Project Life: Week 38

Photos from September 19 - 25


Wednesday, September 21


The snow cone truck was in the school parking lot again today.  It had been a few weeks since I let Claire get one, so I relented this week.  Just like her Daddy, she loves snow cones.  Will even got a tiny taste.





Tonight on our walk to the mailbox, Claire wanted to ride her tricycle.  Her legs are finally long enough to reach the pedals.  Since we weren't taking the stroller, Will got to try out the little car.  He LOVED it!

Thursday, September 22


Today is my 36th birthday.  Robert and I had a special lunch at Roaring Fork and celebrated that night with cupcakes - yum!

Sunday, September 25


For my birthday, Robert's mom got us tickets to a walking food tour in Austin today and provided free babysitting.  :)  While the kids had fun with Grandmommy, Aunt Carol, and Baby Grace, Robert and I enjoyed good food at several restaurants - and a local brew. :)

Food Trials {Vol. 2}

I made a few new things this week:

Recipe:  Zucchini, Black Bean, and Rice Skillet

Source:  Ready Set Eat via Pinterest

Tweeks: I had crushed tomatoes on hand, so I used those instead of diced tomatoes.  They didn't have garlic in them, so I added some garlic and sauteed it with the zucchini and bell pepper.  I thought it needed a little spice, so I added some cumin.  Instead of rice, I added cooked quinoa (left out the water in the recipe). 

What I'd Do Differently Next Time: Nothing.  Robert, Claire, and I liked it.  Will was already in bed when we ate, so I'll see what he things of the leftovers.  I think it would be easy to sub out different vegetables or grains/rice.

Verdict: Keeper

Recipe:  Mushroom and Sausage Ragu with Polenta

Source:  Cooking Light

Tweeks:  I used baby Bella mushrooms instead of cremini since I could buy those pre-sliced.  I used an andouille sausage instead of the turkey Italian sausage.

What I'd Do Differently Next Time:  I didn't realize the sausage I bought was pre-cooked until I started to put it in the pan, so it didn't brown up and crumble like I would've liked.  I'll stick with Italian sausage next time.  Everything else was perfect.  I could see this becoming part of our regular rotation.

Verdict:  Keeper

Recipe:  Baked Oatmeal

Source:  I'm not sure - I copied from a website.  The recipe is below.

Tweeks:  None

What I'd Do Differently Next Time:  Add more Craisins or dried apples.

Verdict:  Undecided.  I like it, but I think I could probably find a version I liked even better.  Our Best Bites has one I want to try.  It was super easy - less than 10 minutes to prepare, and I liked the cakey texture.

3 cups Quaker Oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
1/3 cup Craisins
2 eggs
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 cup skim milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients. Spray 8x8 glass pan with olive oil spray. Pour oatmeal mixture in and smooth out. Bake, uncovered, 35 minutes. This is a cake-likeoatmeal that tastes like a cookie but with a softer texture closer to bread pudding.

This can be made the night before, covered and kept in refrigerator overnight. Bake in the morning while getting ready for your day and it will be ready before you are! Keeps well, firms up when cool and can be cut into squares and stored in large Ziplock bag in refrigerator.

What the DVR is Watching - Fall '11

The Entertainment Weekly Fall TV Review issue is out and Lindsay has her list up of what she will be recording this season, so it means that the new TV season is upon us!  I'm Lindsay's lead and posting a list of what the DVR is set up to record - what I actually end up viewing remains to be seen.


Sunday
The Amazing Race (CBS) - 9/25 -- pad for football delay
Pan Am (ABC) - 9/25

Monday
How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 9/19
House (FOX) - 10/3
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (Bravo) - already started.  Embarrassed to admit this one.  ;)

Tuesday
Parenthood (NBC) - 9/13
Ringer (CW) - 9/13
New Girl (FOX) - 9/20
Glee (FOX) - 9/20 (will probably drop this soon)

Wednesday
Survivor: South Pacific (CBS) - 9/14
Modern Family (ABC) - 9/21
Top Chef Just Desserts (Bravo) - already started

Thursday
Project Runway (Lifetime) - already started
Parks & Recreation (NBC) - 9/22
The Office (NBC) - 9/22
Grey's Anatomy (ABC) - 9/22

Friday - Saturday
Catch up on DVR'd shows

Project Life: Week 37

Photos from September 12 - 18

Monday, September 12


Watching Blue's Clues while feeding her baby - such a great multi-tasker.  By the way, her baby's name is "Will".  :)



Watch out - Will is on the move!

Friday, September 16






Our plans for a playdate with Isabella and Lucia didn't work out, but we were able to join Kate and Paige for a morning at the zoo.  We planned to play in the Tiny Tots Riverbank - unfortunately, it was closed, but the girls had a great time splashing in puddles and exploring.  They kept Will thoroughly entertained!

