Testing Out the Boots

This weekend was laid back, as most of our weekends are I suppose. The rain has kept us inside a bunch, but Claire and I did get out in the rain to test out her new rain boots. We live right by a big grassy area and river, so we headed out to stomp around in some puddles. The boots are a little hard for her to get used to, so we lasted about 4 minutes and then Claire was submerged in a puddle, crying, showing me her muddy hand. It was the end of the world, really. Here she is pre-fall. 

marching in the puddles was a hit

and that is the terrible, no good puddle she swam in

Since we live right next to this perfect giant mud puddle, I really want to invite some kids and their parents over to get dirty and have donuts one morning. The only thing I didn't think of was inviting them in our apartment...after they are all muddy. Maybe it will have to be an eat your donut, then jump in puddles and go home kind of morning. Sounds fun to me!

I edited these photos with Afterglow. I heard about the app from the girls at A Beautiful Mess in this post. So far it is super fun, and there are a ton of options to create a really unique look. I went really simple with these, but I have a bunch saved on my computer that have everything from circle frames to red glowing strips through the photos. Fancy!

Any other fun photo editing apps that I should try? Let me know :)

Flowers and December Goals

Peonies and mums. I brought these home from Whole Foods yesterday and Danny said woah those look kind of funny. The peonies were little balls of dark magenta and did, in fact, look funny. I told him that they were peonies, the same flower that we had all over our wedding. :) Not ten minutes after we put them in water, one of them started to open up to show off a bit. They are gorgeous and I love the dark color to go along with the season.

Here are some goals for December that I would like to work on. I realize that reading my goals is probably last on your list of things to do, but it makes me feel more accountable when I write them down somewhere, especially if other people can see them. For example, last month I had four goals. I think I only accomplished two. When I failed at my posting every day of the month goal, I felt this intense guilt! It was a little extreme, and I will try to take them a little less seriously this month. More of a try-really-hard-to-get-it-done thing. Here we go:

1. Start Crossfit On-Ramp Program.
This is going to be the biggest challenge for me. I am super duper nervous about going since the only people I know that do Crossfit are in awesome shape and I am hanging onto WAY too much weight after being pregnant. I have worked out with a trainer a lot in the past so I am confident that my form will be great, but I am also confident that I am in the worst shape of my life after not working out since I was newly pregnant. That means I will be the weakest, slowest, and fattest! I win in all categories! Wish me luck with this one, I really need it. 

2. Use the crockpot more. 
I love the crockpot. It is the best piece of cookware in my kitchen right now, and I can get a meal ready to go at nine in the morning, and forget about it all day until it is time to eat. How easy is that?! I need to make a few good soups and roasts this month.

3. Create a play group for Claire (and me)!: 
I am going to get on Facebook and see if other people want to get together with their kids. I know plenty of girls I went to high school with, worked with, etc. that have kids now. Its time to get together, have our kids play, and bask in our new (and not so new) motherhood! Man, I really hope someone wants to actually do this with me. ha!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend.

The Weekend Without Photos

I wish I had more photos to share from the weekend. To be honest, we didn't do much. We all have been waking up with terrible headaches and stuffy noses lately and have been trying to kick this cold for a few days now. We decorated the Christmas tree yesterday though. Claire was in awe with the ornaments and is now a pro at turning the tree lights on and off all by herself. It only took about 20 minutes to break the first ornament. Go Claire! :)

Something to make you smile from this time last year. This video almost makes me want another one!

Hope your weekend was special and that you shopped till you dropped on Black Friday. Anyone bring home some good finds? I am trying to buy something big online tomorrow for (hopefully) a good deal. I will let you know if I have any luck!

To Grandmother's House We Went

eucalyptus trees on the side of 101 (my favorite part of the drive) source

Yesterday we made the trip to San Luis Obispo and back to spend Thanksgiving with my grandparents. It was Claire's first time there and we had such a great time visiting, eating, relaxing, and chasing Claire around. We were worried about the six hours of driving (there and back) but Claire was a champ and a joy to ride in the car with. As long as she was rocking out to Elizabeth Mitchell (or pretending to conk me in the head with her push toy) she was as happy as a clam.

