The Past 2 Weeks

*Long, picture heavy post below*

I had been doing really well with my weekly picture recaps but I guess being back at work has slowed me down!  Things are going well with me back at work.  The morning routine is going much better than I could have imagined.  So far, I am making it to work right at 8:00 every morning.  I am sure the day will come that Nolan or Henry will make it a little more difficult to make it out the door though.  The evenings are when it is hard working.  By the time we play a bit, eat dinner, take baths, read stories, get the boys in bed, clean up from dinner, and get the bottles ready for the next day it is often 9:00!  At that point Kevin and I are tired and it is almost time to go to bed and start all over the next day! 

Last week was Kevin's birthday and Father's Day.  He took the day off from work on his birthday and was able to play golf and go see a movie...two of his favorite things!  On Saturday night we went out to La Ha with his mom, dad, and sister and then back to our house for some birthday cake.  He requested German Chocolate and it was pretty good, if I do say so myself! For father's day we went out to eat breakfast at Avalon Diner (Nolan really enjoyed his pancakes that he doused in syrup!) and then over to Nanna and Poppies that night for some dinner and swimming.  

Daddy's cake.  I used the #2 candle...he was turning 2 x 17 afterall!

 

The "big" cousins at Nanna and Poppie's house

 

Super Dad!

Nolan is still doing his swimming lessons.  I went this past week to watch him for the first time.  I was sitting on the other side of the wall so I couldn't hear what was going on, but it was fun to watch him.  He is doing well!  We have also been making some trips to the neighborhood pool.  Nolan is starting to feel a little too comfortable with the water though and thinks he can jump in when no one is there to catch him.  We will need to work on him listening to us!  Henry enjoyed a little bit of time in the pool this weekend too.

Henry is doing well.  Getting so big!  He had his three month pictures taken at JC Penny last weekend.  We got a few cute ones but he wasn't too into smiling for the camera.  We also tried to do some sibling shots but Henry was so over taking pictures at this point that the one we got of them together had Henry screaming.  The rest of the day the little stinker was smiling up a storm though!  He is getting good neck control and likes tummy time much better than he did a few weeks ago.  He is not rolling over yet but at times seems really close.  He is still waking up on average two times a night.  Lately he seems to be stretching things out though so I am really hoping we will be down to one or no wake ups soon.

Finally, this past weekend we went out to eat with Tom, Mecklin, and Cole at Ruggles Green.  Nolan had a blast running around in the square.  There was a live band playing that he enjoyed watching.  After each song would end he would say "again".

And finally, pictures from the last 2 weeks.  (I assembled them in word so that I could save some space!)

Recipe Recap Week 24

This week I made two new things.  For Father's day we went over to my parent's house for some swimming and cooking out.  Each of the "kid's" made something to have as an appetizer.  I decided to make Paula Deen's Shore is Good Seafood Dip.  Kevin and I tried this in her restaurant when we went to Savannah a few years ago and it is also in her Lady and Son's cookbook.  It is a creamy dip made of shrimp and crab.  This was pretty tasty and easy to throw together.  The only thing I did different was I added in a little bit of Slap Yo Mama Cajun seasoning to give it just a slight kick.

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1/2 of a 10 3/4-ounce can cream of shrimp soup (discard top half and use bottom part of soup)
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 pound freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 (6-ounce) can crabmeat, picked free of any broken shells, drained
• 6 ounces shrimp, fresh or canned, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, onion, and celery and saute for 2 minutes. In a bowl, combine the soup, mayonnaise, Parmesan, crabmeat, shrimp, and pepper. Stir the sauteed vegetables into the seafood mixture and spoon this mixture into a lightly greased 8 by 11-inch casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with toast points or crackers.

The other new thing I made was a Pesto Chicken salad.  This recipe was in my big green binder.  Something I had torn out from Cooking Light.  This was very good.  I love chicken salad and I am always trying out new varieties.  Some are hits and some are misses.  I will definitely make this one again.  Kevin loved it too and said I should start making it so that he can bring chicken salad sandwiches to work. 

