxes and let Fawn mix and match for his perfect concoction in his cereal bowl.  He thinks being in control of breakfast is fantastic.  For me, it's a trip down memory lane, because this is what I did for breakfast every morning when I lived in the sorority house in college (a little Cheerios, Rice Krispies and Cracklin Oat Bran are the perfect mix). 

Then it was time for me to pack us a picnic lunch for our daytime fun -- Fawn wanted to be in the kitchen with me so I got out his "kitchen band" -- pots, pans, and metal spoons for lots of fun and loud noises. 

Soon we were off to the zoo to meet three other mommy/toddler duos.  The kiddos had so much fun chasing each other around the zoo, and I cherished the mommy talk time (which there is never enough of!).  We all packed picnic lunches and ate them together after our trip through the zoo.  I'd almost forgotten how much Fawn loves a picnic after the past few months of dreary winter. 

Nap time was next -- and after three hours of non-stop activity and fun at the zoo, Fawn happily surrendered to the confines of his crib.  I used the time to do some lawyer work (two letters and some work on a motion for summary judgment) and was feeling quite accomplished when Fawn woke up raring to go. 

I asked Fawn the open-ended question of what he wanted to do, and he responded that he wanted to go back to the zoo.  Why not, I thought?  We'd had a blast in the morning, the weather was even better, and we only live about 10 minutes away.  So back we went.  We hadn't made it through the whole zoo in the morning, and Fawn was quick to request views of animals he hadn't seen.  On trip two we completed the zoo loop, and topped off the afternoon with a ride on the carousel.

Then it was dinner for Fawn, and he requested (GASP) second helpings of squash.  Could this day get better?  Fawn ate an orange creamsicle on the front porch as we waited for Buck to arrive home from work. 

After bath, books, and bed, I could relinquish the mommy duties for the day and focus on wife duties.  I cooked shrimp and grits for Buck and me, and though the cooking resulted in a couple mishaps (the grits boiled over not once but TWICE -- seriously???), sharing a meal with him (while watching The Bachelor of course) was a perfect end to a perfect day!  Here's hoping for a repeat sometime soon.

Say Cheese.

Despite my best attempts to get some cute pictures of Fawn for the blog, he has just not been cooperating.  Now when he sees me get my camera out, his usual response is "no picture Mommy" or "no camera Mommy".  And, when I attempt to capture his cuteness his usual reaction is either to hide his face or attack the camera.  For example...

Attacking the camera with a front-end loader.

And the classic hand over the eyes.

I'll keep trying -- hopefully there will be better pictures to come (like maybe when he turns three?).

Did I Read That Correctly?

Last weekend I was reading the March 2011 issue of Woman's Day magazine.  Not my favorite magazine, but I do like the recipes and the kid information.  I ordered a subscription a few years ago for $4 for the year and have gotten the magazine every month since without ever renewing...odd, but I'm not complaining.  On page 6 I saw something I don't believe I have ever seen in a mainstream publication.  With no disclaimer or explanation whatsoever, the following quote appeared:

"Again Jesus said, 'Simon son of John, do you

love me?' He answered, 'Yes, Lord, you know that

I love you.' Jesus said, 'Take care of my sheep.'"

John 21:16

What a wonderful way for the Gospel to reach people!  The issue was all about caretaking (including recipes that are easy to deliver/reheat), so the verse certainly correlates to the theme.  But, nonetheless I was pleasantly surprised to see the inclusion of God's Word.  I might just have to renew that subscription after all.

The New Artichoke Dip.

I love artichoke dip as much as the next gal -- I can basically eat my body weight in it.  But, I have to say I overdo it a little (like when you play a song so much you don't enjoy it anymore).  I scoured my cookbooks looking for a new favorite dip recipe.  This hot onion dip is from a family cookbook created by Buck's aunt and it doesn't disappoint.


6 to 8 ounces of frozen chopped onions (I use half a bag)

12 ounces of cream cheese, softened (that's 1 1/2 blocks)
1 cup of grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Corn chips

Thaw the onions -- while the onions thaw let the cream cheese sit out to soften (the softer the easier!).

Then dump the onions out onto paper towels and roll them to squeeze out excess moisture.

Stir together onions, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and mayo (I highly recommend reusing the same bowl the onions just came out of -- efficiency people!).

 Put in a baking dish and bake in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

This is pre-baking...there's no post-baking photo (oops!) -- this dip is SO GOOD it was eaten before I got my camera out again.  Serve with corn chips!

For optimal deliciousness, you also need a really cute sous chef (aka Fawn).

Happy Valentine's Day!

Despite our rough week, Fawn loved Valentine's Day this year -- especially the candy!

