Yesterday was our final day at the beach and even though we are already planning a long weekend down here in the Fall, it saddened me to be leaving our stress free, family-rich, fun filled vacation. We took a great many pictures and captured everything we did.
While I didn't devote much time for exercise, I was very active on vacation - we walked everywhere, played on the beach, ran up and down the stairs and of course, chased Brooke all over the place. I'm looking forward to dedicated time for exercise in the early mornings now that I'm back. In thinking about my diet (not diet to lose weight, but the overall diet of what I consume on a day to day basis), I could definitely do better. I've been thinking, What would I feel like if I ate what I consider to be a clean diet for an entire week? ("Clean" for me means cutting out white flour, extra sugar including breads and sweets, beer... increasing lean proteins, vegetables, small portions of fruit, a glass of red wine - really consuming things that are GOOD for me - being able to identify something GOOD in everything I eat or drink). I've decided to try and blog about my 7 day Clean Streak.
I ate fairly healthy while on vacation but I was lazy with my own eating - often skipping meals or having a piece of toast with peanut butter for lunch instead of taking the time to make myself a veggie filled salad. I nibbled on the kids' candy and ice cream... I don't think I took in more calories than normal; I just didn't give thought or effort towards filling myself with good and nutritious foods.
So, here's my plan. I'm going to document all that I'm eating/drinking, what I do for exercise, and how I'm feeling. My hope is that after one week, I'm feeling GREAT! I'm a mom of three growing children who need calories and I'm not going to cook any differently than I normally do - I'll just modify what I eat.
Why share this with you? Have you ever seen those pages in magazines where a celebrity answers questions about what is in their purse, on their iPod, what a typical day of eating looks like, etc.? Well, much of the time, these celebrities eat raw vegetable diets or some insanely restrictive diet that I just don't find realistic. So, I want to eat what I consider to be an attainably healthy diet and let you know what I think! I'm hoping that you might find something to take away from my experience. Maybe for fun, I'll even share with you what's in my purse!
For now, I bid Amelia a heartfelt goodbye...
Goodbye marsh!
Goodbye beautiful playground that Brooke loves!
Goodbye comfy den!
Goodbye bright kitchen!
Goodbye porch that overlooks the lagoon and golf course
Auf Wiedersehen (German for Until I see you again), Amelia!
Still at the beach, I'm not in my usual consumer crazy Atlanta surroundings, but I still have a few favorites to share with you....
I read The Hunger Games (1st book in the series) in late Spring just before school ended because I wanted to see what all the fuss was about and I thought it would be fun to be reading something in which the kids were interested. I absolutely LOVED it and was really submerged in the story. Then I became introduced and subsequently extremely distracted by a certain other (ahem...) trilogy. When I started my vacation a couple of weeks ago, I picked up the remaining two Hunger Games books and finished them. WOW!! I was really wrapped up in this series - It was like I could hear the noise of the action in the book in addition to seeing the words on the page - a thrilling ride, for sure! If you have not yet read this trilogy, I highly recommend it!
Discounts - I love discounts!! Why pay full price for something when it will eventually go on sale? Ann Taylor, for instance. I love their clothes - the way they look, fit, feel... they ALWAYS have sales. If I see something online on their website that I really like, chances are that within a few weeks, they'll have a sale - be it 40% off everything or buy one, get one 50% off... in fact, I'm awaiting a black skirt, navy skirt and silky ruffly blouse that I just purchased, all for less than $75.00 (had I paid full price, I would have been looking at a total closer to $200.00).
Yesterday we took a morning off from the sun and took our golf cart down to the shops on the plantation. We took advantage of some sales and picked up a couple of new shirts for the boys, hats, etc. And I felt great about it because we took advantage of the 30-40% off sales.
I picked up this game, Farkel, at Target before I left Atlanta, and the boys and I have had so much fun playing! It's a simple dice game that you can stop and start at your leisure and the game can go on and on for as long or as short as you like. We have enjoyed playing this together and Matthew and Champ have actually spent a lot of time playing just against each other. It's a great game to take out to dinner, too, if you're going out with a few families and you stick the kids at one end of the table - it's a nice alternative to their iTouches or iPods or Ianything...
