Autumn

Although they might not have known it,

when I was swooning in class at their creativity,

Truly

Truly, I was marveling

See

I made chili this week for the first time this season

Peppered with Fritos and cheese

Okay, more like Fritos and cheese

Peppered with chili

I'll share my fav recipe next time...

But this is all because after a visit to E&T's Uncle J,

Where the fishes were red and fed

And because the calendar turned to official apple cider season

All I can think now of is

Autumn.

I'm addicted.

So I made my students join my autumn adoration the other day.

And I have to say

Their poems were perfection.

I even took some of their lines and had to share

It's true.

Update

It's time for a general update.

Littlest to biggest.

The littlest still has no teeth.

Just a gummy smile, which he wears most of the day.

And overall is an observant, peaceful, strong and active little man.

Who no longer is swaddled

Sleeps twelve hours a night.

And is starting to slurp down the solids a bit more willingly.

We still pray for healing for some reflux and coughing and watery eyes.

But the little man has toughed it out better than we could ever have hoped for.

Oh, and he loves his "sophie the giraffe".

And little miss?

She's definitely two and a half.

And talking and talking and talking more and more and more.

"Throw the ball at me, mommy!"

This is her favorite.

And fruit shakes.

Which have become our new morning routine.

A big ol' blender full of spinach, berries, Greek yogurt and milk.

Yum.

Her fav.

And so are reading and coloring and wearing mom and dad's shoes.

Which I've worn a few times lately to go for a run.

Still workin' on buildin up my post-baby stamina.

I gotta keep it up for my man, you know.

Who in the last six days has installed four new doors in our house, painted two coats of paint in our bedroom, washed the majority of the laundry for three of four of our home's residents in our new washer and dryer, trimmed a tree and otherwise beenaworkin in the yard whenever the babes let him.

He's a keeper.

Just can't slow him down.

Which is probably where my littles get it.

Warm

I'm always the first one up.

In fact, even pre-baby, I would set my alarm for the early bird time just to sit with warm creamed up coffee and quiet.

Now, that quiet doesn't last quite as long.

And the coffee has to last longer.

But, anyways.

It's always a guess to know who the first one to join me will be.

Baby snuggle or toddler antics.

This morning was a cuddlebug two year-old.

Climbing under the covers to get warm.

But really I was the one who was warm.

Before I was off to beat the warmth with a precious three.

These are what I'm working on this evening.

After I make my mega meatball pizza.

Ingredients:

• 1 pizza dough, store bought or from your favorite pizza shop
• A palm full all-purpose flour or cornmeal
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling, plus 2 tablespoons – 2 turns of the pan
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary leaves, a couple of sprigs
• Coarse salt
• 1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 to 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Black pepper
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• A handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 pound fresh mozzarella or brick mozzarella, your choice, sliced or grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

On a round pizza stone or pan or on a rectangular baking sheet, using flour or cornmeal to dust the dough, spread out the dough to form your crust. If you are using a baking sheet, drizzle pan with extra-virgin olive oil then set crust in place. Poke the pizza dough in several areas with the tines of a fork. Drizzle the dough with extra-virgin olive oil then season it with finely chopped rosemary and a little salt. Place in oven 10 minutes.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, then the meat. Brown and crumble meat a couple of minutes, then add onions and garlic. Season the meat with salt and pepper then work in the tomato paste using the back of a wooden spoon to combine. Stir in the cheese, parsley and oregano.

Remove pizza crust from oven and top with meat. Arrange cheese over the pizza, working to edges. Return the pizza to the oven and bake until cheese is golden, another 10 to 12 minutes.

Yes, it's Rachael Ray. Did the EVOO give it away?

But my personal tweaks?

Follow the recipe and freeze half of the meatball mess for another day.

I've been trying to do that every weekend, make a big ol' home-cooked meal and freeze at least half for when I need something warm and yummy to come home to after a busy day.

And before baking your deliciousness, add more cheese.

Always. Add. More. Cheese.

To everything, really.

But, anyway, the meatball mess is warm downstairs.

Just wanted to share.

More to come tomorrow.

Ours

In the midst of the bottles and silkies and time-outs and early morning meetings

The weekends are ours

For omlets

And after the omlets, I spent some time on a recipe for Southwest Baked Eggrolls.

So excited about dinner tonight.

And projects

And while he painted, I finished my project.

And of course more can be found

here.

P.S. Pretty sure I am going to be shared here soon. Very excited about that. It looks like a great mama resource.

So then there were baths

And a whole day in jammies

And cuddle time

And just knowing

the weekends are ours.