Gummy lollypop = Fawn's version of heaven

Pardon the Interruption.

I know I said I would blog about the joy in life -- all of my recent blogging about our plague certainly doesn't count.  I've taken almost a week off from the blog -- I will blame it on the ear infection calling my body home (I won't dwell on it, suffice it to say ear infections are pretty terrible!).  But, I'm back after the brief interruption.  So enough with the sickness and bring on the fun. 

Mothering Lite.

Sometimes I think that my version of mothering is the "lite" version.  Why?  Because I have so much wonderful help from our family.  My parents, in-laws, and our brothers and sister are always willing to pitch in (not to mention the fact that my grandparents are also around to help).  It is such a blessing!  But, sometimes makes me feel guilty -- or like I'm cheating at this mom thing.

Last week I posted that we'd been sick at our house -- the reprieve from sickness was a false alarm (ugh!) and all three of us got round two mid-week last week.  Buck had a fever of 104 -- and he never gets sick, which tells you how yucky this "plague" is!  So, now that we are in week three of awful winter crud.

My mother-in-law was supposed to keep Fawn Saturday night anyway (so Buck and I could celebrate his 30th birthday), and she graciously agreed to a longer stay at her house.  Buck's sister arrived bright and early Saturday morning and took Fawn to the Zoo -- then he spent the rest of the day at my mother-in-law's house.  It was such a relief to be able to sleep the sickness off while knowing that Fawn was not only in loving hands, but was also having way more fun than he would have had with us.  My mom made yummy chicken noodle soup for Buck and me, and just the smell made me feel better (seriously -- it's better than medicine). 

For those of you out there going it alone, I commend you!  As for me, I will continue to lean heavily on my support system -- and realize how blessed I am to have family so close.  It really does take a village.  Thanks to my fantastic village -- you know who you are!

Caps for good.

Get knitting!  Save the Children is once again collecting handknit or crocheted hats for low birthweight babies in developing countries in Africa, South America and Asia.  Information on the program can be found at http://multimedia.savethechildren.org/video/caps2010PDFs/Caps%20for%20Good%20Action%20Kit%2010.25.10.pdf
There is even a pattern if you don't have a go-to hat pattern.  Deadline for hats this year is February 28, so get those knitting needles clicking!  I've finished my third hat, and am working on number four.  Hope to get a couple more complete by the end of the month.

Happy Birthday Buck!

Today my darling Buck turns the big 3-0!  How does it feel honey to enter your thirties?  Hope it feels great, since I'll be joining you in T-minus two and a half months.

Buck and I started dating when we were 19 -- so I got to experience his entrance into his twenties and now his thirties.  The twenties were a great decade to share with Buck.  We got engaged, graduated from college, attended law school, bought our first house, started real jobs, and welcomed Fawn into the world.  Whew!  It's been an action-packed decade.

Can't wait to see what the next decade brings!  Hope it's your best year yet.  I love you!

Blog about it...

So every time I make a suggestion to Belle, her quick response is "go blog about it."  Right, like I'm gonna run to the computer and ask the world to help me convince Belle of my infinite wisdom.  Part of her point is the lack of posts from ole Buck.  Don't get me wrong, I've got a lot to say, but where do I even start?

Today I turned 30 and Belle gave me 30 presents with Fawn responsible for opening them all...a great start to my day and will be something I always remember.  I'm a lucky man and so I will start "blogging about it."  More from Buck later, it's too nice a day to sit inside.

Turn off the dark.

Poor Fawn was sick last week.  Just your typical winter crud, but it's no fun.  He was feeling so lousy that he had trouble sleeping, which is very unusual as Fawn loves his sleep (he's even been known to throw up in his crib, not make a sound, and go right back to sleep -- disgusting!).  Last week the sleep didn't come easy, though, and I spent many a dark hours holding my little one.  Fawn is so used to sleeping all night that he didn't quite understand why it wasn't morning.  He repeatedly asked me to "turn off the dark."  I wish I could have sweetheart -- and I wish I could have turned off the fever, the sniffles, and the coughs too.

I caught the crud too -- and let me tell you, it was yucky.  One of the very few things I miss about life pre-Fawn is the freedom of being able to lay around when I am sick.  It's hard to be a caregiver -- let alone be up all night giving care -- when you really just want to be left alone (or better yet, have someone care for you).  I think it's one of the hardest parts of motherhood.  It's pretty similar to morning sickness in that you can't do anything to change your situation.  When you're pregnant, nothing makes you feel better (trust me, I tried it all) -- you just have to get through it.  And, when you're sick with a child, it's the same thing.  Grin and bear it -- and know that you will bounce back eventually (though definitely not as quickly as you did when you could lay in bed, drink plenty of liquids, and watch TLC all day).