And this is our favorite new show. Gator Boys. Sure, I'd rather be watching chefs compete on the Food Network, but that only holds the attention of the male folk in my family for so long. This is a reality show on Animal Planet where these two guys, Paul and Jimmy, take house calls from local people who spot alligators, snakes, etc. in their yards and want them removed. They make it look so easy and the personalities of Paul and Jimmy make it fun to watch. If you have boys, they'll love this show!
And pictures... I've been thinking a lot about the importance and significance of pictures lately. We had dinner with my parents before we left to come down to Amelia, and we had so much fun. We do this from time to time so it's not necessarily a picture taking event when we get together, but I brought my camera anyway to capture the ordinary....because one day, the ordinary will have very special meaning to us. My dad recently found pictures of himself as a young man, and I took a picture of the picture. It's really cool to see your parents as young people...
What a handsome chap! You see, my memories of my dad are the way he looks now, so it's neat to see what he looked like as a young man. And fast forward 50 years, here we were on the sofa the other night...
Take your camera everywhere and take pictures! Already, at 37 years old, there are times in my life that I cannot remember - like, when Champ was a baby... I think I was so tired all the time during that time with Matthew as a 2 year old and Champ as a baby that I had no brain capacity to retain any memories. Fortunately, I have pictures and a few things that I wrote down. Watching my dad look at his old pictures was really special. He's so happy to have those pictures to remember those times in his life. A picture, they say, is worth 1,000 words.
The Opening Ceremonies for the Olympics are tonight! We will be preparing dinner at home so that we can watch the festivities. On the menu? Grilled salmon, steaks, salad, rice and something yummy for dessert (haven't gotten that far yet). Let the games begin!!
Before I left for our trip to Amelia, I was out running errands - grabbing toiletries, snacks, items for entertaining Brooke on the upcoming 6 hour drive down here, etc. I was hungry and stopped at Cafe Posh in Sandy Springs to grab a salad - a falafel salad... mmm mmm. Falafel is a middle eastern food made out of mostly chickpeas or garbanzo beans along with some spices and herbs. I am not a vegetarian, but I do enjoy some choice vegetarian items like this salad or the veggie burger from Houston's... The salad at Cafe Posh is ENORMOUS and I sat at my kitchen table and ate every last bite. Filled with lettuce, falafel, thinly sliced red onion, tomato, cucumber... to name a few - it all comes together with the dressing so deliciously. And it's served with the freshest, warmest pita bread that I ended up sharing with my kids. Trust me, with this salad, you don't need to waste the extra calories on the bread - you won't miss it!
As I wrote a few posts ago, I have enjoyed bacon as a wrapping for some of my dishes here at the beach. First, were the bacon wrapped cheese stuffed dates. My mother-in-law and I talked yesterday and she voiced some confusion, rightfully so, about my bacon wrapped date post. I must have enjoyed a glass of wine while writing because I replaced the word "date" with "fig" one time. Please note that I definitely used dates and they were fresh - not dried.
We went to our favorite fresh seafood market last weekend and bought some fresh salmon, scallops and snow crab. We decided to make bacon wrapped scallops, and they turned out to be wonderful!! The only ingredients I used were scallops and bacon! The scallops were large so I had to cut them into thirds and then used a half piece of bacon to wrap each piece. I cooked them in a skillet until the bacon was cooked. Delicious!!
Here we are at the seafood market, awaiting our lunch. Word has gotten out that not only does the market sell the freshest seafood in town, but they serve the BEST food at really good prices. You can literally see the fisherman bringing in the fresh seafood, cleaning it and then the chefs cook it right there.
I was sitting at our table messing with my camera as I told Matt and the kids to get together for a picture. Someone who works there came by and said (or what I thought she said), "Would you like me to take the picture?" and she pointed to Matt and the kids. I stood up and said, "Sure!! Gosh, I always joke with my kids and tell them that they're not going to know what their mother looks like because I'm always the one taking the pictures..." and as I took a few steps towards her, she turned around and walked away. I looked over at Matt who was shaking his head and laughing... Apparently (though not so apparent to me), she asked me if they were with me at my table or did they need a table. This, my friends, is the story of my life. :) I mis-hear things all the time that make me look... well, stupid. Fortunately, I am a confident woman and can laugh at myself.
