My Boy's First Art Project

Courtesy of nursery, Sawyer came home with his first art project this weekend.  Sadly, since the medium is marshmallow, it won't be going in the trunk of treasures. We'll be lucky if it makes it through the night, have you seen this boy eat marshmallows?  Henry Moore would be proud, but not nearly as proud as I was walking home from church holding this lovely creative piece made and nibbled in places by my sweet boy.

Jeff told me everything that Sawyer was doing in nursery versus what the other children were doing, and I couldn't help wondering what I was doing wrong, why my boy was all over the room while the other children sat nicely.  I felt so bad! Like despite all my efforts, he still had gaps in his life education. Just t      hen my good friend sat down by me and told me how much fun she had sitting behind our family in the first part of church, because she always gets a kick out of watching Sawyer.  She said, "He's so active-" then I nearly cried, thinking "Oh so you noticed too? Yeah apparently we need to practice sitting and staring at home." But then she finished her statement, "-that's intelligence. You can tell he is so smart."

So obviously, what I learned is that all the other kids in nursery are lazy and mind-numb and that's why Sawyer heads for the snacks while they sit in chairs......just kidding.  But I did learn that I've still got a lot of work to do to help my boy grow into all he is and can become, and I'm so happy my friend was around to help rescue me and give me some comfort in my little moment of mom crisis.

26 weeks

{my photographer was decommissioned this week, but don't worry, I'm looking nice and pregnant}

This week was my birthday week, which got me really excited about actual birthdays and especially the one for our pending arrival. I love wondering if she'll be early, late, or right on time, if she'll come quickly or tease (read: torture) us with a long labor.  I think that personality starts to show once you can feel your baby, and that the circumstances of birth are all a part of the baby's story.  I'm wondering what she'll show us about who she is when she comes on her birthday.

I already know she's a busy little bee. She swims and snuggles and kicks and pushes around so much! Sawyer was an active baby, but our sweet girl's movements are different: they're more precise and repetitious, like she's fluffing her umbilical "pillow" and arranging her pod to be just right.  She's active whether I'm busy or at rest, and though it seems she's most active when I'm at rest, sometimes she likes to jab me while I'm particularly occupied, as if to say, "hey mama, quiet down I'm nesting in here!"  It's adorable. I can't help but love everything about her already.

Multigrain Banana and Chocolate Chip Pancakes

On a day when all we needed was a lazy morning to get us going, I hummed Jack Johnson's "Banana Pancakes" while Sawyer danced and stirred with me in the kitchen, then we returned to bed to have a breakfast party with Jeff.  I love few things more than I love breakfast in bed, but breakfast in bed with these amazing pancakes? And with crumbs dotting the sheets while we drank milk from sippy cups?....We're talking about a whole new level of lackadaisical luxury.

Multigrain Banana and Chocolate Chip Pancakes  
adapted from allrecipes

1 C oat bran
1 C whole wheat flour
3/4 C all-purpose flour
1/4 C brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1 egg
2 C milk
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large ripe banana, mashed
Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method:

Preheat griddle.

In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (oat bran through salt).

Whisk together wet ingredients (egg through banana) in a medium-sized bowl until well combined, then make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour banana mixture in.  Stir it all together until just moistened and let the batter rest for 5 minutes.

Cook in batches of 1/4 C batter onto hot griddle, sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, and flip pancakes when centers bubble and edges start to dry.

Serve with syrup, or eat them plain-they're delish with nothing extra.  Leftovers freeze well, just cool the pancakes completely before wrapping them in plastic wrap and foil and putting them in the freezer.

Chalk the Block

{some lady pronounced Degas "DAY-gus," and a little piece of my insides died; but when I recovered I immediately blurted out "DAY-gah"....then realized I probably shouldn't correct total strangers and roll my eyes at my husband in front of them. That's definitely behind-the-back material.}

There's an outdoor shopping center near our home that we just love. It has a splash pad, great shops, yummy restaurants, and twinkle lights up all year round (basically, it suits us).  Every year they do a little festival called "Chalk the Block" where artists, high school art classes, families, or even non-artistic people can break out a box of 48 colors of chalk and doodle in the dust.  There were over 120 entries, which was unbelievable considering it rained on and off all weekend. The theme was "Remember When," but there were also lots of non-themed, artistic liberties taken. We loved seeing the different ideas, styles and even skill levels, and Sawyer was beside himself at the sight of all that chalk.

