Adios, November

And, finally, sayonara to the creepy 'stache!! ha!

November is my favorite month and I'm sad to see it go. But tomorrow starts December with lots of birthdays and holiday cheer! As I've said once or twice (or 653 times) before, this is my favorite season, by far. September starts the perfect weather and it's all cocoa and pumpkin bread from there. Nostalgia. There it is again.

xoxo
Joy

Today I'm thankful...
That Camillo is almost done with this quarter
For an apartment to call home
For Christmas lights
That Ollie is such a happy little bugger

Dinner Disaster

In my quest to find an awesome recipe using left over mashed potatoes, I found this one for gnocchi. What?! It's that easy to make it?! And I already have all {four} ingredients it calls for? Yes, I am making this!

Camillo loves gnocchi and I was super excited to show him what I'd made. Everything was going great; pretty fun actually. Until I cooked them.

I poured the little nuggets into the boiling water and, as directed, fished them out once they floated to the top. Hmm..these were the first mushy gnocchi I'd ever had. My guess was that they needed another minute or two. Well, after in-ing and out-ing them a couple times to no avail, I decided I had failed. Uh, sorry babe. What had I done wrong?! For a split second my head cold fog lifted and I realized I'd used mashed potatoes. Um, duh. The extra ingredients (who knows how much butter, milk, sour cream, etc) were the culprit. And my cute little gnocchi nuggets were the victims.

Okay, so that didn't work out. Camillo was proud I'd tried something so 'fancy' (let's not tell him how easy they actually are..) and was fine with a plan B dinner. Good thing I had one. Except that I didn't. Let me tell you that I haven't been grocery shopping for 2 weeks. Thankfully, there was a can of soup in the pantry. Chicken tortilla something or other. Fine, soup it would be. Once I poured the can into the pot, though...I realized that wouldn't be enough to feed us both. The next few minutes went like this:

Here, I know. I'll put some corn in it. We like corn.

..

Woah. Okay, Camillo would probably like some soup with that corn..what else could I..Oh, black beans! We need more fiber anyways. 

..

Dangit. That didn't help. What if I..turkey! I have left over turkey! 

..

There, that might be okay. Don't I have some..oh here! Salsa! I'll put some salsa in it!

Phew. That was a close one. What started out as a scarce can of soup turned into some sort of chicken turkey chili. It was really good and, paired with a quesadilla, hit the spot. 

So, that's my dinner disaster for the week. It all ended well and at least now I know I can make gnocchi. Next time I'll bake the potatoes. And leave out the extra mush. 

Now it's 6:52pm on Wednesday and the microwave is humming as it heats our left over chicken turkey chili. Cuz this mama can't get out of this head fog to whip up anything better.

And I still haven't gone grocery shopping. 

Have you ever made a tasty meal kind of on accident? Share some recipes with us in the comments!

xoxo

Joy

Today I'm thankful..

For friends with babies

That my husband doesn't mind leftover soup

Because Ollie slept 8 hours straight last night. And he's gonna do it again tonight (right, baby?)

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Today is November 26th. That means there are only 5 weeks left of 2012!! This year has been so full and so very blessed.

I've already started to put a lot of thought into my resolutions for this new year. I don't want another 12 months to come and go with a half hearted list of goals that are unaccomplished because they weren't planned well. 

The list isn't written all the way yet but I know something to do with health will be there for sure. And it will probably have to be about what I eat. Because, let's be honest, I may not have much control over getting to the gym at a certain time everyday (read: Ollie takes 20 minute naps) but I can absolutely control what food I put in my mouth. Or don't. 

I've decided that two small changes I can make will help me be so much healthier. #1: no sugar during the weekdays. Man, oh man. I am addicted to sweets and treats. It's kind of disgusting. Well, it would be if it wasn't so delicious. I am hereby committing to cutting all sugar intake out of every weekday. Treats will be saved for a weekend, if I've done well enough to earn it. I don't want to deprive myself of something I really enjoy but I need to switch my point of view:: Two cookies are a special treat to indulge in only on occasion. No longer is it acceptable to eat an entire box. In one evening. #2: up my fruit and veggie count everyday. Maybe we didn't do a lot of veggies when I was a kid but for some reason, it's really hard for me. 5 a day - are you kidding?! It's not that I don't like vegetables, I just don't think about them. I've recently heard a lot of buzz about juicing. When a friend of mine made me a glass of juice (maybe 8 ounces?) I was shocked to realize I'd just had 3 servings of veggies and 1 fruit. That was easy, I can totally do that!!

And why wait five weeks? There's a juicer on my counter and the cupboards are bare of cookies. {cough cough} Now's a great time to start. I'm ready and excited to be adventurous with fruits and vegetables, and who knows? Maybe by January 1st I'll be craving broccoli on the weekends instead of ColdStone. I'll keep you posted!

xoxo

Joy

side note: I should emphasize that juicing is not replacing any of my meals. I'm still a breastfeeding mama and will continue to eat what I need to to keep Oliver healthy and full. By juicing, my hope is to add to my daily nutrition - for me and my baby.

