Home Sweet Home

31 days.

2012-01-27T09:31:00.000-06:00

Our little Audra is one month old.

What? How? When?

And have we really not slept in a month?

(No, no we have not.)

This month has flown by. In some ways. And in other ways...well, it seems like she's been with us forever.

In a mere 31 days, I've gone from having never met her to an inability to imagine life without her. Without her sweet smell, which I breathe in during those late night snuggles. Her soft dark hair, which curls like crazy after a bath. Her wide, dark eyes, which stare intently at me through every feeding. Her tiny hands, which constantly search for a part of me to grasp.

My sweet baby girl. I couldn't love her more.

Sleep, eat, repeat.

2012-01-25T10:46:00.004-06:00

I'd love to write something interesting and/or entertaining, but we aren't doing anything but sitting around the house looking at each other right now.

Good thing the view is pretty cute.

Dusting.

2012-01-21T08:30:00.000-06:00

Santa brought Calvin a sled for Christmas. He undoubtedly assumed that Minnesota would provide the snow.

Because, you know. It's Minnesota. In the dead of winter. We haven't had a brown Christmas in years.

Nope.

Super brown. The brownest, really. Way to go, Minnesota winter.

Luckily the state (kind of) redeemed itself by providing .0001 inches of snow about a week and a half later.

Not nearly enough for an experienced sledder, of course, but even a dusting of snow is still snow to a two-year-old. So off they went with the sled: Dad, G-Pop, and my tiny bundled man.

Turns out, .0001 inches is plenty.

People we love...

2012-01-20T14:48:00.006-06:00

...who love our kids!

So thankful for the friends and family (many not pictured) who've helped fill our home, stomachs, and daughter's closet these last few weeks! We love you!

Gifted.

2012-01-19T12:23:00.000-06:00

Is there anything better than the look of wonder filling your child's face on Christmas morning?

I think not.

Except maybe finding out your husband unexpectedly has the day off, and your last Christmas as a family of three can actually take place on Christmas day.

Truly the greatest gift I could have received this year.

Although the joy on Calvin's face all day long...

Well, that was pretty wonderful, too.

Reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas with Dad.

And the Bible story of Jesus' birth with Mom.

Christmas morning at home.

Christmas day at Grandma and Grandpa's.

Playing catch up.

2012-01-10T15:30:00.001-06:00

I have so much catching up to do. Christmas, our families meeting Audra, a bunch of random cute pictures of my kids...but, yeah. I'm tired. So instead I'm going to ramble at you for a bit. Sound good?

Thanks.

1. C-sections are weird. Last time I showed up to the hospital prepared for a day's worth of labor pain and vaginal trauma and heaven only knows what else. This time I showed up, put on a gown, got an IV, had a shot in my back, and let a doctor take a baby out of me. It took less than two hours. WEIRD. Although, if I'm being really honest, I kind of preferred it. Pushing a baby out is hard work and I'm lazy.

Well — not so lazy that I'd elect to have a c-section for no reason, but it certainly wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

2. Remember my baby naming diatribe? And my whole "it must be easy to say and spell" thing? Well, that one's come back to bite me in the rear. I had NO IDEA people wouldn't know how to pronounce Audra. I'm not really sure how else you would pronounce it (Really, I don't know. Please enlighten me if you can think of an alternate pronunciation), but I kid you not - I've had like 15 people ask me how to say it. And a handful more ask how to spell it. And a random rude guy on Facebook tell a friend of mine who posted a congratulatory message on her wall that I am only thinking of myself in giving my daughter a "unique" name like that.

I replied that I would be happy to name the next one Mike after him, and he liked my comment. At least he has a sense of humor. I guess.

3. Just to be clear, there won't be a next one. This factory is closed for business.

I think.

Pretty sure.

Almost positive.

4. I order diapers through the Subscribe and Save program from Amazon Mom because of the 20% discount. Since Calvin was a massive beast and never fit into newborn diapers, I just went ahead and set up a recurring order of size 1s. Of which I've received two boxes of 270 diapers. Of which I've used none because Audra is a peanut. So far we've used up all the newborn diapers from the hospital, as well as the two new boxes I sent Nate out to purchase. This smallness is so new to me. As is the amount of poop this child generates.

5. Other things that are new to me this time around: not cleaning a penis during diaper changes. Pink clothing. Newborn-sized pink clothing. Nursing 24 hours a day because my child has an insatiable appetite. A two-week-old who sleeps 9p-7a and only gets up 2x to eat in between (I fear this is too good to be true, but we've had like five days in a row of this schedule and I am loving it). Washing a tiny head of dark hair. Feeling totally relaxed about having a new baby.

6. Seriously, baby number two is way easier than baby number one. Not only because Calvin came out shrieking and demanding things and Audra is content to sit and snuggle (or eat) for hours, but because I am just way more comfortable in my role as a mom. Even though having two kids is a lot more work, the work is not quite as stressful. I'm glad. I was kind of worried.

7. In the interest of full disclosure, it probably helps that Calvin is going to school full-time and Nate's been off work for the last two weeks. I may be singing a different tune come next weekend when Nate's working and I'm home alone with a rowdy two-year-old and a needy three-week-old.

And now, since you've been so good about about letting me ramble, I will reward you with a few pictures of my sweet-as-pie daughter. She's really cute. Or as Cal would say "She's super cute and super tiny!"

Big brother.

2012-01-04T16:37:00.007-06:00

Calvin loves Audra.

Like, a lot.

Like, a lot a lot.

We're just hoping he doesn't smother and/or drop her in his attempts to show her just how much he loves her.

Or maybe we'd better just hope she survives when he inevitably does.

Bundle of joy.

2011-12-31T18:05:00.019-06:00

We're so thankful to have this sweet baby girl in our arms. She's an absolute joy.

Audra Louise Breyer
December 27, 2011
11:33am
8lbs 8oz
20.5 inches

A star is born.

2011-12-22T14:59:00.006-06:00

Not so much. Thankfully. Although that sure would have made for a memorable night.

And yes, I know. I've never looked lovelier. Thank heavens for one-size-fits-all stretchy white polyester.

And Calvin? Well, he was the sweetest pageant star of them all.

Even though he refused to pose for a single picture with me.

At least we were able to capture the true spirit of the event: A bunch of tired working moms in garland crowns trying to wrangle a bunch of ornery candle-wielding preschoolers while singing Twinkle Twinkle Christmas Star.

Dying to know how that one goes? Well, let me fill you in.

Twinkle twinkle Christmas star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the manger so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Guiding wise men on their way
To where baby Jesus lay

We all did pretty well, until we got to "guiding wise men..." At that point it kind of fell apart. Luckily, Calvin and I did some serious practicing beforehand and were able to carry it for the rest of the bunch.

Based on our stellar performance, as well as the number of moms I saw dressed up as angels (the next class up), I fear this won't be our last mother/son pageant appearance.

At least next year the robe might fit a little better.

The last time.

2011-12-21T08:00:00.003-06:00

I'm having a baby in six days.

If not sooner.

Wow.

It's hard for me to believe this pregnancy, which I'm positive will be my last, is about to come to an end. It makes me sad. I will miss feeling those kicks and squirms, watching my baby roll across my stomach, and the convenience of a built-in shelving unit on which to perch my evening snack. (And an excuse for having an evening snack. Every single evening.)

I will not miss my inability to breathe, walk normally, get into bed, roll over in bed, get out of bed, get into a chair, get out of a chair, sit longer than 20 minutes, stand longer than 20 minutes, or laugh without peeing. Not to mention the host of other physical side effects that shall remain undisclosed for both your sake and mine.

My mind has been racing these last few weeks. I'm trying to savor every second of this pregnancy while preparing myself for what's to come. But it's almost impossible to recall those sleepy newborn days with Calvin, who can construct a train track with ease and describe the plot of Up in painstaking detail. Even the part where "Mr. Fredrickson is sad because his Ellie gets died. She had to go to her house." Sweet boy.

He's so big. And as I fold and put away tiny pink onesies in nervous anticipation of our daughter's arrival, I wonder — was he ever this little?

He was, I know. A mere two and a half years ago I folded and put away tiny blue onesies in nervous anticipation of Calvin's arrival. But those early days with him are such a blur. Night after sleepless night. The nursing, the pumping, the bottles and blankets and burp cloths and blowouts. Was that really him? And us? And do I even remember how to do any of this?

I'm hoping it will come back to me without much effort. And that maybe this time, the last time, it won't go by so quickly.

Fancy.

2011-12-09T09:56:00.004-06:00

This morning as I was getting Calvin ready for school, he touched the hem of my dress and said, "what's this?"

"That's Mommy's dress."

"Oh. Mom, you looked so pretty in that picture when you married Daddy at the church."

"Thanks, sweetheart."

"You look pretty now, too. You look fancy!"

It pays to get out of jeans once in a while.

Design on a dime.

2011-12-07T12:58:00.001-06:00

Hand-me-downs are all second children know. Furniture, clothes, toys, books, gear...you name it. Like most parents, if it isn't broken and the puke stains are minimal, we're reusing it.

Sorry, kiddo. I did buy you new white onesies, pacifiers, and bottles, if that helps.

While I was of the EVERYTHING MUST BE BRAND NEW mindset when it came to Calvin's nursery, I've taken a significantly different approach to Baby Girl's. And I have to say, it saved us a truckload of money and still turned out pretty darned cute.

In fact, we did this room so inexpensively that I feel compelled to walk you through it.

Furniture: $94
We're reusing the crib, side table, and chair from Calvin's room. The changing table was necessary because of the room's tiny size, and that was purchased on Craigslist for $90. Nate painted it using the same (very spendy) paint used on the trim throughout our house, but that will be reused elsewhere so I'm not counting that cost. The dresser, which is tucked away in the closet, was my brother's growing up. I spent $4 on new drawer liners.

Bedding: $117
I fell in love with this bedding from The Land of Nod when I was decorating Calvin's nursery. When I found out I was having a girl I knew it was still exactly what I wanted...plus it has both pink and red in it, which really helped with the whole red chair debacle (clearly wasn't thinking about future babies when I bought that). But buying the entire set would have cost me close to $300. So, I hopped on ebay, where I found the (gently used) bumper for $15. Instead of buying the quilt to bring some of the floral pattern to the chair, I bought the window valance ($19) and had my mother-in-law sew it into a pillow cover for a lumbar pillow I already own. The white quilt on the chair is one my grandmother made for me and helps break up all the red. The only other items I bought from the set were the sheet ($24) and bedskirt ($59).

Wall Decor: $135
I find this to be the most expensive part of decorating. Frames are expensive, art is expensive, and it's hard to fill four walls without breaking the bank. Unless you're me and you buy 1950s American Girl magazines at an antique store before you even have kids because you're so sure you will have a girl one day. :) $10 for those. $15 for the alphabet print in the center, which I got on Etsy. $30 for all three frames, which are from Ikea and tie in with the existing blinds. I paid $15 each for the two Ikea photo ledges, which I used to display the books Calvin has outgrown. And my favorite part: the embroidery hoops above the changing table. $25 for 10 hoops (on sale) and about $25 for 1/4 yard of 10 different fabrics. The hooks next to it were already there, and the yellow shelf is repurposed from Calvin's nursery (and before that, the kitchen in our first apartment).

Accessories: $39
I got the lamp at Goodwill for $3. The shade was $7 at Target. The bear, picture, and blocks on the shelf are all things we had. (I won't count the books on the yellow shelf because I really bought those for myself.) The big basket on the changing table was $14 at HomeGoods, and the other basket is something I had lying around the house. I made the mobile for $15, including the purchase of a butterfly paper cutter and ceiling hook.

So the grand total for this entire room is...$385.

Granted, it's an incredibly small room. But I still find it necessary to point out how far I've come since my days of working/shopping at Bloomingdale's, where $385 would have maybe gotten me a pair of pants.

Can't wait for December 27, the day Nate and I will finally meet the little girl who will call this room her own! (Yep, a c-section it is.)

Racket.

2011-12-01T13:37:00.004-06:00

I don't think I ever posted this before, but last year Calvin had his first school photo taken.

Yes, that's right. They start school photos at age one now. Who knew? I didn't. Frankly, I was kind of appalled. And I certainly had no plans to purchase them, because that's just plain ridiculous. But that was before I saw this masterpiece:

Crazy hair? Check.
Bruises on side of face? Check.
Scar on his upper lip from falling head-first out of a play house? Check.
Beloved playmate in hand? Check.
One year old sitting on a pile of fake leather-bound volumes? Check.

$50 later, this sucker was mine.

This year, I wondered what kind of hilarity school photos had in store for us. Whenever I take out my camera, Calvin says "NO PICTURES" and runs away. Also, he's even more attached to his bear and its head doesn't look nearly as nice (or clean) as it did a year ago.

Imagine my surprise when I was presented with this truly adorable shot of my two-year-old at photo pick-up last night:

$50 later...

Yes, taking school pictures of children who are not yet school aged and then presenting them to their tired parents at the end of the work day along with a list of insanely inflated prices that are good for ONE DAY ONLY could be considered a bit of a racket.

But darn it's hard to put a price on cute.

Eight hours.

2011-11-30T12:18:00.002-06:00

Eight hours, I've decided, is all I need to be a better mom and wife each week. At first glance, it doesn't seem like much. But, really, it's an extra work day.

In eight hours, I can clean my house from top to bottom. Almost.

In eight hours, I can run errands, do laundry, and make dinner. And probably dessert, too.

In eight hours, I can build a fort. Play with play-doh. Cut sandwiches into silly shapes. Read a story or five.

In eight hours, I can snuggle. Rock. Sing. Nurse. Tickle. Kiss.

In eight hours, I can take a shower, shave, dry my hair, and (hopefully) find something other than pajama pants to wear before my husband comes home from work.

And come 2012, I will have those extra eight hours a week to devote to my family. Because this working mama is cutting back.

I need to. For me. For them.

Eight hours isn't much, but it's enough. An extra work day — devoted to the very best work of all.

Snowbunny.

2011-11-22T07:05:00.000-06:00

If there's a kid out there who loves snow more than this one, I've yet to meet him.

Little does he know we've asked Santa to bring him a sled...

Cheeky.

2011-11-11T12:50:00.002-06:00

There's a fabulous episode of Friends, one of my favorites, where Rachel's sister Amy visits. At one point, they discuss their sister Jill's recent weight gain. Rachel asks "Hips and thighs?" and Amy shakes her head and smugly says "a** and face." Rachel responds with a horrified "ohhh!"

Poor Jill. Been there, girl. The first place I gain weight, without question, is my face. There are three McLaughlin family curses: Chubby cheeks, frizzy hair, and wide feet. I got all three. My siblings got none of the above. (Further supporting my claim that the oldest child has it the hardest.) I have always hated how quickly my face shows a fluctuation in my weight — why can't I be one of those girls who gains weight everywhere BUT her face? You can always crop your body out of a picture, but there sure isn't much you can do about your face.

Unfortunately, it looks like my daughter is well on her way to learning that lesson the hard way.

I mean, SERIOUSLY. Look at those cheeks! Although she looks strikingly similar to to her brother as a baby and he grew out of them with time. Here's hoping that happens for her as well, otherwise Nate and I might be shelling out the big bucks for cheek reduction surgery down the road. (Maybe they do mother/daughter discounts?)

Also, based on her measurements she weighs 5lbs. At 33 weeks. This is not a good sign of things to come, my friends. Not a good sign at all. I think we might be having another gigantor baby, and possibly earlier than anticipated given the fact that today's non stress test confirmed I'm already contracting (like real ones, not Braxton Hicks) on a regular basis. Oh, and I've now had two different doctors suggest a c-section. Which, I gotta tell you, I'm beginning to consider a reasonable suggestion given baby girl's estimated weight.

