Memorial Day Brunch

So when my dad invited us over for a Memorial Day brunch, I was so excited to pull up and see that we were going to eat outside!  Such a fun way to start summer!

It was a little hot (like 90 degrees) but there was a strong breeze and lots of shade.  We had a super fun time, and enjoyed lots of YUMMY food!!  And of course, we paused to reflect on the reason why we have Memorial Day.  We can't ever say or do enough for those that serve our Country, and we are forever thankful.  

My dad had a pretty amazing set-up on his driveway.  Yes, that's a mini fridge! :)  He also had a gas stove going, and lots of cool refreshments.  My dad is pretty awesome!

Meanwhile, my cousins, my sister and I started up a mini-size game of 2 hand touch football in the yard.  I made quite the fool of myself but it was so much fun!!!

Eventually Maverick toddled his way over and thought it was hilarious to stand in the middle of the game.  He was so cute squealing with excitement!  The big boys tossed him the ball a few times, he loved it!

While the food eating was winding down, I looked over and noticed Nana sneaking some cheesecake to Maverick. :)

It's a good thing that Mav has some super awesome grandparents!!!

I suppose one typically has BBQ on Memorial Day, but we had fun switching it up with brunch.  My dad makes a legendary breakfast.  Seriously, it's the best ever!  It's very southern style (heart attack on a plate!) but that's what makes it so stinkin' tasty.

There was bacon in the first cast iron kettle...but it was devoured instantly.  It was SOOOO good!  The thickest cut bacon I've ever had--cooked to perfection.

We also had scrambled eggs, southern style hashbrowns (with onion, green/red peppers, corn), sausage, biscuits, cinnamon rolls, and made-from-scratch sausage gravy.  Also some tasty cheesecake and coffee cake.  SO much delicious food that we were all waddling afterwards.

I am so thankful for God blessing me with a wonderful family, and blessing me with living in this country where we are so fortunate (even in our current economic situation).  Having traveled outside the country and seeing how much we have, it makes me that much more thankful for those who serve to protect us.

   

Reformed Grocery Mama

Well, it's only taken 18 months but I'm finally and fully back into one of the things I love doing--cooking!!

Working full time and having a baby (plus all of life's other craziness!) wears a poor soul out.  Cooking was one of those things that got put on the wayside, unfortunately.  Lots of eating unhealthy fast food, and boring, repetitious food at home.  Bad on the pocket book, and horrible for the waistline.  But the past couple months I've started out small and have worked my way back to planning meals and cooking delicious stuff again.  Now that Mav is big enough to "help" me or just plain wander around and fend for himself (not that he actually fends for himself, ha!) it gives me time to make meals from scratch. Yummmm!

Not that he meant it harshly, but a while ago Robbie mentioned that he missed all the food I used to cook when we first got married.  I would spend so much time finding new recipes, and go shopping for new types of ingredients.  It was so fun, and I miss it too!



(Isn't his hair crazy?!  I'm trying out the long hair look...we'll see how it lasts, ha!)



Now that I have a toddler, I've had to find a new strategy. (I guess I have all this fresh on my brain since I went grocery shopping this morning, ha!) Anyways, here is my new way of planning our meals:

--We've set a budget amount for groceries, split into a major trip every 2 weeks. (Airing some dirty laundry here, we've never really been good about budgeting groceries--which sounds more awful than what I'm trying to say.  It's not that we were over-spending, we just really want to be better about not wasting food and money.)

--I'm not a crazy couponer.  I don't buy 15 tubes of toothpaste to save $2.00.  But who doesn't like to get a good deal?  So its fun to go through the newspaper ads and plan meals from what's on sale.

--I plan a menu for 2 weeks worth of meals, and post it on the kitchen dry erase board.  Scratching off a meal when cooked, it's nice to quickly see what's available.  Doing this has almost eliminated food waste since I'm not cooking aimlessly, it's fabulous!

--When I plan the menu, I write down the groceries I'll need from the store.

--Here's where it gets a little crazy, but awesome that it works so good for me.  I'm sure there are tons of other people who do this because they have squirmy toddlers like mine...but maybe not...ha!  I always go to the same grocery store, so I have the layout memorized.  I want to make the trip as quick and painless as possible, so I write my grocery list in the order of appearance.  No back tracking.  No aimless wandering.  Business only, people! :)  (and this way I'm less tempted to buy something not on the list)

(It's pretty pathetic how much I've memorized the store.  Last time I went shopping, I helped 3 people find something they were looking for...I guess I looked serious with my list, ha ha!)

 

One thing that I loved so much growing up was eating dinner on a table, with my family, no tv--just conversation.

As Mav gets older I really look forward to sharing the same experience with him.  It will also be really fun encouraging him to pick the meals (that way he will hopefully want to try new things), and using his help to cook.  

And one of the best things of all, eating more healthy food!  It's nice to know exactly every ingredient put into our meal.  (Not saying that we don't have nights planned to dine on a delicious frozen pizza or Hamburger Helper!)  But for the most part, it's all homemade.  :)

I've also noticed that with everything planned out, it doesn't take as much time to cook anymore either.  So more time to play!   

New Hideout and...Teeth

I can't tell who Maverick looks more like these days.  Sometimes I think me.  Sometimes I think Robbie.  A lot of people think he strongly favors my mom. 

Anyways, I am LOVING this age.  I wish I could press the 'pause' button for a little while.  He is just so stinking fun to be around, and it's so wonderful to watch his personality grow.  He's not as needy as a baby anymore, and he's not old enough to talk back. :)

Lately, he loves just randomly waving and squealing with delight at me.  It's like, every 10 minutes or so, he wants to remind me that he loves me.  Love it!!

This is Mav's newest obsession.  At first, we heard him screaming "Bye-bye!"  But we couldn't find him anywhere.

Then Robbie made a discovery.

And now the cabinet that was his "stuff to help mom cook" is now his hideout.  He still keeps all sorts of plastic and foil dishes in there, but has added his fake food and random toys. :)

Let's see...things Maverick is saying nowadays.  All airplanes are "bow-gas". (No idea folks!)  All balls are "bah-et-balls" (basketballs).  Bubbles are "bubbles" (one of the few words he has right, ha!)  At the end of every book, song, plate of food, and water draining from the bath is "Bug-gone!" (All gone!)

I seriously can't believe its May.  Where does time go?  Well, where ever it goes, it gets there way too quickly.

Random rant: my teeth HURT!

Granted, I haven't been to the dentist in like 5 years.  However, I'm really good about brushing, flossing, and the sort.  Not saying I don't have the typical cavity precursors, but it isn't cavity pain.  My teeth are SO sensitive to cold that it's really interfering with life.

Like, if I'm smiling outside and the wind hits my teeth, they ache terribly.  Any sort of cold food (ice cream, gah!) or cold drinks are torture.  If I take a deep breath in, but with my teeth clinched--that is awful!  But just the right side of my mouth.

I switched to Sensodyne which seemed to help a teenie bit.  And I am FINALLY going to the dentist in 3 weeks.  In the meantime I'm using Orajel and avoiding my most favorite thing of all: super ice cold drinks.  I could never, ever survive in Europe.  I have to have 3/4 cup ice, and then a little liquid.  

I googled "what makes teeth sensitive" and discovered that the peak age for tooth sensitivity is ages 25-30.

Hmph.  Who'd a thunk?!

Maybe I just have to bear it for about 3 more years.