he likes to watch me cook, or he just likes to be held.

 

 

It's difficult, cooking with a (large) baby on your hip.  Try chopping an onion with one hand - it's impossible. 

 

At work this afternoon, I realized I didn't have much to pick from in the pantry and that a stop at the grocery was inevitable.  The question at hand - what to cook for dinner.  [Side note:  last spring my amazing husband bought me all new cookware from The Pampered Chef.]  My favorite piece is the skillet, so I googled "skillet dinners."  And let me tell you, I scored the jackpot.  This blog came up in the search and WOW!  She has really unique recipes that will spice up a boring kitchen in no time.  Check it out if you're a good wife like me and you cook.

 

Tonight Patrick and I made a fabulous, simple meal from her blog - Chicken with Artichokes.  We loved it!  (Well, I loved it - Patrick isn't ready for this level of richness yet).  Even though the flavors took a few minutes to get used to, the overall experience of eating this meal was grand.  Seriously, I felt romantic and skinny and sexy, all in one evening of cooking.  Maybe it was the wine.  Whenever a recipe calls for it, I feel the need to finish the bottle.  Oh, you too?  We are getting along great.

 

taken from Dinner:  A Love Story blog.

 

Some other recipes I'm dying to try out are her Korean Short Ribs, Back Pocket Bolognese Sauce, and the Chocolate-covered Banana Pops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

december book club

What a bust!  It's so hard to find a funny book that everyone will enjoy because each of us girls has such a different idea of what "funny" is.  The book had really great reviews, just not from us.  There were a few laugh out loud moments, and really, it was easy to pick up and read.  I flew through it.

The book was An Idiot Girl's Christmas by Laurie Notaro.

The great part about December book club was all the talking and snarfing on amazing snacks.  Well, it was more like dinner - Jenna had quite the spread for us.  I just love these girls.

our weekend

 

 

 

 

 

Last week was just a two-day work week, so I welcomed the weekend rather quickly.  I was really excited because I got Saturday evening all to myself.  Since I hadn't seen my high school boys play basketball yet, I drove about a half hour away to the game.  It took place at the school where I taught my first couple years, so I ran into several families I knew and got caught up.  The eighth graders I had my first year are now SENIORS.  I was expecting to see my gangly middle schoolers and what I got was MEN.  Like, six foot tall, muscles and black leg hair!  It sounds funny but it really made me sad.  I actually had to hold back tears. 

You know why?  It got me thinking about my own son, and how he will be a little boy one day and the next he'll be a man.  Stupid time and its tricks. 

But it also made me look forward to the future in a way.  When all my children are in school and in sports and have social lives and sleep all night.

Then Sunday was our normal routine...church, lesson planning, family bonding time, and then mine and Jeff's weekend movie was Mean Girls.  Church isn't getting any better with Patrick.  It's really the only time and place he has "restrictions" on space, and he isn't having it.  He also discovered that there is an echo when he yells in his little baby language.  I've really never gotten too overly tense about it, I just let him be a baby (I mean he's 16 months old - what should I expect?) and we do the best we can.  Someday I will have a few more to look after and I'll wish for the days it was only him!

One of the main events of the weekend was turning Patrick's car seat around so that he is now forward-facing.  I was very, very hesitant about switching him around.  It made me nervous just thinking about it, but then I was even more nervous about his legs being smashed on the back seat if we were rear-ended (God forbid).  It was bothering me both ways, to the point where I was unable to sleep at night.  Finally, last week I knew in my gut it was time to switch.  Oh, the dilemmas of motherhood.

I know I know, you noms (non-moms) out there are going "GET ON WITH IT."  But just you wait!

Old Navy got to see us again this weekend.  Yesterday afternoon, Patrick woke up on the wrong side of the crib.  He wouldn't let me put him down, wouldn't let me sit, etc.  So finally I said "Okay do you want to go to Target and Old Navy?  Go shopping?  Go buh-bye?"  He said "buh-bye??" and got his shoes and off we went. 

The selection was a little disappointing but we ended up with a new Mama & Baby bag from Target and a new boatneck top from Old Navy.

baby names 2013

Baby names totally get me fired up.  I love talking about them and hearing about them, from the awesome to the awful.  They're so personal - I feel like you really get a glance into someone's true self when they tell you what name they've picked out for their baby.

With 2013 just beginning, there are plenty of news articles and radio shows discussing the baby name trends for the upcoming year.

Here are the predictions I've heard so far...

• Names of gods and goddesses - like Atticus, Athena, Juno and Thor.

• Leonine names - Leo (which has been climbing steadily since Leonardo DiCaprio's appearance), Leon, Lev, Lionel and Leopold.

• Using a middle name that isn't really a name - can be anything with personal significance - like Bear, Seven, Star and Saint.

• Meaningful place names - examples:  Reese Witherspoon just named her son Tennessee, Chris Hemsworth's daughter India, and Nick Lachey's son Camden.

• The mid-century nicknames - Annie (love), Molly, Hank, Hal, Ray, Fay and Monty.

• Botanical names - Clover, Poppy, Juniper and Maple.

• Consenant of the Moment is W - William, Wesley, Walker, Winnie and Waverly.  FYI:  Taylor Hanson and his wife just named their baby Wilhelmina.

• Either really short...or really long names.  Cole, Zane, Eve and May.  Macallister, Penelope (shout out to Kourt K.) and Arabella.

• Romantic girl names such as Aria, Briella, Raelynn and Olive.

• Top predictions for 2013 - BOY ---> Max   GIRL ---> Millie

And while we're at it, here were the top baby names of 2012:

Girls

1.  Sophia
2.  Emma
3.  Olivia
4.  Isabella
5.  Ava
6.  Lily
7.  Zoe
8.  Chloe
9.  Mia
10.  Madison


Boys

1.  Aiden
2.  Jackson
3.  Ethan
4.  Liam
5.  Mason
6.  Noah
7.  Lucas
8.  Jacob
9.  Jaydon
10.  Jack


I'm also pleased to see that Patrick wasn't even in the top 100 last year.  Why does that satisfy me?  I don't know, it must be the German gremlin in me.  On the contrary, if you absolutely love the most popular name and everyone you know is naming their kid that (cough, cough, Jackson), I've always believed you should just GO FOR IT!  Don't even think twice!

Was your name in the top ten when you were born?  Stephanie was #6 in 1985!  I'm sort of stoked that my parents went with the unique spelling of Stefanie, though.  Makes it feel not quite so 80's.





{maternity photo}  isn't it to die?