I've only been sick since we've had Fawn a couple times, but each time it's rough.  It makes me so thankful for Buck's help and support -- and so thankful we've got family in town to be there in a pinch (huge kuddos to my fabulous mother-in-law for accompanying us to the doctor this week and cleaning up the vomit that Fawn deposited all over me in the waiting room and again in Walgreens).  I seriously don't know how single moms and people without family around do it!

Fawn at the Farm.

Buck was hunting (of course) the last weekend of January.  Deer season closed on the 31st, so he had to get his fix until November.  The weather was gorgeous though (74 degrees in January -- unbelievable) so I drove Fawn to the farm for the day.  It turned out to be one of Fawn's most favorite days ever, due in large part to the fact that his precious Doc (his paternal grandfather) pulled out all the stops -- letting Fawn help drive the front-end loader and the bulldozer.  For a two-year old boy, this is truly nothing short of heaven.

Once we pried Fawn away from the heavy machinery (better hide those keys Doc), it was time for some old-fashioned farm fun with Buck.

Off to check out the hog traps.

And a wave to Belle from the fourwheeler as they were off for one last ride before we hit the road for home.

Awesome way to spend the weekend -- perfect weather, beautiful setting, and (most importantly) priceless grin on Buck's face as he enjoyed a day at the farm with his little man!

Ride on fun.

Did I mention that Fawn loved tractors?  He's turned one of his favorites into a new ride-on toy.  He calls it his "hayride". 

Fawn's been on two hayrides this year -- one at the pumpkin patch and one at a friend's Christmas party.  He thinks they're fabulous.  Now he's got his own hayride that he can ride whenever he wants (for as long as it lasts).

I give it a week before this one-pound plastic toy crumples under him.  He's not that big, but seriously?

Lookup316.

At church this morning, Buck and I had the privilege of hearing from a representative of Fixed Point Foundation who discussed the project Lookup316.  The organization (along with the help of many others) produced a great commercial for this year's Super Bowl that ends by urging viewers to go to the website www.lookup316.com and see what John 3:16 is and what it means.  The goal -- to spread the gospel during the most important sporting event of the year.  Fox Sports rejected the commercial, but it is still playing in Alabama and in the DC area during the Super Bowl.  Or, you can watch it online -- check it out!

Fun Reads for the Little Trucker.

There are approximately one million kiddie books in our local library (I'm a terrible estimator --  just ask my dad who makes his living being excellent at the exact same thing -- didn't quite get that gene).  Anyway, there are a lot.  And, if you have a little girl there are tons of fabulous girlie books (Olivia, Madeline, anyone?).  Boy books just aren't quite up to snuff, which is bad for Fawn because he absolutely loves to read.  Most days we read about 30 books -- 10 before nap, 10 before bed and the rest sprinkled throughout the day.  We totally dominate (as Buck would say) the summer reading challenge at the library.

In my next life, I'm going to write children's books -- boy books to be specific (and my mom is going to illustrate them for me).  But for now, I'll just try to share some goodies that we've discovered.  This week's theme -- truck books.  Fawn loves him some trucks!

Little Blue Truck by Alice Shertle

Truck Driver Tom by Monica Wellington

Trucks Go by Steve Light 

Note that two of the above are written by women -- maybe this ballet dancer could write boy books after all.

Cheesy Sweet Potato Fries.

Fawn is a pretty good eater, but can be quite challenging.  Right now our enemy is veggies -- he will eat all the fruit you offer, but getting a veggie down him is difficult.  I love getting food ideas from my mommy friends -- they are always helpful and encourage me to try something new with the boys in my house.  So, I'm passing my ideas and small successes along as well. 

Fawn used to love sweet potatoes when they came out of my food processor in the pureed form.  After we transitioned to true solids, though, he hasn't been a huge fan.  The below recipe (which I derived from a recipe I found for sweet potato skins) was a success:

three small sweet potatoes cut into french fry shape
cooking spray
paprika
sea salt
grated Parmesan cheese (the stuff out of the can -- don't judge, kids LOVE)

Preheat oven to 425 or 450.  Lightly coat sweet potatoes with cooking spray so they don't stick to cookie sheet, sprinkly with sea salt,  and roast for 20 minutes or so -- until cooked through but not too brown.  Remove from oven, turn oven down to 400.  Flip/stir sweet potatoes and push as close together as possible on your cookie sheet (so there are as few gaps as possible).  Sprinkly lightly with paprika and Parmesan cheese and pop back into oven for 5 minutes -- until cheese is melted.  Enjoy!