Kimba

Le bebe shower

So things are crazy yet again over here (church women parties to plan, you know), and I know if I don't post pictures now, it'll be after Christmas before I finally get around to it.

And by golly, I just couldn't live with myself. The guilt would kill me!

So here it is, Abby's baby shower, in all it's glory.

You saw the preparation picture here, and boy am I thankful for my mom's supply of cookie sheets (i seem to only have one at my house) and muffin tins. Oh, and also, her double oven. One day, I will have a double oven, and it will be amazing.

This would have taken YEARS without it!

First, we made hummingbird cupcakes. I say we, because my mom was my right-hand man. My first mate. My Vice President of the Kitchen. She stuck with me till the bitter end, up waaay past her bedtime. 

 

Of course, I didn't make the actual hummingbird cake part, as I was too busy with other important details. We called upon Betty Crocker, and she answered the call. I frosted the tops with plain 'ole white buttercream frosting (homemade, of course), and called it a day. The "cake" was the least of my worries.

On to the "flower" part. Caleb was very instrumental in the pineapple flower department, and I do believe they turned out well.

 

Place those babies on top of the cupcakes and voila! Hummingbird cupcakes! Lovely!

Next we busied ourselves with the favors, and if you saw Wy's birthday, you'll know I just copied and pasted. Same 'ole, same 'ole. This time, to the tune of dragonflies (a bit of theme with the invites).

 

Though some of them looked more like airplanes...

We discovered too late, 11 pm on Baby Shower Eve, that my mom was all out of yellow food coloring (another shower theme...vintagy,  yellowy) so my mom pulled out yellow sprinkles. Good enough, I suppose, though really, how much better would they have looked, all yellowy?

Sigh. Another time.

We mixed, rolled, cut, baked, and iced, and let them sit over night. In the morning, we packaged them up.

Now, the shower. It was just lovely, Abby's mom decorated the house all cute like. We put up baby pictures of the parents and grandparents, and I do think it was a great touch.

Hopefully they won't mind me posting them, they're just too dang cute, though.

 

And now the food display...

 

 

And though working on all the details was fun, I think the best part was seeing old friends and talking and laughing together. Also, the ooh-ing and aww-ing. Good heavens, baby girl clothes are cute!! Abby got some great gifts, and it made me so excited for her. I cannot WAIT to snuggle that little baby girl, and hopefully her mommy will let me play dress up with her.  

Wyatt just wouldn't look right in pink and ruffles, and a girl's got to have her fill, you know?

Foto Sunday

Just a taste of things to come! We fly home tomorrow and I'll fill you all in. For now, I'm soaking up these last few minutes with family. Happy Sunday!

Oh, look! Another!

You guys, I got nothin'. Like, nothin'. I had a fantastic day today, helping throw a baby shower for my lovely best friend, Abby. We had a great time. A fun time. We talked, we laughed, we ate, we ooed and awwed over nine million tiny pink baby clothes and accessories.

A wonderful end to several days of baking and icing, icing and baking. And now my brain is mush. I'm currently cutting out as many paper snowflakes as I can for the next function, and enjoying a movie with my family.

It's been a lovely trip home.

And I promise, pictures to follow.

This Nablopomo stuff is killin' me this year...

Cop out!

Look! Another cop out post! This is the one where I say it's 11:56 pm and I've been baking and running errands all day.

No, like, literally all day. Until just....now! Right now, actually.

My mom says she's going to give me a Tylenol PM, so that my mind will quit running a mile a minute. We'll see about that...

Details and pictures to follow! It's gonna be a great party!

thankful for...

Family.

Friends.

Caleb.

Wyatt.

The Jazz game, our first official "date" since Wy was born. Woo! Pretty good Turkey Day if you ask me! Hope you all had a great day!

Gettin' my primp on

I flew in. I got my hair did. I ate pie.

 

It's cold. It's inversion-y. But it's home! Wee! Happy Turkey Day, everyone! What's your favorite dish? I do love the sweet potatoes (not candied, however) and homemade rolls. Mmm....

Home for the holidays

Our bags are...not yet packed...but Wy is ready for snow!

(forgive the dark, blurry picture, and the balloon string. kid moves fast these days...)