Of course, the most wonderful meal is any meal that you share with your loved ones....
I'm convinced that time at the beach moves more rapidly than time at home. How has more than a week already passed? The days go by so quickly... too quickly if you ask me. Our days are not necessarily jam packed with a ton of activities - it's just that every thing that we do we do it for a while... not to mention, my typical early mornings at home have been replaced by sleeping in and lounging around here at the beach. I may be looking into joining a Couch to 5K running program upon my return because exercise has been few and far between. This morning, the boys went crabbing where they used chicken pieces to lure crabs. That was a fun activity, albeit very hot. Brooke hung in there for an hour or so and then in her own little way, she said let's get out of here...
We went to the pool for a quick dip, home for lunch and then she napped. And while she napped, the boys and I read our books and we actually cleaned up a bit! I don't know what it is about being at the beach, but I had them taking out the trash, vacuuming and using Windex to clean glass - all with great and happy attitudes! Life on vacation without stress puts everyone in a good mood.
The beach provides the landscape by which you can think about the bigger picture of life and that which is most meaningful to you. At home, and I'm sure I speak for many of you, we are clouded by time constraints, carpool, school, homework, paying bills, work, errands, dressing appropriately for this party or that event...and after one minute in front of the great wide ocean, I am reminded of how great God is and how small I am. I look around at all the other families frolicking in the sand - each with their own busy lives at home... and I look toward the ocean and like magic, all of my trivial little concerns and problems just disappear - how small they seem when you're standing in front of that big beautiful ocean. We're all trying to do the best we can but it's so easy to get wrapped up in the small stuff. That's why I love this two week vacation of ours - it clears the mind and soul...
Now, I will say that I have learned the importance of checking the news occasionally while in the beach bubble. I happened to wake up around 4 AM on Saturday morning and didn't want to turn on the light to read my book and chance waking up Matt, so I grabbed my phone and checked my news app, which I hadn't done in days. Now, if you don't have a chance to stand in front of the ocean this Summer to gain the much needed perspective we could all use, the tragedy of the CO movie theater shooting will give it to you. None of us should EVER have to worry about this sort of thing happening. How terribly tragic for those who lost lives and their family and friends. What can we take from this? We can pray for everyone directly affected by this shooting and we can hug our children and do our best to cherish each and every moment we are blessed to live on this earth.
I am down in Florida in our very favorite, most cherished vacation spot - Amelia Island (picture above compliments of my niece, Kendall)... The place where my boys learned how to walk, ride their bikes, surf, find sharks' teeth, eat snow crab, fish.... We arrived on Sunday at noon and spent the rest of the day and the following with my sister and brother-in-law and my nieces and nephews. We had a ball!! It was very bittersweet as we were so happy to spend time together but really sad that we wouldn't have more time together. Way back when our kids were young (& we didn't have so many), we used to get together several times a week and hang out while our kids played - but then our kids grew up and started school and then sports - and well, you know how it is now....
They left the day after we arrived and that evening, my dear friend, Kerri, arrived with her 9 year old son and 1 year old daughter. We had so much fun catching up and watching each others' children. When she lived in Atlanta, we used to see each other almost every single day but since she moved, our times together are few and far between, though we talk on the phone almost every day.
Not only is catching up with these wonderful women so great, but it's fun to learn "mommy" things from them - be it activities, items, recipes, etc. My sister-in-law, Allison, a.k.a. "teacher extraordinaire", shared with me a fun idea that she is going to do with her family during the Olympics this year. Everyone in her family is going to pick a country (other than the U.S.) and she's going to make a chart on which everyone tracks their country's progress. She will have a bowl of pennies (for bronze medals), nickels (for silver medals) and then gold coins for the gold medals. They will track their country's progress on a chart (poster board). How awesome is that idea? I don't care how old you are - - - that is FUN stuff and a way to become really engaged in this year's games. Thank you, Allison... I shall purchase my poster board when I get back home.