Saturday, September 17


Anxiously awaiting another bite of gelato at Paciugo.

Sunday, September 18


Claire is learning how to buckle her car seat.  "I don't NEED your help!"

Buddy Bucks

Claire loves to go to the grocery store.  Every day she asks if we can go to the store.  A big part of the fun is the people watching, but her favorite part is getting Buddy Bucks. Our grocery store gives these little certificates to kids for the Buddy Buck machine.  The machine dispenses stickers of different point values, and you can save up your points and redeem them for little prizes.  Claire isn't interested in the redemption - it's just the process of putting them in the machine, slamming the button as hard and as fast as you can, and getting your stickers.  And don't dare try to put the bucks in the machine for her - "I'm a Big Girl!  I can DO IT!  I don't NEED your HELP."  Don't ask how many times I hear that each day.  :)

I'm sure my parents are laughing right now...the apple has not fallen far from the tree.

Will at 10 Months

On September 11th, Will turned 10 months old!




Big milestones for Will this month included crawling, learning to pull up on everything in sight, and getting his first taste of ice cream.  :)

Project Life: Weeks 35 - 36

August 29 - September 11

Monday, August 29

Will has been trying lots of new table foods lately.  Tonight he had his first black bean and cheese quesadilla (a staple in our house).  He was a fan!

Tuesday, September 6

First pumpkin spice latte of the season!

Thursday, September 8

Chick-fil-A ran a deal where you could sign up for a free breakfast entree.  I enjoyed my Chicken Minis this morning - yum!

Friday, September 9

Claire had her stim test at the endocrinologist's office this morning to check her growth hormone levels.  Robert and I were dreading it since it involved a few blood samples over a 2 hour period, but it ended up being so much easier and less stressful than we expected.  Claire was able to watch one of her movies and fell asleep halfway through the test - and slept for 2 hours afterwards.  They said the medicine might make her sleepy!  We got the results a few days later, and everything was completely normal.  Answered prayers!

Sunday, September 11

Claire let Jill paint her face at Paige's birthday party today.  It was the first time for face paint - she loved showing it off.

The Great Halloween Debate

For Claire's first three Halloweens, she was too young to really have an opinion about a costume.  I just picked something cute (and as I learned after Year 1, something that could work for either 60 or 80 degree weather, and after Year 2, that did not require a head piece or hat).  This year she does want some input - which is both funny and a little frustrating since at age 3, she seems to change her mind about every 37 seconds.

This morning we started talking about Halloween, and I gave her a few ideas - fairy, ice cream cone, cupcake, etc.  Afterwards, our conversation went a little like this:

C:  "I want to be juice."
Me:  "Juice?  Really?"
C:  "Yes, juice."
Me:  "Okaaaay..."
C:  "No, I want to be chocolate milk."
Me:  "Chocolate milk?  Hmmm...maybe we could actually find a costume for that.  And Will could be a cookie!  Yeah!  That would be really cute!"
C:  "Yeah, chocolate milk!"

A minute later...

C:  "I want to wear my pink dress for Halloween."
Me:  "The one you're wearing right now?"
C:  "Yes."
Me:  "Well, we usually dress up for Halloween.  In a costume.  You can pretend to be someone or something else."
C:  "I wear my pink dress.  I be Claire."

Cute, but a little frustrating.  :)  I think we may pursue the chocolate milk idea, though.

Labor Day Weekend

Robert and I had plans to attend a wedding for some Dallas friends over Labor Day weekend.  Rather than having Mom and Dad come to SA, we made the trek to Vernon to spend some time at their house and let the kids have some fun with them while we made a quick trip to Dallas for the weekend.  Robert got in lots of driving during the trip - we drove to Vernon on Thursday, he made a day trip to Fort Worth on Friday for a meeting, we drove to Dallas on Saturday morning, came back on Sunday, then came home on Monday.  Whew!

We started out the weekend right with some waffles.  Claire loves to help in the kitchen.

Next on the agenda was some fun in the pool.  It took me awhile to convince Claire to wear her hat, but then she started really hamming it up.  

She hasn't spent a lot of time in the water and was a little hesitant to get in, but the hesitation wore off pretty quickly.

Will loves the water and didn't need any time to feel comfortable.

Claire's favorite part of the day was playing with the hose - and with Granddaddy.

Robert and I had so much fun watching our friends Allyson and Chris get married and catching up with lots of old friends - and really live it up by going out to post-wedding cocktails with Marc & Maria and Chad & Heather.  ;) I can't remember the last time I was up that late that didn't involve a non-sleeping child.  It was heavenly to sleep in the next morning at the hotel knowing that the kids were having fun in good hands.