And now for the comparison:

Calvin at 34 weeks, Calvin at birth, Baby Girl at 33 weeks. I can't believe how similar they look in the cheeks/nose/mouth.

Can't wait to meet my sweet cheeked girl in just a few weeks!

In case you're wondering, yes — I'm handling all of this far better than I did last time. It helps knowing that ugly, obese ultrasound picture does not necessarily equal ugly, obese baby. And that my body is capable of delivering babies up to 9lbs 11oz in size. Though still praying she's smaller than her brother was...

Rumble and ramble.

2011-11-09T12:24:00.006-06:00

1. Yesterday I wore maternity pants and a tank top with an open, flowy non-maternity cardigan. As I stood in line for my decaf pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks, I wondered whether anyone could even tell I was pregnant because of the flowiness of my sweater (these are the self-absorbed thoughts running through my mind at 8am). About an hour later I caught sight of my profile as I walked by a wall of windows at work and nearly passed out. Yes, I do believe they can tell. Pretty sure a five person tent couldn't conceal what I'm carrying around right now. Turns out my view from the top is somewhat different than everyone else's view. Which I've recently learned is also the case with my boobs. What I believe to be a modest neckline often turns into a pornographic one at work, because when I sit down my belly hoists my boobs up and right out the top of my shirt. This is, of course, something I never notice until I go to the bathroom. And then I have to make the difficult decision whether to cover my chest or my stomach. Because, let's face it. If a five person tent can't cover both, neither can a Liz Lange tank top.

2. It was supposed to snow today. I still don't own boots. I feel like this is something I should probably address in the near future before it actually does snow. What I want are cute, expensive boots. What I need are utilitarian, moderately-priced boots that will hold up to a Minnesota winter. Recommendations?

3. I love the show New Girl. A lot of people find Zooey Deschanel annoying. A lot of people find that show downright unfunny. But Nate and I find it charming and hilarious. I choose to believe this says something about everyone else and not us.

4. Nine days until Breaking Dawn. In case you don't have an internal clock set for that sort of thing. Or haven't been listening to "It Will Rain" on repeat.

5. Speaking of Twilight, the first movie was on FX recently, so I watched it while Nate futzed around on the computer. At one point he asked me what was going on, and so I started rambling "well, see, he's a vampire but his family doesn't eat people they just eat animals but he still wants to eat people so that other vampire who does eat people just bit Bella and now he has to suck out the venom but it's so hard because once he tastes her blood he has a hard time stopping but he loves her and he doesn't want to change her into a vampire but if he doesn't stop she'll die." And then I realized how enormously stupid that sounded and shut up. Some things are best enjoyed without discussion.

6. We looked at TVs for our bedroom last night. Nate wants a 37" plasma, and I think my 20" Toshiba from 1998 still works just fine. So I agreed to meet in the middle and suggested a 15" plasma retailing for $109. Surprisingly, he did not jump at this opportunity. My question is this: How much clarity and size do you really need to watch a 30-minute rerun of Friends before bed?

7. I decorated for fall last weekend. Two months late, with only two weeks to spare. Whew. Close one. Super glad I spent time on that, especially when no one else will see it and we haven't done anything to prepare for the impending arrival of our child next month. Never mind the fact that Nate is only off three (THREE!) weekends between now and Christmas. And will be out of town for one of them. Or that I'm under the constant threat of bed rest due to my blood pressure. So not worried. I'm sure I'll find more than enough time to get everything painted, decorated, purchased, cleaned, washed, folded, and organized between those three weekends, two major holidays, a toddler, and a full-time job.

And now you know why I have blood pressure issues.

8. Would it be cheating to listen to one Christmas song today? Just one? Or maybe two? I downloaded the She & Him Christmas album and I'm getting antsy.

9. This came in the mail the other day. When presented to Nate along with the two (exact same) shirts I got for Calvin, he said "This is what it's going to be like now, isn't it? She gets a cute pink hat and Calvin gets two plain white shirts?" Hey, at least I got him something. And we all know no child of mine will ever hurt for clothing.

10. Just realized I referenced Twilight and Zooey Deschanel twice each in this post. Yep, I'm a twelve year old fan girl. Gotta go find some Bubble Yum and get cracking on my diorama before Saved By The Bell comes on.

Family of three.

2011-11-07T12:15:00.004-06:00

There's an age-old question mothers ask themselves (and everyone else) when preparing to welcome a second child:

How could I ever possibly love another baby as much as I love my first?

I'm smart enough to know there's nothing to worry about. Plenty of people have told me so and I've seen it with my own eyes. My love will not be divided, but multiplied. There will be plenty of love to go around. I will love them both equally, if differently.

But knowing and understanding are two different things. My head knows these words are truth, but my heart...oh, my heart. It doesn't quite believe this is possible. And it's a little scared of what's to come, of losing something in the transition from mother of one to mother of two.

Nate and I spent all day Saturday with Calvin. We planned an entire day together, just us three, doing things we thought he would love. Chocolate chip pancakes with whipped cream for breakfast, a morning at Sea Life and Nickelodeon Universe, an evening of movies and popcorn and pizza camped out in a living room tent. A day filled with special treats, one after the other, so Calvin would know just how much we love him, how proud we are of the wonderful big brother he is certain to be, and how much we treasure our time with him.

I know Calvin won't remember this day. And he won't remember life without his sister. But Nate and I will. Our day together was as much about us as it was him, about capturing this brief moment in time when we existed as a family of three.

As with every aspect of motherhood, you can't really know anything until you've been through it. So I anxiously await the day when I will cradle my baby girl in one arm, hug my little boy with the other, and go from knowing to understanding just how much love my heart can hold.

If what I feel for my firstborn is any indication, there will be more than enough for everyone.

Yo ho ho and a bottle of...Pepsi.

2011-11-01T07:57:00.000-05:00

Calvin discovered Kit Kats last night.

I was none too pleased, as I am a Halloween hoarder of Kit Kats and Twix and planned to keep any he collected for myself. He got four Kit Kats and he ate three. The fourth one miraculously disappeared after he went to bed.

Sorry, baby. It's for your (my) own good.

Last year, Halloween was fun. This year, it was FUN. Holidays just have a whole new level of meaning and enjoyment for me as a mom. There's really nothing cuter than watching your baby race down the sidewalk, pirate hook in one hand, Tootsie Roll pop in the other, shouting "that's so spooky, Mom and Dad!"

My little pirate. Easiest costume on earth — foam hat, hook, and bandana were $5 total at JoAnn Fabrics, eye patch was $1 at Party City, shirt was $5 at Target, sweatpants were $3 at Walmart, striped socks were $1 at Old Navy. I zig zagged the edge of the sweatpants, cut a strip of red fabric for the sash, and we were in business. Total cost: $15. And he looked adorable.

When do family photos start to turn out better? I mean, seriously. This was the best of the bunch. Also, do you like our still-blooming geraniums?

I really thought we were going to have issues getting him to wear the eye patch. Nope. He wore it around the house for three days prior to Halloween. Loved it. Wiped out a few times due to vision impairment, but didn't seem to mind.

Calvin made quite the haul in his two blocks. Including a can of Pepsi. Which was given to him after the woman said "Hmm...now what would be best for you? Oh, here you go!" Well, of course. Pepsi is always the logical choice for a two year old. Not only is it nutritious, it's also really lightweight and easy for a toddler to carry!

See? He only ate the Kit Kats. It's as if he knew...

Happy Halloween, mateys!

Heaven in a baking cup.

2011-10-24T12:06:00.001-05:00

I follow a lot of food blogs.

A lot a lot.

Which is funny, since I don't like to cook. But maybe not that funny, since I love to eat.

Pinterest has made my food blog followin' ways a lot easier, that's for sure. While I usually have a general sense of where I found stuff online, it helps me keep the recipes I can't not make in one handy little place.

Here's what my "Yum" board looks like on Pinterest:

HELLO GORGEOUS.

I've only made a few of the recipes I've collected so far, but last week I decided to give this one a try: Double chocolate pumpkin cake with pumpkin spice buttercream.

What the what?

I know. You can't not make that, can you?

So I made it. And let me tell you...I licked the crap out of that mixing bowl. Raw eggs and all. I kept saying "I shouldn't be doing this..." as I globbed another spoonful out of the bottom and into my mouth. I probably had an entire cupcake's worth of batter left once I'd filled two muffin pans, but instead of topping them off I chose a path filled with gluttony and irresponsibility.

But...baby's still kicking and I haven't come down with salmonella yet, so I'm guessing things are fine.

Here, my friends, is the must-have recipe of the week. You're welcome.

Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cake with Pumpkin Spice Buttercream
Courtesy of: Picky Palate
Serves: 24 (or 25, depending on how you use that last cupcake's worth)
Prep and cook time: 45 minutes

Cake:
1 box devils food cake mix
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk or milk
4 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
15 ounce can pumpkin (reserve 2 tablespoons)
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Frosting:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons reserved pumpkin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 to 5 cups powdered sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two muffin tins with paper cups. Place cake mix, pudding mix, oil, buttermilk, eggs, sour cream and can of pumpkin, and chocolate chips in a bowl or stand mixer, and mix until well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Divide batter evenly into cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

While cakes are baking prepare the buttercream. Place butter, reserved 2 tablespoons pumpkin and cinnamon into stand or electric mixer. Mix on high until well combined. Slowly add the powdered sugar until thick and creamy. Slowly add the milk until buttercream is a nice consistency. Frost over cooled cakes, slice and serve.

Flip flops and fleece.

2011-10-17T07:54:00.001-05:00

October in Minnesota.

One weekend it's 80 degrees and sunny, so your family heads out for a walk in shorts and flip flops:

The next it's 50 degrees and windy, and your trip to the apple orchard requires layers of fleece (and the magical warming powers of fresh kettle corn, of course):

But, regardless of temperature, the leaves must be raked:

The cookies must be decorated:

And every single second of this gorgeous season must be savored.

Because, you guessed it, there are snow flurries in the forecast for tomorrow.

Greetings from the supply closet.

2011-10-13T13:20:00.001-05:00

This week marked the start of my third trimester. I thought it only fitting I take a self portrait in the closet at work. I think I have a good thing going, don't you?

Who am I kidding, this photo/lighting/angle/background could not be less flattering. But my husband is rarely home at a time when I'm wearing more than a pair of leggings and a tank top, and believe me – no one wants to see that look on me. Probably not even him.

I can't believe I'm 28 weeks pregnant. Despite the overwhelming evidence, a large portion of which I've been shoving into panel pants for the last four months. Other telltale signs include my perfected pregnant waddle, my inability to stay up past 9pm or sleep more than 20 minutes without loudly repositioning myself and my body pillow, and my insatiable hunger for foods covered in chocolate and dipped in sugar.

Wish me luck with tomorrow's glucose screen, huh?

Overheard.

2011-10-07T07:34:00.000-05:00

Calvin talks now. Constantly. I'm not sure when he went from saying a few words to providing detailed explanations of everything he experiences, but it was quick. And I really wish I'd captured more of what he said in that sweet transitional time, because it was so precious.

Luckily it's still precious...and funny. So here are a few of our favorite Calvinisms of late:

Us: "Is your name Calvin John Buster?"
Cal: "I'm not a buster! I'm Calvin John Breyer!"
I think this question truly annoys him, though Nate and I find his reaction hilarious.

"Who bought this for me? You bought this for me? Geinchu, Mama, geinchu!"
Geinchu = thank you. One of the only things he pronounces incorrectly.

Anytime he's naked: "I'm a nude dude!"
Anytime we're naked: "You're a nude dude!" (Laughs and points.)

"Stinky skunk. STINKY SKUNK!"
He loves this phrase and says it over and over with Nate while giggling violently.

"I tooted. Excuuuuse me!" (While laughing hysterically.)
Yep. He's a boy.

"I can come snuggle in Mama's bed?"
He loves to watch cartoons in my bed on Saturday mornings when Nate's working.

"I'm just going to _________."
This is always said in a very reassuring voice, like whatever it is, it's fine and there's no room for argument. He loves the word "just."

"I'll be right back, okay? I'll be right back."
This almost always follows an "I'm just going to" statement.

"I play golf witchu, Daddy? You play a football game wit me?"
Insert any activity. He loves to play "witus" right now.

"What road is this?"
A daily question during our commute, which he usually answers himself: "52!"
Or in Nate's experience: "62!" (It's 52.)

"It's a beauuuutiful day! The sun is up..."
Often said while gesturing grandly toward the sky.

"It's sooooo pretty."
Nature, pictures, people. He loves to identify beauty.

"Hello? How are you? Good. Bye."
The exact conversation he has on my old cell phone at least 10 times a day.

"I WANT MY DADDY!"
When he's mad at me.

"I WANT MY MAMA!"
When he's mad at Nate.

"I WANT MY GRANDMA!"
When he's mad at both of us.

"I DON'T WANT ANYBODY!"
When he's mad at both of us and Grandma isn't available.

"I want fruit snacks in a bowl. Fruit snacks in a bowl, please!"
Every. Single. Day. And always in a bowl. Why, we do not know.

"Sure, sure! Yes, sure!"
An enthusiastic response to all questions having to do with toys or food.

"You bring me a special treat?"
I created a monster the first time I promised him one of those.

"Sorry for hitting you."
We hear this too often. At least he apologizes.

"My daddy's working at the big building. He's a good daddy. I miss him soooooo much." Often heard on nights when Nate's working at the hospital.

"Goodnight Mattie, I love you!"
Sweetly called out on his way up the stairs to bed.

"I just want to rock and sing more songs witchu, Mama. Just rock me, please."
Anytime I put him to bed before he's ready.

"You sleep well, Mama."
In response to my "sleep well, sweetheart."

"I love you, too."
The words every parent waits patiently to hear.

I LOVE this age.

Special things.

2011-10-05T07:55:00.001-05:00

Calvin's all about the word special right now. Once I offered to bring him a special treat if he would behave himself while I was gone, and ever since then the word has been like magic.

Two special things of note this week:

1. Potty training. OH BOY. I am so not ready for this, but Calvin's teachers insisted he was ready, so Monday we sent him to school in underwear. He had three accidents (pee only), but his teachers said he did really well. And yesterday he only had one accident all day! Until he got home, that is. Then he had two, immediately after I asked him if he needed to go potty. For some reason he is NOT interested in going potty at home. Nate encouraged me to pick up a special potty treat for him, so now we have a container of M&Ms in our bathroom. It took Calvin approximately two seconds to drop his drawers and pee on the toilet after we offered him a "special treat" for going potty this morning. Although we said "If you go potty you can have an M&M" and he said "No, I can have two M&Ms!" Already a bargainer. Smart cookie.

He looks so cute in his big boy undies, doesn't he?

2. Anne of Green Gables. I caved and bought the full set of Penguin Classics from Anthropologie for baby girl's room. Calvin saw them last night and immediately said "I want that one, the pink one!" As I handed him the copy of Anne of Green Gables, I said "This is one of Mama's very favorite books." He nodded and said "This is my favorite book, too." He carefully carried it around for a while, and then I left to run some errands while Nate's mom and dad gave him a bath and put him to bed. When I came home Mary told me that Calvin had refused to sit in the chair with her to read before bed. Instead he insisted she sit in the chair and read his books to him (pages turned out so he could see the pictures) while he stood at the ottoman and flipped through his "special book." And then he asked to sleep with it.

When I checked on him before bed, I found this:

Oh my heart.

