Lifings

2011-11-14T08:11:00.002-05:00

I'm still here. Just busy. Really busy.

So ready for Thanksgiving break.

Joe and I have been experimenting with Tumblr as a way to share things and it seems to be the best route for now.

Follow us at: SpillingLove.tumblr.com

:)

18 months

2011-09-16T20:46:00.002-04:00

You turned 18 months this past Tuesday.
You're picking up new vocabulary at a scary pace.
Your favorite is still "PAHPHEEEE!"
You are determined to feed yourself with a fork/spoon and refuse to eat if we try to help.
Coloring is your favorite.
"Harry the Dirty Dog" and "Jamberry" are your current go-to reads.
You love love love your floor bed. You know it's your own cozy place.
Some things you say in Japanese, some others in English. It's fun seeing which words you decide to use.
For a week straight, you requested to watch Tottoro right after breakfast.
You will eat "may-dohs" from the garden until your belly aches.
You love to tickle daddy.
You bust out singing "eeee-aye, eeee-aye....OHHH!" at random times.
You're tall. Growing out of your mid-arm chub rolls, but still rockin' the mid-thigh roll.

You're amazing. So full of love.

2011-09-11T21:09:00.002-04:00

Went up to Hanover, NH for Dave and Julie's wedding! It was a gooorgeous celebration. The weather held out, Julie was stunning, and Dave couldn't have looked any happier. So so thrilled for them!

Plus, we got to see best buddy John and his fiance Hannah, who flew all the way from Singapore. What amazing friends.

John took this beauty of a shot of us right after the wedding ceremony. So thankful!!

Been dipping my toes into a little heavier Photoshopping of pictures. Thump be on the forehead when things get outta control would yah?

Trance

2011-09-11T20:57:00.003-04:00

Quinn loves to swing. Screams when it's time to take her out.

Her mind goes to a far away place when swinging. She lets go, so still, watching the other kids run around, rarely changing the expression on her face.

Tales of a "May-Doh" Snatcher

2011-08-22T14:31:00.008-04:00

Q's been catching up speed in the land of independence lately. New feelings of want and frustration keep bubbling up in her little heart. Definitely rounding the bend in what will become full fledged toddlerhood.

"May-dohs" have been a part of her growing streak. Just the other morning, she woke up asking them for breakfast and happily gobbled 5-6 from our garden. Some nights when we offer them as a part of her dinner, she totally refuses, fulfilling the desire to have control in the situation. When we're out playing the yard, she'll sneak over to the garden and snack on them until she's covered in tomato juice.

Oh Quinn.

I love you.

: )

Rainbowing

2011-07-25T19:19:00.003-04:00

Enjoy!

Music by Elizabeth Mitchell.

Bear Mt.

2011-07-09T20:13:00.002-04:00

We went to Bear Mt. State Park for the first time today, after living here for almost three years. Fools! Why in the world did we wait so long....

The place is beeeeaaautiful in the summer and can't even wrap my head around how gorgeous it is each fall. There's a nature trail/zoo, hundreds of picnic tables wrapping around the main lake, an outdoor ice rink, an old timey merry-go-round, a huge pool with a spectacular view, you can easily spend an entire day soaking it all in and would be a great place to have some sort of a family reunion/get together.

GO! If you're ever up here, GO!

Just Add Sand

2011-07-06T20:48:00.002-04:00

Took only a handful of evenings to complete! Probably because I was so excited to see the finished product, AND Joe was awesome, took Quinn for the majority of a weekend morning to let me sew without Quinn's little paws wandering around the table.

Got the pattern from MADE, the towel from Wal-Mart (don't hate, I had to go there to buy the bias tape because I'm not going to drive 40 minutes to the nearest JoAnn).

Can't wait to hit the beach!

2011-07-02T10:40:00.002-04:00

Made some finger paint for Quinn yesterday! Super easy. You'll neeeeeed:

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup cornstarch
food coloring

That's it!

Mix the water and cornstarch in a small pot until well mixed. Turn on the burner, to medium, keep stirring until it thickens up to whatever consistency you're looking for. Note though, it'll thicken up a little more as it cools.

Transfer the 'paint' to whatever containers you'll be using and add the food coloring.

Done!

And since it's just water and cornstarch,
it's ok if your kiddo decides to do this:

Enjoy!

Just the Ladies

2011-06-26T19:51:00.003-04:00

Oatmeal pancakes, blueberries, coconut milk and kisses.
A handful of Cheerios at Target to keep your hands in business.

For lunch, spinach couscous cups,
Banana and cheese, you gobble up.

At nap time we snuggled and snoozed together.
Under a cool breeze and simple weather.

A concoction we created, for your afternoon snack.
So yummy and delicious, in our cheeks we packed.

Outside we go for the rest of the day,
You play, play, and play, shed tears when we don't stay.

We eat together your favorite fish,
Carrots, tomatoes, oh what a dish.

Books and puzzles to wind our day down,
A bath and PJ's, goodnight to our town.

You drift to sleep, while twiddling your ear,
Right outside your window, are 2 mama deer.

Rocks and Dirt

2011-06-22T19:59:00.002-04:00

Went camping with friends and kiddos this past weekend and had an awesome, awesome time. Quinn was definitely in her element, getting to be outside for the majority of her days. Chasing balls, chasing bubbles, chasing boys... ;)

Finnian and Jonathan, two little men who were Quinn's playmates for the weekend, were the perfect pals.

Didn't realize how few photos I took while we were there. You'd think I'd saddle up and max out the card being armed with a new toy. But alas... Have no fears, friend and fellow photographer connoisseur Megan took some great photos of our weekend, which can be seen HERE! (thanks Megan!!)

Can't wait to go back!

Dat-Dee Day

2011-06-19T10:07:00.002-04:00

2011-06-03T21:19:00.002-04:00

See these little puppies? I am still craving them after being back from Panama for a handful of days. Freshly picked from a backyard tree, these mangoes are so juicy, SO flavorful. I mean, look at those colors?! And I love how they look so "dirty" and imperfect.

Got to eat these, along with star fruit and guava from a family's backyard. Delicious!!

I had such a great time down in Panama. Got to play in a brass quintet for the national music festival held each year in Panama City, coached youngin's as they plowed through Rachmaninoff and Rossini, and visited/played a mini concert at an orphanage. Definitely made me turn my dials back a bit and realize what opportunity and love I have back home.

It's winter down in Panama. Don't let the 90 degree temps fool you.

Had a fantastic time down in mango land. New people, new ideas, new music, new foods. But am thrilled to be back home to Joe and Quinn. Missed them teeeeerribly!!

Pig-Tailin'

2011-05-11T12:24:00.000-04:00

The weather is warming up and her hair is just long enough to sport the piggies. : )

The Dance and Sacrifice Worked

2011-04-26T20:44:00.002-04:00

Got up to a balmy 83 degrees today.