It was actually great to be in the car. I usually get car sick (lame, I know) but everything went smooth and Danny and I were able to have some quality time together. Since Claire was strapped in tight in the backseat listening to her tunes, we were able to have some great conversations. 

We talked about California and how the scenery is breathtaking. About how we are lucky to have grown up and be living here right now. Sometimes San Jose can seem dull, and I often long for something more exciting. But when we are driving through eucalyptus forests and smelling the ocean while driving on highway 101, the monotony of the place seems to fade and I feel a sense of pride in my state. It really is so beautiful, and it was nice to take the time to appreciate that yesterday.

Danny droned on and on about John Steinbeck and how he described the landscapes we were driving through in his novels. I love to hear him talk about literature because he gets so incredibly excited and passionate. Danny dreamed out loud about the novel he is writing in his head. We brainstormed and laughed and interrupted and sat in silence, thinking about the many things we want to accomplish in the future. 

We talked about this blog and what I am doing and why I am doing it. We rattled off ideas for posts and my vulnerabilities. I love Danny because he is such a cheerleader for me. He is so supportive and encourages me to "just have fun" while writing. Thanks Danny :)

Claire snored (we are all sick with a cold) in the back and we giggled and bragged about how sweet she is. We can't be the only parents who do this, right? We love her so much, sometimes we can just sit and have a conversation about how much we love her. 

We are happy to be home now and enjoying this extra long weekend! Hope you guys are enjoying it too :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

source

Today I am so thankful for this girl, my heart is about to burst.

Happy Thanksgiving. :)

Candied Pecans

These candied pecans are so simple and are awesome by themselves or as a garnish. I have made candied nuts in the microwave before (ugh, I know what you are thinking) and was disappointed to say the least. This recipe calls for an egg white which allows the sugar mixture to stick really well to the nut and makes for the crunchiest candied pecan with plenty of sugar in each bite! Just how we like them around here.

Make sure you buy a little better quality pecans. I have made this a few times and the times in which I used more expensive nuts were the times Danny and I popped them like popcorn. As a garnish, I like to put them on top of Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake. 

Candied Pecans
(adapted from recipe at AllRecipes.com)



Ingredients:

• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 pound pecan halves
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directons:

1. Easy as pie! Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Mix egg white and water in bowl. Add pecans and stir to coat. Add the sugars, salt, and cinnamon and mix until evenly coated.
2. Spread pecan mixture on nonstick or lightly greased cookie sheet. Cook for 1 hour (seems long but so worth it!) giving the nuts a stir every 15 minutes. Eat them hot or let them cool and enjoy! :)

feeding Beary his first candied pecan

going in for a smooch

there she goes

MUAH!

I hope you all have a relaxing Thanksgiving filled with people you love! We are heading down to San Luis Obispo to spend time with my grandparents. We are looking forward to some good food and family :)

A Beary Sweet Introduction

It is about time you meet that sweet, cuddly, kind of dirty looking guy that appears on this blog at least weekly...

This is Beary.

Beary is good for practicing eyes, nose, and ears

Claire calls him Bear-Bear. He is the newest member of our family, and has been giving us good cuddles since Christmas last year. Claire had multiple other stuffed animals before she was born, and I had originally thought she might get attached to this crazy, fluffy cat. I even brought this cat to the hospital to meet Claire the same day that we did. 

the hospital bag

Well, as you could imagine, this thing got fuzzy stuff all over Claire, including her little mouth. See you later Cat! We will hang out when Claire gets bigger! So I went searching for the perfect animal to love up on my girl. I had a bear in mind since we call her ClaireyBear. I found Beary on Amazon.com and had him here by Christmas. I even slept with him a few times in attempt to get Claire to love Beary even more.

I put him in Claire's stocking (after Santa filled it of course). And he waited patiently for Claire all night.

It took a few months of having Beary nearby most of the day and laying with Claire while she was nursing. The rest is history, and she adores this bear. She will pick him out of a stack of stuffed animals and hug him like it has been years since they last saw each other. I like the thought of something that she can be attached to because I had BrightHeart when I was little. 

Here is BrightHeart, my old friend from my childhood. 

raggedy little fella, huh?

He now sleeps in Claire's crib with her, and she probably likes him second best. Is everyone laughing at BrightHeart's nightgown? I had a matching one growing up. Brilliant.