This morning I found him standing at the end of his crib, book laid flat on top, flipping through pages. He said "I'm reading Anne of Green Tables!" and then asked me what it's about and if I would read some of it to him. He sat there wide-eyed and smiling as I read the first paragraph:

Mrs. Rachel Lynde lived just where the Avonlea main road dipped down into a little hollow, fringed with alders and ladies' eardrops and traversed by a brook that had its source away back in the woods of the old Cuthbert place; it was reputed to be an intricate, headlong brook in its earlier course through those woods, with dark secrets of pool and cascade; but by the time it reached Lynde's Hollow it was a quiet, well-conducted little stream, for not even a brook could run past Mrs. Rachel Lynde's door without due regard for decency and decorum; it probably was conscious that Mrs. Rachel was sitting at her window, keeping a sharp eye on everything that passed, from brooks and children up, and that if she noticed anything odd or out of place she would never rest until she had ferreted out the whys and wherefores thereof.

And I was worried I'd never have a daughter to share my love of classic children's literature.

Day 14: Chipotle and Veggies

2011-09-29T07:28:00.002-05:00

Courtesy of: My rip-roaring post work headache
Serves: 2
Prep and cook time: 5 minutes plus drive time

3 chicken soft tacos
1 cheese enchilada with beans and rice

Purchase and eat with a side of Veggie Tales.

--
Quick, delicious, and totally kid-friendly. :)

Never fear, I'm going to give the corn dogs a go this weekend. I just really didn't feel up to cooking last night.

Words and deeds.

2011-09-28T08:44:00.003-05:00

This morning as I stumbled out of my bedroom, sporting wild hair and Nate's old t-shirt, I literally ran into my family. My husband smiled at the sight of me and said to Calvin "look at your pretty mama!" Calvin whispered back "she is soooo pretty."

Let me assure you, I was looking anything but pretty in that moment. But the tone of Nate's voice wasn't sarcastic or teasing. It was sweet. Loving. And my son's tiny voice was reverent.

These boys of mine, they love me. Despite my bad hair, bad days, bad moods. Despite my failures as a wife and mom, which are plentiful. Every day I am showered with sweetness and adoration, most often when I don't deserve it.

My son is too small to understand the impact of his precious words. But my husband, he knows. And he teaches Calvin every day how to be a man. A man who respects women and cherishes his wife. A man who provides for and leads his family. A man who makes time for and treasures his children.

And he does so gently, easily, in both words and deeds.

What a blessing it is to be his wife.

Day 13: Crispy Apricot Porkchops and Roasted New Potatoes

2011-09-28T07:23:00.001-05:00

Crispy Apricot Porkchops
Courtesy of: Everyday Food Magazine
Serves: 4
Prep and cook time: 25 minutes

4 bone-in porkchops
4 tablespoons apricot jam
2 slices of multigrain bread
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for pan
Salt and pepper

Heat oven to 425 and brush oil lightly over cookie sheet. Tear bread into large pieces and add to food processor. Pulse until large breadcrumbs form. Drizzle tablespoon of olive oil onto breadcrumbs and pulse once or twice more until combined. Generously salt and pepper both sides of porkchops. Spread one tablespoon of jam on top side of each porkchop, then sprinkle with breadcrumbs and lightly pat them down. Transfer porkchops to oiled baking sheet and bake for 14-17 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees and juices run clear. Serve immediately.

Roasted New Potatoes
Courtesy of: All Recipes
Serves: 4
Prep and cook time: 40 minutes

1.5 pounds new potatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in a plastic bag; toss to coat. Pour onto an ungreased baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 450 degrees F for 35 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

--
I love Everyday Food. Do you get that? It's a pretty cheap subscription and I think I got an even better deal because I also subscribe to Martha Stewart Living. Anyway, it's worth checking out. I've made a number of quick and delicious recipes from that magazine and I love flipping through it every month. (Also, the magazine's spine is striped and they look super cute lined up on my kitchen counter.)

This pork recipe stood out a while back but I never considered actually making it because, ugh, the food processor? Sounded like a lot of work to me. (It's not.) Nate gave me a quick tutorial last night and...yeah. I'll be using it again. Soon, probably. Why I am I so scared of kitchen appliances that make life easier?

Anyway — this meal was yummy!

1. It takes longer than 14-17 minutes for pork to cook. At least in our oven. I'd plan on at least 25 minutes.

2. I didn't have new potatoes or dried rosemary, so I used yukon gold potatoes and Herbs de Provence. Both were swell substitutions.

3. I used an extra piece of bread so the porkchops would be heavily coated. And I probably used more than a tablespoon of jam on each, too. We're all about excess at our house. Especially when it comes to jam and bread.

July 5.

2011-09-27T08:09:00.001-05:00

Is the date I should have taken down my Fourth of July wreath. Yet I chose to wait until September 25.

I think it was worth the wait.

I realize this needs a different color ribbon, but I just used what I had on hand because I couldn't wait to get it up. Although now that I've typed that all I can think is "well, you waited this long, why not wait another day and do it right?"

My inner monologue is so annoying.

Day 12: Pumpkin Waffles with Apple Cider Syrup

2011-09-27T07:46:00.003-05:00

Courtesy of: All Recipes
Serves: 6
Prep and cook time: 45 minutes

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 cups milk
4 eggs, separated
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat waffle iron. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, salt, and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a larger bowl, stir together pumpkin, milk, and egg yolks. Set aside. Whip the egg whites in a clean dry bowl until soft peaks form. Stir the flour mixture and 1/4 cup melted butter into the pumpkin mixture, stirring just long enough to combine. Fold 1/3 of egg whites into the batter, stirring gently until incorporated. Fold in remaining egg whites. Cook waffles according to manufacturer's instructions.

Apple Cider Syrup

1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter

Stir together sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Stir in the apple cider and lemon juice, cook over medium heat until mixture begins to boil. Boil until syrup thickens. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted. Serve warm.

--
Well, this didn't suck. At all. In fact, I ate three waffles and then felt a little like throwing up.

In a good way.

1. It takes a little longer for the waffles to cook. Let them get crispy on top before removing them from the waffle iron.

2. The syrup got a little thick for me...I think I maybe boiled it too long. I'd wait until it just boils, give it a couple stirs, and add the butter.

3. These waffles would be good with regular syrup. And this syrup would be good with regular waffles (or pancakes). Together it's quite rich.

Good thing I like my waffles like I like my men.

Some things never change.

2011-09-26T07:49:00.003-05:00

The rarest kind of friend (and my personal favorite) is the pick-right-up-where-you-left-off friend. I've had a few of them in my lifetime and they really are some of my dearest and most favorite people on earth. Despite the whole never seeing each other thing.

My friend Trish is one of those friends. She's a fellow Taylor alum and 3rd Berg survivor. We spent two years living across the hall from one another and I can say with confidence she is one of the best things to come out of my time at Taylor (along with these lovely ladies, who I thankfully see on a slightly more regular basis).

Sadly, Trish and I haven't seen each other since my wedding. SIX AND A HALF YEARS AGO. I'm not even sure we've talked on the phone in six years. Which is kind of how things go when you get older and busier and have four states and a Mason-Dixon line between you.

Thanks to the magic of air travel and Trish's husband getting bumped off a previous flight, she had a voucher and got to come visit this weekend. And let me tell you, we lived it up.

We were going to get wasted on Apple Pucker and wear sparkly backless shirts out to the clubs (you know, like we did at Taylor), but instead we sat at my dining room table and crafted until 9:30pm, at which time we moved to the couch for a side-by-side game of Words With Friends on our iPhones.

We might be a few years older, but we're still just as cool.

Love this girl, and so thankful for friendships that really do stand the test of time.

Note: Horizontal stripes do not, in fact, camouflage an extra 25lbs of baby weight. Especially when a large portion of it is in your face. Friends, please learn from my mistakes and stick to solids. Also, you may want to avoid having your photo taken with a tan person from Atlanta when you're a pale person from Minnesota. That is all.

Meal Plan: Week of September 26

2011-09-25T07:15:00.002-05:00

Monday: Pumpkin waffles with apple cider syrup

Tuesday: Crispy apricot pork chops and roasted new potatoes

Wednesday: Homemade corndogs

Thursday: Crockpot chicken and dumplings

Friday: Takeout or go out

Saturday: Empanada pie

Sunday: Baked potato soup

This is the last week of my challenge, and I'm taking it one step further by trying to plan around what I have at home. I still need to buy a few ingredients, of course, but I've tried to base this week's plan on what's in the pantry and freezer. My grocery list for the week is:

• Can of pumpkin
• Apple cider
• Biscuit dough
• Apricot jam
• Half pound of new potatoes
• Cornmeal
• Spinach
• Salsa
• Monterrey jack cheese
• Cilantro
• Two refrigerated pie crusts
• Bag of frozen hashbrown potatoes
• Bread

All but one of these recipes is a new one (and four of these items are for one meal). Not bad, huh?

Day 11: White Chicken Chili

2011-09-23T07:54:00.001-05:00

Courtesy of: Heidi again :)
Serves: 6-8
Prep and cook time: 25 minutes

1 rotisserie chicken, meat cut into chunks
4 cans great northern beans, drained
1 large jar salsa
1 block monterrey jack cheese, shredded
1 can chicken broth
1 tablespoon cumin
Hot sauce, as desired

Dump in a large pan and heat until cheese is melted, flavors are combined, and it's piping hot. Serve with tortilla chips.

--
First of all, a big thanks to my dear Heidi for sponsoring this week's menu. And also, sorry if I completely frankensteined this recipe, because I've made it so many times I don't even know if it's close to the original anymore (feel free to correct me in the comments). I just add stuff until it looks and tastes right. Which it always does. Because it's delicious and seriously impossible to mess up. Just ask my husband. Or my family. Or my coworkers, who swarmed me for the recipe after I made it for a chili day at work one year. It was actually kind of depressing to hand over the recipe, because it seems so much more impressive and complicated than it actually is.

You may notice I didn't post anything about Monday's dinner. It was just too silly to post (top a crescent roll dough triangle with a piece of ham and a piece of cheese, roll into a crescent and bake for 15 minutes) and I didn't take pictures. It was a hit with Calvin, though. Also, I was supposed to make a new pasta recipe last night, but after being up all night with a sick toddler I just didn't have the energy. So I made tonight's dinner last night, and tonight we'll probably have pizza or something similarly non-homemade and delicious.

Day 10: Quinoa with Shrimp and Goat Cheese

2011-09-23T07:07:00.001-05:00

This is actually two recipes merged together.

Quinoa with Spinach and Garlic
Recipe courtesy of: My friend Heidi
Serves: 4-6
Prep and cook time: 25 minutes

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup quinoa, rinsed (or purchase pre-rinsed quinoa)*
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon table salt

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add quinoa to skillet; cook, stirring frequently, until quinoa starts to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add broth, black pepper and red pepper flakes to skillet; bring to a boil. Cover skillet and reduce heat to low and simmer for 13 minutes; stir in spinach. Cover skillet and cook until spinach and quinoa are tender and liquid is absorbed, about 3 to 5 minutes; season with salt.

--
Roasted Shrimp Cocktail
Courtesy of: Ina Garten via Food Network
Serves: 4-6
Prep and cook time: 10 minutes

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place them on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread them in 1 layer. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes, just until pink and firm and cooked through. Set aside to cool.

--
This is seriously one of my favorite things on earth. Heidi and I were both trying to eat better earlier this year (and now we're both pregnant so that kind of fell by the wayside), and she shared this quinoa recipe with me, along with a few tips:

1. Saute the spinach with a little olive oil and garlic before adding it to the quinoa.

2. Add mushrooms. I just threw them in with the onion and garlic since they take a while to cook down.

3. Top with crumbled goat cheese. This is a VERY IMPORTANT STEP. It totally makes the dish.

And then I take some liberties of my own:

1. Double the red pepper flakes.

2. Add roasted shrimp.

Quinoa is a complete protein on it's own, but I never need an excuse to add shrimp to something. I love it, and it's good for you. We've made this roasted shrimp a few times (you're meant to let it cool and serve it with cocktail sauce) and it's so good...and a very simple way to cook shrimp without having to fire up the grill. I make this at the same time, let it cool a bit (important, as it gets kind of wet after roasting), and then toss it in the pan with the quinoa at the end to heat it up.

A really easy, really yummy, really fast dinner (or side dish, if you don't want to eat a dinner plate full like I do). Just don't forget the goat cheese. Like I said, VERY IMPORTANT.

He's still cute.

2011-09-19T10:11:00.005-05:00

I know I haven't posted about Calvin much lately. But don't you worry: He's still cute. And growing. And two.

Oh, heavens, is he ever two.

I love this age. It's challenging on so many levels (mentally, since he can argue with me and asks questions constantly; physically since his tantrums often require me to pick him up and haul him off to the timeout chair; and emotionally, because my love for him becomes more complex and overwhelming every day), but it's really so much fun.

The questions are cute. The faces are cute. The imaginary play is cute. And he loves us right now, so much. All day long there are choruses of "Play a football game wit me, Daddy? Make a track wit me, Mama? I come too, Daddy! I bake witchu, Mama!"

He's so independent, so spirited, so loving. There's no shortage of smiles, giggles, or kisses. There's also no shortage of defiance, disobedience, or tantrums. But, as with every phase, the good seems to outweigh the bad. And the bad really isn't that bad. I don't know whether he's getting more predictable or I'm just getting used to having no control, but these days I feel much more capable of handling whatever he throws my way.

Literally and figuratively.

Meal Plan: Week of September 19

2011-09-19T07:55:00.001-05:00

Monday: Ham and cheese crescents with fruit and veggies (Nate's working)

Tuesday: French bread pizza (Date night - this is for Calvin and Grandma)

Wednesday: Quinoa with shrimp and goat cheese

Thursday: Gemelli with asparagus and sausage

Friday: White chicken chili

Saturday and Sunday: My friend Trish is coming for the weekend (!!), so nothing planned for dinner. However, there might be something yummy for breakfast one of those days...

Day 9: Beef with Snow Peas

2011-09-19T07:42:00.002-05:00

Courtesy of: Pioneer Woman
Serves: 4-6
Prep and cook time: 20 minutes

1-1/2 pound flank steak, trimmed of fat and sliced very thin against the grain
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons cooking sherry
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
8 ounces, weight fresh snow peas, ends trimmed
5 whole scallions, cut into haf-inch pieces on the diagonal
3 tablespoons peanut or olive oil
Crushed red pepper
White or brown rice, prepared

In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, and ginger. Add meat and mix.

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add snow peas, stir for 45 seconds, and remove to a plate.

Allow pan to get very hot again. Add half the meat mixture with tongs, leaving most of the marinade still in the bowl. Add half the scallions. Spread out the meat as you add it to the pan, but do not stir. After one minute, turn the meat over and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove to a clean plate.

Repeat with other half of meat, allowing pan to get very hot again first. After turning it, add the other half of the meat, the rest of the marinade, and the snow peas. Stir over high heat for 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and serve over rice.

--
I worship this woman. She knows how to make simple things that taste really good (and very complicated things that I'm sure taste very good but I am too lazy to try). This was delicious and ridiculously easy. Nate was surprised by how tender the meat got seeing as it was cooked very quickly. (I just thought I'd share that because I don't know enough about meat to be surprised by anything, but maybe you'd like to know?)

My only tip is to start the rice at the same time, because otherwise you'll be halfway done and think – oh yeah, we need rice. And rice takes longer than this does to make. So, there ya go. Helpful hints from yours truly, queen of the obvious.

Day 8: Crockpot Ranch Porkchops with Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

2011-09-19T07:12:00.001-05:00

Courtesy of: Real Mom Kitchen
Serves: 6
Prep time: 1 hour for garlic, 10 mins for potatoes
Cook time: 4-6 hours for pork, 30 mins for potatoes

6 porkchops, 1/2 inch thick
1 packet dry ranch dressing seasoning
10 oz can cream of chicken soup
4 lbs peeled, cubed potatoes
5 tablespoons real butter
1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
6 cloves roasted garlic (directions are below)
1- 1 1/2 cups warm skim milk (any milk will do, I used skim)
1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, or to taste

Place porkchops, ranch seasoning and soup into a medium sized crockpot over high heat for 4 hours or low heat for 6 hours.

