But see Mom, the water feels SO GREAT!
Claire mostly walked back and forth along the top two steps and carefully filled plastic Ikea cups with water from her tiny watering can before dumping them back in the pool over and over again. For hours. She could not have been happier.
Cora was on duty, keeping everyone safe.
She took it very seriously.
I was mostly distracted by her delicious wrist rolls.
Baby push up break! Just like Baywatch.
Landon would occasionally pop out of the pool to make Cora smile. He really just adores her- and all babies. One of his Kindergarten friends just got a new baby brother and I think Landon was more excited than he was.
Amidst all the splashing, I planned a weekly menu and bought things to make it. Remember when I was trying not to do so much chopping and nightly dinner prep? Yeah, that lasted like two weeks. Then Cora stopped needing that late third nap and started loving jumperoos and playmats and I was back dicing vegetables to my heart's content. And it does make my heart content- a full vegetable drawer is a happy vegetable drawer and I love this food. I bought a Taste of Home recipe magazine in the Kroger checkout line a few weeks ago and have made some really great recipes from it. I'll have to pick a few faves and type them up- until then, here's this week's menu:
Sunday: grilled tuna steaks seasoned with lime juice, salt, pepper (we're trying to do fish once a week and have made it a new Sunday grilling tradition); black bean rice (new favorite recipe I made up: 2 cups cooked white rice, 1 can rinsed black beans, diced tomato, big bunch chopped cilantro, 1/2 diced purple onion, 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste - toss it all together in a bowl and chill in fridge 5-10 mins until dinner is ready); fresh crusty bread; white wine; view of pool.
Monday: black bean tamale pie (so tasty! from the magazine and involving cornbread batter and cheese on the bottom and edges, with a filling of black beans, ground beef, salsa, and diced onion and pepper).
Tuesday: crockpot bbq pulled pork on buns, pickle spears, oven fries, crudites.
Wednesday: greek quinoa salad (so crazy good); pitas, with tzatziki if we stop at the store after work/school, naked if we don't (so probably naked).
Thursday: leftover pulled pork in tortillas with sliced avocado and monterrey jack cheese; black beans; rice; fresh mango if it's ripe and I've figured out how to cut a mango.
Friday: out for a happy hour margarita somewhere (and food too).
Inappropriate.
Add diced avocado to the black bean rice - yum!
ReplyDeleteApologies for the slight threadjack - I've been missing legallycertifiable's blog now she's made it sign in only. Just wanted to say hi, and that I hope everything is OK with the superheroes. (Given she's on your blogroll, I figured she'll be reading).
ReplyDeleteAlso, I second the avocado suggestion! Yum!
Do you like that ciao baby chair? We are going on a trip to the beach this summer, plus with the weather getting nicer we will be outside on our porch more. Some of the reviews say it's difficult for the baby to actually use to eat, but for the purposes of just keeping them contained, how do you like it?
ReplyDeleteWe LOVE it. I wish we'd found it when Claire was a baby. I think it would work fine for eating- as well or better than any other restaurant or portable high chair, but it is definitely fantastic for containment. Cora can play with toys, be upright, and keep track of everything that is going on. We used it at my parents' lake house over Easter weekend and it was so great to have her perched up where she could feel like she was part of the crew while staying away from the splintery dock boards, grass, dirt, etc.
DeleteOMG that chair is awesome! I have twins that are about a week younger than Cora. I am so getting two of these for vacation and dinners at the grandparents!!
DeleteJLV
Stand the mango on its end. Take a sharp paring knife and slice off one side of the mango (you want to slice the broader, flatter side). Get as close to the pit as you can. Slice off the other side. Now you've got your pit left with a little ring of flesh around it. Carefully slice off the peel, then slice off the flesh and dice it. Gnaw on the pit to get the rest of the fruit off--you are doing the labor, so you get extra mango. Now, take each half and score it in criss-crosses, getting as close to the skin as you can without piercing it. Flip the half inside-out. you'll now have little squares of mango hanging there, and it's easy to now slice them off the peel. Do it with the other half. You're done. I'm sure there's a youtube video that will make more sense than this description!
ReplyDeleteThese pics look especially good... you didn't snap these with your phone, did you? And, if you did, what phone?
ReplyDeleteThanks! And no, they're with my Nikon D90 DSLR. I use my phone when we're out and about, but still generally use the "real" camera at home :).
DeleteI LOVE Taste of Home and the fact that their recipes are all tried and true from real ppl kitchens. I picked up their recent magazine as well and it is FULL of so many recipes I want to try- buffalo chicken lasagna?! Yes please! I can't wait to see what you tried and what you liked. Also very curious to see what you think of the deep dish pizza recipe, if you give it a try.
ReplyDelete