What do you think about attachment objects? Did you have one growing up? Danny had a blankie...shh! :)

Taking Time To Be Thankful

Not to toot my own horn, but I feel like I am always thinking of things I am thankful for. It is just in my nature to feel nostalgic about anything and everything, and overly emotional about certain moments that might end too quickly. Our family tries to take the time to mention something that we are thankful for whenever we sit down to eat a meal together. I love making an effort to remember the good things in our lives. We sometimes mention what we think Claire would be thankful for that day if she could chime in with a little more than animal noises. 

last year right around Thanksgiving

One thing I don't do is write these things down. So they quickly escape my mind and I don't have a nice little list of things I am thankful for. Hence this post.

1. I am so so thankful for a healthy girl. My poor babe has been through the wringer before with allergies and a kidney infection and those months that she was hurting was hell, to put it lightly. I'm sure I will post about our experiences in her early months another time, but for now, let's keep this positive! Claire is healthy, and I actually do think of and am thankful for this every day,
2. I am thankful for Danny who works so hard to allow me to stay home with Claire for these first couple years of Claire's life. He is really sacrificing his comfort to keep our girl as comfortable as possible.
3. This might sound really funny to other people, but I am thankful for this blog. It has acted as a little creative outlet for me and allowed me to feel productive in a totally different way than changing diapers and nursing. 
4. I am so happy and thankful to be living near both sets of our parents. As much as I dream of living in a craftsman in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle (we used to live there), or near my sister-in-law on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, being near our parents has been wonderful. With the first six months of Claire's life being somewhat difficult for all of us, having the support of grandmas and grandpas was nice. Also, the ClaireyBear is a little slow to warm up to people so this more constant interaction with them helps her create even better relationships with them that will last no matter where we end up! :)

I am excited to be officially kicking off the holiday season this week! What are your plans for Thanksgiving? Is anyone making pumpkin pie from scratch? That is on my todo list someday, I've never done it. :)

The Weekend in Photos

It was a great weekend. I was able to go out three times without Danny AND Claire. This is a big accomplishment for me since I have only done that about five times since she has been born. Yay for cocktail parties, coffee dates with Stacy, and solo grocery shopping!

she looks too old here... :(

"smile Claire!"

homework

a new bus to add to a mess of toys

at Camron's birthday party

birthday boy and his cousin

first time in a jump house

the cutest "bug" goodie bags ever!

teeny caramel apples

the weekly Beary, before bedtime tonight

My Heart Beats For Them

Danny and Claire (3 months old)

Since Claire came into the world, my sleep has been disrupted to say the least. She is 17 months old and still wakes up at least three times throughout the night to eat, all while sleeping sideways next to me in the bed. Up until Claire was 15 months old, I was able to count the number of hours Danny and I have slept next to each other since she was born. His bed was our little apartment sized couch because he had to be up at 6:30 in the morning. The norm was saying goodnight with a wave while I slipped into the bedroom to feed a crying, hungry babe.

So, these last two months since Claire has learned to sleep in her crib (which is two feet away from our bed) for naps and the first four hour stretch of the night has been different. I forgot that people sometimes cuddle in bed when they are going to sleep. We still have to whisper (almost silently) if we want to communicate while lying in bed. At least we are getting a little closer to normal.

Last night we were lying in bed trying to fall asleep and for the first time in over a year I could feel Danny's heartbeat. There is something special about feeling or hearing another person's heartbeat. It is so personal. It made me slow down for a second and appreciate him being there, and realize how much I had missed him while he had been snoring on the couch the last year. It also reminded me of the first time I had felt Claire's tiny heart beating after she was born.

You have to be so close to someone in order to feel their heart beating. You have to be quiet and still. It almost feels primal to me. Feeling this organ that is pumping life throughout my husband and daughter. It reminds me that they are individuals with their own thoughts, loves, and hardships just like me. It makes me want to hug hem and give them extra kisses. Most importantly, it makes me thankful that we are all healthy and here together. Love those two!

Our trendy dancing tunes around here lately:

Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is my go-to recipe when I want a chocolate chip cookie fix. It isn't anything fancy, but its quick and the clean up is minimal. I can get these cookies in the oven in under ten minutes. Love that! I even made them in a jiffy last weekend when our friends that had come over for dinner were sitting around chatting. 

Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies
(adapted from recipe at Food.com)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter
• one egg plus one yolk
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups plus 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup chocolate chips (1/2 milk chocolate and 1/2 semisweet)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Get 2 (smaller and larger) bowls, and 1 wooden spoon. Melt butter in smaller non-plastic bowl, 45 seconds in the microwave. Pour into bigger bowl. Re-microwave smaller bowl for 10 seconds. Crack eggs into warm smaller bowl. Let sit while mixing sugar into butter with wooden spoon in the larger bowl. Add vanilla, salt, and baking soda to larger bowl and mix until smooth. Add eggs. Stir again. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time until all blended. Lastly, fold in chocolate chips.
3. Spoon large heaps of dough (small ice cream scoop size) onto ungreased cookie sheet, six on a sheet. Leave dough in lumpy heaps on the cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes, rotate sheet, then bake another 8 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheet. Remove and enjoy! Makes 12 cookies.

yum!

Nesting Dolls

Remember these? I used to have four or five sets of nesting dolls when I was a little girl. They were always my not-so-favorite toys to play with and mostly collected dust high on the shelf in my room. They are now tucked away in storage somewhere. I thought about digging through 25 years of stuff in order to find them for Claire soon...maybe.

But yesterday I saw some at Cost Plus! I was so excited to teach Claire how they worked. An added bonus, they were made with wood! Just like mine from way back when. The only thing that these lacked were an extra couple dolls to nest inside. This set only had three. That's okay though, it's better for little hands and toy-hungry mouths!

The authentic nesting dolls are great, but these modern nesting dolls are even more fun!

How cute is this bib?!

The Weekend in Photos

the weekly Beary

Claire stored her breakfast in her play oven. hippo and oranges on the menu, eh? mmm

inspector Claire with the magnifying glasses

she would lick one, then set it aside

Philz Coffee is my current obsession

Claire is my little photographer

munchin on my Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

It was a good weekend. Today we can cross off one of my goals from yesterday. We cleared the patio of all of our TONS of crap and took it to storage. Swept and layed some outdoor carpet. Shopped a bit and now we have an almost complete patio! Pictures will follow soon.

I am writing this post as we sit outside in 47 degree weather bundled up in multiple sweatshirts and blankets...and enjoying some amazing almond toffee by R&J and a bottle of moscato. Highly recommended! Cheers to a productive day and some yummy dessert. The only thing that would make this better would be if we could continue this tomorrow. Oh wait! We can, happy early Veteran's Day!

Happy Friday

I forgot it was Friday today. I was too busy reconnecting with my old friend/roommate, Jami. I haven't seen her in almost three years but it feels like just yesterday we were sleeping under the same roof. To say I missed her is the biggest understatement. Even bigger that saying that I'm tired - even though I haven't slept more than 3 hours at a time in the last 17 months.

Here she is with Claire. She spoiled us today, buying breakfast and getting Claire that rad drum in the photo. I missed you Jami!!!

man, they are pretty huh?!

On another note, go on, get link happy:

Some furniture redesign inspiration.

Art to make you laugh.

Such a clever (and delicious) looking recipe!

Decorating without breaking the bank this season.

Mom needs these shoes, and Clairey needs these. Danny, take note :)

Happy Friday!

My Super Kiss!

I always thought it was silly that moms and dads would kiss their kids booboo to make it feel better. Call me insensitive, but before you have kids, your perception of kids and your role as a Super Parent is DRASTICALLY different. Well, in my case it was. I mean, who would have thought that my little ClaireyBear would be sleeping in between me and Danny every night?! I know I didn't! But she is and we (mostly) love the cuddle time.

Back to booboos. Now that Claire is running around everywhere we are experiencing quite a few OUCH moments over here. Recently she got hurt and I kissed the spot that was hurting (I don't remember where it was). She instantly stopped crying, smiled, and gave a little happy chuckle. I didn't even tell her that the kiss was supposed to magically make her stop hurting. It just happened, and now each time she smashes a finger or takes a little tumble, I kiss the booboo and she really is better!

My pre-mom self would have thought, umm there is no way a kiss could literally make that scraped knee feel better...

Now, I think it is so sweet that a kiss from Mom could make my girl happy. Oh how motherhood changes us!

this morning when Claire woke up