Place potatoes into a large pot of cold water. Bring to boil over high heat. Once boiling, cook for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and transfer to the work bowl of a stand or electric mixer. Mix on low until potatoes are mashed then add butter, Parmesan, garlic, milk, salt and pepper.

Scoop mashed potatoes onto plates and top with porkchops and gravy.

Roasted Garlic
Preheat oven to 350. Wrap garlic bulb (skins on) lightly in foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove from foil and let cool for 15 minutes. Remove garlic from skins, place in a bowl and mash with a fork before adding to potatoes.

--
Yep — back to my trusty old cream of something or another soup. And kind of weird about porkchops in the crockpot, huh? But this was super simple and so good! The meat got really tender, the gravy was yummy, and the potatoes were quick and tasty. Nate devoured it. A few tips:

1. Double the soup and ranch (at least double...maybe double and a half). I actually halved this recipe and only used three porkchops, but even with three it didn't seem like enough gravy – especially for my sauce-loving husband. I'm glad I doubled it.

2. Watch the cook time. Remember how I said my crockpot cooks super hot and fast? Well, I put this on the six hour setting and it was done in three. When the meat starts falling off the bone and the gravy looks thin and well-combined, it's ready.

3. Go a little lighter on the salt when making the potatoes. I thought a tablespoon was too much...luckily I thought of that before I added it.

4. Serve with bread. This kind of meal calls for bread. Lots of it.

A yummy, homey, quick and easy dinner!

Two weeks in.

2011-09-16T09:08:00.000-05:00

I would just like to take a moment to point out that I've made seven meals over the course of the last two weeks. That's like a 95% increase in meal making. Or something. Who knows, I don't do math. But I didn't cook before either so maybe next I should do a math challenge?

Anyways, I am loving it. Besides a few planned meals out, we've eaten at home. No takeout, no peanut butter and jelly, no making last-minute stops at the store. Just real, homemade dinner using ingredients we have on hand. Like a normal family.

I'm so proud of myself.

(And probably a few pounds heavier. I really love macaroni and cheese.)

Day 7: Bacon Macaroni and Cheese

2011-09-16T08:55:00.001-05:00

Courtesy of: Emeril Lagasse via Everyday Food Magazine
Serves: 6
Prep and cook time: 45 minutes

Coarse salt
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
3 slices bacon, cut crosswise into ½ inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 large eggs
1 can evaporated milk (12oz)
¼ tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/5 cups grated sharp cheddar
½ cup grated monterrey jack
½ cup finely grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 475. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni six minutes (it will be undercooked). Drain. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium and add bacon. Cook until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon mixture to a medium bowl. Add macaroni and stir to combine.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and evaporated milk. Add ½ teaspoon salt, cayenne, nutmeg, and cheeses; mix well. Add macaroni mixture and stir well to combine. Transfer to an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish or a two quart gratin dish. With a spoon, gently spread mixture to form an even layer. Bake just until sauce is bubbling at edges, about 12 minutes. Let rest 10 mins before serving.

--
Macaroni and cheese is HANDS DOWN my favorite food of all time. And I'm not ashamed to admit my very favorite version is good old Kraft from a box. Straight up comfort food. Panera's comes in a close second. Yum. Anyway, this recipe is really good and really easy. Especially if your sweet husband measures out all the ingredients for you ahead of time because you're worried about getting it all done while taking care of your toddler alone (thanks, honey!). I made this with the parmesan chicken in my other post and it was so yummy. A lot of yellow tones for one meal (especially since I only had corn on hand...broccoli would have been my preference), but total comforting goodness. I made one change:

1. Nutmeg. Not a fan. It calls for very little (1/8 tsp) and I still didn't put that much in. I maybe added 1/16 tsp. I really don't like it, and it still tasted awesome without it. So fear not, nutmeg haters.

Excited to have found a good (non-boxed) mac and cheese option. Although it would be kinda tough to mess up bacon, cheese and noodles, dontcha think?

Day 7: Parmesan Chicken Tenders

2011-09-16T08:42:00.000-05:00

Courtesy of: Everyday Food Magazine
Serves: 4
Prep and cook time: 30 minutes

1/3 cup panko or plain dried breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
1 tsp dried thyme
Olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Preheat oven to 450, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a small bowl, mix together panko and parmesan. In a 9x13 dish, toss chicken with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and thyme, season with salt and pepper. Arrange chicken in a single layer and sprinkle with panko mixture. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and bake on upper rack until topping is golden brown and chicken is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.

--
Incredibly simple and quite delicious. The chicken was tender and very flavorful. This method of breading doesn't coat the bottoms, so they aren't really chicken tenders in the dipping sense. I sliced Calvin's up for him and he ate like a champ. I wasn't sure how he'd feel about the thyme, but he loved them, and didn't even ask for dip (a first). No modifications to this one, it's a keeper!

Day 6: Make-Ahead Muffin Melts

2011-09-15T09:54:00.006-05:00

Courtesy of: The Pioneer Woman
Serves: 6
Prep time: 45 minutes (includes egg boiling & peeling, bacon frying)
Set time: Overnight or all day
Assembly and cook time: 5 minutes

12 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
2 cups grated cheddar
1 cup mayo
12 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
1 heaping tablespoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3 dashes worcestershire sauce
6 whole English muffins, split

Boil eggs, crumble bacon. Fold all ingredients together, cover and refrigerate overnight. Top each English muffin half with a mound of egg mixture, then broil 3-5 minutes on middle rack until browned and bubbly.

--
Oh, brinner. One of my favorite meals of all time. Nate's not a fan (HOW? WHY?), so I usually reserve breakfast-for-dinner for the nights he's working. Like last night. And this was a great option! Not only was it super easy (I boiled and peeled the eggs Monday night; Nate fried the bacon and mixed it together for me yesterday morning; I assembled and broiled last night), it was yummy and very kid-friendly. Especially since my kid shares my deep love of eggs and cheese.

There are only two things I would do differently:

1. Use one less dash of worchestershire sauce. It erred on the side of salty and I think that must have been the culprit.

2. Let the egg mixture sit out for a few minutes before broiling. It went straight from cold to hot and the top got nice and browned and bubbly but the bottom of the mixture was still only room temp. Might warm up better if it doesn't go in cold. But even the cold mixture was yummy, so it really didn't matter much.

I served this with cantaloupe, nectarines, grapes, and a big glass of milk. We'll be making this one again. Maybe even for breakfast, if Nate's lucky.

Day 5: Turkey Burgers

2011-09-13T07:00:00.002-05:00

Courtesy of: My friend Andrea
Serves: 4-6
Prep and cook time: 25 minutes

1.25 pounds of lean ground turkey
1 cup salsa, divided
1/2 cup shallot, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Shredded or sliced cheese (monterrey jack or mozzarella)
Buns

Mix ground turkey, 1/2 cup salsa, shallot, cilantro, 3 tablespoon oil, hot sauce, cumin, salt and pepper. Form into 4-6 patties. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add burgers and heat until cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Add cheese and let melt. Top with remaining salsa and serve on buns.

--
This recipe is a family favorite. Andrea gave it to me at my wedding shower and I've made it many times since. Quick, easy, and delicious! The only modifications I make are with the hot sauce and shallot. Nate doesn't like onions/oniony things, so I usually add a little less than the recipe requires. And I lower the hot sauce just a tad when Calvin will be eating with us. (Sometimes I split the meat mixture into two and then add more hot sauce to one batch.)

We typically serve these burgers with sweet potato fries, which I buy frozen from Costco (Cheater. Sorry, I probably shouldn't have posted that as part of the menu plan since I didn't make them myself). Last night we had green and red pepper slices, too, since Calvin is a big fan of those and it was just the two of us.

A quick and easy meal that also left me enough time to prep for Wednesday night's dinner. Gotta love that!

Meal Plan: Week of September 12

2011-09-12T07:27:00.003-05:00

After a weekend of selling and eating junk, I'm back on track for week two. Here's the plan!

Monday: Turkey burgers with sweet potato fries

Tuesday: Bowling with friends, Nate's in charge of dinner for Grandma & Calvin

Wednesday: Muffin melts and fruit

Thursday: Parmesan chicken tenders with bacon mac & cheese

Friday: Out for pizza with friends

Saturday: Ranch porkchops with parmesan mashed potatoes

Sunday: Beef with snowpeas

Day 4: Pizza Casserole

2011-09-09T08:07:00.004-05:00

Courtesy of: AllRecipes.com
Serves: 6
Prep and cook time: 1 hour

2 cups uncooked egg noodles
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup sliced pepperoni
16 oz pizza sauce
4 tablespoons milk
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350. Cook noodles according to package directions. Brown beef, onion, garlic, and pepper in large skillet over medium high heat. Drain excess fat, stir in noodles, pepperoni, pizza sauce, and milk. Mix well, and pour mixture into a casserole dish. Bake for 20 minutes, top with cheese, and bake 5-10 minutes longer, until cheese is melted and bubbly.

--
This tastes exactly how you think it will, which is good but not great. Super kid-friendly, however, and perfect for a quick meal. Since I usually have all of these ingredients on hand, I will likely make it again with a few modifications.

1. Spicer/zestier sauce. I used Muir Glen organic pizza sauce, and it was a little bland. Target has some fun house brand sauces that have a bit more kick to them, and I think that would have helped.

2. Italian sausage instead of ground beef. I need to start keeping this in the freezer, because I think its a good substitution for beef in a lot of recipes. Again, this would probably help kick it up a notch.

3. I added some mozzarella to the mixture before baking. We like things cheesey. I also threw in a handful of fresh mushrooms during the beef/pepper/onion browning step, tossed in some Italian seasoning, and used another 1/3 cup of sauce because I had some leftover from last week. Next time I'll add more garlic, too.

While certainly not the most amazing thing I've ever eaten, this is an easy recipe the kids will enjoy — and it offers some serious flexibility ingredient-wise.

See that big empty space on my plate? I was going to make a salad to go with this, but Calvin was being a hellbeast and I had a pounding headache. It took all I had in me not to scrap our dinner plans altogether and make us both a PB&J...

Bedtime prayer.

2011-09-08T08:29:00.003-05:00

"Dear Jesus, thank you for a wonderful day! And thank you for Miss Jenny, Miss Trina, and Miss Jake. AMEN!"

Calvin's first unprompted and unassisted bedtime prayer. I'm sure his teacher, "Miss" Jake, would be proud.

I sure was. Precious boy.

Day 3: Potato Leek Soup

2011-09-08T08:00:00.007-05:00

Courtesy of: AllRecipes.com
Serves: 6-8
Prep and cook time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

1 cup butter
2 leeks, sliced
1 quart of chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 cups yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook leeks in butter with salt and pepper until tender, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Stir cornstarch into broth and pour broth into pot. Add the potatoes and bring to a boil, then season with salt and pepper. Add cream, reduce heat and let simmer at least 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

--
YUM. I loved this recipe. Not only was it incredibly simple, it was delicious and perfect for a fall evening. And it was fun to cook with leeks (fresh from the farmer's market!) for the first time. I served this with a spinach salad topped with low-fat raspberry vinagrette, walnuts, dried cranberries, and cheese (feta for Nate, monterrey jack for me. If I'd had goat cheese I would have used that), as well as sliced baguette. A few tips:

1. To clean leeks, trim both ends, slice in half lengthwise, place flat side down, and slice into small pieces like you would a celery stalk. Place leek pieces in a bowl of cold water and mix them gently with your hands until the dirt and sand falls to the bottom. Use a slotted spoon to remove.

2. Halve the butter. I saw a few reviewers mention they did that, so I did too. I think one stick is plenty.

3. Serve with a little shredded cheddar and some crushed croutons. The croutons add a nice garlic flavor and some texture.

4. If you want a smoother soup, you can puree it in small batches using a blender or food processor. The chunks were delicious, but we might try it blended next time.

Now go, make, and enjoy. I plan to enjoy this one again around noon.

*In the interest of full disclosure, Nate started this recipe for me because he had to be somewhere at 7pm and I don't get home until 5:45pm — he wouldn't have had time to eat if he waited for me. But I took over as soon as I walked in the door, right around the cornstarch part. And I sliced/cleaned the leeks the night before so I did some prep work. :)

On naming.

2011-09-07T08:06:00.015-05:00

I have the following conversation about, oh, fifty times a day.

--
Friend/family member/colleague: "Aw, you're having a girl? Do you have a name picked out?"
Me: "Not really."
F/FM/C: "Do you have any contenders?"
Me: "Not really."
F/FM/C: "Well, I can't wait to find out!"
Me: Smiles, changes subject
--

For reasons unknown to me, my mom has been telling everyone our daughter's name is Olivia. Even my dad, who called to tell me how much he liked our choice. (Thanks, Mom.) Don't get me wrong, I think Olivia is a darling name. But it's not the name we've chosen. And yes, we've chosen a name. Tentatively. And no, we are not sharing it with you, even though you are by far our favorite parent/friend/sibling/colleague/fellow blogger. And here's why:

People are rude.

Not you, of course. You're delightful and kind. And I'm certain the rudeness is unintentional. But it seems even the nicest people have no problem saying things like "You're kidding, right?" or "Oh, I knew a ________ in high school, she smelled bad" or "Oh, that's really popular. How about _________?" in response to potential (and even final) baby names.

Which is just...no. Not okay. Why would anyone think that's okay?

Unless you were an active participant in the child's creation, will be pushing it out of your hooha, or plan to cover its expenses from birth through age 18, you don't get to voice your opinion on this matter. Instead, you get to say "Oh, that's wonderful!" or "I'm sure little Zelda will be just beautiful" or "What a lovely tribute to your great grandfather's sister's brother!" because someone has just been kind enough to open up and share something very personal and exciting with you.

You do not get to say "Wow, um, huh. That's different..." to the child's parents while making a face like you just swallowed a gallon of spoiled milk.

We got a wide range of reactions to Calvin's name. Some loved it, others did not. While it hurt my feelings to hear negative feedback on a name Nate and I had lovingly and thoughtfully selected for our baby, we still used it. Because it was OUR perfect name for OUR child. And I don't think there's a person out there who would say the name Calvin doesn't fit our son. In fact, I've yet to meet a child who didn't fit their name, even when it's a name I wouldn't choose myself.

Names are 100% subjective, and everyone has their own criteria for choosing one. Nate and I like classic, old-fashioned names with a twist. Names you can say and spell easily, but that aren't commonly used. And we both feel strongly about using family names. Calvin's middle name is John, which is both Nate's middle name and the first name of his beloved grandfather. Our daughter's middle name will carry on that tradition. In choosing our children's names, we strive to honor our families while still expressing our own tastes — and the dreams we have for our kids and who they'll grow to be.

Truth is, names that sound silly or stupid or downright ugly to me and you might be beautiful and meaningful to someone else — for reasons we don't know or understand. Which is why I firmly believe the only appropriate response to someone else's baby name is a glowing one. No faces, no offering other options, no opinions. Just smiles and congratulations, and maybe a few jokes with your significant other behind closed doors later on if it's really terrible.

So, yes. Nate and I are pretty sure we have a name for our daughter. And we'll be more than happy to share it with all of you...as soon as she's born.

We're hoping it will be harder for people to make the spoiled milk face while looking at our pretty girl.

Day 2: Chicken With Capers and Green Beans

2011-09-07T07:33:00.002-05:00

Courtesy of: Better Homes and Gardens
Serves: 4
Prep and cook time: 30 minutes

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/4 cup seasoned fine dry breadcrumbs
8oz fresh green beans, trimmed
2 lemons, 1 sliced and 1 juiced
1 tablespoon capers
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Pound out chicken breasts to even thickness. Brush chicken with mustard; sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper and coat both sides in breadcrumbs. Heat 2T of olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook four minutes on each side or until no pink remains. Transfer to plates. Add 2T olive oil to skillet. Cook green beans in oil four minutes or until crisp-tender; add lemon slices at the last minute. Transfer to plates. Add lemon juice and capers to skillet and heat through. Drizzle on chicken.