As soon as Joe got home from work, we packed our bags, plopped Quinn in the stroller and walked a 15 minute jaunt to the Hudson River. Spread a picnic blanket my mom made when I when Quinn's age, ate ourselves silly and had a grand ol' time.

Can't wait for more of this.

2011-04-23T15:56:00.002-04:00

Rainy, chilly afternoon. Quinn's napping. Joe's at a gig. Making cookies for a potluck. Listening to "This American Life"

Ahhhhhh. : )

Is it summer yet?

2011-04-21T13:47:00.002-04:00

We keep getting warm fronts coming in, teasing us of at least spring to arrive. Then the pendulum swings the other way....

But, have no fear! I've been sacrificing goats in the back yard, burning incense, doing dances. Warmer weather should be here soon.

And to prepare, I whipped up a cute little summer dress for Quinn. Seriously easy. And to make the deal even better, I made it out of 2 men's t-shirts I scored from GoodWill. Yeehaw! I coooould have made it out of one t-shirt, but the contrasting yellow yolk around the neck? Yes. It was a must.

Got the tutorial from MADE.

http://www.dana-made-it.com/2008/07/warhol-dress-pattern.html

Can't wait to make a few more for her.

2011-04-21T13:40:00.000-04:00

Someone's been wanting to feed THEMSELVES lately.

Oh My.

2011-03-30T20:39:00.002-04:00

Friend and fellow foodie, Megan, opened the doors to her kitchen and showed me how to make these little lovelies. I love love love macarons, and would unleash my gluttony for them whenever I went down to the city.....buy buy buying and consume consume consuming like a true American.

But worry no more!

Now I can make them in my own kitchen.....

Let the gluttony commence!!

Scribbles

2011-03-24T20:08:00.000-04:00

Big Bertha

2011-03-21T19:42:00.002-04:00

Finished the "Rollie Pollie" beanbag chair I found through MADE the other night! Definitely the most grande thing my craftiness has had to tackle. Trying to sew shut the beanbag insert, full of said insert.....was a body contorting adventure.

Such a fantastic place for Quinn to sit/lounge/jump onto/snuggle, right? Too bad she's pretty much afraid of the thing. Squirms and starts crying when I try to put her on it. Crazy girl.

Don't let the size intimidate! It was a definitely a beginner-worthy project. Even got to get my feet wet with zipper sewing. Muah hah haaah.

And, hopefully your kid will enjoy it more than mine. : )

1 Year

2011-03-14T13:35:00.002-04:00

It's official, she's one. ONE.

Her birthday morning, she woke up chitty chatty, talking and entertaining herself while Joe and I smiled at each other as we listened to her through the monitor. Joe went and said his "good mOORning!" and brought the Q into bed with us. The normally excited and wanting crawl around Quinn simply laid down and cuddled, just like the morning she was born.

Best cuddle session ever.

Presents soon ensued. Quinn was alllll about the tissue paper.

Then we ate ourselves silly with cardamom cupcakes smothered with cream cheeeeese. Q, loves, cheese. Joe is ecstatic.

A little lunch, then a little nap. Then Joe and Quinn came down to West Point to come listen to friend Sarah and my's recital. Played an original composition written just for Quinn by great friend Mike Reifenberg (they're expecting their first in 2 weeks!) in celebration of her birthday. It was so awesome. SO awesome. Trust me. : )

Post recital, we went out for dinner to the local burger shop Woodys. Ohhhh, the chocolate malts they make.....they are divine. And they're REAL. Like, a REAL malt. MALT I say. When you go to a burger joint, order a malt, and they give you a shake..... this is traumatic. I mean, this is America. This is where malts were born. Please people, know your malt rights.

I digress.

Quinn had a great day as did Joe and I. Can't believe a year has already gone by. Sad to see her baby-ness slowly fade, but at the same time very excited to see her grow, develop and blossom into the person she is becoming.

Happy Birthday Quinn!

Help

2011-03-04T20:02:00.006-05:00

I worked as a camp counselor at a music camp in Michigan the summer of my freshman year. I learned camp songs, sat and ate every meal with energetic middle schoolers, slept in a cabin full of giggly girls, watched a kid totally loose his lunch while playing basketball, played tug of war in a picturesque muddy pit.

Three months flew by, and camp was over.

Carter was a fellow camp counselor. We sat around the campfire together, we sang songs together, we corralled our kiddos together. She, along with a great number of other counselors, we all still keep in touch.

Carter, her husband Micah (a fanTAStic photographer), and their little lady Campbell need your help. They're adopting their next kiddo and it ain't cheap. Like, it-ain't-cheap-it's-going-to-cost-$31,955-it-ain't-cheap. BUT, you my friends can help. If you're in the market to buy ANYthing from Amazon.com, you can help.

Just follow the link below, it'll take you to Amazon.com, find what you're looking for, purchase it, and 4% of your purchase will automatically go to their adoption fund. Easy peasy.

Click HERE

Seriously. Easy.

And just to let you know, there's no confirmation or "you've just donated to the Bell Family Adoption Fund" message that will pop up. The link is legit, your donation will be sent. I promise.

The Bell family would be eternally grateful.

As would a little orphan.

2011-03-01T19:41:00.002-05:00

Finally finished Quinn's Pixie Hat. : ) Plenty of knit projects I have started ultimately end up laying to rest at the "half-done and forgotten about knitted goods cemetery". Seriously, the gravestone are numerous.

Got the pattern via the blog Sew Liberated, which found the actual pattern, (for free!) here, at Ravelry.

I made a 7"-ish i-chord instead of the buttoned chin strap so I could easily tie the hat instead of wrestling Quinn to button her in.

11 Months

2011-02-17T20:07:00.002-05:00

A milestone sorta put the 11 month photo shoot and blog post on hold. Our sincerest of apologies! Mopey days were upon us as the mercury rose and Quinn's little body battled it's first fever. It lasted a good 3 and a half days. 'Twas a long 3 and a half days...BUT, Quinn was the cuddliest and best koala impersonator around. Here's the sad little chap in full fever mode:

And now here she be trying her best to be her chipper, silly self:

And now a picture we took today.

So after the fever debacle, Quinn broke out into a rash. Fever for 3~4 days, then sudden appearance of rash? Roseola my friends. We're thankful Quinn wasn't the 10-15% of babies who suffer seizures from the virus.

But anywho, in the broad spectrum of things, Quinn is doing GREAT. She's such a happy kiddo. Her willingness to communicate with her little hands is truly amazing to us right now. Her vocab continues to grow and is now signing 'more', 'all done', 'eat', 'bath', 'book', and 'milk'.

She's eating mainly finger foods and favors anything powdered or containing cheese. Joe glows in delight in this and is already eagerly cultivating her cheese palette.

I need to give her more fish, rice, and soy sauce.

Quinn turns ONE in 3 weeks....

ONE.

I repeat.

ONE.

ONE!

(mamma faints, cue dimming of lights, curtains close)

2011-02-02T09:12:00.006-05:00

So, enjoy with me a new milestone of Quinn's.

