Welcome to Three

 

 

Today, our beautiful girl turns three.  One part of me asks how that happened, the other part of me asks “are you sure she’s not 10?”  D has grown so much over this past year…

Using the bathroom on her own; dressing herself (for the most part); keeping us all safe (“two hands on the wheel!”); learning numbers in Spanish and French; practicing her sign language; working on her socialization skills; getting more creative in her play (she loves it when I bring bunny and doggie to life); learning independence and resiliency; singing – all…the…time; taking new risks (climbing rock walls, walking sidewalk ledges, swinging higher and higher); challenging herself with new games (puzzles and memory are the current favorites); gaining a sense of time (most everything that happened before today was “yesterday” or “last night”); exploring – the outdoors, new words (“that’s beautiful”), new books, new foods (salsa is “not too spicy”); testing – boundaries, mama & daddy’s patience, her volume level…growing into a caring young girl who has us amazed, laughing, and learning each and every day.

Happy Birthday to our Big Girl!

For the Love of Agave Nectar

I’ve been hearing a lot about agave nectar recently; all its praise for being a natural sweetener with lower glycemic levels than table sugar which is much nicer on blood sugar levels – something a mama can appreciate!  One thing it is not, however, is cheap.  As I was poking around Costco the other day, I happened to find a great deal with (2) 32 oz bottles for $10 (compared to $5.95 for one 24 oz bottle at the regular grocery stores)!  So, I put my good deal in the cart and headed home to look up some agave recipes.  Here are two recipes that quickly became hits in this household of mine…

Fresh Lemonade
1.5 cups fresh squeeze lemon juice
6 cups water
3/4 cup agave nectar
1 Tbsp peeled finely grated ginger (this is the ingredient that gave this recipe high marks in my book)

Stir all the ingredients together until well mixed.  Serve over ice.

Watermelon Blueberry Ice Pops
3 3/4 cups watermelon cut into 2-3 inch pieces
Juice from (1) lime
1 Tbsp agave nectar
1 cup blueberries

We, first, blended up the watermelon in batches using the Cuisinart, then added the liquid to the blender and mixed in the remaining ingredients.  Place blueberries into popsicle molds and pour watermelon juice over them leaving some room at the top for expansion.  Freeze for 6 hours and enjoy!

{This Moment}

Inspired by SouleMama {this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see.

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Kale and Farro Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

As the temperatures begin to climb here, I turn from my trusty comfort food recipes and dive in with enthusiasm to lighter, healthier fare.  We paired this delicious salad with baked tilapia and it received rave reviews from T (D preferred the tilapia and tomatoes only).  The vinaigrette really makes this a tasty salad that can be eaten alone or with fish, chicken and lean meats.

SALAD
1.5 cups uncooked farro (I bought ours at Sprouts)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
4.5 cups baby kales, coarsely chopped (the store didn’t have baby kale so I bought full leaf kale and chopped it small)
3/4 cup carrots, peeled and grated
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen

MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp tamari sauce or soy sauce (I used tamari)
2 tsp minced shallot
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Prepare the vinaigrette.  Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large covered saucepan over high heat.  Add a pinch of salt and the farro, return to a boil.  Then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the farro is puffed and slightly chewy, 20-30 minutes.  Drain the farro immediately and rinse under cold water until cool.  Drain again and transfer to a large bowl.  Add cherry tomatoes, kale, carrots and corn.  Stir in vinaigrette and serve immediately.

Popsicles: Homemade Style

After inheriting Tupperware popsicle molds from my mother-in-law, I couldn’t think of a better way to greet the warm spring temperatures than with homemade frozen goodness.  After doing an initial recipe search using the items I already had in the refrigerator, I found something yummy and quick:

Blueberry Yogurt Popsicles
1 cup Flavored Yogurt (I used the Chobani brand vanilla flavor)
1 cup Fresh Blueberries
1 Tbsp Honey (I would double this amount unless you use a more flavorful yogurt)

This week, D has been looking forward to her after-dinner “Blueberry Honey Lollipop”.  As you can see, they are a hit.  I think the next one we’ll try is the Watermelon-Blueberry ice pops!