Today I'm thankful

That the holiday was spent with family

For a beautiful sunny day

That it's never too late 

PNW Weather

The last few days in Seattle have been wet wet wet! And I love it. I think dark rainy days are beautiful. Especially when it pours on the roof and bounces off the leaves. Good thing I live in the PNW, huh? Yesterday was the most stormy - we even got some thunder and lightening! It was a day of snuggles in the rocking chair and naps with lots of blankies. 

Today has been less stormy but still just as cozy. We ventured out this afternoon for a mommy/baby hot cocoa date. As I type, Ollie is wrapped up to my chest, snoring away :) It's the perfect combo: work and baby.

We've got some low key family plans for Thanksgiving tomorrow. It's nice to have a low key holiday every couple years. Like I've said before, we're usually a traveling part of the hustle and bustle.  

What are your plans? Traveling far or staying close?

xoxo

Joy

Today I'm thankful

For stormy weather

That we have a cozy home to shelter us from it all

For quiet cafes and hot cocoa

Donuts, Brioche, and Macarons at the Market

A couple weeks ago, Camillo and I made plans to take Oliver to the pumpkin patch! We were going to go after church and spend the afternoon taking pictures while Ollie had the time of his life. Right? Well, that's how I envisioned it. However, sitting in the parking lot underneath dark grey clouds, we realized it might not be the best idea. My happy thoughts turned to visions of soaking wet, muddy mom and dad, and screaming baby. Okay, so we decided this would be the only year we could skip the pumpkin patch. But we still wanted to do something fun so we drove down town to the Pike Place Market for a stroll through the vendors.

At the Daily Dozen, we waited in line for a variety dozen of donuts. They're made right there, on the spot, and totally worth the wait in line. Plus, they have tiny little apple pies!

It's hard to walk through the market without taking a handful of cliche photos. Ya know, the ones with rows and rows of brightly colored fruit and veggies. But seriously, isn't it beautiful? 

We also stopped in at La Panier, a 'very french bakery', for some croissants and brioche. I think I enjoyed the display of macarons as much as the breads we tasted!

Oh, look who's awake! Of course he slept through the whole thing. I'm glad we didn't go to the P-patch this year. It probably would have been disappointing to realize he might not have cared as much as mama ;)

I love snuggling my little guy in his baby k'tan. It's really comfortable and he can sleep for hours in it. Next year, he'll be just over a year old - the perfect age for pumpkins and corn mazes, yes? Until then, mama doesn't mind a day at the market.

xoxo

Joy

Today I'm thankful

For crockpots. Oh my word, I shouldn't even have to explain why. 

That we live on a busy street because the sound of traffic calms Ollie down.

    (funny fact: when we stay at my parents' house I have to turn the sound machine on to it's 'traffic'

    setting. Otherwise, it's too quiet for him to sleep!!)

For dark chocolate hot cocoa..mmm

A Happy Three Months

Dear Oliver,

Today, my love, you are 3 months old! It's been the most amazing 3 months of my life. Me and daddy have learned so much about ourselves, each other, and what it means to love someone that you've created. I can hardly believe God chose us to be your mommy and daddy forever! 

At 3 months, you are 25 inches long, 14lbs and 13ozs heavy. We have to dress you in some 6 months clothes because you're already too long for 3 months! Some nights you sleep 10 hours but other nights only 3. I'm still trying to figure out what makes the difference! You have a huge smile most of the time, love talking to mama and daddy, and are figuring out what it means to laugh out loud. You're almost rolling over but not quite yet and you love to kick your legs as if you're riding a bike!

We're so in love with you, Ollie. Mama prays that me and daddy will do a good job teaching you how to love Jesus, be kind to people, and work hard. You're a special kid, I already know it.

Love,

Mama

On prioritizing and doing my best

Oliver, 7 days new

I've been told by so many people that I must 'sleep when baby sleeps'! In the first couple weeks, there was nothing else I could do - I was exhausted and in a lot of pain and discomfort. He slept, I slept.

Now, almost 3 months later, the honeymoon (you know: mom here cleaning the house, friends bringing meals, sleeping whenever I feel the need, Camillo at my beck and call) is over and it's getting a little harder for me to let myself sleep during the day. After all, who is going to wash the dishes, switch the laundry, plan the meals, cook the meals, write the blog, snuggle the husband, take the shower, read the bible, or clean up the house if I'm napping with Ollie? There's a lot to do but only a few short windows throughout the day that they can be done. This calls for some prioritizing and planning ahead. 