--
Let me start by saying the chicken was amazing. I almost always bake chicken, so doing it on the stovetop was a departure for me and it was super delicious. And we like to have a grain or starch with our meals, so I paired this recipe with frozen brown rice from Trader Joe's. I also have a few adjustments to this recipe based on how it turned out:

1. Chicken: Use liberal amounts of mustard and breadcrumbs to get them good and coated. You'll lose some in the cooking process. Also, four minutes on each side was perfect, and left the chicken tender and juicy. This was delicious, and I think it would be awesome sliced on a salad or in a wrap. I also think it would have been just fine without the sauce if you're looking for an easy chicken recipe to pair with something. I used plain old garlic/herb breadcrumbs.

2. Green beans: These were kind of meh. My biggest complaint is that they came nowhere near tender in four minutes, and I felt like the chicken was getting cold while I waited for them to cook. I would recommend boiling/steaming them first until they are almost cooked, then finishing them in the pan. I also added some lemon pepper to spice it up a bit, and I think garlic may have been a good addition, too. I love green beans and the ones I used were from the farmer's market, but I think I would have preferred roasted asparagus with this recipe.

3. Lemon caper sauce: Capers were great, but the sauce was way too tart. The lemons were completely overpowering (and this is coming from someone who loves lemon). Nate and I brainstormed a bit after dinner to figure out what would have made that more palatable, and after searching through Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything, we determined it was butter. It needed butter, or oil, or something to cut the lemon juice. If you use the straight lemon juice the recipe calls for, I'd recommend a very light drizzle.

All in all, not bad. It was quick and easy, and the chicken is a definite keeper.

Day 1: Spicy Chicken and Black Bean Tacos

2011-09-06T07:55:00.004-05:00

Courtesy of: My Mom
Serves: 4
Prep and cook time: 2 hours

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used chicken tenders)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes and chilis (Rotel), drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1.5 teaspoons chili powder

Spray crock pot with Pam. Mix beans and tomatoes with chilis in bottom. Combine olive oil, cumin and chili powder in small bowl, rub all over chicken. Place chicken on top of bean mixture, cook on high for an hour and 45 minutes. Slice or shred chicken, and serve with tortillas and your choice of taco fixings.

--
This recipe is the easiest thing on earth. It would be mighty hard to mess it up, and the result is a totally blank canvas. Nate wasn't home last night, so instead of tortillas, I made mine into a salad and served it with tortilla chips. I thought chips might be a more kid-friendly option and I was right. I think this chicken would be excellent on nachos, which is probably how I'll serve it next time.

I would say the spice is fairly mild, so if you like it hotter, increase the amount of cumin and chili powder, or use the hot Rotel. I also think it could have cooked a little less (it was bordering on dry), but my crock pot is crazy hot and cooks at lightning speed, and I was using smaller pieces of chicken. Just something to note.

Also something to note? My lack of skill when it comes to photographing food. This looks a little like cat food. I'll try to do better tomorrow so you'll actually want to try whatever it is I'm showing you.

Meal Plan: Week of September 5

2011-09-06T07:44:00.000-05:00

Monday: Chicken and spicy black bean tacos

Tuesday: Chicken with capers and green beans

Wednesday: Potato leek soup

Thursday: Pizza casserole

Friday-Sunday: Open. We're having a garage sale, so we'll see how it goes.

A good mom.

2011-09-06T07:22:00.002-05:00

I think every mom has to define "good" for themselves, and their families — based on priorities, circumstances, abilities, interests, time constraints, family size, and a plethora of other considerations.

For many, being a good mom probably involves having dinner on the table every night at 6pm sharp, making sure the kids are bathed daily, and having everyone's clean clothes neatly put away on a weekly basis.

Yeah, not me. I'm more of a "sure you can play outside for an extra 20 minutes before bed, I'll just rub you down with a baby wipe to give the illusion of cleanliness" kind of mom.

And you know what? I'm okay with that. My kid is happy and healthy and so far hasn't shown any signs of severe emotional disturbance from maternal neglect (saving it up for his future therapist, I'm sure). Plus we almost always have clean clothes...even if they rarely get folded. (Downy wrinkle releaser, folks. It will change your life. Take it from the girl who used to iron her jeans.)

While I may not be the most organized parent, I think I do a pretty decent job of caring for my family. However, there is one area where I fall down. Big time. And that area is cooking.

Like so many things (dental exams, going to the post office, showering), I love the results but HAAAAATE the process. The last thing I want to do after working all day is come home and cook dinner. Maybe it's because I'm lazy, maybe it's because I'm a sucky cook, probably it's both. All I know is that for the past two years my child has eaten way too many hot dogs and I would be completely lost without Steamfresh vegetables.

Sadly, pretty much everything I make that isn't a microwaved hot dog involves chicken, instant rice, and cream of something or another soup. Ick. That isn't good for me and it isn't good for Calvin. I don't want my kids raised by a mom who relies on packaged foods and the microwave for dinner. I didn't grow up that way, and neither did Nate.

So, my friends. I have given myself a challenge this month. And that challenge is cooking dinner. Real, honest-to-goodness dinner (and a few fun things for breakfast and dessert).

No hot dogs. No macaroni and cheese from a box. No cereal. (Because cereal comes after dinner. About 9pm. It's my late night pregnancy snack.)

I'm starting small — and realistically — with a meal plan. Last week I began gathering recipes that sounded good, and on Sunday I sat down and planned out our meals for the week. For the next month, I am going to post my meal plan for the week on Sunday. And then, if things turn out well, I'll share the recipes with you. And if they don't, I'll share my failures with you. Not only will this provide me with some much-needed accountability, it will hopefully give you some inspiration in the kitchen — or at least a few new recipes to try at home.

Keep in mind that I work full-time and am a novice cook, so none of these recipes will be overly involved or earth shatteringly fancy. And some may involve cream of something or another soup, but I'm going to try to limit those recipes to nights when Nate's working and I have to make quick, kid-friendly meals.

So, that's the plan. Me. Cooking dinner. For a month. Like a good mom.

Hope you're ready to laugh.

Friday, Friday, Friday, OHHHHH.

2011-09-02T07:42:00.006-05:00

For some reason I always sing Rebecca Black's Friday to the tune of Justin Beiber's Baby.

And this concludes the portion of today's blog post where I embarrass myself.

I hope.

Things I love today:

1. Amy Grant's Better Than a Hallelujah.

2. The Band Perry's If I Die Young.

Note: I've been listening to a lot of audiobooks in my car lately (I'm on the 10th Janet Evanovich book) so I rarely have the radio on. Maybe the rest of you have been aware of those two songs for months (years?), I have no idea. I may be horribly dated, but at least I finally got the the part of the Stephanie Plum series where she gets it on with Ranger,* and that's been a long time coming. And since most of you have no idea what I'm talking about, I will just say that he is HOT and and leave it at that.

3. Leftover coffee in the coffee pot at home. I never used to drink coffee, but right now I need it to survive. And I am so happy when there's some leftover from the day before because I don't have to chill it — it can go right into my ice-filled reusable tumbler. Obviously I don't have any sort of trained coffee-drinking palate, and I'm guessing that is a completely gross and unacceptable practice. But that's okay. I'll drink mine and you'll drink yours and we'll all be happy and caffeinated and productive.

4. Rio. Nate and I watched this movie with Calvin last night and we were totally and completely delighted by it. So cute. I laughed a lot. Especially at all the Minnesota references, none of which hold weight ("cheese and sprinkles" is not really a thing, sorry). Highly recommended for the little ones. Or the big ones, if you're immature like we are.

Things I never thought I'd want to buy but do:

1. A minivan. Apologies to all my friends who have not yet gotten on board with the swagger wagon, but it's going to happen. Soon. Being cool** is just not as important to me as storage space and doors that open on their own. I understand if you're no longer willing to ride with me, but just know that I'm going to be mighty annoyed if I have to open my own door when getting in your car.

2. Uggs. (Ughs.) Last year, out of desperation and due to copious amounts of snow, I bought a pair of Target knock offs. And oh my heavens were they ever comfy and warm. They were also a cheap piece of crap and fell apart about a month in. In preparation for another long Minnesota winter (and the very real possibility none of my shoes will fit me in the last month of pregnancy), I am going to start scoping out real ones. I still think they're ugly as sin, but let's all reference the footnote from my #1 and remember that I don't care about shallow things like looks.***

3. Jeggings. I've succumbed. To maternity jeggings, no less. There's really nothing more to say except I probably look like a lumpy carrot and, well, so be it.

Things I always knew I wanted to buy and still want to:

1. Baby girl clothing. You guys, I have a problem. A big one. And that problem is my income to spending ratio when it comes to tiny dresses and striped leggings. Is there a 529 savings account for clothing? There should be. I'd max that sucker out.

Things I should probably stop doing:

1. Eating for two.

2. Shopping for baby girl clothing.

3. Watching Toddlers and Tiaras when Nate's not home. And probably TLC in general. Train. Wreck. However, if you haven't seen this parody with Tom Hanks, it's worth a watch.

Have a great weekend, lovelies!

*Don't worry, my mom already knows I listen to smut in the car. And she agrees with me...Ranger is HOT.
**Who am I kidding? Being cool has never been top priority for me. Lazy ALWAYS wins.
***Okay, fine. I do. Stop picking apart my blog post.

Big red chair.

2011-08-31T07:46:00.002-05:00

Last night before bed, I snuck into Calvin's room. I leaned over his crib in the darkness and whispered "hi sweetheart" to my sleeping boy, only to have tiny hands reach up to grab my shirt. "Rock me," he whispered back.

I gathered him up, he wrapped his tiny arms around me, and we settled into the big red chair in his room. He snuggled his face into the crook of my neck, and stroked my hair as I traced circles on his back.

We rocked.

His breathing slowed; his hands stopped moving, still tangled in my hair. Asleep. I stroked his sweet curls, and a tear rolled down my cheek.

My sweet baby. So big, sprawled across my entire lap and half the chair. When did this happen? When did he grow too big for me to comfortably hold? When did our late night snuggles become the exception and not the rule?

As I rocked him, I thought of his sleepy newborn days. His pudgy little legs and wide, toothless grin at six months old. The bins of his infant clothes parked in our dining room, waiting to be sorted, shared, sold. The many nights spent together in this red chair, which will soon find a home across the hall. And my sweet daughter, who will take his place as the baby of our family a few short months from now.

I cried silently, my tears wetting his sleeping head.

It's all going so fast. And I feel like I'm missing it. As I struggle to drag myself through day after day of morning routines and commutes and work and dinner and bedtime routines, he's growing. Learning. Maturing. Finding his way in the world. And I'm just trying to survive another day of mile-long to-do lists.

I want to slow time, to bottle these years of his smallness. Because I know they'll be gone soon, much sooner than I expected. And I'm not ready. I'm not ready for preschool and third grade and homecoming dances. I'm not ready to sacrifice our one-on-one time to the needs of another baby. I'm not ready to move the big red chair across the hall.

But as I rocked my sleeping son last night, I realized none of this is about me. Everything I do as a parent is for Calvin. And he's ready. He's desperate to grow big, like his daddy. He wants to know everything about everything and find his way in the world. And he's ready to relinquish his place as the baby and embrace his new role as big brother...even if I'm not. My job isn't to keep him small, it's to give him roots and wings. To teach him to fly without forgetting where he came from.

After a while, Calvin shifted uncomfortably in my arms and repositioned himself so that he was cradled across my lap. I held him like that for a moment, marveling at the difference two years makes. Then I gently pushed aside his mop of curls, kissed his forehead, and returned him to bed.

I padded back to my bed, where I snuggled in next to my sleeping husband and prayed for my children — my darling big boy and my precious unborn daughter.

I promise not to hold them back, Lord. Just please let me rock them a little while longer.

Twins.

2011-08-29T15:49:00.007-05:00

Oh, calm down. Not really. But this photo was taken after a ridiculously good dinner at Heartland with my husband, so I figure there's a human baby AND a food baby in there. And let's be honest: Twins is the only excuse for a belly this big at 22 weeks.

So thankful for this one, who loves me despite my double wide middle. And who still makes me laugh harder than anyone else in the history of the world. I dare you to ask him about the $2 at dinner.

Actually, I will pay you $2 to ask him, because then I can laugh all over again. It's a story well worth $2. My husband is very funny.

And exceptionally cute.

And an amazing husband.

And an even better dad.

Our babies, food and otherwise, are blessed to have him. As am I.

(Here's hoping all this sucking up will keep him from killing me over the mere mention of the $2 at dinner. Because we all know it has to come out now...)

Five Minute Friday: Older

2011-08-26T11:48:00.015-05:00

Is 32 the new 22?

I sure hope not.

At 22 I was a college graduate with no prospects. My boyfriend had dumped me. I had a degree but no career. I was living with my parents. I made $8.50 an hour lugging formal dresses around Bloomingdale's. I spent my money on designer clothes and cranberry and vodkas, and barely had enough left over for my student loans and car payment. I was on the fast-track to building some serious debt, which would haunt me throughout my 20s.

On the flip side, I had a lot of fun. My clothes were awesome, as was my body. I dated some interesting guys (some of whom were far more memorable than others, to which my friend Jo can attest). I went out with friends nearly every night of the week. I stayed up late and and got up even later. My parents provided my food, paid all my utilities. I had little-to-no responsibility because my lifestyle at the time didn't require much more than showing up to work and paying my bills on time.

At various times throughout the past 10 years, I've romanticized my early 20s. Nate and I will often reminisce about our early days together and think — wow, we sure had fun. But fun was all we had. Besides meeting Nate, very little from that time period is worth remembering. It's a blur of late nights and tipsy kisses, irresponsibility and immaturity.

At 32, I have responsibility. Loads of it. Bills to pay and to-do lists to complete and children to raise. But I also have a solid foundation on which to stand in both my faith and my family. I have a loving Father. A devoted husband. A beautiful little boy at home and a precious baby girl on the way. A stable career. A roof over my head. I have priorities, and most of the time I have them straight(ish).

I also have crows feet, about 30 pounds to lose, and a pretty pathetic excuse for a social life. There's no question: I've aged. Twenty two-year-old Abby would be dismayed. But 32-year-old Abby knows better.

32 isn't as glamorous or exciting as 22. And it's a lot harder, more exhausting. But with age comes experience, maturity, and the ability to differentiate between what's "fun" and what's meaningful.

No doubt these will be years worth remembering.

--
After a few weeks off, this post was written as part of Five Minute Friday. Visit The Gypsy Mama to link up or read other bloggers' take on this week's prompt, Older.

Hooked.

2011-08-23T07:15:00.011-05:00

Throughout the course of our relationship, a few things have happened that one or the other of us will never live down. For example, the time Nate tried to fix our kitchen cabinet using string. Or the time I fell down in the mall parking lot and ended up with a lost flip flop, a sprained thumb, ripped jeans, and two bloody knees.

Yep, Nate and I were MFEO.*

One of the more memorable stories involved me leaving town with both sets of our keys. Halfway to Iowa, Nate called me in a panic because he couldn't find his car keys anywhere, and asked if I may have picked them up accidentally. I searched my purse and told him he was clearly insane to think I had them and he needed to look harder. Thirty seconds after chewing him out, I found them in the bottom of my purse. Whoops. Too embarrassed to admit I'd been wrong, I hid them in the side of the couch once I returned home a few days later and then "found" them for him.

Marriage is nothing if not built on honesty, trust, and the occasional face-saving move involving neither honesty nor trust.