We've been doing some sign language with her since she was aroooound 8 months or so. I'm sure to her, obnoxiously getting in her face, wide eyed, flashing hand gestures that seem so obscene, is what it equated to. But, in the name of Oregon Trail, we blazed on and forged the river instead of deciding to float.

Started out with "eat" "more" "all done". We're all about eating in this household....getting her to watch us while at the dinner table for lunches and dinners was easiest.

After 2 months of a one way street in communication, Quinn has decided to return fire.

Didn't capture "eat", but "more" and "all done" are definitely there, with a bonus of waving "hi/bye" to Joe in the kitchen.

Warning....the video is a bit long, and can seem a bit boring and stagnant to those not so glossy eye enamored with Quinn. : )

2011-01-22T20:08:00.000-05:00

Snow Day Bed Head.

10 Months

2011-01-16T18:26:00.002-05:00

On the prowl you are. Curious little paws opening drawers, closing drawers, opening drawers, closing drawers.

Hunchback of Notre Dame style crawler until you get close to anything you can pull up on. Then you can maneuver from ottoman, to couch, to media stand, to wall, to bookcase, to kitchen island....

Peek-A-Boo is still hilarious. You laugh your hardest when daddy pretends to chase you.

Feeding yourself like a mad woman these days. Your absolute favorite and fail safe is plain ol' yogurt or cheese, runner up being noodles.......sprinkled with parmesan.

Still rockin' five solid teeth, number six has been poking through for a while.

Chatty and a mimicker. You're an ace at "Bababa" "Dadada" "Mamama" and recently added "Gagaga".

You soak in and study any kind of book that has pictures of real animals.

Really? It's only 2 months until your first Birthday.....

2011-01-08T18:54:00.002-05:00

Not sure what the official tally ended up being, but somewhere around the 10"-12" mark is pretty accurate. Made for a PJ-riffic, bowl o' chili kind of day.

Yuletide Ya'll

2010-12-31T18:31:00.004-05:00

Booked flights and flew ourselves down to Oklahoma for Christmas this year. We had a crazy good time, but like all trips, it does feel good to come back to your own cozy bed and familiar ways.

Joe's parent's and my parents live 5 miles from each other, so divvying (weird looking, but yes, that's spelled correctly. Google said so.) the time spent between the two families can get a bit tricky. A blessing and an obstacle all rolled into one massive holiday heap.

Quinn was aaaaawesome on her very first flight. She slept through the entire flight on our way there, took a nap and charmed the flight attendants on the way back. Couldn't have asked for a better experience. *high five Quinn*

We got our enchilada, burrito, taco fix. Our southern twang fix.

Came home to a little over a foot of snow.

A video for your holiday entertainment. : )

Quinn and Kia met and played for the first time. It was fantastical. : )

2010-12-25T10:42:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas!

9 Months

2010-12-14T16:02:00.001-05:00

Apologies for the delay in posting! Quinn actually turned 9 months yesterday, but a weekend trip to Philly for the Army/Navy game and 2 concerts down in NYC may be somewhat of a culprit. So. Tired.

Q has also come down with her first cold. : ( As of now we're hangin' in there with just a stuffy nose, and hopefully that's as bad as it'll get. Luckily, a pretty easy week at work should allow for plenty of snuggled recovery.

She's had a handful of amazing face plants in grand attempts to crawl, and is at the moment not quite in full crawl mode. But sit her next to an ottoman, and she'll pull herself up and toddle all the way around it.

Insistent on feeding herself. The purees are slowly diminishing and finger foods are now beginning to rule the roost. Although, give her a spoonful of yogurt and she'll let you feed her that stuff until she pops.

Quinn spent her first night at a hotel this past weekend and absolutely loved the full length mirror that was the door to the closet. She stood, cackled, and patted the mirror, for. ever. And next week, she'll be taking her very first plane ride to Oklahoma for the holidays. We'll see how that one pans out...

With a little extra time now in the evenings, I've whipped out the ol' knitting needles and am in the process of making THIS. We'll see how many....days....weeks.....ok, months pass before it actually comes to fruition.

Salvation Army Audition

2010-12-06T13:55:00.003-05:00

Quinn's no fool. She sees them. Those awesome people ringing their bells in front of various stores around town. A request was made by Q, for a video of herself ringing a bell so she could send it in to Salvation Army in hopes of a spectacular bell ringing career. She even gets a bit flustered when she drops the bell and has to put herself in face-planting danger to retrieve. Definitely aiming high this little one.

2010-11-21T20:32:00.002-05:00

Got ourselves one of theeeeeese yesterday. Nothing fancy, just the base model. Anything after driving the Mazda....since high school, is an amazing upgrade. Power locks! I've got power. locks.

Quinn took it out for a spin after her morning nap, she approves. : )

EIGHT. months.

2010-11-13T20:39:00.003-05:00

You keep face planting in a mighty attempt to crawl.
You'll stand without assistance for a few seconds at a time.
You had your first taste of animal protein, (turkey!) today, and like all other foods, you like it!
You're a pro with the sippy cup, when we help. You otherwise thrash and squeal in delight.
You love to clap your hands, and may be mastering waving to people.....or just flapping your arms and hands like a looney.
You love to say "baah bah baaah bah baah"
Your favorite books are your animal picture book and Goodnight Moon.
You like to eat my cornet.
You dressed up like a witch for Halloween.
You're incredibly happy.
You're working on your 6th tooth.
You went to town when we let you feed yourself a banana.
You smile a toothy crooked grin when super happy.

You're growing. Too fast.

Sippy Cup Delights

2010-11-06T20:09:00.001-04:00

Footage from today's lunch hour.

2010-10-25T19:50:00.000-04:00

Mmmmmmm......crisp.

7 Months

2010-10-13T20:36:00.002-04:00

Ohhhhhhhmygoodness. Time flies. Make it stop. Please?

Quinn's awesome. We love her so much we want to squeeze her 'til her little eyes bulge out like some cartoon character. It's disgusting how much we love her. Holy cow we love her.

She has sprouted 2 little nubby teeth on the bottom and is now sprouting 2 teeth on top. This teething thing has graciously brought Quinn bouts of rashes on her bum (who ever knew "teething poo" could burn a poor bebeh's tush?!), constipation, and the inevitable sore gums. The little lady is a trooper though, always giving us giggles and smiles.

Quinn luuuurvs any sort of veggie. We've gone through sweet potatoes, avocado, butternut squash, peas, broccoli, and carrots with looks of "more, more!". Fruits are a bit more hit or miss. She's growing fonder of bananas, apples, peaches and pears. Going to try apricots and blueberries here in a couple days.

She loves to swing.
Loves to stand up.
Loves to shake noisy things.
Loves to squeal.
Loves to push the keys on my laptop.
Loves to pat books.
Loves to be outside.
Loves to play peek-a-boo.

Is learning to clap!

Will pull herself up to stand if you put your hands in front of her to grab.

This girl is amazing.

2010-09-27T19:53:00.002-04:00

A drizzly, chilly, cuddly, homemade cinnamon roll kind of day.