Good

Some of the most fun of the weekend was the date with my hubby last night

After some quick self-timer shots of our own that is

See, I had to get in the mood for this mornin's engagement shoot.

We even beat the rain with the early morn.

But

As I've said before

My hubby

He makes life good.

Throwback

My hubby loves the Dew.

And the Dr.

And the Cola.

And just about anything in liquid form with caffeine and chemicals.

It was upon these musings last night that he mentioned the current craze of throwbacks.

And, no kidding, these were the words that came out of his mouth,

(when it wasn't full of liquified carbonation, that is.)

"Hun, you should do a throwback blog."

huh?

"You know, look for abuncha old pictures of us and post 'em."

Cuz of course anything that the cola companies do is cool.

So my blog should be too.

But, really, not such a bad idea.

Thanks, hun.

Cuz who woulda thought that these days

with the flirting and skipped heartbeats and laughs and dating dramas

(oh yes. there was drama. pretty sure the picture of us in the army paint was at a date that ended with us ending us. obviously, it didn't last. but it was drama.)

but it was oh, so worth it

because it would all become

this day

(photo credit to Portraits by Lucinda)

with us driving to the chapel in his little red car, and our mothers forgetting to light their candles and the song repeating over...and over...and over...until they remembered.

but we got married.

And then God gave us a baby to grow.

(photo credit to Portraits by Lucinda)

And the sickness and the heartburn and the leg cramps and the rubberbanded pants...

...so worth it.

Cuz she was ours.

And to experience it all again

for my son

Still, so miraculous.

A miracle I couldn't be more

any more

conscious of.

And grateful for.

A miracle that wears me out

and wears me through.

Because

they're laughin' here

But, see, only a few minutes after this pic, it was one of those rough evenings around here.

Everyone had just had enough of the day.

And maybe momma hadn't had quite enough caffeine.

(So I guess I can't really blame my husband for his love of it.)

But whatever it was, it's all so

so

worth it.

Life

It's been one of those weekends.

One that packs life full.

Out of town family,

Burgers on the grill, football, naps,

Bandaids on the chin

And plenty of baby posing.

Finished with a night out with the girls.

Where I actually stayed up until the morning hours.

Can't remember the last time that happened.

And life is good.

Sleepy now, but good.

Beautiful

I needed to take the day off for some appointments anyway,

So, I went ahead and spent the morning with a beautiful family.

It was a beautiful morning

And

Their red hair, their blue eyes, their matching plaid and homemade dress, all so beautiful.

Precious people.

Couldn't help it.

Just had to share.

More and the slideshow can be found here.

Sunshine

Another afternoon in the sunshine.

With a precious little nieciepoo.

And my just as precious,

but shade more ornery

sunshine girl.

(She is wearing her socks in this pic because upon discovering doggiedoo between the pudge fingers of my sweet son, I realized quickly that, on this first day of wearing brand new tennies, there was this same doggiedoo completely caking the bottom of these brand new tennies. Apparently this big sis already knows how to get her little brother man in trouble. So, now I shall return to scrubbing them with an old toothbrush.

Ah. The life of a mother.)

Handsome

I can't help it.

He's a handsome fella.

I know I'm his momma and all,

But I'm a swoonin'.

Even with his tired eye glaze before a well baby check up and shots yesterday, he's just gotta a way about him.

Ya see what I mean?

But, really, the important thing is, he is.

A well baby that is.

PTL.

(praise the Lord)

City

Our trip to the city...

I followed my hubby blindly down subway stairs

And he carried both suitcases

But I was the one who saved us forty bucks by asking to share a cab

And we only got lost but once

On the last day

At three in the morn

In the worst place in town

But

We made it

With just a couple pics to share

Of our few days in the city

I suggest scrolling to the bottom of this page to

Pause the background blog music before starting the music of the video.

Diving

We're diving back into real life.

Jazzercise.

Grocery store.

Four errand runs.

Five loads of laundry.

Checkin' things off of the honey-do list.

And a doctor's visit still on the todo list.

Yes, it doesn't take long.

We're a divin' back in.

Getaway

Haven't yet unpacked.

Still haven't yet weighed after too many weekend getaway splurges.

Yikes.

Still haven't gotten outside yet for an afternoon run to make up for these getaway splurges.

But vakay calories don't count, right?

So, instead I have uploaded these.

And have kissed him again.

What a weekend of just two does for us...

We haven't even argued about whose turn it is to empty the diaper pail.

Yet.

Of course the day isn't over.

And more to come soon.