Since then we've had our share of lost key incidents and we've become somewhat notorious for misplacing them. For Christmas one year, Nate's parents got us each a ginormous (like 5") wooden initial key ring so there'd never be any confusion as to whose keys were whose. Alas, those were not practical for everyday use, so we had to come up with an alternate plan.

Enter Anthropologie. Have you ever spent time in that store's hardware section? Holy mother of all that is pretty and overpriced. If you are a lover of fake vintage stuff (because, let's face it, real vintage stuff is rarely a good choice for utilitarian items) and kitsch like I am, this is the "hardware store" for you.

Nate and I were shopping there one day (he's a good husband) and he ran across these adorable alphabet hooks. We purchased an A and an N, thinking we'd hang them by the door and that would take care of that.

But I am a complicated creature and like to make small projects into giant ones that take too long and sometimes never get done. Just ask the half-finished Mickey Mouse balloon and ribbon birthday wreath I made for Calvin's party, which has been sitting in our basement since April. So instead of merely hanging the two hooks on the wall, I decided to buy a shadow box, take out the glass, cover the backing in cute bird fabric, set the two hooks on it, and then leave it, unfinished, on the dining room table for two months.

Thankfully my husband took it upon himself to finish this project for me, and when I came home the other day it was hanging next to the door. A sweet little shadow box housing an A and an N, ready and waiting to keep our keys (and the two of us) organized.

Of course I've only remembered to actually put my keys on the hooks twice since then, but you know. Baby steps and all that.

*Made for each other. Seriously, didn't you ever see Sleepless in Seattle?

Pink.

2011-08-22T07:50:00.001-05:00

Until now, my world has been filled with blue. With stripes and plaids, with dirty socks and dump trucks. With snot-covered sleeves and matchbox cars and stinky toes. With never ending questions about dinosaurs and firetrucks and bugs.

And I've loved it. Every single second. I wouldn't trade my precious boy for anything. That little man of mine holds my heart.

But, oh, sweet baby girl. I can't wait to meet you.

I've been waiting for you forever.

Home.

2011-08-17T07:12:00.010-05:00

I often make jokes about Minnesota, the state in which my husband was raised and we currently live. Truthfully, I find it to be an odd place. People generally keep to themselves, casseroles are called "hotdish," and they pronounce "aunt" "ahnt" and "bag" "baeg." But I come from a state full of loud-mouthed people, corrupt politicians, and hot dogs served without ketchup, so I don't know that I have much room to talk.

Moving to Minnesota 12 years ago was not my choice. Staying here was. By the time my parents made the decision to move back to Illinois, I was gainfully (?) employed and in love with a Minnesota boy (we were 22 and 23, so "boy" seems appropriate). Leaving Nate wasn't even a question; I think we both knew we'd end up married long before we'd even said "I love you." I was here to stay.

Not without a little bitterness, of course. No matter how much I loved Nate, how many terrific friends I made, or how many excellent restaurants we had access to, I was homesick. Terribly. Minnesota could never compare to my beloved Chicago. I missed my loud-mouthed family and friends, Vienna Beef, and folks who could pronounce words correctly. (The corrupt politicians, not so much.)

Over time, the ache in my heart has dulled a bit. While still lonesome for my family and my first home, I have found happiness here. And though Nate and I have talked, at length, about moving to Illinois someday, I know it will never happen. I won't let it. I've left everyone I know behind to make a life in a new state, and it's horribly difficult. I would never put Nate through that. His family, his friends, his entire life is here. And now, 12 years in, much of mine is, too. I have a stable job, a beautiful house, a family of my own, and extended family I hold dear. Not to mention a number of friends with whom we have developed solid, life-long relationships. People who I believe will play an integral role in our lives and the lives of our kids.

The other day, as I drove back into St. Paul after spending time with friends, I was struck by the beauty of the city skyline. While it doesn't hold the same awestruck wonder for me that the Chicago skyline does, it's beautiful all the same. And, after many years, I can finally say it's home.

My past is in Chicago; my family and my roots are in Illinois. But my present and my future are not. My heart, my home, is here — in Minnesota.

My home is with my husband, who likes lefsa and keeps to himself unless I force things out of him. With my little boy, who will likely say "baeg" but will always know the right way to dress a hot dog. And with the tiny one growing inside me, who I hope will inherit just a touch of this mama's Chicago-style loudmouthedness along with his/her daddy's reverence for hotdish.

Minnesota is certainly not where I expected — or wanted — to be, but there's no doubt in my mind it's where I belong.

Ordinary life.

2011-08-16T12:05:00.001-05:00

Time stands still best in moments that look suspiciously like ordinary life. -Brian Andreas

Delicious and [kind of] nutritious.

2011-08-08T12:06:00.000-05:00

Now, I know I've said time and time again that I don't cook, but I do bake. And once in a while I make something awesome. When that happens, I feel it's only fair I share the recipe.

I made this zucchini bread recipe last summer and loved it, then kind of forgot about it. Glad I remembered! It's super moist and cinnamony and of course chock full of vegetables (and sugar) so it's also good for you! And the recipe makes two loaves, which I always think is nice — one for immediate consumption, one for the freezer. Or one to share with a friend, if you're nicer and less of a pig than I am.

Zucchini Bread

3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil (I use a canola blend)
2 1/4 cups sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini (two small)*
1 cup chopped walnuts

Grease and flour two 8x4 loaf pans. Preheat oven to 325.

Sift flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl.

Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients, beat well. Stir in zucchini and walnuts.

Bake for 40-60 minutes** or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes, then remove bread from pan and cool completely.

Aren't these lovely little loaves?

*I also think this base would be awesome with diced or grated apples.
**My oven cooks slowly, so I typically check at 40 minutes but end up going closer to 60+.

Five Minute Friday: Whole

2011-08-05T07:21:00.002-05:00

My life was full before I met you.

Happy. Healthy. Carefree. Devoted entirely to my God, my husband, my family, my friends, my job, myself.

I had work-life balance.

I had money.

I had time.

And now I have you.

I no longer have balance.

I no longer have money.

I no longer have time.

And even without these things, my life, my heart, is full.

More than full.

Whole.

This post was written as part of Five Minute Friday. Two weeks in and all I've learned is that I'm a very slow writer and hitting publish after a mere five minutes of writing is terrifying. Join us, won't you?

Things I love Thursday [Food Edition]

2011-08-04T12:33:00.006-05:00

I don't know what it is about Thursdays and blog lists, but it's about all I can muster by this point in the week. And given my current state the only thing on my mind is food, so it seemed a logical topic. Really, you should just be thankful for whatever I throw together because I know you're all sitting at work bored out of your skulls just waiting for something new to read.

Oh, that's just me? Okay then. Congrats on being a better employee than I am. Or, if you don't work, congrats on having a better life than I do.

1. Trader Joe's Roasted Gorgonzola Crackers. They don't even need cheese. Or dip. And that's saying something from a girl who rarely lifts a cracker to her mouth without some additional motivation. Chicken in a Biskit also fall into this category.

2. Decaf vanilla coolers from Caribou Coffee. From the drive-thru, preferably. Who wants to actually take the time to get out of their car in the morning?

3. McDonald's sweet tea. One dollar any size for a limited time only. Do it.

4. Everything at Brasa. Seriously, everything. Nate and I went there for the first time in a long time on Tuesday night and it was so ridiculously good. I know there are probably only two people who read this blog and live in the Twin Cities, so I'm very sorry to the rest of you. Except for those of you who live in the south and can get slow roasted pork and red beans and rice and cheesy grits and cornbread and homemade macaroni and cheese whenever you want. Holy heck I live in the wrong part of the country. Sure, Minnesota has tater tot hotdish,* but...yeah, I can't even get through that with a straight face. I mean, tater tot hotdish? This place is so weird.

5. Bacon cheeseburger meatloaf. Cheddar cheese, pickles, thick slices of bacon on top. It's the best meatloaf in the world. And I should know, having tried them all. I'm one of those weird people who really likes meatloaf. Maybe because I really like onions. Nate hates meatloaf because of the onions...which is how we ended up having bacon cheeseburger meatloaf at our house. Onion free. Or maybe just onion light. Who knows, I don't cook, I just eat.

6. Guacamole. No specific recipe in particular, I just had a mad craving for guacamole last night around 10pm while I was watching the end of So You Think You Can Dance and was really disappointed to find we didn't have any. Not that guacamole is the sort of thing anyone just has in the fridge. It usually requires some thought and preparation. I had a bowl of Berry Kix instead. Not the same, not the same at all.

7. Diet coke. Yep, I know. Don't care. It's delicious and I love it and I'm sure my baby will be just fine if a tad hyperactive. And if he/she is not fine, well then you can go ahead and kick me when I'm down. But bring a Diet Coke because after you do I'll probably be thirsty. Also, my mom smoked** when I was in utero and look how well I turned out!

8. String cheese. For kids, or for adults? Hard to say. But I think we can all agree on it being delicious and convenient! Except for Nate, who thinks it "tastes like nothing" yet still eats it.

9. This blueberry pie recipe which I am going to make soon, while blueberries are 2/$4. I haven't actually tasted this pie yet, but I am 100% certain pie crust + blueberries + CREAM CHEESE LAYER = something I love.

10. B.T. McElrath's Salty Dog chocolate bar. It's chocolate...covered in salt. There's nothing more to say.

And, I'm done. Not because I'm out of things to list, but because it's lunchtime and I'm starving and suddenly I want pizza.

11. Pizza. Yum.

*A hotdish is a casserole, for those of you not from Minnesota, aka everyone else on the planet. Also, if you come here with preschoolers, be prepared to play "Duck Duck Gray Duck" instead of "Duck Duck Goose." Yes, I know. I'm raising my children here. Wish me luck.

**Different times, they didn't know then what they know now...yada yada. Look for a similar statement from me down the road when my kids point out how I ate lunchmeat and drank Diet Coke while pregnant.

Mommy & me.

2011-08-01T09:03:00.014-05:00

Because Nate works every other weekend, I try to take advantage of that one-on-one time with Calvin. Given last Saturday's dark and stormy weather, I decided it was a good day for two of my personal indoor favorites: McDonald's breakfast and a trip to the library.

If not a healthy body, at least a healthy mind, right?

A sausage egg McMuffin, an egg, bacon, cheese biscuit, two hashbrowns, and a mango pineapple smoothie = bliss.

\

During breakfast I tried to prep Calvin for our trip to the library by telling him that once we got there we'd need to stop at the counter and get a library card, which might take a few minutes. But after we did that, we'd get some new books! And that the library is a quiet place, so we'd need to use our very best library voice and listen to and obey mommy at all times.

He listened intently to my description of the library experience, thrilled at the prospect of new books. And then we practiced his library voice, which he nailed on the first try. I've been trying to get him to use that same hushed voice in other scenarios by calling it "car voice" and "morning voice" but so far it hasn't caught on. Dang.

After breakfast we made our way over the library, where I applied for a library card. I should note here that yes, I am an avid reader and yes, I should have a library card. However, I am really quite terrible at returning books on time and currently have outstanding fees in both the Dakota and Ramsey county systems. I'm a bit of a fee flee-er. The books have all been returned, but the fees have gone unpaid. I've been too nervous to try and get (another) library card now that we're back in Dakota county, because heaven only knows how much I owe in ten-year-old late fees, but then I realized that I have a new last name since I opened that first library card in Dakota county and they'll probably never know it's me. But I used Nate's phone number on my application just in case.

And now you know the extent of my criminal activity. I'm not proud, but I'm also not going to lie about it. Well, to you at least. I've obviously done my share of lying to the library system.

Side note: The woman in front of us in line was a total cat lady. Middle aged, crazy hair, sweatpants. And she was requesting a new library card because the night before she'd left it at a restaurant. She told the librarian that she'd gotten it back less than an hour later, but she was very concerned someone had used it during that time. (?) So the librarian checked her account and said it hadn't been used, and the woman said "Oh, I'm so relieved. But I'd still like a new account because I really don't know what they did with it during that time. Believe me, I know how these things work. I watch a LOT of true crime."

That was one of the more challenging "must not laugh out loud must not laugh out loud" moments I've had in life.

Anyway, after I succeeded in scamming the library into giving me another chance at borrowing books, Calvin succeeded in being the most well-behaved toddler at the library. And he loved it there! Maybe I have a shot at redeeming myself by raising a kid who loves and is respectful of the library. And by returning my books on time from now on.

He read and played while I browsed:

And then he insisted on carrying our bag full of goodies all by himself.

Our Mommy & me day ended when Daddy came home from work and crashed the party, but we still had fun. On our way home from dinner at Chili's that night, Nate and I were listening/dancing to Katy Perry in the front seat. From the backseat we heard Calvin say, "Mama, look! Look at MY moves!" I turned around to find Calvin raising and lowering his right arm again and again to the music. He dances about as well as his parents do.

I love my cutie boy and our special weekend time together. Oh, and I highly recommend Duck & Goose: How are You Feeling? and Lots of Spots. Those two books have gotten a bedtime workout this week!

Anyone notice his awesome Merichka's shirt? Nevermind that it says "tap room" on it with a picture of a cocktail glass. I may have sent him to his (church) daycare in that shirt once or twice before I even noticed...

Ugh. McDonald's, fee evasion, Katy Perry, cocktail shirts...this post isn't doing me any favors. Good thing I'm not up for any parenting awards this year.

Five Minute Friday: Still

2011-07-29T10:45:00.007-05:00

My heart skips a beat. Sometimes two.

When he kisses me good morning, all fumbling hands and sleepy eyes and whiskered cheeks.

When he looks at me and shakes his head as if to say “you’re crazy, but you’re mine.”

When he takes my hand for no other reason than to be close to me.

When he forcefully pulls me near despite my angered attempts to pull away.

When he lets me go on and on about things he does not care to know, because he understands that's what I need from him.

When he kisses me good night, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist, his face nuzzled into the crook of my neck.

Ten years in, and my heart still skips a beat when he's near.

Sometimes two.

--
This post was written as part of Five Minute Friday, a weekly writing workshop one of my friends does. Looked kind of fun, so I thought I'd give it a try. (I think I need some practice.) Anyway, click here to learn more or link up with us!

Little boys aren't so bad.

2011-07-26T12:29:00.001-05:00

Can you tell I'm gearing up for the news that I'm having another boy? August 19, please come soon! I'm getting the shopping itch...and it would be nice to know for sure before I start loading up on the blue and green.

And stripes. Gosh, I love stripes.

Athletic pursuits.

2011-07-25T07:39:00.008-05:00

Golf is the sport of choice at our house. Not my choice, of course — my choice would be no sports — but so long as neither of my kids want to play hockey, I'll be happy. I mean, 5am ice time seven days a week? Yeah, no. I'll gladly resort to bribery (i.e. Here's $50 to never mention hockey to me again) before I let that happen.

Because Nate is an avid golfer — and a very good one, at that — he has always looked forward to taking Calvin golfing. Since Cal's not quite old enough for a day on the course, they do a lot of backyard practicing with a set of plastic toy clubs. From the looks of things, there's hope for Calvin following in Nate's footsteps. He hits that little plastic ball effortlessly.

Last night I made the mistake of coming out to watch them. Calvin brought me his club and told me it was my turn to golf. I laughed and said "Oh, I'm not a golfer. This is a fun game for you and Daddy." But Calvin insisted, so I took the plastic set out into the yard, got into prime golfing position, and swung.

I missed the ball.

Nate laughed.

Calvin, encouraging me from the sidelines: "Almost!"

I squinted my eyes, got back into position, and swung once more.

I missed it again.

Nate laughed harder.

Calvin, shaking his head as he came to take the club away: "You're not a golfer."

No kidding, kid. What did you expect? The closest I ever came to a team sport was yearbook.

Secret shame.

2011-07-19T12:55:00.014-05:00

Being a working mom is really hard.