 {Jeff and I used to volunteer at this children's program}

{my native brothers! :) }

{reads: "Remember when simple things were the thing" and accompanies childrens' chalk drawings}

{a pro and her process}

{this little girl is Brenna, she's 6 and she was the artist behind the lovely unicorn drawing. I asked her if she wanted to be an artist when she grew up.  Her reply: "I kind of already am." I love that confidence. photo used with permission}

{No outing is complete without water}

Time Best Spent

Some days, when my toddler is whacking me with every toy in sight and fighting my every attempt at doing anything, I think of how easy it would be if my day started- not with a hunger strike and bananas smeared over every surface- but with a shower and a business casual outfit and a "good luck today" glance at a carefully-chosen caregiver as I head out the door to my 9-5pm. There I could sit at my desk, rub my growing tummy occasionally, slip off my shoes, breathe deeply and practically rest while plugging away at work. But honestly, I haven't seriously thought of exchanging that scenario once in the past 20 months.

I'm grateful every day that Jeff and I both agree that my business for now is in our home watching over our greatest treasure (soon to be plural!). Whether it's teaching him how to count, or mashing play dough into the carpet, the most important thing I can do is be present for him and teach him the important things in life. Then someday, with no inklings of doubt, he will know that he and his baby sister are the most important things in our life.

We had the most magical moment the other day, one that made me so glad I was around to share it.  There was a thunder storm and Sawyer woke up scared, so I rocked him and patted his back to soothe him.  I was on hold on an important phone call so snuggling and crossing off my list at first seemed like the perfect situation, but as the thunder kept crashing and the rain kept falling, my babe held me tighter and I realized that whatever I had to do could wait.  I hung up.  Then I nestled Sawyer and myself in his turtle tent and listened to the storm while I held my little one so he'd feel safe.  Soon, we both fell asleep, but not before I soaked in a memory of the perfection of time well wasted. I was so glad I had that time to waste because I can't possibly think of a better way to spend it.

25 weeks

I just realized that with 15 weeks to go, all I've got ready for my baby girl are some body suits, one outfit, a pair of tights, socks, and some shoes.  That's kind of overwhelming, especially since it means I have to take on the ridiculously saturated market of all things girly-and this knowing that I automatically won't like half of it-but it's probably time that I dive in.  Wish me bon voyage!

In other news, I've been trying to get in to see my old midwife team but they're incredibly over-scheduled right now, so since I couldn't get an appointment until 28 weeks, I went in for a nurse visit this week.  It's just a little different in that the nurse doesn't advise as much, but she checks all the vital things which definitely puts my mind at ease. I don't think I'll ever grow tired of hearing our precious daughter's heartbeat and the following complement, "She has such a strong heartbeat!" every time.  Every time. It's beautiful.  I'm so happy for, and proud of our strong little girl already, I can't wait for her to come out and wear all those socks I have for her.

Fresh Corn Soup

Combine lovely September rains with an abundance of fresh sweet corn on sale, and you have the makings of a perfect situation for corn chowder. Now, let's say your mama also got you an immersion blender for an early birthday present-an immersion blender that you've been debating on purchasing for FOUR years!-and really, how can you resist making perfect, pulverized, homemade goodness? I know I couldn't.

This recipe is really simple and so fresh. The only thing that made it better was eating it with smoked gouda and salame paninis on pretzel bread. Yum yum! I could eat soup, sandwiches, and salad any day, all day and be happy.

You can always pulse it in batches in a blender if you don't have an immersion blender.......or if you don't have one, you could just get one because they're one of the most satisfying kitchen tools to use.

Fresh Corn Soup
adapted from bon appetit

2 Tbsp butter
1 large onion
1 garlic clove, smashed
3 ears fresh corn, kernels sliced off and cobs broken in half
3 C whole milk, heated to scalding
2 C chicken stock, heated
2 bay leaves
generous pinch dried thyme
salt
freshly ground pepper
chopped fresh chives

Method:
In a dutch oven or stock pot, melt butter and saute onion until soft, add corn kernels and garlic and saute 8-10 minutes more.  Add bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper, and stir to distribute throughout.  Add cobs, warm milk and stock (I just microwave mine), then increase heat and bring to a boil.

Once soup boils, reduce heat to low, cover partially with a lid, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove bay leaves and cobs, then pulverize! Either in the pot or with a blender, working in batches.  Be sure to let the soup cool a bit first so it won't burn you, and if using a blender, remove the vent cap and cover the lid with a towel so it can "breathe" and not steam and splash up.