1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise

1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt

1/3 cup commercial pesto (such as Buitoni)

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 cups cubed skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast

1 cup diced celery

1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1 (1-pound) focaccia bread, cut in half horizontally, toasted

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in chicken, celery, and walnuts.  Spread onto bread. 

The recipe said to put lettuce and roasted red peppers on the sandwich as well.  We just did the chicken but maybe next time I will try that as well.

Weekend fun

We had a fun, busy, weekend this past weekend.  It started out Saturday morning with a trip to St. Arnold's Brewery.  The Villanova group was having an event there.  We left Henry at home with Pegby and took Nolan with us.  He had a good time running around and playing with his cousins.  We tried to let him taste some of the root beer but he had no interest.  I guess that is fine though and we really shouldn't push it if he doesn't want it!  He was happy to drink his water.  Nolan zonked out on the drive home and took a pretty good nap.  When he woke up we decided to take a trip to the splash pad by our house.  We went once last year and he had a blast.  I gave Katherine a call to see if they were interested in meeting us up there because they had never been before.  They were free so the boys got to hang out and be crazy again.  We capped off the night by going to dinner with the Gray's at Skeeter's.  Kyle and Nolan got up on a little stage that they had and were singing and dancing.  It was really funny!  Russ got some video of it so we can show the boys when they get older how silly they were.  Henry and Ryan also got to see a bit of each other. 

Sunday wasn't quite as busy.  Nolan slept in pretty late so he was not interested in taking a nap at all!  Kevin took him over to Pegby's house and he was able to get more of Kevin's Hot Wheels from when he was young.  Nolan has been enjoying these a lot and has been sleeping with a car or two each night.  Late that afternoon we took the boys over to Nanna and Poppie's so that Nolan could go swimming in their pool.  He just loves the water and likes to jump in over and over again.  There is a short video clip of him below.


Future beer drinkers of America!



In front of the St. Arnold's tie dyed Bentley.



who said mom's can't have fun too?

Henry snoozed at the splash pad

And pictures from the rest of the week:



Day 155:  Nolan icing his head after falling off the couch

 

Day 156:  Doing a little dance before going to swim lessons

 

Day 157:  Watching some "I dig dirts" on the computer



Day 158:  sitting on Henry!



Day 159:  Peek a boo



Day 160:  Splash!



Day 161:  Cowboy Nolan



Recipe Recap Week 23

This week I made 2 new recipes.  One was Key Lime cupcakes, which I made for our block party, and the other was Slow Cooker Italian Chicken.  My mom gave me the cupcake recipe.  Sarah had been to a mom's club meeting where they were served.  She got the recipe and passed it on to mom.  Mom made them for a party that she went to and said they were very good so she passed it on to me.  They sounded good and the block party seemed like the perfect excuse to make them!  They were very good.  I love pretty much anything topped with cream cheese frosting though!

Cupcakes

1	box lemon cake mix
1	box (4-serving size) lime-flavored gelatin
3/4	cup water
1/3	cup Key lime juice
1/3	cup vegetable oil
3	eggs
2	or 3 drops green food color, if desired

Glaze

1	cup powdered sugar
2	to 2 1/2 tablespoons Key lime juice

Frosting

1	package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4	cup butter or margarine, softened
1	teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2	cups powdered sugar
	Grated lime peel, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. In large bowl, beat cake mix and gelatin with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Add remaining cupcake ingredients. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds; beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl as necessary. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
2. Bake 17 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack. With toothpick or wooden skewer, pierce tops of cupcakes in several places.
3. In small bowl, mix 1 cup powdered sugar and enough of the 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice until glaze is smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle and spread glaze over cupcakes. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
4. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. On low speed, beat in vanilla and 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar until mixed; beat on medium speed until fluffy. Frost cupcakes, mounding and swirling frosting in center. Garnish with lime peel. Store covered in refrigerator.