And so is being a stay at home mom. Don't think this is going to be one of those pointless posts where someone tries to make the case for one over the other. I've read my share of those and I seriously can't believe people keep trying to win that argument. Ain't gonna happen, folks. We're all moms and we're all working our tails off. Let. It. Go.

While I fully admit there are big perks to having a full-time job outside the home — uninterrupted computer time, daily interaction with other adults, extra income, and eight hours of freedom from the hands of another human being — there are a few things about my schedule that make life challenging. The most important one, of course, is missing out on time with my son. That's heartbreaking, and I totally get why people say they stay home because their kids are only little for so long. I do feel sadness and guilt over missing out on large chunks of my son's childhood. But this is what works for our family, and it is what it is.

The second is lack of time. I don't have enough time to do anything. And I mean ANYTHING. I follow the same exact schedule Monday through Friday:

6:30am: Drag myself out of bed.
6:30am to 8am: Get ready. Drop Calvin off. Drive to work.
8am to 5pm: Work. Eat. Work some more.
5pm to 6pm: Leave work, pick Calvin up from school, get home.
6pm to 7pm: Figure out dinner, play with Calvin, eat dinner.
7pm to 8pm: Bath, books, put Calvin to bed.
8pm to 10pm: Clean kitchen, do laundry, collapse on couch.
10pm: Drag myself into bed.

Rinse and repeat. Except for Tuesdays, when my in-laws come over to give me a break at night.

I literally have two hours (three if you count my lunch break, which is typically utilized for errand running) a day to get things done. Unfortunately, by that point in the day my son is in bed, my husband is probably at work, and I'm exhausted. Truly, there aren't enough hours in the day to tackle my "should dos" or even my "need to dos" after checking off the "must dos" — which are currently limited to working and tending to the basic needs of my family. And on the weekends my priority is spending time with Calvin and Nate, not mopping my floors and going to the post office.

I think the thing that appeals most to me about staying home — besides the obvious benefit of caring for your children — is the flexibility. The ability to run errands. Make a decent dinner. Throw in a load of laundry. Pick up the house. Use nap time to accomplish something. Of course I realize being home is equally (if not more) exhausting, that you can't spend all your time cleaning and running errands when you're home with your kids, and that doing those things with kids in tow is no easy task (plus cleaning with kids is pretty much pointless because it will just be messy again two minutes later), but having the option to do those things during the day would be nice. I can't do any of that from work, and yet it still needs to get done at some point.

Basically, I'm romanticizing life at home and using work as a big, fat excuse for my lack of productivity. And now you'll see why.

The Abby who started this blog back in 2008 had a house that looked like this:

And the Abby you know today has a house that looks like this:

You know that whole "clean kitchen" line on my little schedule? Yeah. That's on a good night. So is the laundry. More often than not, I put Calvin to bed, take a shower (because it gives me five extra minutes of sleep in the morning), put my pjs on, and sink into the couch. I might shove everything in the sink or load the dishwasher, but I rarely have the energy to clean the entire kitchen. And right now I wait until I'm almost out of clean underwear to do laundry.

Oh, and my bathroom? Yeah, don't even ask. I used to be completely militant about cleaning it from top to bottom before anyone came over, lest there be a stray piece of hair on the floor or vanity. Now my in-laws come over weekly and kneel on the floor to give my son a bath and I don't even remember to put a hand towel up before they arrive...much less vacuum or mop the floor. Full disclosure: Half the time Nate and I dry our hands on the shower curtain.

Three years ago I never would have admitted these shortcomings to a soul, much less the entire blogosphere. I worked really hard to maintain the illusion that housekeeping comes naturally to me. It doesn't. Obviously. I am a slob of the highest order. Yet for the longest time I knocked myself out trying to keep my house clean, because I thought an orderly house equaled a happy home.

You know what? It doesn't.

I discovered this important truth once I accepted the fact that I no longer have the time, energy, or desire to maintain my previous housekeeping standards. While my home may be a complete disaster 90% of the time, it's happier than it's ever been. And so am I.

Though I'm not sure happiness is a good enough excuse for failing to hang up a hand towel. I'll try to squeeze that in somewhere.

Golf widow.

2011-07-18T09:58:00.012-05:00

1. I'm on my own for the first half of the week. Nate's on his annual golf trip — aka four days of golf, sun, beer, steak, gambling and general male debauchery with a group of really good, decent, trustworthy, attractive and well-behaved guys who likely don't read my blog so I should probably quit threatening them via thinly veiled compliments.

Y'all better behave yourselves. And wear sunblock.

2. I made chocolate chip cookies last night with Crisco because I was out of butter (When do I ever run out of butter? Never, that's when.). I tell you what — Crisco is about to become a cookie making staple in our house. Soft, chewy perfection. I don't think I've ever made a thing with Crisco in my life, and I wouldn't have even had it on hand except I was making a recipe a while back that called for Oleo and I had no idea what that was so I bought Crisco. Turns out everyone but me knows about Oleo. How?

3. I started playing Words With Friends at the urging of my friend Lisa, who was in town visiting for the weekend. Two days in, and I'm just a little obsessed. I'm also playing two games with people I thought were my mother and aren't, which makes the messages I sent them a little awkward. Look me up if you're playing (Katie, Emily): absadabs79. I'm not very good.

4. Things that also happened during Lisa's visit: a pedicure, dinner, and a trip to Crate and Barrel. I got a cute dishtowel (A dishtowel? Me? Weird, I know. One of these days I'll have to do a post dedicated to my dishtowel collection.) and a set of popsicle molds. Apparently the molds were selling like crazy all day on Saturday. I'm not sure whether it was the nostalgia factor (didn't everyone have the Tupperware set growing up?) or the 100+ temps, but I just had to have them. And at $12.95, they were quite the deal. I threw some strawberry yogurt and raspberries in one yesterday afternoon and gave it to Calvin after dinner. Genius, really. He thinks something we would have given him for dinner anyways is dessert. Haha! This must be how people who cook out of that Jessica Seinfeld book feel. I actually have that cookbook, but I can't even find the time to make regular non-deceptive recipes for my family right now, so...eh.

5. Nate told me the other day that things are about to get funny at our house. And he was right.

"Where are the dirty diapers? Where are they?" "They're in the garbage, Cal." "No, they're not! They're right here, on my body!" (Pats rear end) "I've got a dirty diaper right here!"

"Where's my Lightning McQueen? I need it, please! It's in the car. You will have to go get it outside in the car. And you will have to go downstairs and put your shoes on and go get it in the car."

"That was a big yawn. A real big yawn. Where'd it go, Mama?" "What, your yawn? I don't know, Calvin." "I do! It ran away in my mouth!"

6. Sad news: Hot Mama is phasing out their maternity line. Lucky for me this is my last (planned) pregnancy, and I've been able to get some really cute things for some very good deals. Of course I use the phrase "good deals" loosely, as the first time I shopped at Hot Mama (back when I was pregnant with Calvin) I went in with a $100 gift card and came out with three shirts and a receipt for $250. Yikes. The damage was nowhere near that bad this time (thanks to another $100 giftcard from Nate), but it easily could have been. My self control continues to get better with time...kind of.

7. Also on the maternity shopping front: Motherhood's selection has improved significantly. Just in case you were wondering.

8. We find out the sex of this baby on August 19. I can't wait. Mainly because I'm pretty sure it's a boy and yet I can't stop looking at girl bedding, girl names, girl clothes. I need someone to snap me out of this dreamy phase and bring me back down to earth because I soooo doubt that's going to happen and I need to get serious about decorating and naming this more than likely male child. Naming the second kid is going to be much harder, I think. We may have to go with my mom's suggestion of Hobbes.

9. Rizzoli and Isles is back on. Or Fazoli and Breadstick, as Nate calls it. I love that show. Actually, I think I just love Angie Harmon. Either way, add that to my list of mindless summer entertainment along with SYTYCD and Project Runway (Thursday, hooray!). We're also watching Mad Men, which is not at all mindless but is very very entertaining. Especially if you, like me, work in the advertising industry, wax romantic about eras gone by, and have the major hots for Jon Hamm. And, less obviously, John Slattery.

10. Speaking of eras gone by: Midnight in Paris. Loved it. And now I'm thinking I need to have myself a little Woody Allen movie marathon.

11. Also, I'm mad that I haven't gotten to Harry Potter yet. This is the first time I have ever wanted to go to a midnight premiere and I'm too old, too pregnant, and too employed to stay up that late on a weeknight. Boo. Nate and I have an AMC giftcard burning a hole in our pockets and that sucker is getting used up. SOON.

12. Finally, I am 16 weeks today. Time for a belly picture. Since Nate's away and the first belly shot I posted of me pregnant with Calvin was also at 16 weeks, I slipped into the supply closet at work and took this beauty in the full-length mirror. They aren't kidding about that whole showing a lot earlier with the second baby business. Which probably explains my boss' reaction to the news: "Yeah, I thought so."

See what happens when Nate's away, even for a night? I have a lot to say and no one to listen and so I write really random and long-winded blog posts. Lucky you. :)

Baby, you're a firework.

2011-07-05T09:00:00.013-05:00

No, wait. I think a more fitting title for this post would be "You're a baby, and your dad let you hold a firework."

!!!!

Three days later and I'm still a little freaked out. Good thing Nate got it on video so I can relive my horror.

I was taking a nap. See, this is why moms never rest. We can't, for fear our children might burn their faces off while under the supervision of their fathers. Their ADULT fathers who are NURSES and spent 10 YEARS working in the emergency room.

Luckily, he survived. This time. And I'm talking about Nate, not Calvin. Although he survived, too. Which is a good thing, because I wouldn't have wanted him to miss out on the weekend's main event:

CARS 2!

Yes, we took a barely two-year-old to a movie. And stuffed him with popcorn and gummy bears. At 10:45am. He loved it and sat still for the entire film. Thumbs up!

I'd like to publicly apologize to Nate for posting that last photo, because he's making a really goofy face. But sometimes we have to make sacrifices for our kids, and that picture of Calvin is necessary to the thumbs up series. And also, HE GAVE OUR SMALL CHILD A FIREWORK.

I've always been a big proponent of reading the book before the movie. Luckily, Aunt Jill and Uncle Kyle were up to the task, because I was too tired and probably lying down somewhere.

The rest of the weekend was spent running around my mom and dad's backyard — and the backyards of their neighbors, who have swing sets and playhouses and spinny flowers.

Sunday night we watched fireworks from the park by my parents' house where Nate and I got engaged. Calvin loved them, and really loved staying up so late. He kept yelling "IT'S SO PRETTY" way too loudly.

Those sad little fireworks pictures and the cute but blurry shots of Calvin were included solely to make the case to my husband that my point-and-shoot camera with the broken zoom is no longer cutting it. Our camera situation has become dire, and we are now officially in the market for a DSLR. Recommendations? Donations?

Oh, and finally, my latest and greatest wreath. Remember those stars? I think this one turned out pretty cute, and it's by far the least amount of effort I've put into one of these. My yarn wreath has found a new home in my living room.

Happy Fourth!

January 2.

2011-06-24T15:06:00.004-05:00

A happy new year, indeed.

We are thrilled.

And terrified.

But mostly thrilled.

We can't wait to meet you, precious little one.

It's Thursday.

2011-06-23T12:49:00.001-05:00

I started the day with shampoo in my eyes, which was unpleasant enough. But that was followed closely by a startlingly large spider waiting for me outside the shower, and then by me somehow running straight into the toilet, which I'm pretty has always been in that same exact spot. The highlight of my morning was managing to successfully hide in Calvin's room with a bowl of cereal. I had to hide my cereal consumption because we didn't have time for both of us to have a bowl of cereal and I really needed one because I felt like I was going to pass out from low blood sugar. And if that had happened, well, we would have been even later than we already were.

One irritated eye, dead spider, stubbed toe, banged-up shin, bowl of cereal, and late daycare drop off later, I made it to work. But not without a quick stop at Target first, where I purchased a new cardigan. The one I chose to wear over my tank this morning didn't even remotely cover my bra straps, which I didn't notice until I was almost to work. While I occasionally lack modesty, I don't usually show up to work with lacy bra straps a blazin'. I blame my shampoo eyes for that oversight.

It's been a day. I'm really tired. I'm a little grouchy. My toe is kind of sore. But, gosh darnit, I am going to write a Thankful Thursday post. It's been a while, and I've got some thankful to share. But none from this morning, of course. This morning sucked.

Without further ado, today's list of things that have nothing to do with today but I'm thankful for nonetheless:

1. Cloud 9 by Tresics t-shirts. Never heard of that brand? Me neither. Until I went to Marshall's and found this super soft cute grey t-shirt for $5.99. I think I've had it for maybe two months and it's already been worn more than most items of clothing I own, even the two t-shirts I still wear from my junior year of high school. After unsuccessfully scouring the internet for more Cloud 9 t-shirts, I finally went back to Marshall's, where I found three more. If you live near a Marshall's, go. Now. Best t-shirts ever.

2. I have an office! We're talking four walls, a big window, and — most importantly — a DOOR. When I was hired seven years ago, there were four of us in marketing, I was at the bottom of the food chain, and I shared a cubicle with all of the marketing samples. Two years later there were four of us in marketing, I was second from the bottom, my intern got to sit with the samples, and I got to move into a slightly larger cubicle without a window. A year after that everyone in my department left, two new people were added, and I was back at the bottom of the (slightly smaller) food chain. However, I got a promotion and was moved into a cubicle with three walls and a big window. And now there are only two of us in marketing, we work as partners, and I have my own office. The office my boss had when I first started here. I've successfully made my way from minion to manager. While my job hasn't changed much — in fact, I now just do the work of all three people without oversight — there's something very satisfying about looking back at my past from the comfort of my new office.

3. Windows are Rolled Down by Amos Lee. That song is on repeat. Like, all the time.

4. I am head-over-heels in love with So You Think You Can Dance this season. I feel like everyone is really talented, and so far there have been some pretty decent routines. I am such a sucker for the contemporary pieces. Like this one, for example. Or this one. Sigh. Such a guilty summer pleasure.

5. I've started listening to audio books on the way to and from work. I don't know why this never struck me as a good idea before, because I love to read and I don't have time to read and I spend a solid hour blankly staring out the window of my car every day. My friend Jennifer loaned me Janet Evanovich's Two for the Dough, the second book in a series I've tried to read based on a number of recommendations, but could never get into. And I loved it. I mean, the Evanovich books are kind of a cheap thrill and by no means literary masterpieces, but who wants to think while driving? It took me about a week to get through that book, and now I'm onto the next one. My commute has improved tenfold.

6. Tomorrow's blog post, which I've been working on for a few months. Good things take time, you know.

Happy Thursday!

Summer lovin'.

2011-06-15T07:55:00.003-05:00

You've probably noticed I've been a bit scarce lately.

No?

Um, okay. That's kind of sad. But hey, it's fair. I've been a pretty pathetic excuse for a blogger and blog commenter. I'm sorry. I love you. And I read your blogs even when I don't comment. Promise, I do. You're all so clever and crafty and devoted to your passions. And your kids remain very cute. So, keep up the good work. And I'll try to do better with the commenting.

Anyway, for the past few weeks while I've not been blogging, I've been living. Outside, mostly. Spending time with my family. Working in my yard. Going to the farmer's market. Playing in the sprinkler. Soaking up these blissful early summer days of 75-degree weather and low to no humidity.

Heaven, really.

We've been to the zoo. And the park. And Minnehaha Falls. We've sat on a number of patios for dinner, ours included. I baked an incredible blueberry peach pie, of which I only captured a before photo (dumb). We've planted lots of flowers and Nate's coaxed grass to grow in impossible places.

I am happy. And thankful — for our sweet little house and healthy little family and all kinds of culinary goodness like orzo/tomato/dill salad and hot dogs and caprese salad and Byerly's steak kebabs and cheddar and sour cream potato chips and grilled vegetables and my pie and other things I wish I could eat every single day of the year.