Oliver is a short napper - 45 minutes at a time at most. And there are many occasions where he can't stay asleep unless I'm holding him. (Remember the stages I'm reading about?) Sometimes I fantasize about sleeping all day but I have to remind myself that I'll feel better if my dishes are done or the garbage is taken out. But of my arm's length to-do list, what should I do first?

I'm still working out the kinks to that question but, in the meantime, I've got a couple guidelines that will hopefully help me cross off to-dos and leave some space for flexibility throughout the day.

First, I'd like to get up around 7am each morning. I'll have to give myself a lot of grace on this one without losing my will power. There are mornings when we're up at 4 or 5 for a half hour or more and, let's be real, I can't expect to wake up for the day at 7am. But on the mornings I can, a 7am wake up call gives me a little quiet time to have a cup of coffee, read my bible and map out the day.

Next, I want to do the dishes every night. This will be totally doable as long as I discipline myself. Oh my goodness, if I take 15 minutes to stand at the sink each night, I'll be greeted by a sparkly clean kitchen every morning (at 7am?). What a great way to start the day? So much better than walking in to a pile of dishes and counters so crowded I can't even pull out the coffee maker!!

Hanging up our bags and coats when we first walk through the door will solve the disappearing dining table problem. While I'm at it, I'll sort the junk from the mail and decide what goes where instead of leaving it all in a toppled stack. Imagine - eating dinner at the table?!

These three ideas will alleviate some of the clean up stress and leave the house tidy even if I can't scrub down every day. As for those 'scrub down' chores (toilets, vacuuming, windows, laundry, etc), they'll have to fight their way to the top of the priority list. Getting to them will take some planning on my part.  If I plan to clean the bathroom or write a post during Ollie's first nap, I'll be able to start right when he goes to sleep instead of spending his whole nap trying to decide which thing I should do. I can't do it all. I can only do my best and that's going to have to be enough. 

Here's to longer naps, everyday showering, and a date night or two. Until then, I'm learning that productivity doesn't mean working 10 hour days and completing long lists. Feeding my baby, snuggling my hubby, and getting enough veggies are productive enough.

xoxo
Joy

Anybody got any tips for prioritizing? I'll take all the advice I can get - leave it in the comments below!!

Today I'm thankful
That the elections are over (omg)
For a husband who understands that a messy home and frozen pizza are only for a season
For my new friend, Chelsea

A Birthday Weekend

My mom's birthday weekend began at the Crab Pot in Seattle. We had salmon and ahi, veggies, and hard ciders. We were out on the covered patio and watched the ferries coming and going as we ate. After our meal, our waiter brought complimentary cheesecake to celebrate! 

Hmm..do you see a cute little crab in that pot??

After lunch we went to the Columbia Tower to enjoy a cozy warm beverage and the view!

The night didn't end there! After a day in the city we got dressed up and went to Wicked! It was a great show, super fun! Ollie was home with daddy and did really well. He went to sleep at 9:45 and slept through the night until 7am!! Hmm..How did Camillo do it...??

At the last minute on Saturday, I decided to drive down to Shelton to see Isaac before he left. He's hittin' the road for a couple weeks of adventure before he parks it in Utah for the winter. He got a job at a ski resort!! 

Camillo had to work so Jordan and I took Ollie for the ride. It was a quick, less than 24 hour trip but we managed to squeeze breakfast in with my daddyo on Sunday. Somehow, I got through breakfast with only this photo...

 It's always so great to spend time with my parents and brothers. It was a whirlwind 3 days but it was perfect! Thanks to my aunts for a couple of these photos, we had a blast didn't we?!

Today I'm thankful
For an overcast day that makes it easy to be cozy and relax
For my little brothers who are also some of my favorite friends

xoxo
Joy

{insert happy birthday song here}

Happy Birthday, Mommy!! You're fun, adventurous, strong, beautiful, and I am so thankful for our friendship! You've been such a great mom and now a wonderful grammie. I love you very much!!

Today I'm thankful
For a girl's night out with my mom and aunts tonight!
That Camillo is such a good daddy and is excited for boy's night in

It's November!

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Happy November! I love this month. It means the holidays are coming and, for me, everything about this season is sweet and special. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. No, it is my one and only favorite! We used to spend every year at my Aunt Paula and Uncle Ron's house and everybody was there. The house was full and the kitchen was constantly producing delicious food and mouth watering aromas! 

Aside from all the family tradition, Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful! This month, at the end of each post, I'll leave a list of what I'm grateful for. I've been trying to be more intentional about being thankful and acknowledging my blessings. It helps a lot on those days I'm a little overwhelmed or feeling claustrophobic. 

Today I'm thankful 

Because I was able to do two loads of laundry (in one day!)

That Camillo didn't have class until 10:30 = family morning!

For a baby that needs structure as much as his mama does. 

Wanna join me? In the comments below, tell us what you have to be thankful for today! 

xoxo

Joy