Car rides

We are flying home for the holidays, and the past week or so has been crazy busy with birthday parties, errands, upcoming parties, and preparations. Basically, my To Do list is growing quicker than I can keep up with, and time is running out.

One of my errands today took me to a neighboring town, one I happen to love, and after Wy's morning nap and lunch, we loaded into the car to make the quick drive.

I fell in love with this area all over again in that drive.

The sun was out and low in the sky, my favorite part of late fall. It had warmed up, a perfect warm-yet-crisp day. The leaves having bloomed late were a vibrant red and yellow. Wyatt seemed to sense the glorious day, and was silent and still as we drove. It was absolutely beautiful. I wanted to get out,  run around, take a million pictures, and take a warm, cozy nap by the fire all at the same time.

Oh, how I wish I had time to return tomorrow, camera in tow. I'm praying it will still be this way when I return.

I miss my family, I miss my friends, I miss home. But you know what? I love it here. It may be expensive, crowded and crazy, but it's beautiful. And I will miss it like crazy when it's time to leave. 

taken last fall

Foto Sunday

Some of Wy's homemade gifts - fabric balls from Caleb's sister (with some great bounce!), and bean bag frogs (perfect for 4 incoming molars) with cute button eyes from Abby. Just in love with both of them! Thank you!

Singing Happy Birthday

I stayed up till 1 am last night making turkey roll ups. A sacrifice, maybe, but it had to be done if I was going to keep on schedule.

Today was Wyatt's first birthday party.

We started off the morning right, with Wyatt sleeping in until 8, a full 45 minutes later than normal. Sounds excellent, right? Well it would normally be fantastic, but he's our alarm clock. I was running late and I hadn't even got out of bed.

Took a little extra time to cover up that scar on my chin, too. 

I put Cabe in charge of Wy, and I left to make the final preparations for the party. After coming up with all sorts of themes, animals because he likes it when we make the noises, monkeys because we call him that, I went with a simple ball theme. He loves balls.

We had it at our church so that we could let the kids have a bit of room to play.

 

We set up a few tables for food and filled the room with balls and balloons. We included our kiddie pool with some small plastic balls for the little kids, though the big kids seemed to enjoy it as well.

 

We had turkey roll ups, pb&j's, fruit (i tried to do melon balls, though only figured out how to make them into actual balls by the time i was finished...) round tortilla chips, and clementines. To keep it as clean as possible, I brought only water. With a twist.

Wy Water. It just tastes better!

I believe it was a success.

 

 

 

 

 

Wy had a blast.

 

Though I don't know which he liked better, all the balls and kids, or having his very first cupcake.

 

Annnnnnnd oops!

So he had most of a cupcake...

And what does the Wy Man wash down such delicacies with?

 

That's right! Wy Water! Does a birthday boy good.

To thank everyone for coming, we handed out a little favor bag.

 

I tried a new recipe for the sugar cookies, and in this case, the third time really was the charm. Meaning because of my stupidity, my first two batches were duds. Forgot to double the butter, did...something wrong...and then finally!  It was my first attempt at royal icing as well, and I do have to say I enjoy the stuff. Very interesting texture, and I loved how smooth it was. 

And now it's all over, and look what happened! Where did my little baby go?

 

(showing off his new bean frogs from Auntie Abby and Uncle Brian...he loves them!)

Friday Wordz

Merriam Webster's word was lame. So you wanna know what the word of the day is?

Scorch. As in, to burn a surface of, so as to change its color and texture.

Wanna know what my example sentence is?

I scorched my chin on the baking sheet as I bent down to peer at my just-out-of-the-oven cookies. 

Had to use a cold water bottle from the fridge to cool it down.

You wanna know a synonym? Burnt. As in, the way I'm going to feel tomorrow after all these first birthday party festivities are over.

That is all. I must now return to my war zone kitchen. Maybe try and clean up the powdered sugar that somehow found it's way all over my laptop...

Wyatt: 12 months

I rolled over in bed yesterday morning to groggily check my cell phone. 7:12 am. There I was laying in my bed, an entire night of uninterrupted sleep behind me, on the morning of Wyatt's 1st birthday.