-Cottage Cheese Cinnamon Rolls-

Ingredients:

For The Dough:

¾ cup Cottage Cheese (I use fat free, they turn out great.)
⅓ cup 1/2 mixture of plain yogurt, 1/2 mixture milk
¼ cup Granulated Sugar
2 oz. (4 Tbs.) Unsalted Butter, melted
1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
9 oz. (2 cups) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour; More For Rolling
1 Tbs. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Table Salt
¼ tsp. Baking Soda

For The Filling:

¾ oz. (1-½ Tbs.) Unsalted Butter, melted
⅔ cup Packed Light Or Dark Brown Sugar
1-½ tsp. Ground Cinnamon
½ tsp. Ground Allspice
¼ tsp. Ground Cloves
1 cup (4 oz.) Chopped Pecans

For The Glaze:

2-½ oz. (scant ⅔ cup) Confectioners' Sugar
2 To 3 Tbs. Cold Whole Or Low-Fat Milk
1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract

Directions:
Heat the oven to 400°F. Grease the sides and bottom of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray.

Make the dough:

In a food processor, combine the cottage cheese, yogurt/milk concoction, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla. Process until smooth, about 10 seconds. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and pulse in short bursts just until the dough clumps together (don’t overprocess). The dough will be soft and moist.

Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it with floured hands 4 or 5 times until smooth. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12x15-inch rectangle.

Make the filling:

Brush the dough with the melted butter, leaving a ½-inch border unbuttered around the edges. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Sprinkle the mixture over the buttered area of the dough and pat gently into the surface. Sprinkle the nuts over the sugar mixture.

Starting at a long edge, roll up the dough jelly-roll style. Pinch the seam to seal, and leave the ends open.

With a sharp knife, cut the roll into 12 equal pieces. Set the pieces, cut side up, in the prepared pan; they should fill the pan and touch slightly, but don’t worry if there are small gaps.

Bake until golden brown and firm to the touch, 20 to 28 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Run a spatula around the inside edge of the pan and remove the springform ring. Transfer the rolls to a serving plate.

Delicious.

I ate SIX of these today...

6 Months

2010-09-13T20:14:00.002-04:00

TOOTH!

She has started to sprout her lower left tooth. We noticed it last Wednesday when we couldn't find a pacifier, so Joe stuck his finger in Q's mouth to let her chew. Little ridged chomper struck gold on ol' daddy's finger.

Started solids yesterday with amusing results and can't wait to feed her more grub.

Not sure how much she's weighing these days, but we'll get to find out on Wednesday when we go in for her 6 month party at the doc's office.

Definitely interested in grabbing anything around her and sticking straight into her mouth.

Loves laying outside on a blanket in the backyard, then sitting up to pull up grass.

Has started interacting and playing with our sitter's little lady, Karli. Karli (12 months) and Quinn were sitting on the couch together one afternoon, and apparently, Karli reached out to hold Quinn's hand. Freakishly adorable.

We're starting to ponder Halloween costume ideas...... So. Many. To choose from.

Mush

2010-09-12T15:38:00.003-04:00

Q had her first go at consuming something "solid" today. Steamed apples, baby. She kept making pretty hilarious faces of disgust, but would keep reaching for the spoon, wanting more. Crazy girl. (more pictures of disgust within the Flickr link to the left) : )

Gonna be baking some sweet potatoes and pears later today. Let the games begin!

Wow. I'm hilarious!

2010-08-30T20:06:00.002-04:00

5 Months

2010-08-14T15:44:00.003-04:00

Well....she actually turned 5 months yesterday....but we had visitors in from Italy, so getting to hang with them gladly took front seat for the day. : )

She's sitting up, putting everything in her mouth, jib jabbin' like a mo' fo', giggling up a storm (especially yesterday with her new best friend Katarina, some how, cart wheels were hilaaaaarious), and of course growing like crazy.

She starts eating mush next month!

2010-08-11T07:46:00.002-04:00

Embracing her inner gorilla.

Deeelicious Treatings

2010-08-07T22:07:00.003-04:00

Today's weather was perrrrrfect. Perfect I tell you. The air was crisp, humidity was low, and mother nature didn't let the temperature rise above 81. SO, we cruised over to Beacon this afternoon to walk around town, and....yes.....food ourselves. Went to a Thai place for lunch, it was ooookay, then dropped in to an ice cream/popcicle shop I have been yearning to go to. Zora Dora's my friends, may be the newest addiction Joe and I may have to overcome. Pineapple Chili Sea Salt, Yellow Plum Mango Ginger, Chocolate Bananarama, Coconut Lime, Cucumber Mint Chili....the list goes on and on. They had about 30 different flavors of deliciousnesses to choose from. Joe carried out his Thai lunch and got a Thai Iced Tea popcicle, and I opted for the Chocolate Framboise Truffle popcicle. Soooo goooood.

Joe and I both have Tuesday off.

We're going back.

Vacay, Week 1

2010-07-25T09:25:00.003-04:00

Got to spend the past week out at Round Pond, camping with friends and all of our bebes. Our days were filled with hikes and walks, dips at the pond, porch sitting, and all around relaxing, topping it off each evening with a campfire, s'mores and delightful adult chattings. Can't wait to go back. : )

4 Months

2010-07-13T21:00:00.002-04:00

Her mid arm and thigh rolls don't lie, Quinn clocked in at 13 lbs 10oz at her 4 month check-up at the doc's the other day, allllmost doubling her birth weight. She is currently a Droolasaurus Rex, chewing toys, hands, towels, and leaving behind a trusty gloop of drool.

Our favorite daily moment occurs first thing in the morning. Quinn usually wakes up around 6:30-7:00, coo's and ahhh's at her hands/mobile/crib railing for a good 10-15 minutes, at which either Joe or I will go and say good morning to her. The instant Q sees us, she recognizes who is standing there, her eyes light up with the biggest "I know YOU!" and the biggest smile graces her face. Ahhhh, melts me every time. These kinds of reactions from Quinn are soooo addictive. A drug. You want more, and you don't care what it takes.

We went to the pool for the first time the other week, and then to West Point's Delafield Pond yesterday. Quinn. Loves. Water. She was gabbin' up a storm the whole time we had her in the water with us. Smiling, cackling, watching people go by. Next week marks the first week of our two week summer vacay. Many a visits to the pond are for certain.

Hope everyone's summer is not as hot as it's been up here. *eeeesh

2010-07-07T08:49:00.002-04:00

We're getting a new roof! Q's overseeing the project and so far she approves. We'll be finishing out the attic and converting it to Joe and I's music/office area. This means, the extra space in our living room will become a play haven for the Quinnster. Yay!

Fat Day

2010-07-04T20:48:00.003-04:00

We decided to stay true to America and hop on board her ever so popular trend, and gloriously ate our way through this wonderful Independence Day. Our little village of Cornwall puts on a picturesque celebration for its residents, hosting local bands for ear-plugging entertainment, pony rides for the wee ones, pie eating contests for the pudgy ones, a parade complete with tractor pulls and local pets, and food...food you can only get at events like these.

