Fruits & Veggies

We have a pretty healthy eater on our hands but somehow, in the last few months we've realized our little boy is lacking in the veggie department...even for being mostly vegetarian!  He loves his fruit and would eat it all day if you let him.  Our new finicky eater is giving us a challenge.  Super Mommy & Super Daddy to the rescue

(cue the superhero music please!)

Sneak attack of the carrots in the applesauce.

Ok, ok,  not so sneaky to most, but this kid LOVES applesauce so we took advantage of his weakness! Cut up cooked carrots mixed in...it worked with LESS obvious quinoa before..maybe he won't notice the BRIGHT orange chunks in his sauce, right?!

SUCCESS!!!

Guess I need to make another batch of homemade appleasauce REAL soon so we can keep up with this trend. What veggies should I try on my next attempt "mission"?

Bulk Cooking

Its been a busy week of bulk cooking....here is the tally thus far:

5 side dishes of "healthier" mac n cheese
4 batches of Tomato & Basil Soup
4 batches of Chicken Tetrazzinni (minus the chicken)
4 batches of Pasta Con Broccoli

Next up is Spinach Cannelloni. Think I'll wait until next week..I'm a little cooked out!

When you cook in bulk you've always got lots of dishes to clean...see exhibit A for my drying rack from just today's cooking:

Here is a look at our outside freezer right now with the main dishes & some yummy Morningstar soy nuggets I got on sale:

and handy dandy label maker to easily label, date and apply cooking instructions on my goodies:

Below is the recipe below, for Pasta Con Broccoli. I use milk (and less than it calls for) instead of cream and we leave out the mushrooms.  If I'm going to freeze it like I did today, I do not reduce down the liquid as it states. It'll soak up some of the liquid when its freezing and re-heating.

Lincoln says "Hi"

We got to see our little guy today via ultrasound.  He was moving around a lot and doing great.  Today he is 19wk 2 days in my belly.  He is measuring exactly 1 week ahead, just like his big bro was at this point.  Here is a 3d pic of his face/arm/hand:

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup- What's for Dinner

Ingredients

• 3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (28-ounce) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice
• 4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 quart chicken stock or water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. 

Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold.

*Recipe from Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (1999)

When you invite a toddler to dinner...

Happy National Waffle Day!

Jackson is celebrating National Waffle Day and loving EVERY bite of his homemade whole wheat waffles with a side of bananas:

18 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 18 Weeks

Size of baby: 5-7 ounces, length of a sweet potato

Total Weight Gain: 7 lbs

Maternity Clothes: Oh yeah baby! Thanks to 2 awesome friends, I have a FULL maternity wardrobe!

Gender: It's a boy! Lincoln MacGregor

Movement: this boy is STRONG. This week he wanted to be noticed for sure and is moving constantly.

Sleep: Pretty good. Only a few nights where I wake up in the early AM and have trouble going back to sleep

What I miss: Sushi (my raw favorites like tuna), Wine/Beer (I'm not a big drinker but I'm sure gonna miss that one bottle of beer during the FSU games!)

Cravings: Pretzels/Peanut Butter, Sweet Potato Fries, Spicy Foods

Best Moment of the Week: Hearing Lincoln's heart beat at our Dr. Appt and Rob felt Lincoln move for the 1st time!!

**No comparison pic with Jackson at this week.  End of week 19 is the next comparison shot.

Big Boy Room!

Jackson's big boy room (aka my old sewing room/guest room) has been overhauled.  New paint, new furniture and almost ready for Jackson.  Following are some pictures in progress.

Jackson is inheriting Mommy and Daddy's old bed

Handy Rob putting it together again

Here is a pic below of Jackson's bed with new comforter, up-cylced sheets and throw pillows. I've already replaced the pillows with a more limey green color so will update that pic when the next phase is finished.

Accent Wall painted Old Pickup Blue

Its quite bare right now but the accessories and art will be making their way in VERY soon.  Here is some the art work/accessories piled up on the floor:

We will be adding in his LARGE bookshelf his Uncle made for him to make a reading nook, complete with a bean bag and green shag carpet a.k.a. grass :)

Here is an awesome large waste basket we are turning into his hamper .  We are completing it with golf decals once I find them (i.e. PGA Tour, Titleist, Callaway).  

Jackson also has THIS toy (which a friend of a friend donated us) that will be in his room.  

Family Wall Project- COMPLETE!

I have been collecting frames and pictures and dreamed of a great wall to showcase some family photos.  When Grammie was here we decided to tackle the project and she even helped me decide on the PERFECT location. We picked the big wall by the landing of our stairs.  Here is a picture of the whole wall and the different pictures/things broken down for ya!  Some of the frames need straightened, but you get the idea :)

"Together We Make A Family"

View from bottom of staircase

from Bottom Left clockwise:

My Great Aunt Eloise, Rob's Grandfather, a beautiful cross Rob and I got on our honeymoon, and my Grandmother Rosemary

Rob's Grandmother (amazing photo right?!)

Letter "D" I painted copper/metallic and my Grandmother Lois (very special picture to me since she has passed)

Sign that my brother, father and hubby helped me make LAST year.  It is an Upper Case Living decal that I bought and put on this large piece of wood.

From Left to Right: Pop (my Great Grandfather), Rob as a kid with his Dad, and Gram (my Great Grandmother)

Playroom Updates in Progress

We are making lots of little changes around here before January 2012 comes around.  Here is a TEENY sneak peek:

Jackson's new fancy workbench
 (minus the screwdriver that Holly has now chewed up)

New fun elephant print valance I made
 for the room (coordinating pillows to come)

Elephant paintings that Jackson made with me! 

Next up are Jackson's big boy room and finishing up the new Sewing Room/Guest Room.

16 Weeks

16 weeks with Jackson

16 weeks with Lincoln

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 16 Weeks

Size of baby: 4-5 Inches Long, Size of a Large Pear

Total Weight Gain: 4 lbs

Maternity Clothes: Now wearing maternity band shorts and loving it! SO comfy.  At that stage where I hate things tight around my tummy.

Gender: It's a boy! Lincoln MacGregor

Movement: Feeling a few flutters still I think

Sleep: Still great. (Especially since we got a new mattress!)

What I miss: Sushi (my raw favorites like tuna)

Cravings: Spicy dips, Wendy's Frosty's

Symptoms:  This past week no pregnancy symptoms, but instead a nasty stomach virus spread through ou r house! Not so fun when you are pregnant.

Best Moment of the Week: Getting Lincoln's bedding fabric in, getting materials for his mobile

Grammie Visits

and we went to the pool!  Jackson is such a fish now and was showing off for Grammie.  She kept commenting on how BRAVE he is getting. He has no fear and is really starting to show some good swimming skills. The pool has become one of our favorite places.

see him there at the bottom of the chute!

he giggles the whole way down and it echos in the tunnel!

Lima Beans..who knew!

Jackson used to be REALLY good about eating lots of veggies but became quite picky lately out of the blue.  He gets plenty of fruit in his diet..plenty! So today for lunch we tried lima beans...and...he stuffed him in his mouth with great gusto!

What veggies do you give your kids or disguise in their food? ideas welcome!  We are working on the green smoothie (adding spinach to fruit smoothie).  He doesn't love the consistency of a smoothie yet...but we'll keep trying!