Exactly a year prior at 7:12 am, I was lying in bed too, only I was in a hospital room and partially numb. It was uncharacteristically quiet for a hospital, and looking back, it truly was like the eye of the hurricane. The previous three hours and been a complete blur of pain and activity, and the following days would be another blur of activity, pain, (stitches in your nether regions will do that to you) and little to no sleep. The day before, I had scheduled my induction, yet there I was not 24 hours later in the hospital with a baby warming in a crib next to me. My baby.

 

I don't think, or at least hope, I will ever forget those first moments in the hospital. The sun was rising, my baby was here and safe, and save for the random click! click! clicks! of Caleb snapping photos, all was quiet. Cozy. Calm.

How did that tiny little pink baby become this, so quickly?

 

He signs when he wants food. Water. Milk. More. He gives high fives, kisses, and walks all over the house like he owns it. He kicks balls, sticks out his tongue on command, and knows that when he hears keys jangling and locks opening, Daddy is home.

He's like a little person now. He knows what he wants and doesn't want. He knows that when I come get him from his nap, he's supposed to put his binki back in the crib, and willingly tosses it in himself. He knows that when we're done reading stories and saying prayers, he waves bye-bye to Daddy, and goes to bed. (Though this will change soon...)

He loves to push things.

 

He loves to be pushed.

 

He loves to pick up leaves and sticks and gum at the park...

 

I'm serious about that last one. I barely caught him.

Also, random goose feathers.

 

(Sorry, Cabe. Bird Flu.) 

I took him to the park on his birthday, pretty much the best thing that can happen to you when you're one. Swings. Weird plastic boats, teeter totters, water features that don't work...

We had a great time. I was standing there watching him walk around squealing and picking up sticks and I couldn't believe I was at the park with my little boy.

I was a mom. A real live mom at the park.

 

He's started to have opinions on what he eats, and when he's done. You know he's done when he starts throwing everything off his tray. He does it so matter-of-factly, like nope, don't want you anymore. Don't think I like lunch meat ham. Don't feel like scrambled eggs anymore. I've tried telling him no, even grabbed his hand to stop him mid-toss, and he started giggling. Not an I'm-being-bad giggle, like he genuinely thought it was funny that I'd grab his arm.

I tried to have a stern face, I did. But his giggles are just so dang cute!

He's just so sweet. He's never going to throw a tantrum, right? Never going to act out? Always going to be so happy to see me, to give kisses, to sit on the bed and read stories?

I do believe this is the first thing in my life where I haven't been anxious to move on to the next phase. I wanted to drive a car. I wanted to go to high school, and then wanted to get out of high school. Wanted to be in college, wanted to get out of college...this time, I think I could be perfectly happy forever watching him toddle down the hallway with a balloon, like he's just got off a horse.

Though that's what I thought about his hands slapping the wood floor as he crawled. Watching him right himself as he learned to sit up.

Man, this is cheesy. Every month I sit down to write these updates, and each time I try to express how much I love him, love his little quirks and the funny things he does, and each time I fall short. It seems impossible to put it into words, and maybe that's okay. It keeps me always appreciating the little things.

1 year old

long winded, gushing, loving post coming soon...i have to get it just right, and right now all i want to do is bask in the last year. 

Happy Birthday Wyatt. Your mommy and daddy love you so much.

'Twas the night before...

Today we took Wy to see The Grinch.

That's right. The Grinch.

Unfortunately, the Grinch stole Christmas. Or rather, the line was huge and time ran out and the Grinch left to make a prior engagement. Is what we're told.

Caleb snapped this with his phone.

 

Yeah, it was creepy. We watched on the sidelines as kid after kid warily sat on his lap. One poor little guy sat there screaming as he looked back and forth between his mom and the old green dude.

It was so classic. Several people around us were doing the half-humored-half-pitied laugh, many people murmuring something about Youtube...

I have no doubt.

So we looked on, then wandered around the area listening to the music, looking at the about-to-be-lit-up tree (and the lit up palm trees), and watching the fairies. 

 

She was on stilts, and Caleb didn't like it. Apparently his clown fear extends to anybody in costume.

 

Wy enjoyed it, though.