Joe and I downed some jerk chicken, complete with red beans & rice and cabbage from a Jamaican stand, then slobbered a chili burger, refreshed with some water and iced tea, then went for the kill and split a funnel cake. I must admit, we didn't completely fulfill our Red White and Blue face stuffing glory...the funnel cake went unfinished. I know, sad, but we neglected to wear our elastic pants, and buttons were about to pop.

All in all, we had a pretty fantastic time. Especially toting the Quinnster around. She is definitely a lover of the outdoors, chit chatting and gabbin' away with all of the passers by.

Hope everyone had a great 4th. : )

Shark Bait Ooh Ha Ha!

2010-06-22T13:29:00.003-04:00

She's been doing it for a couple weeks, but we finally got it on tape. : )

Bubbles and Drool

2010-06-13T20:25:00.002-04:00

Little Lady is 3 months today! Our jib-jabbing wiggle monster is slowly diminishing her role as a real live bobble head and is getting pretty good at holding her melon up. She just started giving us her first cackles of laughter this past week, AND.... has recently graciously blessed us with the capability of sleeping through the night.

Her fingers and fists are now her favorite items to nom and chew. We sometimes even find her going to town on her thumb.

She'll stare at Joe and listen intently when he plays guitar for her. My favorite thing to watch. : )

2010-06-13T20:01:00.002-04:00

Friends Julie and Dave dropped in for the weekend to meet Quinn and do some hangin'....and eating. (Julie brought strawberries she hand picked from her CSA farm, which we topped with whipped cream for last night's desert. So goooood.) We had a grand ol' time, especially playing 2 new games they introduced us to; Bananagram and Bohnanza. I love them. A lot. And will be going out to purchase Bananagram, tomorrow. : )

We perused the grounds of the Storm King Art Center and enjoyed the views, dotted with sculptures.

Good friends, good eats, good times.

New Memories

2010-05-31T21:28:00.005-04:00

Didn't think I'd ever be so enamored by this little creature of ours. I think I've watched this video a hundred times already. Can't stop.

We've been having a blast with little Q. Seems like she's showing us new things she can every time the sun rises. Hands down though, making her smile is the most addictive thing ever.

Sunny D

2010-05-20T20:56:00.001-04:00

Testing out our new clothes line with some freshly washed diapers. Toasty, sun dried, diapers. Ahhhhhhh.

2010-05-16T10:24:00.003-04:00

Can't wait to eat what we picked up yesterday at Four Winds Farm. It'll be a couple months....but the seedlings we brought home should be yielding some delicious veggies fo' sho'. We got a couple different varieties of 'maters (like "Green Zebra" ! ), some peppers, a watermelon, some winter squash, herbs, pumpkins, oh my! Broccoli and beans were sold out by the time we got there...we'll be on the prowl for those elsewhere.

2 Months!

2010-05-13T18:15:00.002-04:00

We celebrated Q's 2 month with a trip to the doctor's office and 2 swift vaccines. Yay! She was great though. Gabbed with the doctor as he checked her and gave the nurse a couple yelps when she got her shots. She is now proudly sportin' a band aid on each thigh.

Quinn now weighs 10lbs 6oz and is 23" long. She'll sleep a hearty 6-7 hours at night before getting up for a feed and has been giving us boatloads of smiles for the past week or so. Diaper changes are her favorite time to jib jab and tell you allllll about her day.

She's got a new trick I'll try to capture on video as soon as her legs aren't sore. : )

Peeking

2010-05-09T10:40:00.001-04:00

Post Bath Toweling

2010-05-09T10:35:00.001-04:00

2010-05-01T13:09:00.002-04:00

Started a pot o' herbs a couple weeks ago, and they're growing strong! We've got some basil, parsley and rosemary in the large pot, and some chives, cilantro and lemon basil waiting to pop out of their egg carton home.

We're also going to plot out a 3'x6' raised bed in the yard and fill it with seedlings we're planning on purchasing from Four Winds Farm's seedling sale. Nom nom veggies all summer. Hopefully, Q's first veggie puree will come from our little garden. : )

Temps are warm, sun is out. It's sandal season!

2010-04-18T13:36:00.000-04:00

Can't stand this happy face!

2010-04-18T13:26:00.001-04:00

Shake, Rattle, No Roll from Mikki on Vimeo.

2010-04-13T16:32:00.003-04:00

Our little lady is a month old today. Eeesh!

She's packing on the pounds and is beginning to swell with milk, taking on the John Goodman look - skinny legs, tiny butt, with a big round belly. Q loves to be held koala style, belly to belly, arms wrapped around our torsos as wide as she can muster. If possible, she would be oh-so-content in this position allll day.

New things around the room are starting to catch her eyes, tracking it as Joe or I walk with her around the house.

Not too much in the coo-ing department, she's opted to grunt instead.

A once a day pooper. Many an infant will poop after every feeding. Quinn likes to consolidate, albeit allowing us to save a diaper or two during the day, but when she does go....she lets it alllllll oooooout. Poo up the front AND back. Yay!

We're still mesmerized by her.

2010-04-06T17:01:00.004-04:00

I promise this blog won't become an obsessive shrine about our wee one...but, when you get to spend all day with your amazing mini-me kiddo, it's pretty much all you WANT to blog about. So deal with it.

Quinn is slowly starting to elongate her sleeping and eating schedule. What was once an every 2 hour event is now a good 3 to 4 hour party. Burly-man belches coming out of such a tiny body are also a new source of entertainment for Joe and I.

Splashin'

2010-03-31T20:54:00.003-04:00

She looooves bath time. : )

Fire, brimstone, and volcanic baby cries erupt when we take her out.

2 Weeks

2010-03-27T17:46:00.003-04:00

The past 2 weeks seemed to go by so fast, yet, at the same time, soooo wonderfully slow. The 3 of us definitely packed in our afternoons with sun drenched naps and walks around our neighborhood.

Quinn has packed on some fresh weight and is eating like a champ. Ahhhhh, we can't stop staring at her. : )

A Pro

2010-03-20T12:46:00.004-04:00

What she pretty much does...all day. : )

A week 'behind', and in a hurry

2010-03-15T19:13:00.006-04:00

She's here! Quinn Skinner made her way and took her first, quiet, wide eyed, sleepy breath at 1:55am Saturday morning. Weighing in at 7lbs 1oz and 21 inches long.

I had been feeling reeeally minor contractions Wednesday evening and then again Friday night, really irregular, pretty much painless. Those little episodes would last for around 4 hours, then fizzle out, getting Joe and I all excited only to go to bed kinda bummed.

But....lo and behold.....

After getting ready for bed and relaxing a bit, the clock struck 11:45pm and I felt a pretty substantial 'pop' down in the nether regions. I had no idea what the pop was, but boy howdy, the rodeo was now in full swing. Contractions lasting a minute/minute and a half, 2 minutes apart.....1 minute apart.... 2 minutes apart.... 45 seconds apart....