Kerri and I have the same age children, and our littlest ones rarely spend time with kids their age, so it was fun to see them interact with each other. Brooke really illustrated her dominant personality with her high pitched squeals and free flowing "NO!!"'s.
I admire Kerri and Allison so much and feel really really blessed that they are in my life. Do you ever have that feeling inside when you're with certain people that feels like you're home? Not home in your house, necessarily - but home like you can truly be your God given self and it just feels right? That's how I feel with these two....
Kerri and I enjoyed fish tacos that we made with Mahi Mahi topped with homemade slaw. I would share the recipe except that I didn't use one - it was a little of this and a little of that and it all just came together beautifully. As an appetizer, we made bacon wrapped cheese stuffed dates. I got this recipe from the nanny of a good friend of mine. Holy cow - they were a cinch to make and the flavors were so amazing that Kerri and I couldn't stop eating them one after another. We ate so many, in fact, that we couldn't eat dinner afterwards. Here's how you do it:
Purchase fresh dates from the grocery store. They are available at Fresh Market and Harris Teeter - probably at Publix, too, though I cannot confirm that. Cut a slit in the top (lengthwise) and remove the pit. Cut up some good sharp white cheddar cheese and stuff the date with cheese - don't be shy with the cheese as the sweet date and savory bacon need the balance that the flavor of the cheese brings. Cut slices of bacon in half and use one half to wrap each date. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until bacon is cooked. Simple, elegant, full of fiber..... DELICIOUS!!! If you want to impress your dinner guests but don't want to spend a whole lot of time in the kitchen prepping, this is what you should make.
We've cooked well while we've been here - so well, in fact, that we have only dined out once! We have enjoyed fish, scallops. snow crab, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. And in addition to all of that, we have had fun on our almost daily ice cream trips. I've never seen my kids eat so much, but they work hard for hours every day surfing and boogie boarding, and little Brooke's legs have never taken so many steps out on the beach. We bike, we run, we surf, we walk, we play golf, we play tennis, we boogie board... work hard, play hard = eat well, play well.
Sometimes one week just isn't enough time to fully unwind and escape the reality of home and all the stresses that come with it - so this year, I decided that we needed two weeks. I'm so fortunate to work for a company that is allowing me to do this (haven't done this in over 5 years!). I must say that I am FULLY relaxed and 100% in vacation mode. It's like my sister-in-law says... there's something so wonderfully comforting about having all your chickens in one safe place - eating together, playing together, sleeping under the same roof... knowing they're all safe and healthy and well. Nothing beats the "beach bubble"!
I'm always into new things. And I love learning about others' favorites - everything from food to skin care to kids' activities to music/movies to crafts... I love it all! Oprah's big Favorite Things episodes - boy do I miss them! I'm going to share my favorites with you every Friday; at the very least, I'll try.
What am I listening to right now? Why, Coldplay's latest album, Mylo Xyloto, of course! It's fantastic, as I find all of their music to be. It's a great mix of fast, upbeat music and slower, more relaxed melodies - all of which are full in thought and prose. I was at their concert last week and I was, once again, amazed by their energy, namely Chris Martin's. My word... he is amazing! He gives 110% every single minute of their show. The way he moves his body (and I mean that in a very pure and innocent way) with all the jumping, dancing - all the while singing... it's truly so much fun to watch and I'm thankful that I got to experience the energy at the concert last week! I just read that at the concert that was 2 days before our show, he found his beautiful wife, Gwyneth Paltrow, in the audience and kissed her. Here is the You Tube clip:
Makes my heart go thump thump. I think he's awesome and she is just about as near perfect as one can get (have you checked out her blog? www.goop.com)
I was at one of our baseball team's "Sip N Shares" a few weeks ago. These were held during Tuesday practices or scrimmages during the Summer baseball season, and we all brought food and drink and enjoyed hanging out with each other. The table was always filled with appetizers ranging from chips and dip to salads to other yummy foods. I can't remember now what kind of dip it was, but I was thinking to myself, all I really want is the dip - not the cracker or chip...