Then we maneuvered through the crowds, gave him a bath, and put him to bed. So we could do this:

 

Too bad I didn't have the foresight to get a few big red bows. Only two of his gifts were wrappable! Can you tell he likes to push things? I picked up those balls today as part of his upcoming birthday party, and he spent the entire time trying to reach back into the cart and grab them. So I thought I'd throw them in and let him play with them early. He is the birthday boy, right?

We can't wait for tomorrow morning! It's like Christmas!

The Recipe

Last Tuesday I felt a familiar hankering. Something that creeps up on me often, a craving I can almost never satisfy.

Cafe Rio.

I don't really like Mexican food. I'm not a bean fan, I don't like the flavor of a lot of the sauces, but the Cafe Rio (or Costa Vida? anyone?) carne asada salad is to die for. And I can't get it here.

Luckily, Caleb's family shares my love and several members have submitted attempts at reproducing the delicious pork in the family cookbook. So I pulled it out and whipped up a batch, and when Caleb came home from work that day and took his first bite, he melted into a pool of happiness.

Or something like that.

He raved and raved and raved about it for days as he enjoyed all the leftovers, and then yesterday afternoon, mere hours after the last of them had been consumed, he began mentally making himself another burrito. He pulled out more pork to thaw that night.

So that's what we had today. Again. So I thought I'd share the recipe with ya'll. Cause apparently it has Special Powers, wherein your husband would re-marry you right there at the dinner table. Pony tail, pajama pants and all. 

Cafe Rio Pork Tacos

3 - 4 lb pork roast                                1 small can green chilies

1 onion, chopped                                 1/4 can coke (a little less than a half cup)

1/2 jar salsa                                           1 c. brown sugar

1 jar Red Taco sauce

First, put your onion and your pork in the crock pot and let 'em roast together for 6 hours (if you spray the sides with Pam, clean up is a breeze!) till they're nice and tender and ridiculously aromatic. Drain the liquid and onions and clean the  pot a bit. Get the pork roast out and admire.

 

Then shred it to bits with a fork or two.

 

I dare you to not sample a bit. It's impossible.

Grab the rest of your ingredients and mix 'em all together.

 

Never mind the bananas and acorn squash in the back. Just NEVER YOU MIND.

Throw everything back in the pot and let it simmer for another three hours.  (Hint: if you start at 9 am, it'll be done by 6! perfect!) And dang it, you'll have some left over Coke. Waste not, want not, is what I always say!

 

Yum!

Now, the next thing you need to do is grab yourself some cook-them-yourself tortillas from Costco. I'm deadly serious about this, because they are AMAZING and ridiculously fast and easy. And amazing. Did I say that already?

Cook them up and serve with cheese, cilantro (we don't do this because cilantro is of the devil), pico de gallo, sour cream, avocados...whatever your little heart desires.

I like mine with a whole lotta avocado.

 

A whole lot. Go make some, and enjoy!

Foto Sunday

our meyer lemon and bearss lime tree are startin' to turn. (that's the lime, in the back) i'm looking up recipes and taking suggestions! what's your favorite lemon or lime recipe?

fresh lemonade is in the plans, as well as donating to our good friend and pastry chef. in hopes of sweet returns...

Looming milestones

I've been fairly quiet about it around here, but uh, in less than a week my baby will be a year old.

An entire YEAR. I don't think you understand the insanity of that sentence.

I'm planning a little birthday party for him, and it's supposed to be low-key. Of course, nothing I take on is low-key, but I'm attempting. I've started preparations, I'm trying to work on something every day so that I can try and enjoy the process and not become overwhelmed.

It's just a birthday party, right?

Right. It's just my little boy's first birthday.

Friday Wordz, dude

Merriam-Webster's word of the day?

Gust, as in keen delight. The American version of gusto.

Their example sentence?

The hungry children ate every morsel with gust.

Doesn't that sound a bit odd? With gust?

Like dis-gust. But no! Keen delight!

I like my sentence better.

Jose was filled with gust at the start of ballet class. 

Much better.