If you so choose, strain the soup through a fine sieve, pressing the solids to get as much flavor and moisture out of them as possible.  You can skip this step if you don't mind a little texture to your soup. Sprinkle with chives and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.

Enjoy!

Happiest Birthday to My Grandma Dorothy Louise

Happy Birthday to one of the most amazing women to ever walk the earth.

One of my greatest wishes is that our daughter

will grow to be like you.

Love you!

Riley's Farewell

Our good friend Riley leaves for a mission in Hamilton, New Zealand, this week, and Jeff and I just can't stop talking about how amazing his story is and how glad we are to know him.  He's had me thinking about a lot of things lately, not the least of which has been how glad I am that Jeff's my man, but also on the impact of simple, daily choices.

Jeff and Riley met when Jeff's Account Manager position for the LDS church transferred him up to Salt Lake.  They became fast friends, having many similar interests and similar, easy-going, likeable personalities. Jeff would rattle on and on about his love of New Zealand and travel, and they'd laugh about ridiculousness at work and swap computer-building stories.  I felt like all I ever heard about work was how Riley was doing and what he and Jeff had talked about that day.

Jeff has always loved Riley, but Riley has had trouble liking himself.  He's been restricted by his weight for a good portion of his adult life-it's kept him from attending college, dating, and serving a mission for our church. When he and Jeff met, he was going through a particularly rough time trying to accept who he was, as opposed to who he'd thought he'd grow up to be.  He had almost come to terms with what were the "facts" of his life, but then he felt impressed to make some serious changes.

After months of dedicated work, and what seemed like a lifetime of thinking he'd never be able to serve, Riley told us that he'd finally lost enough weight-100 pounds!- to be able to go on a mission and had been asked to go to New Zealand. He (and his wonderful mother) made a point to make sure that Jeff and I knew that in addition to receiving strength and a knowledge of acceptance and love from God, that Riley had gotten to where he was because of Jeff's friendship and quiet example of fortitude.  Riley said that from the day they met, he had decided he wanted to be like Jeff and one day live as Jeff did.

Jeff was flabbergasted; he really had no idea that he'd been anything more than a friend to Riley, and certainly never intended to change his life. Which got me thinking: aren't some of the greatest things we ever do, things we never intentionally tried to make, mold, or alter, but in fact were changed as a consequence of who we are and the good choices we make?  I believe greatly in the ideology that "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass," and know that ultimately, it's our seemingly insignificant, daily decisions that determine our destiny.

My husband doesn't live a glamorous life-um, I know that for sure- but something about Jeff and the happiness he has made a positive impact on Riley that fueled his change and brought him more happiness in his life. I used to have big dreams of setting out to stop world hunger and bring beauty to all people through knowledge of nutrition and health and cosmetology and language. Now I know I'd rather be the kind of person who never set out to do anything amazing, but who left a wake of joy and uplifting change as she simply went on her way, rejoicing. Thereby making the world a better place one small, daily choice and simple example at a time.

The Last Fruits of Summer

We often joke that there are a lot of things Utah can't get right, like traffic control or a smooth transition between seasons, but something Utah does really well is grow peaches.  One of the first things I wanted to do when we got back home was head over to a local farm stand and pick up a box of the yellow fleshed little beauties.  I always get seconds, which are the fruits that are smaller or bruised, take them home, then sort them into peaches to eat, freeze, cook and can.  I peeled some and baked some and froze some, but, well, I flopped on the canning this year.  I could blame it on the heat, because who wants to fire up a huge pot of boiling water to process jars and jars of peaches when it's 96 degrees out....but mostly I didn't put up any peaches because I was busy eating them all.  They were so sweet and perfectly ripe, they didn't need a thing besides a dash of cinnamon- and I couldn't help eating the lion's share of the box. 

Good thing I have my girlie to split them with me. She may turn out to be a peach fiend because of these lovely, end-of-summer fruits.

Weekend Mirths: The Boss's Birthday

I could never say enough about my amazing Jefe.  Simply, he is the greatest man I've ever known. More elaborately: he is steady, strong, and true-a fighter for our family and our happiness; he is gentle, thoughtful, and endearing- he knows how to guide me to be a more complete person; he is a job well done, a fight smartly diffused, a safe haven, a peacemaker.  He constantly and consistently lives the many reasons why I chose to marry him, all the while giving me more reasons to love him. Despite what we've been through (and maybe even because of it) I consider myself the luckiest girl in the universe.  All because that man right there, and everything that he has given and taught to me, are mine forever.