*Internal thought* "This is my first birth.....labor for first births average a length of anywhere between 12-18 hours. How in the freaking world do people do THIS for 18 hours?!?!?!"

Joe gave our midwives a ring, giving them a heads up.

About an hour later, *ding!* time to push! Joe later said he could SEE my belly pushing down. Having been in labor for an hour, the reality of it being time to push didn't even cross my mind, but Joe called the midwives again to let them know the change in action. They were on their way.

I can't even begin to tell you how amazing Joe was. His instincts kicked in and he knew exactly the things he needed to do. Within the blur of our 2 hour marathon, Joe took care of everything, making sure we were 200% prepared to have the baby without the midwives.....just in case.

I climbed into the birthing pool, pushed for about 45 minutes, Joe delivered Quinn.

It was just the three of us.

Just three.

No one else.

It was amazing.

The midwives arrived just 7 minutes after Quinn was born, all smiles.

Tick........Tock....

2010-03-05T15:25:00.003-05:00

What a weird grey area to be in. Huge change in life about happen....but we have no idea WHEN it'll happen?! I can see how this kind of anticipation could drive someone nuts-o. Joe and I have been just waiting....wondering...."maybe tomorrow?"....orrrrrr "maybe tonight!"......or "maybe.....next week...." Any of those being very real possibilities is again, strange.

We picked up our birthing pool from our midwives yesterday. Joe dominated it with his air compressor, and now it's set up and ready to be filled with toasty water to soothe both baby and me.

C'mon bebeh!! We're ready when you are. : )

Snow Day, Birthday, Stay Warm Day

2010-02-27T22:36:00.003-05:00

Got the beloved 6:00am phone call from work Thursday morning, "Code Red, don't come in." On top of that, it was Joe's Birthday! Double whammy! Rolled out of bed, swaddled ourselves in everything fleece and went down stairs to start the day off right, with pumpkin pancakes.

We spent the whole day relaxing, eating, eating, eating, eating, eating, watched a movie...while the outside world slowly covered itself in a thick blanket of snowy powder.

Made Joe a derrrrricious lamb dish for his birthday dinner, which we devoured too soon for a photo opp...but was able to catch a photo of the raspberry souffle we nommed for dessert.

All of this delight was unknowingly coming to an end....

Because we soon lost power after our day o' feastage. And didn't get it back until this morning.

'Tis what close to three feet of snow will do I suppose.

All is now well and we are eeever so grateful our power is back, got heat, and warm water to take showers.

Cozy Paws

2010-02-21T15:04:00.003-05:00

Woke up feeling a bit crafty. Found a couple patterns for baby shoes and gave 'em a whirl. They're so freaking small, so freaking cute.

2010-02-15T20:41:00.002-05:00

Living room/dining room before and after shots! We've still got some things here and there to finish up...sometime....

Next up, kitchen, bathroom and Lady's room pics!

Feeeeeed Meeeeeee

2010-02-06T19:04:00.006-05:00

And WHERE is this delectable, finger lickin', nom-nom, movie night popcorn slathered in homemade caramel and chocolate going?!

In.

Mah.

BELLY!

Just entered the 36 week mark. Only 4 more to go! Well, I mean, she can ring the doorbell anytime SHE wants I guess. We're anxiously waiting to meet her. : )

2010-01-26T21:14:00.006-05:00

We've been nice and busy lately. : ) The duplex is still coming together bit by bit along side our preparation for Little Lady's arrival. Got to take some pictures of a septet here at WP recording creations of Raymond Scott. A quickie sample of some of the ones I thought turned out well.

Enjoy!

New Furniture

2010-01-10T22:15:00.002-05:00

Had a bowl of cranberry walnut oatmeal for breakfast this morning while the temps outside skirted around the upper teens. The best part...I got to use my new and developing TV tray Joe got me!

Sneaky Peaky

2010-01-10T22:06:00.003-05:00

Soooooo, after working non-stop on the duplex for 7 weeks, we've taken the unpacking thing pretty slowly. I can't tell you how amazing it feels to just sit on the couch with Joe, eat a slow dinner, and watch TV. Seriously.

I did take some pics of the place, to hopefully quench your thirst for a pic update. : )

As soon as we get the plaid, blue, and pink bedsheet window treatments down, boxes completely empty, I'll take more pics.

Alive

2010-01-04T10:02:00.003-05:00

We made it! We finished all the necessities and moved in our new place just a few days ago. Boxes galore. As soon as we get the internets running, pictures are sure to post.

Happy New Year!

Only 2 more months until Little Lady arrives. : )

2009-12-26T20:43:00.003-05:00

Brother Kris with his little munchkin, before she found something worthy of plunging into...

Hope everyone had a great Christmas. :)

P.S. The kitchen is anxiously waiting for appliances, the bathroom flushes, washes, rinses anything, the floor awaits her final cleaning. We move into our new place this upcoming week!

Quickie Pic Post

2009-12-10T10:27:00.002-05:00

Just a few updated shots of the duplex. : ) The new radiators are sexy, the Viessmann boiler commands Trek worthy attention and the bathroom is enjoying Joe's amazing handywork and *ahem....my tiling job.

Muffins and Mortar

2009-12-05T13:45:00.002-05:00

Roughly 3 weeks left before we move into our duplex. Wowzas. Our nasty old 80 year old boiler is trying to figure out why it has to chill out in the back yard heap of trash while our BMW of a newbie boiler gets to crank out, on-demand, 96% efficient toasty water to our brand spankin' new radiators. The basement is now home to a Star Trek motherboard of a heating system. I'll post a pic soon.

The bathroom is playing hostess to it's new layout, tub and shower, tile and electrical; pretty much ready to drywall and paint. Yeehaw!

Joe framed out the new door frame and closet for our Little Lady's room and will do our bedroom next. After that, we're ready to put down some new flooring.

The muffin beauts pictured above are a weekly request from Joe. Pumpkin muffins with a walnut crumble topping. Although sometimes I'll rotate in a chocolate chip laden batch, so good. Here's the recipe....add 1 cup of chocolate chips into the batter if you'd like, or google any sort of crumble topping to sprinkle on top if you're more of a crumble person.

I'm getting off the couch to go grab a muffin...

Pumpkin Muffins

1 2/3 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 T. pumpkin pie spice**
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 c. canned pumpkin puree
1/2 c. butter, softened

Mix ingredients well. Pour into greased muffin tin (or use muffin liners). Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Don't over bake or they will be dry!

**No punkin pie spice?! Use the following combination: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon cloves. Mix together and you have the equivalent of 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (and it is much cheaper than buying it premade). So for this recipe, you would need to triple the above amounts to equal one tablespoon pumpkin pie spice.