Did you know? (the boring background stuff)

You're no doubt familiar with the simple "gust" that means "a brief burst of wind." But that word, which first appeared in print in 1588, was preceded at least a century and a half earlier by a differently derived homograph. The windy "gust" is probably derived from an Old Norse word, whereas our featured word today (which is now considerably rarer than its look-alike) comes to us through Middle English from "gustus," the Latin word for "taste." "Gustus" gave English another word as well. "Gusto" (which now usually means "zest," but can also mean "an individual or specific taste") comes to us from "gustus" by way of Italian.

So there you have it! Take on your weekend, with GUST!

No diggity

Today I was grabbing some socks for Wy and had to dig in the bin to find some.

I was a bit behind on laundry, okay?

Anyway, I was digging and happened upon some old hats we received when he was born. It says they are for babies up to 13 lbs, but they always looked huge (and he was little) so we never used them.

Until now.

 

All the pictures are in various states of blurriness, as I had about a nanosecond of time after I put it on his head before he pulled it off.

(also please note his first real live scrape and bruise on his forehead. mah boy's a walker!)

 

Like that.

And this,

 

And this,

 

 

 

Caleb came home and decided to get in on the fun, and Wyatt didn't have any of it.

 

No hats in this family, that's for sure.

I may have to invest in one with a strap this winter. Or one of those body suits with a built in hat. Like so. With bear ears and everything.

My Universal Truths

Idea #47

*Wear sunscreen. Your 50 year old self will thank you.

*Always be where you're supposed to be, when you're supposed to be there.

*Don't hold grudges. It's a complete waste of time.

*Know when to say no. And stick to it.

*Eat your veggies.

*A quick run of the vacuum goes a long way.

*Early to bed, early to rise. Honestly. Sage advice.

*Make your important people, the most important.

*Never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach.

*Please and Thank You really are magic words.

Firelight

I just can't get enough of this digital short. It's just so dead on! But with better acting! Hilarious!

Someday...

...I'll have a cabin in the woods. With lots of cozy blankets and quilts, a huge fireplace, and an even bigger tub.

...I'll learn how to sew.

...I'll see Italy, Thailand, Greece and Morocco. And a few other places.

...I'll perfect a roll and bread recipe.

...I'll stop paying rent, and own a home.

...I'll finish all of these books!

...I'll attend a taping of the Ellen show.

...I'll visit New York. See a few plays. Go shopping.

...I'll go on a cruise.

...I'll build a snow man with my kids.

...I'll get a babysitter and we'll go on a real live date.

...I'll have a garden.

...I'll have the space for a letterpress machine.

...I'll sit down and put my wedding pictures in an album.

...I'll get up early and hit the Nordstroms Half Yearly Sale with my girls.

...I'll ride an elephant.

...I'll go sailing.

...I'll learn how to whistle real loud like.

...I'll bake a pie.

...I'll take my kids to Disneyland.

...I'll take Caleb to Australia. And Paris.

...I'll go on a weekend-long girls trip.

...I'll own a black Cabriolet, convertible, leather seats. 

...I'll visit the Poconos in the fall.

...I'll accept me for me, and like it.

Modified Martha

original recipe here

Taking some cupcakes up to our nieces and nephews for an early turkey dinner. Happy Sunday!

I need a hero!

So when you become pregnant, you sign up for things. Somewhere. Somehow. Magazines (if you're anything like me...), information. Programs at the hospital or your doctors office.

Somehow, somewhere, Big Baby Companies get your information. And you start getting stuff. Packages containing free diaper samples. Free wipe samples. Free baby shampoo samples. All nice, and great things to put in your diaper bag or travel case (if you're anything like me...). These things I expected, they happen. It's free stuff! Who's to argue with that?

I was a little taken back when I started receiving full size infant formula containers. Two of them in each package. I kept them, thinking it would be good to have just in case. Like baby food storage. Excellent! I was so prepared!

And then another package came. Two more containers.

And then my mom received some at her house, in Utah, under my name.

And just yesterday I received two more. Don't these people know we're in a recession! What am I to do with all this formula! (Giveaways? Hmm?) Along with today's package was a little "Strong Dads Hospital Checklist" brochure. I opened it, and found a little gem.

How To Be A Hero During Delivery

*No Wincing: She feels vulnerable enough during delivery and doesn't need you reacting like you're watching a horror movie. Remember, it's a beautiful miracle.

