Vote!

Just a reminder to get out there and VOTE today!

And I really hope this doesn't happen to you.  Seriously.  Awkward.

Happy November

Holy smokes - sorry I have been MIA.  I was sick for a week straight and just as I was rallying and feeling better, Noah came down with something nasty.  He had a fever of 103 - 104.6 for a solid 4 days.  Scared the crap out of me.  Poor guy felt awful!  He had tonsillitis!  Can you believe that?  I didn't know babies could get tonsillitis!  So, needless to say, we've been in survival mode around here for the past couple of weeks.  So today, I'm 3 cups of coffee down and giving you a bunch of randomness.  Enjoy.

1. Speaking of being sick.  Noah is on antibiotics for a week, morning and night.  And since my lost brain cells never returned after pregnancy brain . . . remembering whether or not I've given him a dose in the morning and night is more cumbersome than one might think.  So, we do this.  Make two columns for AM and PM, and a row for each day, check when you give a dose.

2. What did you guys dress up as for Halloween!?  Noah was on day one of his fever but he perked up around 5 that night so we went ahead and put him in his costume.  Noah and J dressed up as 1920's pilots and I was Rosie the Riveter.  We went over to Grandpa and Grandma's and took a group picture with the cousins, and that was about all the little man could handle.  I'm glad we dressed up, though!

3. Went to a beautiful wedding this weekend and had a great time with the family at the reception.  Danced the night away with my love and took cute pictures with my seesters.

4. Jordan spent the weekend making a sign that is SO fun.  Really brings out the Poke fan in me!  It's not quite finished but here is a sneak peak.  I love that my husband is becoming so crafty, er, manly and good with tools.  He doesn't know it yet, but I have a Pinterest board filled with handmade wood projects for him to build me.

5. Have any of you voted early this year?  Noah, Jordan and I are heading down tomorrow.  Can't wait!  I still vividly remember the night of the election in 2008.  I was at Wayne and Val's and we stayed up late that night watching the inauguration.  Such an iconic election year. And now, 4 years later, so much has changed.  Both good and bad.  I hope you all take the time to vote tomorrow.  We are blessed to live in a country to speak our minds and make a difference!

6. Have you guys ever had a recipe swap?  We started one between the sister-in-laws and it's been really fun seeing the recipes come in!  Our goal was to each share 5 go-to recipes.  I shared the following:

• Prosciutto & Asparagus Pasta (posted on the blog last week)
• My take on Spaghetti (use whole wheat rotini instead of spaghetti noodles and swap 3/4 of the hamburger for spicy sausage instead.  Roast cherry tomatoes in the oven for your sauce, add mushrooms and chopped peppers, top with fresh grated parmesan cheese)
• Chicken & Edamame with Orange Ginger Dressing - yummy & light
• Crock Pot Beef carnitas tacos - so good the meat just falls apart, melts in your mouth!
• Tuscan Sausage Soup - a great fall staple
• Cabbage and Italian Sausage with Angel Hair - one of J's new favs

7. Does anyone have some kind of hidden secret on how to change a crib sheet without losing your mind?  Is this not the hardest thing ever?  What our morning looked like:

(The adorable embroidery hoop was a gift from Mimi, the giraffe a Jellycat from Anthro, the quilt was handmade by Grandma Cindy, and the print was designed by Larissa Kay Designs.)

8. Hope the time change didn't mess with you too much this weekend.  I know this is over-said but . . . whoever thought of daylight savings clearly did not have children.

9. Happy Monday, happy November, and have a good week!

XO

Prosciutto & Asparagus Pasta

Lately I've been trying to step up my game in the recipe department.  Trying new recipes and increasing my go-to everyday recipe list.  It goes without being said that Pinterest is my new best friend for this, right?

One of our favorite go-to recipes is Prosciutto & Asparagus Pasta, and I actually found it in Sunset Magazine.  Oh my, it is SO yummy.  So good.  And easy.  So it's an obvious choice for when you have company over - you won't have to spend all night in the kitchen and they'll devour it.  They will ask for the recipe, I'm telling you.