The slow cooker Italian chicken recipe I tore out of the Paula Deen magazine.  This was very good!  The recipe does not say to shred the chicken but I did and served it all over the pasta.

1/4 c butter
1 (.07 oz) package dry Italian dressing
2 cans golden mushroom soup
8 oz cream cheese with onion and chive
1 c white wine
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Melt butter in pan.  Stir in dressing mix.  Add soup, cream cheese and wine.  Stir until cream cheese is melted.  Place chicken in bottom of crock pot.  Pour mixture on top.  Cook 4-6 hours on low.  Serve over pasta.

3 Months

Mr. Henry is 3 months old today!  He is a pretty chill little guy.  He is smiling a lot and "talking" quite a bit too.  His witching hour isn't as bad as it was a few weeks ago.  He still has a little bit of fussiness in the evening but in general is pretty happy to be held.  He seems to have adjusted to daycare pretty well.  I have been trying to figure out the best night time routine for him and I think (knock on wood) that we are zeroing in on one that will work with hopefully only one waking during the night.  Henry is not rolling over yet but he seems to be getting close.  When on his back he can get most of his body turned to the side but leaves his head all twisted.  It does not look comfortable at all!  There is no check up until four months so I do not know what his weight is.  My guess would be 14-15lbs.  Within the past few days he really seems more solid to me.

Below is his 3 month picture.  I remember taking Nolan's and thought it would be fun to put him in the same outfit!  I remember that Nolan was so zonked out that he wouldn't wake up for his picture.  Henry was giving me pretty good smiles when I took his picture and I think it is so funny that he has such a double chin and belly fat hanging out!



Henry @ 3 months



Nolan @ 3 months



Weekly picture recap

Day 148:  So tired of having his picture taken

Day 149:  Conversations with Molly

Day 150:  Drinking milk out of my coffee cup.  He was calling it "coffee milk."

Day 151:  story time

Day 152:  "what up bro?"

Day 153:  at the park

Day 154:  ready for the "water"

such a smiley boy!

Recipe Recap Weeks 21-22

Last week I made Pork Piccata, I tore this one out of the Paula Deen magazine when I used to get it.  This was good and so quick to make.  It could be made with chicken just as easily but it was nice to mix it up with some pork.  This will definitely go into the dinner rotation because I am all about finding things that are quick to make so I can spend more time with the boys in the evening.

1 pork tenderloin (I used 3 boneless pork chops)
1/2 c. flour
salt & pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp butter, divided
2 Tbsp capers
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. dry white wine or white cooking wine
1/4 c. lemon juice
Hot cooked linguine noodles

Cut tenderloin into 1/2"thick medallions.  Combine flour, salt & pepper in a shallow dish.  Coat pork in flour mixture, shake off excess. Heat olive oil & 2 tbsp of butter over med-high heat. Cook pork until golden brown on both sides. Remove from pan & keep warm. Return pan to heat. Add capers & garlic, cook for 1 minute. Add broth, wine & lemon juice, cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 2 tbsp butter, cook & stir until butter has melted & sauce has thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Pour half of sauce over linguine & toss gently. Place pork back in pan & serve with sauce.

On Sunday we had a few people over for dinner and we decided to have fajitas.  I thought maybe I would try making some charro beans so after a quick internet search I came up with a recipe that sounded good.  It was my first time to cook beans from the dried state and the recipe didn't really say how much water needed to be in the pot so I did have to add some extra water a few times so that they wouldn't dry out.  I also used a can of diced tomatoes and pickled jalapenos instead of fresh as the recipe called for.  I decided that they needed a little more flavor so I added a little bit of lime juice and some cumin.  I thought these were pretty good, but I will probably stick to canned beans in the future unless I am cooking for a bunch of people because it made way more than we need!

I am not going to copy the recipe because it was causing problems in the post, but it can be found here: 
http://www.food.com/recipe/Mexican-Charro-Beans-27484