*It's Not a Roast: If she's feeling awkward, she might poke fun at herself. Don't take this as an opportunity to craft your own zingers. Tell her she looks beautiful. And stick to it.

*Never say, "It's not that bad.": Some "clever" dads think that understating her discomfort will lessen the pain of delivery. Ditch the Psych 101 tactics. She needs empathy, not therapy.

*Swallow Your Pride: She might yell at you. She might insult you. hey, she's scared. She's in pain. And she trusts you enough to vent. So take it like a man, big guy.

*Careful with the Camera: If she wants you to document the delivery, great. But leave the commentary and creative camera angles to Spielberg. You're making a baby movie, not an action movie.

I had a short, three hour intense labor, and so I don't feel as though I experienced a "typical" labor. I wasn't really there, kind of took myself somewhere else. I can tell you that beforehand I warned Caleb I didn't want him in my face, the way the labor coaches were telling the men to be. "Get in her face and tell her, Good Job! You're doing great!" That, I told him, would get him a one way ticket out of there. He was great, giving me space while still being supportive. I really appreciated when he'd tell me that a contraction was coming down, especially around 9 cm.

I needed that. But I didn't want him anywhere near my face. Or the rest of me, really.

So I'm curious, ladies. What bothered you, or didn't bother you, while you were in labor? Or what do you think will and won't bother you?

Friday Wordz, dude

Woohoo! Words! And their definitions! Is there a better subject for Fridays?

Clearly I wasn't thinking.

The word of the day, according to Merriam Webster is nudnik. Noo-dnik. Ooo, as in good. Meaning, a person who is a bore or a nuisance.

Like so.

Example Sentence:

James worried that he would never finish his work if the office nudnik didn't quit hanging around his cubicle.

Poor James. And on a Friday!

Did you know?

The suffix "-nik" came to English through Yiddish (and ultimately from Polish and Ukrainian). It means "one connected with or characterized by being." You might be familiar with "beatnik," "computernik," or "neatnik," but what about "no-goodnik" or "allrightnik"? The suffix "-nik" is frequently used in English to create nonce words that are often jocular or slightly derogatory. Some theorize that the popularity of the suffix was enhanced by Russian "Sputnik," as well as Al Capp's frequent use of "-nik" words in his "L'il Abner" cartoons. The "nud-" of the Yiddish borrowing "nudnik" ultimately comes from the Polish word "nuda," meaning "boredom."

So there you have it! Nudnik! Use it in a sentence today, and feel smart.

And make someone else feel stupid.

Independence

It's been so interesting to watch Wyatt these last few weeks, he's beginning to understand so much about the world around him. He's starting to figure out signing, though he uses the same sign for food and water (they're similar), so it's still a guessing game anyway. He's developed a fascination with faces, and if I'm on the floor he'll toddle over and start poking at my eyes, pulling on my eyelashes, and touching my nose.

I was in the kitchen the other day and things got quiet. As many of you know, that's almost always a bad thing, and so I went walking around trying to find him, and found him crouched down peering underneath the couch. I bent to see what he was looking at, probably a block or ball he'd rolled underneath, and found nothing. He was just looking to see what was under the couch.

Yesterday, clearly wanting a snack, he took matters into his own hands and pulled out the treat container in my diaper bag.

 

And went to town.

(please note the yogurt melt stuck to his heel)

It's a good thing I'd already vacuumed for the day.

Dreams to dream

Idea #30

I don't always remember my dreams, but when I do I've noticed more often than not that they're based on one of two different recurring themes.

The first theme involves my teeth falling out, being chipped, or literally crumbling right before my eyes. I remember one specific dream where I was in a public bathroom frantically catching bits of tooth as they were falling, and trying desperately to put them back in place. DESPERATELY. I was freaking out, heart pounding and in tears, and woke up feeling like I'd just run a marathon (or, ya know, how I think I'd feel after I'd run a marathon...).

I can't describe the relief I feel when I wake up, run my fingers and tongue over my still-intact-teeth, and realize it was all a dream. Way better than realizing the homework you thought you forgot was actually in your backpack. Better than when the cop with the sirens behind you passes you up. Better than finding a $20 bill in your winter coat.