You see, being diagnosed with gestational diabetes when I was pregnant with Brooke changed my outlook on the foods I eat. I had to watch my carbs and keep them below a certain number of servings at every meal and snack. I didn't totally cut them out because that does harmful things to your body, but I was very careful with how much I consumed. And as the pregnancy progressed (after being diagnosed about 2/3 the way through), my stomach got bigger, but I never gained another pound. I didn't have the typical swollen pregnant face; in fact, I had almost no swelling at all. I ate TONS of salads and fresh vegetables - a little fruit - some lean protein... Aside from being pregnant in the heat of the Summer, I have never felt better!
I told myself back then that I would continue to eat like that because I just felt so good. Well, fast forward to the hospital a few hours after she was born an my friends, Debbie and Jessica, brought me a box of 4 Gigi's cupcakes. Have you ever had one? They are amazing as the cake part is soft and moist and they are uber generous with their creamy frosting. If you eat an entire cupcake, chances are, you'll feel slightly ill afterwards. Let me just tell you that I was so excited to eat something sweet, I dug into that box and within about 24 hours (I shared...a little bit), it was empty. And so began the not so gradual introduction of carbs back into my diet. Well, as a nursing mom, I was ravenous for almost a year so I chalk it all up to hormones and sleep deprivation....
Here I am now really trying to make good and healthy choices. Whenever I do eat with reckless abandon, it sure tastes good going down... but I feel gross afterwards and sometimes my clothes feel tight. I feel tired and worn down, and I don't like it. So, back to the dip at the Sip N Share. I was wishing for a cracker or chip that was low in carbs - one that merely served as a vehicle for the dip itself. I didn't want celery or carrots - I wanted a chip or cracker.
I found it!! When we were at the lake last weekend, Tasha served that yummy Jarlsberg cheese dip with these wonderfully thin crackers - light, thin, and non-competitive so the full taste of the dip is what you tasted - not the chip. One serving is 19 crackers which totals to only about 130 calories and 25 grams of carbs. It has minimal ingredients which I love!
I am a huge fan of these crackers, and my friends with toddlers (yes, that's you Margaret and Kerri!), they are great for their little mouths. I found these at Kroger but I'm sure any major grocery store carries them. They work great with creamy spreads and anything that has a nice strong taste because the cracker won't compete with it.
Instead of using my favorite Tostitos Multigrain chips (seriously, once I get started, I eat one after the other because they're so good. In fact, the multigrain chips taste better than the regular but something about them makes me want to eat the whole bag - so I try to steer clear. Isn't that called a "trigger food"?),
I used the crackers to dip into my guacamole...
That was quite a long dissertation leading up to the crackers. Hope you enjoyed it as rambling is what I like to do sometimes...
I found a new t-shirt at TJ Maxx that I just love! It's the perfect weight, texture, fit... by none other than Valerie Bertinelli! I didn't know she made clothes, but I'm beginning to think that every person on the tv/movie screen also makes clothes in some form or fashion. I don't know about you but I am a sucker for white shirts. We can all use more white shirts because they stain and get dirty so easily. I can wear one with just about anything - jeans, shorts, skirts... at work and at play. I picked up a white short sleeve v-neck at TJ Maxx and then about a week later, I spotted a purple one while I was in the store, so I grabbed that one as well! The price? $7.99!! How great is that?
Next time you're at TJ Maxx (and probably Marshall's), try to find them!
And lastly, here is my favorite photo of the week. Champ (in his nose cast) and Brooke hanging out on the front porch sharing a sweet little moment of affection:
I'm so proud of both my boys for what wonderful big brothers they are. They impress me every single day!
TO-DO's! I love them!! If I don't have a to-do, I get bored. This has been a weekend full of FUN and productivity, the best kind in my opinion! We enjoyed the lake yesterday with friends - wake boarding, surfboarding, knee boarding, tubing.... Then Matthew and Matt headed out early this morning to the Peach Kids Triathlon where Matthew competed in his third triathlon. He had a great time, but he came home sore (we think from the lake) and exhausted! Way to go MD!
After they arrived home, we went straight to work as we attacked Brooke's playroom in the basement. We have a small room downstairs that is the perfect sized little playroom for Brooke and when we moved in, that was our "toss it in there because we don't know where else to put it" room. Finally, after 5 months, we cleared it out! Matt hung blinds in the rooms that needed blinds - it just feels so good to check things off our list!