Weeeelcome To The Danger Zone

2009-11-21T11:19:00.005-05:00

We've been at it! Or rather....Joe's really been at it. I can't believe how hard he's been working. He heads over to the duplex right after work at around 3:30-4:00 and cranks out a solid 6 to 7 hours of work each night. I've elected to be put on fire guard, burning nasty ceiling tiles, slats of wood from the plaster walls, and random pieces of cardboard. Powered with our homemade cinder block fire pit, I've been crankin' nightly flames Smokey the Bear would fear.

So far, we dug out the nasty dirt floor of a basement, laid down a couple tons of gravel, then poured another couple tons of concrete on top. Our friend Jeremy ended up being the bull float master and did an amazing job smoooothing out the cement. My friends, not an easy task.

The entire bathroom has been taken down to the studs, Joe replaced and rerouted all of the plumbing so we can make the most of the tiny bathroom....a ridiculous feat in tetris piping skills. Tub/shower should be going in today, along with a new subfloor. Yay!

A couple of buddies came over and helped Joe tear down a few walls in the living/dining/kitchen area. We exposed the ancient brick chimney and love it. Definitely a keeper.

Things are crankin'!

Making Sure We Eat Our Spinach

2009-11-09T21:45:00.002-05:00

We closed last Thursday! This is what we did the next day. : ) More...MUCH more to come....

22 Weeks

2009-11-04T19:32:00.009-05:00

19 Weeks

2009-10-16T17:22:00.004-04:00

Buddha belly has arrived in full force this week. Passers by are definitely beginning to give me the "is she expecting....or is she just kinda fat?" look. :) Coming up on our next ultrasound.... if Critter isn't shy or squatting on legs, we should be able to find out if we're harvesting a boy or a girl. Yay!

We got our duplex appraised and all systems are go. Probably closing in a week! Let the sledge hammering begin.

Growing

2009-10-01T17:40:00.003-04:00

It's looking like we'll be closing on our duplex within the next 3 weeks! Then it's going to be a crazy 5-6 weeks of replacing the heating, windows, kitchen, flooring, plumbing. Yeeyah! Seriously though, having the opportunity to make our cozy place exactly how we want it, is worth allllll the work.

Things on the baby front are amazing as can be. We had an appointment with our midwives this afternoon and got to hear the heartbeat again. Definitely can't button any of my pants anymore; a knock-off version of the BellaBand I got on Etsy is definitely paying off. I'm chowing protein laden mini meals throughout the day, drinking a tincture to help with my varicose veins, doing a little light cardio, and getting foot rubs from Joe. We're in the 17th week of things and I'm not quite "showing" much. My midwives attest this delay of protruding gut to my long-ish torso and...**ahem**..."nice abs".

I promise I'll post fat pictures as soon as this belly of mine starts inflating a little.

2009-09-17T21:21:00.004-04:00

Had an awesome Paula Dean worthy meatloaf dinner with all the fixin's the other night. Friends of ours invited us over and we couldn't say no to such a feast. Mashed taters were there too... mmmmm. We topped it off with homemade caramel apples lathered in chocolate chunks and peanuts.

A pregnant lady needs 85-95 grams of protein a day you say? Fear not, I love to eat.

I can't fasten the clasp on my deliciously fashionable Class B pants anymore. Or my jeans, or my dress pants, or my corduroys. I love sweatpants.

Disco

2009-09-10T08:14:00.004-04:00

A pretty sweet birthday, getting to see our Critter in full human action form! The last time we saw the little thing, it looked like a bean, straight outta some soup, no joke. Bust out the music, because Critter was waving arms, kicking, grasping, having a him/herself a dance party while we watched the screen. It was so. amazing.

Everything on the pregnancy front is going very smoothly. Can't complain a bit.

Our apartment still smells of bacon....from last night's birthday feast. Nom nom.

thump thump thump thump thump thump

2009-09-02T21:46:00.003-04:00

Had a nom nom light fare dinner tonight to top off our new interaction with Critter. Joe and I headed up to Gardiner, NY to meet up with our midwives for an "appointment", which never ever feels like what we've all become accustomed to.... Dr. Whatever knocks, walks in, looking at your chart, asks questions while somehow never looking up, scribbles some things down, leaks the all too familiar "Mmmm Hmmmmm", and without too much thought, *bam, prescription. Pats you on the butt, and says to call if the meds don't do the trick.

Not here my friends. Not with our freakishly fantastic midwives whom we've grown to love and become wonderful friends with. Our appointments are loaded with quality individualized care, thoughtful answers to any kind of questions and more than enough options for whatever ailment or concern you may have. My family's thorough blessing of varicose veins is pronouncing itself as my inflating body pumps 40% more blood volume. Gross.

We're on a honeymoon with our midwives.

Not to mention, we were able to listen to Critter's heartbeat (and a little kicking!) today. 150-160 bpm. Crazy.

Ohhhhh the miso soup, soba noodles and salmon was soooo tasty.

1+1=3

2009-08-23T15:48:00.003-04:00

A mini-Skinner is on the way! We're hoping to be marveling at our squinty eyed, freckle faced, rolly polly of kid this upcoming March.

A New Notch On Our Growth Chart

2009-08-07T08:35:00.008-04:00

Check our our thweet views on our daily route to work! Rte 218 winds along side Storm King Mountain, which is what stands between West Point to the south and the village of Cornwall on the north. And speaking of Cornwall...

We've been going back and forth the past two months with a sister duo who are selling their duplex without a realtor, which, in this case, has been a minor pain. Thinking your property is worth more than it is, and not having a realtor to put you in your place can make it difficult to reach a fair outcome. Not to mention...this place hasn't been updated in a good 15-20 years....

But all things aside, our realtor patiently kept at 'em and finally was able to work the sisters down to a price we thought fair. So, yes! Our offer has been accepted, and we're getting an inspector to take a look at the place Monday afternoon. We're definitely bracing for a long list of things that will need to be fixed, but we're up for it.

The right side unit (hopefully, if this whole process works out) will be where we'll be living. There's a guy living on the left side already, who will be there for at least another couple of years. So, having him essentially pay for our mortgage is a thweet bonus. Then, when then the day comes when we feel the need for a little more space, we'll probably find a house nearby, keep the duplex and have it churn out a little extra income for us.

And might I say *cue the hallejujah chorus* that we'll finally have a washer and drier for ourselves?!!

Vacay

2009-07-27T13:57:00.005-04:00

Had ourselves a grand ol' time in Boston. Rained the first day we were there, but we made good of it and chilled out in a scrumptious cafe/chocolatier recommended to us by a good friend and nibbed on fig filled chocolates and a toasty panini. We also hit up a cupcake shop where Joe ate himself a creamcheese lathered carrot cake cupcake, topped with flakes of gold, so posh.

Joe also got a tasty dish of steak tar tar later that night at a place we ate with Julie and Dave. Sooo, we pretty much ate our way through Boston, which I can't protest to. We loved Boston, big city but nice and cozy at the same time.

Found this Harvard law student giving me the up down and checking me out.