A Princess of Emotions

Let me be the first to say that being a princess is a tough job, or so I’m told by a three-year-old one.  With adults telling her what to do, when to go to sleep, when to wake up, where to go to school, how to play nicely with others, how to use proper words, which side of the car to ride in, which part of the sidewalk to walk on (always on the inside), wash hands, wash face, wash feet, etc, it’s no wonder there are so many emotions rolled up inside that blue taffeta and lace dress.  And changing diapers while wearing a crown and heals?  Well, that just adds a whole new dimension of responsibility.

Easter Weekend in Photographs

We enjoyed Easter in California with Gigi and Papa…

Easter Tree

Growing up, we always had an Easter Tree, which usually consisted of pussywillow branches adorned with hanging hollowed, colored eggs or little Easter ornaments.  I’ve continued that tradition in my own home, with some variations.  I use fake orange blossom branches, and while I, at one time, had great homemade hollowed egg ornaments, they have somehow disappeared.  So this year I made it a little easier on myself and my little busy helper by creating yarn eggs.  We only did a handful this year and hope to continue adding new colors to our tree in the coming years.

YARN EGGS

What you’ll need

• Thin cotton yarn (I tried a thicker yarn and it didn’t harden)
• Balloons (small water balloons work the best)
• Craft glue (I used clear tacky glue and mixed it 2:1 with water in a small bowl)
• Waxed paper
• Clothespins
• Clothes hanger

How to make it

1. For each egg, cut twenty 3-foot-long strands of cotton yarn and blow up a balloon to a 6- to 8-inch diameter. Mix 2:1 glue and water in a shallow container or bowl.
2. Cover your work area with a sheet of waxed paper. Hold a strand of yarn by one end, dip it into the glue mixture, then wrap it around the balloon. Repeat with the other strands, randomly overlapping them and tucking in loose ends, until the balloon is evenly covered.
3. Using the clothespin, suspend the balloon from the clothes hanger and let it dry overnight. (Cover the area below it with newspaper/wax paper to catch drips.) Once the egg is completely dry, carefully poke a hole in the balloon, then pull it away from the string as it deflates. Hang your finished egg with ribbon or yarn.

What are your favorite Easter traditions?

Weekending with the Seasons

This is the time of year when the sharp contrast in weather reminds me why I keep our scarves and gloves out alongside our swimsuits.  Case in point, last weekend we drove to the Mogollon Rim to play in the snow which was up to our knees in some areas.  The snow there is dry but packs amazingly well.  I made my first snowman in I don’t know how many years.  D watched me build the layers and then gave it a hug and kiss for good luck (we are approaching end of winter, after all).  I even layed down at one point and made a snow angel.  I was a kid again.  My kid found joy in packing snow balls and throwing them at whatever target she found easiest to hit – a tree, mom, dad…  Even Tahoe had a blast running, diving and rolling around in the powder.

This weekend we were hit with the high 80′s at home so we switched gears, bought food to grill, broke out the water table, bubble machine, sprinkler and, yes, swimsuits, and made a weekend of it in the backyard.  That’s how we roll, this little family of mine – we take the seasons by their horns and make sure our attire is appropriate.

Things I Love Week: Day Three

Day Three: This Age

No, not my age, but my 2 year and 9 month old daughter’s age.  We are officially out of diapers – we rarely have accidents and we’ve jumped the hurdles of going number two and using public toilets.  Yes, we are potty trained, hallelujah!

But besides accomplishing this huge milestone, her personality is really starting to blossom and become more evident every day.  She’s empathetic, tidy, determined and has an amazing memory.  She loves animals, she loves to snuggle, she says “I love it!” to just about everything and is often heard sighing “awww” when she sees bunnies, babies and flowers.

Tonight, I was able to capture some of her personality while taking a bath with her duckies.  Did I mention that she loves to have her picture taken and demands to see it every time I take one?  Yes.

“Oh, sorry ducky, I need to clean you, ok?”

“I’m cleaning ducky!”

“All clean now, ducky?”