{Prosciutto and Asparagus Pasta}

• 8 ounces of angel hair pasta (we use whole wheat, makes us feel better about the ungodly amount of cream used below)
• 1 Tbsp of olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 4 ounces thinly sliced proscuitto, cut into strips
• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream (I know, it's a lot.  Do it in the name of goodness.  Or, replace with fat free half & half like we do.)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  
  
  
  1. Cook pasta according to package instructions.  Drain and return to pot.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large frying pan over medium high heat.  Cook onion, garlic, and mushrooms until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  3. Add prosciutto and asparagus until asparagus turns bright green, about 2 minutes.
  4. Add cream, cheese, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Reduce heat to simmer until sauce has thickened, about 4 minutes.
  5. Pour sauce with vegetables over pasta and toss to coat.  Serve with more grated Parmesan.

On Feeding Baby

Do any of you mamas out there struggle with what to feed your baby?

We started feeding Noah solids when he was around 5 months.  He took it like a champ, one bite of pureed bananas and he was hooked.  It was a little too easy.

Now, at 10 months, I can hardly get him to eat a thing.  He became Mr. Independent around 8-9 months and will have nothing to do with anything involving a spoon.

So, onto the finger foods I suppose.  We started with Gerber Lil' Crunchies and he took to them right away.  I snuck a bite of a crunchy one day and found it's basically no more than a glorified Cheeto.  No wonder N devours them.  I'm trying hard to stick to fruits and veggies and not get hooked on salty, cracker snacks.  (I know, talk to me a year from now and see how I'm doing...).  But for now, Lil' Crunchies are in the "Mama's Desperate to feed you" pile.

We've tried avocado, mango, bananas, pears, canned veggies, soup, cooked whole wheat rotini . . . Need I go on?  I literally have tried everything.  Another favorite - roasted acorn squash.  But the dilemma lies in him not being able to pick up the slippery, squish-able stuff! I've made sweet potatoes a few times, too.  I bake a sweet potato, mix it with a spoonful of vanilla greek yogurt, a sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg and pinch of brown sugar.  Let me tell you, this is GOOD.  I would eat it by the spoonful.  But Noah keeps a good yard between him and the nearest spoon. 

I'm desperate, people.  I've resorted to these super-handy food pouches.  They cost an arm and a leg and I cringe every time I check out, but if it's finally getting Noah to eat fruits and vegetables, I'll cave.  Mostly I just worry that he's not eating enough, and what am I going to do in two months when we're finished nursing?

Do you have any tried and true finger food recipes and meal ideas for your independent babies?  I'm all ears, over here.

In other news, do you guys use reusable food bags?  We would go through a box of ziplock bags a week, I swear.  We love Smitten Baby reusable bags for everything from whole wheat waffles on the go, to the banned Lil' Crunchies.  It's so nice to just be able to rinse and reuse.  And it helps that they are adorable, too.  Find them here: {http://smittenbaby.com/products/snack_podz.html}

That's all I've got on the topic of baby eating.  Talk soon.

On Weather

It was one of the warnings I was given before moving to Casper.  You know how WINDY it is there, right?  Yes, wusses.  How bad it could it be?

Well.  I retract what I said.  Got my first dose of the wind today, and it went a little something like this.

Walked outside, where I almost immediately lost my scarf in the wind.  Somehow it came unraveled around my neck in the midst of me carrying Noah, a diaper bag, a blueberry waffle, my wallet, and a coffee mug in attempts to get out the door.

Came home from our little rendevouz only to find the front door wide open.  I of course panicked.  Clearly someone has robbed us of all our belongings and is waiting inside for me with a knife.  I left Noah in the car to take a quick tour of the house, unarmed, ready to be attacked.  Only to come to the more rational realization that wind has in fact blown the door open. 

And finally, was cleaning up debris outside (I'm not kidding) when I found pieces of our flag pole in the yard.  I look at the side of our house where our flag used to be, to see pieces of the base still attached to the house.  What the heck, people!  The flag, the pole, are GONE.  I drove around the block a few times thinking I was going to find the flag but to no avail.

Now, you may think this is where I drown in my sorrows and whine to you all.  No, no.  I am happy inside enjoying my 4th cup of coffee relishing in days like the ones below.

Hope the weather is treating you better where you all are.  :)

Something About {It}

I'm back.  I'm blogging again.  There's something that has me kicking again.

Something about taking the leap to leave my job in sales, but gain a career as a mama.

Something about packing up your family to leave the city and welcoming a more quaint life.

Something about saying goodbye to dear friends, but gaining more family.  About missing those friends, but knowing they're still in your life.  Something about cherishing those friendships more now that they aren't at the tips of your fingers.

Something about wanting to capture this all on {paper}.  Something about sharing it with you all. 

Doesn't this just about sum it up?

XO