Relaaaax

2009-07-20T08:49:00.004-04:00

Joe brought home a big bowl o' berries he picked from the bushes behind West Point's outdoor concert amphitheater. Tasty, tasty, tasty. They were gone by the time dinner rolled around. We're waiting for the next wave of berries to ripen up...

Today is our first day of "leave" as they call it in Uncle Sam's club. We're taking this week off from work, checking into a bed and breakfast, and checking out Boston. Toodles!

2009-07-15T15:01:00.000-04:00

Ahhhhh, so good.

2009-07-12T16:09:00.007-04:00

We hit up West Point's Round Pond for a canoe picnic for today's lunch date! Peanut butter, banana, and honey sandwich, coupled with a bag of nom-nom Cheetos. We licked them orange fingers good. Can't beat a $4.00/hr canoe rental just 10 minutes from our apartment.

On other things, Joe and I put in an offer for a duplex located in the village of Cornwall On Hudson, just north of West Point. We thought to ourselves....heck we don't quiiiite need a house yet, so why not live in one side of a duplex, collect rent from the other side, and make a little extra moneys?? It's a for sale by owner, and the lady selling the place is a bit out of touch with the current market. She bought it at the peak of the bubble and still thinks it's worth every penny. We'll see about that. Plus, it's in dire need of a facelift.....she said the guy who fixes the boiler in the basement has never seen a boiler that old...

Other than that though, not much a' happenin' in our neck of the woods. The weather up here is freaking fantastic. Still haven't had to turn on the A/C.

Oh My!

2009-07-09T15:30:00.003-04:00

Chocolate cake my friends...from scratch, in a mug, made in a microwave. Why not?!

Here's what you need and how you do it

4 Tablespoons flour

4 Tablespoons granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons cocoa

1 Egg

3 Tablespoons milk

3 Tablespoons canola or vegetable oil (or 1.5 Tablespoons oil and 1.5 Tablespoons applesauce)

Pinch salt

Cooking spray

1 Mug

Coat inside of mug with cooking spray. Mix flour, sugar, salt and cocoa. Stir in egg. Pour in milk and oil and combine thoroughly.

Put in microwave for 3 minutes on maximum power (1,000 watts). Let it sit for five or so minutes before spooning the cake onto a plate.

Thuper Duper

2009-06-30T13:24:00.002-04:00

Last day of June, and we're still A/C free. By all means...doesn't mean we've had a handful of nights of Joe and I laying next to each other, in a "don't touch me 'cause it's so freaking hot" position, only a strip teeeeez away from our birthday suites.

What to fix for din-din when the sweat starts to bead, and maximizing your stove to it's full potential is not in your favor? Joe found this which made us both do this.

Ta Daaaaaaa. Almost.

2009-06-28T21:49:00.002-04:00

Still trying to work out some kinks (like the "search" box....it's not exactly doin' any "searching" as of now), but all in all not too shabby, eh? I ended up taking bits and pieces from other blog-o-licious sites and created this dainty scheme.

Back to looking into "search" boxes...

Yeehaw!

2009-06-21T11:51:00.007-04:00

Paid a visit to good ol' Oklahoma last week to celebrate Mike and Amy's wedding. If the picture of Lacey whippin' my mom around on the dance floor doesn't suffice, please let it be know that we had a freaking great time. During our stay in tornado country, Joe and I got to finally meet our new niece, Nikki. So. Cute. Below is the dad himself, the chillest baby I've ever met, and Uncle Joe.

I've been studying up, rackin' my brain, and learning XML code in my spare time...blog makeover to soon appear...hopefuly.

Viva la Panama

2009-06-08T18:13:00.011-04:00

4 summers ago, my friends Isaac, Lacey, and I were floating on a plastic portable "deck-like" thing you once enjoyed jumping off of at summer camp. We lounged, soaked in the Mediterranean sun, watching man after hairy man struttin' in ye ol' speedo. We chitted, we chatted, Isaac bringing up his grand idea of someday starting a music festival, from scratch mind you, in his home country of Panama.

This summer, was the 3rd anniversary of Isaac's creation. The "Alfredo de Saint Malo Music Festival" takes place in the historic downtown of Panama, hosting recitals given by members of the Metropolitan Opera, The Rome Opera House, down to a finale orchestra concert given by local school children from unfortunate districts and circumstances.

Amazing time. Amazing.

One note.
The Panama Canal? I mean, it's worth going to see, just to see. But it's just not as glorious as your elementary school teacher made it out to be. Pooey.

Vacay

2009-05-27T10:46:00.003-04:00

Joe and I took a Memorial Day trip to visit our friends Julie and Dave out in Vermont. Cruised down the Connecticut River in a thweet canoe, hit up some bueno eateries and soaked in the countryside. Above is where Julie and her roomies live in. It's an old barn that's been converted into a house. "Come to me my animal friends!"

Plug

2009-05-18T20:39:00.003-04:00

Why wouldn't you want a $500 desk, for free?

My cousin Anna entered a giveaway for a super duper holy moly scrapbook organizer desk that will take her to the next level of memory preservation and is by golly going to win this thang. The desk has a plethora of storage for all of her heart shaped cut-outs and zig-zag scissors.

I mean, take a LOOK!

All you gotta do, is go to "The Original Scrap Box" by clicking HERE, then click on the "Cutest Craft Giveaway" (it's right smack dab in the middle of the page people), then vote for #259. That's it! Easy. Just a couple seconds of your day. And if you're feeling reeeally genorous with your time, you can vote everyday until the 28th. So, go! Help my Anna!

Lifings

18 months

Trance

Tales of a "May-Doh" Snatcher

Rainbowing

Bear Mt.

Just Add Sand

Just the Ladies

Rocks and Dirt

Dat-Dee Day

Pig-Tailin'

The Dance and Sacrifice Worked

Is it summer yet?

Oh My.

Scribbles

Big Bertha

1 Year

Help

11 Months

10 Months

Yuletide Ya'll

9 Months

Salvation Army Audition

EIGHT. months.

Sippy Cup Delights

7 Months

6 Months

Mush

Wow. I'm hilarious!

5 Months

Deeelicious Treatings

Vacay, Week 1

4 Months

Fat Day

Shark Bait Ooh Ha Ha!

Bubbles and Drool

New Memories

Sunny D

2 Months!

Peeking

Post Bath Toweling

Splashin'

2 Weeks

A Pro

A week 'behind', and in a hurry

Tick........Tock....

Snow Day, Birthday, Stay Warm Day

Cozy Paws

Feeeeeed Meeeeeee

New Furniture

Sneaky Peaky

Alive

Quickie Pic Post

Muffins and Mortar

Weeeelcome To The Danger Zone

Making Sure We Eat Our Spinach

22 Weeks

19 Weeks

Growing

Disco

*thump *thump *thump *thump *thump *thump

1+1=3

A New Notch On Our Growth Chart

Vacay

Relaaaax

Ahhhhh, so good.

Oh My!

Thuper Duper

Ta Daaaaaaa. Almost.

Yeehaw!

Viva la Panama

Vacay

Plug

thump thump thump thump thump thump