Around noon, we fired up the Big Green Egg and did what we do best - - - smoked a Boston Butt. Matt bought a delicious Boston Butt and dry rub from Whole Foods. We really enjoyed this "Three Beer" dry rub.
It was sweet and tangy and gave the pork the BEST flavor!! We served that with baked beans, corn pudding (the Jiffy recipe), and broccoli salad (the one with the raisins, red onion, broccoli and bacon). It was a yummy menu!!
For an appetizer, we enjoyed a dip that we tasted for the first time at the lake yesterday! Our friends served the most wonderful cheese dip and I was surprised to learn that you can only buy it at Walmart or Kroger. It's Jarlsberg Cheese dip that you can pick up in the deli section...
It is creamy and just perfect on a thin cracker. I highly recommend that you pick some up for your next gathering - it's easy, ready to serve and oh so delicious!
I had fun setting our table tonight...
I have these little plastic candle coverings that sit at the base of the candle. You fill the containers with water and then clip little pieces of greenery in the yard to fill it - isn't it pretty? In hunting around for some things to clip I learned that as we move forward with our landscaping plan, I need to make sure we choose plants that yield flowers and pretty foliage.
I could truly spend my life tending to all things related to a home. I'd have a garden, some chickens, beautiful flowers and plants everywhere. I'd put on my straw hat and my pink yard working gloves and clip and prune and pick ripe fruit and veggies all morning. Then I'd make myself something fresh for lunch and enjoy it with a tall glass of sparking water. After a nice shower, I would settle in mid-day and read my book - maybe take a 20 minute nap and then work magic in the kitchen with all the fresh pickins. Perhaps this is what my retirement will look like? Who knows... for now, I enjoy doing what small percentage of the above I actually do.
Freedom Parfait.... has a nice ring to it, don't you think? Our friends had a 4th of July cookout on the 3rd this year and I offered to bring dessert. Remember the dessert I talked about in my last blog? You know, the one with the angel food cake, berries and pudding mix...Our friend, JP, sent out an email to all of the guests recapping what everyone was supposed to bring. Next to my name was written, "Freedom Parfaits." Well, when momma is asked, momma delivers. I quickly morphed my original dessert idea into "freedom parfaits."
I had about an hour and a half between work and the cookout starting, so I finished my work day and raced to Publix where I took the store by storm picking up berries, cream, angel food cake, plastic cups and little American flags. I turned my original dessert into exactly what J.P. wanted.
First, I made the pudding mixture (see last blog for recipe):
When you whip the heavy cream, make sure you whip it until it is pretty stiff like in the picture above. Then, you mix the whipped cream with the pudding mixture:
I started assembling the cups and when I say I was working at a fast pace, I mean the sight of it would have made your head spin. I was going from one side of the kitchen to the other - cubing the cake, slicing the berries (blueberries, strawberries blackberries and raspberries), filling the cups - layer of angel food cake, berries, pudding mixture, berries, pudding mixture....
Is that a Freedom Parfait or what!!?!
It was such a nice afternoon/evening with friends, music, good food and lots of laughter from the boys in the pool. Everyone enjoyed the Freedom Parfaits! Perhaps I should consult with J.P. on names every time I file a recipe in my recipe box.
Fourth of July was great. The Davis family members were finally reunited after a month apart due to baseball. We enjoyed grilling out and shooting off our own fireworks in the backyard- just the five of us. My parents invited us up to their house for the fabulous fireworks show in their neighborhood, and we all loved it... all of us except for Brooke. She has never held me so tight - not out of love but it was rather her survival instinct kicking in out of intense fear of fireworks. One day soon, she will love them and find them exciting and fabulous... this year, she was happy inside instead.