Is it obvious that summer = food in my mind?

And now, a random mishmosh of outdoor photos — some with captions, some without.

The picture below was my attempt at capturing the line for dinner at Sea Salt last weekend. All I could get was the back third of the outdoor line. So, triple that line and then add in the line of people inside the restaurant. I am so glad we got there when we did (in the first third of the outdoor line). Our wait was only an hour (plus another hour for our food to come). Sounds crazy, but there's no better way to spend a Saturday night. Or $30. Dang, that food is amazing.

Here is my pie. Unbaked. Amazing, huh? I was impressed. Just imagine this all golden, crisp, and bubbly with lots of blueberry goodness leaking out the top.

This poor quality photo of Calvin was included solely to showcase his mad head of curls post-bath. They are so awesome, but as soon as he wakes up in the morning his hair is back to stick straight. Unfortunate. I was hoping the McLaughlin 'fro would live on.

In case anyone is wondering...

2011-06-07T15:13:00.006-05:00

Have I mentioned how much I hate being hot?

Pant, pant, sweat.

It be my birthday today?

2011-06-07T07:39:00.006-05:00

Was the question asked day in and day out over the course of a two month period by my son. Every morning Calvin would bolt upright in his bed, pop his head up over the edge of the crib, and say "It be my birthday today? My Mickey party today?" And I would say "No, sweetie. It's not your birthday today. But, soon!"

Well, soon very quickly turned into three weeks ago and this mom of the year is just now looking through the pathetic assortment of photos I took during Calvin's birthday party. Really, my worst showing yet. Somehow I have no problem capturing the boring everyday moments on film, but the big, important events in my son's life? The ones he talks about for two months beforehand? Not so much.

No photos of our family. No photos with the Grandmas. No photos with Uncles Jon or Mike or Aunt Mary. No photos of the expertly strung crepe paper or Calvin and Grandma Mary jointly blowing out the candles on her birthday cheesecake.

Sigh.

Sorry, kiddo. Just know that we all had lots of fun at your Mickey party. Even if we don't have the best photos to prove it.

Since I'm already admitting to my failures as a mother, I may as well tack this one on: I really dropped the ball on that whole keeping a baby book thing. Good intentions and whatnot. Luckily I've heard the internet will be around forever, so I'm relying heavily on the blog to fill that void. Here's hoping Calvin never wants to know when his teeth came in or what his favorite vegetable was at 18 months, because I've got nothing.

Anyway, I took Calvin to the pediatrician two weeks ago for his two-year well child checkup. He is, in fact, a well child. The ever-important stats:

Weight: 28lbs, 50th percentile
Height: 36 inches, 80th percentile
Head: 19.5 inches, 75th percentile

He's on track growth-wise, and his verbal and large motor skills are on par with that of a three-year-old. We heard a similar account during his spring conferences at school a few weeks ago — he's the youngest in his class but he's keeping up (and then some) with the three-year-olds. He knows his colors and shapes, can count up to 10, has a very large vocabulary, and has begun stringing along pretty impressive sentences (most of which begin with "I don't!").

While I am proud of my son's "academic" achievements (for which I take no credit, the Lord has truly blessed us with a bright and capable kid), I am most impressed by Calvin's tender heart, sense of humor, and good-natured personality. He is a joy. And a challenge. But mostly a joy.

I'm so lucky to be his (disorganized) mom.

The Big 0-2: Part 1

2011-05-31T07:35:00.002-05:00

We Breyers know how to party.

We just don't know how to post pictures of the party in a timely manner.

Party number one, just us three. And a half. If your dog is willing to wear a party hat, she must be included in the tally.

I made a cake. Lemon, with lemon frosting. From a box, of course. When Calvin saw it after his nap, I thought he'd be excited. Instead he started crying because I said he couldn't eat it until after dinner. Lesson learned. Hide the cake. Or allow your child to eat it first because it's his birthday and you really need to loosen up a bit. You know, either way.

We started with presents. Because who can resist those?

Well, Calvin, apparently. Slightly underwhelmed by his first gift of matchbox cars, he insisted we move onto cake.

Who needs a cone? Or a spoon?

This required bribery.

Back to presents. A set of tools, which he was VERY excited about. He kept exclaiming "My own tools! MY OWN TOOLS!" as if we'd been forcing him to share tools with other children all this time. Which, well - daycare. I guess we have.

Pliers come in handy for opening all remaining presents at a snail's pace.

We thought the tools were a hit...until he opened the matchbox car ramp. He hasn't stopped playing with it in three weeks. (NAILED IT! So proud of myself for doing boy toy shopping all by myself. Hm. That sounds borderline inappropriate.)

'Twas a happy little night celebrating our sweet Bub together, and much improved over Calvin's first birthday, which we spent trying to force cake down his throat and cleaning up barf. Ah, memories.

Two.

2011-05-15T09:13:00.000-05:00

Happy second birthday to my precious Calvin. I love you, darling boy.

Payoff.

2011-05-10T07:30:00.000-05:00

In the following video I am freshly showered with uncombed hair, no makeup and no bra, and I'm in my pajamas. I look terrible. Yet, I'm posting this on my blog for the world to see because it's too good not to. The things we do for our children.

May I present an excerpt from Bruce Degen's Jamberry, as "read" by my one-year-old?

We read through the entire 32-page book last night, and he could recite the lines from every. single. one. Nate recorded us reading through the whole book on my phone, but the file was too large to email so I had to clip it. I will just tell you that my jaw was hanging open almost the entire time.

Reading with your kids every single night since birth pays off. Don't let anyone tell you differently. The initial return on investment might just be a little boy who can memorize/recite a bunch of words, but the seed has definitely been planted.

I am one proud mama. And is his little voice cute or what?

Pablo Breyer.

2011-05-04T07:25:00.002-05:00

This weekend was rainy and cold. I thought — hey, why not try finger painting with Calvin?

Well, maybe because my kid is weird and refuses to get his hands messy, that's why. I tried to show him how to use his fingers in the paint and he freaked out and made me go get a washcloth to wipe off his hand.

So we tried paintbrushes instead. That went much better, though I have to say he really might be on the verge of OCD. Even with the brushes, the second a speck of paint got on him he got a terrified look on his face and insisted I wipe it off. I sat there the entire time he painted holding a wet washcloth so I could address any accidental splatters.

But, anything to nurture my child's inner artist. I mean, will you look at these masterpieces? Calvin is so going to give Picasso a run for his money one day.

This is the look I got when I asked him to smile with his finished artwork. We shall call this series Cheese Face.

Sugar.

2011-04-25T10:30:00.013-05:00

The Easter Bunny went a tad overboard this year. He likes to shop, you know.

Calvin's favorite item of the bunch? A red shovel from the $1 Spot at Target. Oh, and the blue Color Wonder marker. Which he's been carrying around ever since.

We were so late for church (well, we got there 15 minutes early, but on Easter that's like being 30 minutes late) that we had to sit in the overflow seating in the hallway, so we didn't even attempt photos beforehand. And as soon as we got home, Calvin fell in the dirt. Luckily he was totally on board with sitting still for photos and we were able to get these gems. [Insert eye roll here]

And then we happily blew bubbles together...for about five minutes.

Sugar high + taking away bubbles + the word "naptime" = not a good combo.

After a blessedly long nap with his red shovel and blue marker, Cal was back in action and ready for a trip over to Grandma and Grandpa's house.

A brief stop mid-Easter Egg hunt to enjoy some jelly beans. I believe there were a few choruses of "Mmmm! MMMMMMMM!" Kid loves sugar.

And another quick stop to hug Madelyn.

Sad to say these eggs were not colored by my two year old, but instead by my husband and me. It seems my crafting skills do not translate to egg coloring. I do like the drawing Nate did of Matilda on the blue one, however.

So thankful for a beautiful day with my precious family and the gift of salvation through Jesus' death and resurrection. And also for Peeps. Mmmmm. I love sugar, too.

Quiz time.

2011-04-22T11:11:00.006-05:00

I say "that's right!" about 600 times in this 50-second clip and the ending's a little rough (hey, best I could do on my cell phone), but I hope you can look past all that to see the cuteness that is my child.

Not sure what I love more: Calvin calling me Nate, or his garbled "helpin' the sick people!"

It's really hard not to eat him up some days.

A modern classic.

2011-04-20T07:21:00.000-05:00

Last night before bed, Calvin starting singing Jesus Loves Me for the first time by himself. It was precious. That is, until he got to the middle.

"Jesus wuv me this. I. know. Bible tell me so. Wittle wuns to beeeeeyond!"

Um, what?

I asked him to sing it again with the same results, only this time when he got to the "to beeeeeyond!" part, he pumped his little arm up in the air.

Ohhhhhhhh.

He was singing the Buzz Lightyear version of Jesus Loves Me. Of course.

Thank you, Disney-Pixar.

Party on.

2011-04-18T07:02:00.002-05:00

Nate's Grandma Adele turned 90 in March. To celebrate our very spunky and beloved grandmother, the entire Breyer clan made the four-hour trek up to Moorhead, Minnesota (Fargo, essentially) for her birthday celebration.

How did we survive four hours in a restaurant with a 23-month-old, you ask?

Well, we brought a babysitter.

Nate and I are excellent parents. Trust me, we adhere to all guidelines set forth from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Except for the one about no TV before age two. And a few others.

Luckily the glazed-over DVD watching was only during the dinner portion of the evening. Before dinner we had appetizers. And after appetizers we had cake.

A beautiful birthday cake, which Calvin stuck his fingers in almost immediately. I assure you, this was done for quality control purposes, and not because Nate and I were having a glass of wine and not paying attention. Excellent parents, remember?

Grandma Adele's siblings came from North Dakota and Montana for the party. Are they the cutest bunch ever, or what?

Once Calvin saw the car, it was all over. He's obsessed with keys and unlocking car doors right now. Unfortunately this car door doesn't open. Upon this realization, Calvin informed Aunt Mary he needed to come back into the party to get his tools. I hadn't anticipated a need for tools of any kind during a 90-year-old's birthday party and therefore found myself ill-equipped to fulfill his request. I sent him back with a wooden knife instead.

Close enough.

At the conclusion of the party we tried to take a family photo. I have to say, the one we used on our Christmas card was truly a God-given miracle. Because most of our pictures look a lot like this.

Or, more frequently, this.

Based on these photos you might think our child doesn't know how to smile for the camera. We sure did. But then he started rolling around on the restaurant floor (yeah, I know) and we ended up with this.

Um, hello. Will someone please cue the heavenly chorus? There's an angel in our midst! (What a faker.)

The hotel stay brought more fun. For Calvin, mostly. Not a big fan of sharing a hotel room with my kid, personally.

On the way home Sunday afternoon we stopped at Nate's alma mater for lunch. Nate got a new sweatshirt, Calvin got a new t-shirt, and I got this cute picture of the two of them.

And then we headed home. Just me, Nate, Calvin, and his blessed babysitter.

Bedtime routine.

2011-04-15T12:17:00.000-05:00

Calvin wants me to lie on the floor with him before bed now. The dining room floor, usually.

"Mama. Lay down. You lay down right here!" Earnest hand motions from my sweet baby, who is really a baby no more.

He plops on his tummy, kicks his little legs against the floor. "Mama! You come right now!"

Coming, sweetie.

He pats the spot where I should go, and we lie side by side on the small patch of rug that hasn't been claimed by our massive dining room table. He looks at me and I look at him and we both grin. And then we giggle and whisper and make silly faces, nose to nose.

He wraps his little arm around my neck and pats my back: once, twice, three times.

"Hi Mama!" he says, delighted by the silliness and our shared out-of-the-ordinary vantage point.

We take blurry pictures of ourselves on my phone. I cover his cheeks in kisses, Mattie comes by to cover his face in licks. He gently plays with one of my stray curls, then offers me his hand to hold. We lie there, side by side. He kicks his legs against the floor as I tell myself, over and over again,

Remember this.

Monday mashup.

2011-04-11T12:51:00.003-05:00

1. This weekend I went to the zoo, went to the park (3x), ran around our backyard (literally), and did some vigorous mall walking in the form of shopping. Today, my rear end hurts. And so do both my legs and one of my hips. Apparently four months of sitting on the couch makes normal activities such as walking seem like a full-blown workout. Good to know.

2. Also good to know: Forever 21 has awesome jewelry for next to nothing. We're talking practically free. While I unapologetically judge those who are of a certain age and wear clothing from places like that, jewelry is another story. The cheap teenager stores are really the best when it comes to trendy and inexpensive accessories. And when you have a kid or five clawing at you all day, inexpensive is the only way to go.

3. I have been listening to Mumford & Sons on repeat all day. Good music for writing.

4. When I was a day camp counselor in college, I worked with 11- and 12-year-old girls. No one wanted to work with them, including me, because they were a bit of a pain — loud, sassy, boy crazy, prissy. I got assigned to that group against my will, and you know what? I loved them. Of all the kids I counseled, they were my favorite. I was reminded of this when, while chasing my son around the park last week, these two girls who were a bit younger, probably 8 or 9, came up to me. "I like your shoes," one said. "Me too, I like them too!" the other one chimed in. "They are so pretty. And I like your phone. It's REALLY cute." "OOH, I like it, too!" "I just like everything you have on. You look pretty." "I think so, too!" Oh, dear girls. Flattery will get you EVERYWHERE. And so will being sweet to my son (which they absolutely were). And then, yesterday, another little girl around the same age: "I like your baby. He's soooo cute." Both times, these girls followed me around the playground the entire time we were there, chatting about my clothes and my shoes and my baby. If I never have a daughter of my own, maybe I'll just hang out at the park a lot and wait for cute little girls to chat with me. Because that doesn't sound weird or creepy at all.

5. Do you know about Pinterest? If you're a hoarder of inspiration and ideas like I am, you should join. Look me up if you do!

6. I love my husband because he does things like bake a crazy good tres leche cake while I'm at work all day.

7. I am mad at my husband because he does things like bake a crazy good tres leche cake while I'm at work all day and on a diet.

8. But then he buys me tulips and hydrangeas and writes me a note about how much I am loved, appreciated, and respected at home after a long day of work where I feel neither loved, appreciated, nor respected, and I think - okay, I guess diet sabotage in the form of delicious cake isn't THAT big a deal. I should probably have another piece.

9. And now you understand why I will be dieting from here until forever.

10. After the success of my plate wall, I am now on a mission to finish decorating my awkwardly spaced living room. How a 12x15 room can ever be large enough for anything to feel awkwardly spaced is beyond me, but I blame the stained glass piano window. It's pink and off-center and it drives me BANANAS. But I've been chipping away at that room slowly and surely and I think things are starting to come together. Have I mentioned lately how much I love Etsy?

11. I am going to make two of these boxed rings jewelry storage pieces for my bathroom. What a cool idea. My long-been-blank bathroom wall thanks you, Martha.

12. I am a very slow decorator, in case you haven't noticed.

13. For a long time I overlooked Payless for shoes, thinking they were all cheap and ugly. But that was back when I had disposable income. Now I'm a mom on a budget, so I decided to take a second look. Glad I did, too. On two separate occasions I bought these and these for work this summer. And now that I look at both of them together, I realize I kind of have a thing for fabric peep toe shoes with bow-like adornment.

14. Cell phones are handy for capturing mother/son ice cream silliness at the park on a Sunday afternoon. Not pictured: the two mini DQ Blizzards we devoured in record time. The best thing about eating ice cream with a not-quite-two-year-old is the fact that I can order my two favorite flavors and eat the big candy/cookie chunks from both since he is just happy to have ice cream and doesn't even realize there are chunks available to him. (Sorry, sweetie. Your Mom loves food.)

15. I am addicted to Mad Men. That is all.