Let's just say the dentist never needs to tell me to floss and brush my teeth. I do. Every single night, because dude, this girl is leavin' the world with all of her teeth.

The second theme is a bit harder to explain, but basically involves a lot of preparation for something that never happens. A big event, some huge confrontation, something I've always wanted to say to someone, and I spend the entire time preparing for it, thinking about it, trying to get to it, and then....nothing. Either I wake up, or the dream ends. It's so UNSATISFYING. Dreams are supposed to be where you get to do things you never would, say things you'd never say, be someone else for a change. Instead I get all a whole lot of angst about something that never happened.

Truly, I can't get no satisfaction.

Pass the honey, honey

I love chocolate, I do. I believe it is an essential component to almost any good dessert, which is why it's a rare thing indeed to come across anything I love with nary a cocoa bean in sight.

I had this dessert at my favorite restaurant in the area, and fell in love. It's officially called Yiaourti Me Meli Karidia, and I'll give you a gazillion dollars if you can say that in under 20 seconds.

I'm going to call if Honeyed Yogurt with Walnuts, if that's alright with you.

Here's what you do, you go get yourself a nice big tub of Greek Yogurt. Nice, full fat Greek Yogurt. This is the only thing I buy that isn't fat free, (besides my compromise of 1% milk), because it really does make a difference. You want it thick. It's yogurt, it's good for you, so don't worry about it. Spoon yourself a nice little hill of the stuff. Trust me, you'll want more once you try it. It's so good.

Then you get yourself a little honey bear, and drizzle honey all over the outside of the hill, and maybe a few passes over the top of it. Sprinkle with walnut chunks.

Then bask in it's glory.

 

If you've never had Greek Yogurt before, you really should try it. It's thick and tart, and pairs perfectly with the honey and walnuts. I always finish satisfied, and not like I need to run a mile.

The perfect dessert, no?

King of All The Wild Things

Yes, it's probably over done. Right in the thick of it, but you know what? He made a pretty dang cute Max.

First off we went to our church party where Caleb and I took turns eating chili and following Wyatt around the parking lot at neck-breaking speeds.

 

(please ignore everything about me in this shot...thank you)

I made most of his costume. I got the onesie at Old Navy (I can't find it on their site, but it was there last week...), the tail at Target. I made the crown out of craft foam paper and stretchy string (oh so important!). The scepter is just a craft stick and Styrofoam ball. I originally spray painted it gold (or, Caleb did...), and it looked excellent. So glorious!

And then my brain started working again, and I decided I didn't want Wyatt sucking on spray paint. So I ran to Micheal's, discovered they were out of gold duct tape, and went with brown, covering it in 2.5 seconds before we left. But whatever, he was free to chew on it all he wanted, which of course is the first thing he did.

Halloween day he wore a cute little mummy shirt, and practiced his best mummy moves.

aka, Walking.

That evening we dressed him up again and headed to Mark and Bridgette's house for a little get together in their cul-de-sac.

 

We enjoyed fresh lemonade, popcorn, and homemade egg rolls (ohhhhh my, were they good!) while watching Wy walk himself all over the place, completely tiring himself out before bedtime.

(Can't get over his walking. It's just madness! Craziness! And he loves it, squealing and giggling the whole time. He's just so elated that he can get to where he wants in seconds. Nanoseconds, actually.) 

It wasn't my grandma's chili and scones, but we had a great time. We stayed out till MIDNIGHT, people. I think that signifies a fantastic time. You know, in the married-with-babies realm. 

Which is the realm we are happily in.

Are you?

I'm doin' it again this year. I figure if I could do it when I had a baby, I could do it this time, right?

It's a fun time, and an excellent way to reach out and find more bloggers. Do it! Even if you missed a day, it's fun to challenge yourself. You can get pretty creative around 11:30 pm...or something like that.

To help myself out, and not fall into the post-a-picture-call-it-a-day rut, I'm going to set up a few rules.

*Sundays - (a day of rest!) A picture that doesn't involve my adorable child (I know, novel!)

*Wednesdays - something from this

*Fridays - a funky new word, it's definition, and possible usage

Should be interesting, no? Join me! And let me know. It's nice to have some comrades. Onward!