What will the Davis family do this weekend without baseball? Heading to the lake today (I made some twice baked Idaho potatoes and twice baked sweet potatoes to take up to the lake - I'll share the recipes soon!) and then tomorrow we (we meaning me) are hoping to tackle our home to-do list one line item at a time. How quickly time passes - we moved in in February and it's already July and we're just now coming up for air. It has been go-go-go since we moved in, and I am such a busy body that I constantly have to remind myself to really savor each and every day, especially when time moves so quickly - it's so easy to let the days pass without taking the time to enjoy your kids, your home, your neighborhood, etc. After all, isn't this what we work so hard for?
Brooke and I love our nightly bedtime ritual. Once she calms down after her crying episode from not wanting to leave the "Matthew/Champ/Mommy/Daddy" party, we settle into her rocking chair and read books in her room. She LOVES books (currently, she's very into Goodnight Moon and Anansi and the Moss Covered Rock) and after I read each one, she says, "Mo book!" in her cute little toddler voice. We read 2-3 and of course, it's never enough. Then I rock her and she snuggles up on my chest while I sing a song I learned long ago, "Rocking, Rocking to and fro... to and fro...." and so on. When I stand up to put her in her crib, she points to the rocking chair and says, "Rocky rocky..." It's the cutest! I savor each and every one of her little phrases because I know how quickly they will become just memories (& the way my memory is lately, I probably should write everything down). Then I put her in her crib and we play a fun game where I cover up her feet and try to find them - she thinks it's hilarious and I can't help but just pour my love and laughter all over her. So fun!
My boys know not to open the door during our nightly ritual. As much fun as I think Brooke has with me, when Matthew or Champ (or Matt) comes in, I am quickly dismissed and it's all about being with them. Then she gets happy and excited and boom... all the winding down has been erased and you know the rest.....So, they know that only in an emergency should they open the door.
Well, Matthew opened the door and said, "Mom, it's dad. It's an emergency."
Oh no. My stomach dropped.
Turns out that Champ, while swinging at in inside pitch, knocked the ball right into his face. Bless his heart. They were on their way to Scottish Rite when Matt called because, as Matt said, "His nose is on the other side of his face." Well, of course, I started planning his funeral thinking things like, 'What if his brain was injured? Did the ball hit his eyes, too? Can he see? Will he need surgery???'
They got home at midnight and Champ was in one piece - swollen and turning blue around his nose and eyes.
Two days have passed and oddly enough, the swelling continues to worsen as does the bruising. If not an alien, then he resembles that of an abused child.
I told Matt that we need to stick close to home while he heals lest anyone think that we beat our child. We follow up with the ENT later this week. How lucky we are to only be dealing with a broken nose and not anything more. He rode up with Matt to root his team on as they advance in the playoffs and when he got there, they all screamed his name with excitement and were so very happy to see him. They showed him the wrist bands that they all made.
"4 Champ" - how sweet are his teammates? That just makes my heart smile....
Even though he is out for what little remains of his Summer baseball season, he will be able to swim and have fun at the Fourth of July party.
Fourth of July week...
We are heading to a friend's house to cookout and hang by the pool, and we're taking dessert. In honor of the holiday and with respect to the hot temperatures, a light and festive dessert will do. I am going to pick up an angel food cake and slice it and put it on the outside of a big platter. Just inside the angel food cake, I am going to put blueberries and sliced strawberries. In the middle of that will sit a bowl of pudding dip. I'll show pictures later this week, but wanted to go ahead and share this idea in case you are in need of a dessert for your own cookout. The pudding dip is as follows:
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 4-serving size package instant vanilla flavor pudding mix
2 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped
In a large bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk and water. Add pudding mix; beat well. Chill for 5 minutes. Fold whipped cream.
That's it! It's creamy, sweet and scrumptious - a perfect pairing with fruit and angel food cake or pound cake.
Either at the beginning or at the end of my shopping experience at Target, I peruse the dollar bins. Every single time, I convince myself that I need whatever item it is that I put into my cart.
Like this little ice cube tray... For one buck, I made these cute little star shaped ice cubes with it! I thought it would be fun to make some red and blue ice cubes by using red and blue food coloring and either water or sprite. That will make any cold drink feel a lot more festive!
And how about these little flags? Also available at Target (in the dollar bins), these fancy up any old potted plant.
Happy Indepedence Day to you! How blessed we are to live in the great U.S. of A!!
