Wordless Wednesday- Hairstylin'- Toddler Style!

Muffin Tin Monday- Peppy Pepperoni

 Eat the Rainbow!

(Starting in the upper left, circling around clockwise) 

Skim Milk, Green Grapes, Baby Carrots, Unsweetened Applesauce, Pepperoni Slices and Veggie Straws.

I've come to realize that my child may look like me, but she definitely has her Daddy's taste buds She loves raw onions! She loves sausage, ham and pepperoni! She drinks milk by the gallons and she has a bit of a sweet tooth.

So, any meal with pepperoni is a winner and this meal is no exception. She cleaned most of the tray with only a couple of stray grapes and smears of applesauce left. What you don't see in this picture is the slice of pizza she ate in ADDITION to the muffin tin!

Sentence of the Day- Workout

While running around and climbing the Chick-Fil-A play place, Katy ran over to me and exclaimed,

"Whew! I'm getting my working out, today!"

Wordless Wednesday- Artist in Residence

Muffin Tin Monday- Black Bean and Sausage Soup

(Starting in the upper left corner, circling around clockwise) 

Mini Egg/Nut/Soy free Chocolate Chip Cupcake, Green Grapes, Cheese Wheel, Sweet Potato Chips, Black Bean and Sausage Stew (see recipe, below), Baby Carrots

Today was one of those days where I knew I had to be on my "A-game" in order to get through the day. Busy, busy! I put dinner in the crock-pot so I wouldn't have to worry about the proverbial question, "What's for dinner?" come five o'clock, after a long day.

Katy was a little anxious for her dinner, so you will notice the bite out of her cheese wheel before I got to take a picture. I'm happy to report, Katy most of her meal- all but two carrots and a couple grapes. She loved the Black Bean and Sausage stew- definitely going to have to make that again!

Black Bean and Sausage Stew

3 Cans (15 oz. each) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup chopped bell pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 pound cooked ground sausage

Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker, except sausage. Cover and cook on low six to eight hours. Transfer about 1 1/2 cups bean mixture from slow cooker and puree (an immersion blender works great for this!). Return to slow cooker, along with the sausage. Cover and cook on low for an additional 15 minutes. Serves six.

*The original recipe called for sliced sausage but I think the ground kind works really well in here.
**I didn't do it this time, but I think that putting this stew over white or brown rice would be divine. Of course, I just like rice in general, so I could be a bit biased.... ;-P
***Ted likes to add a little heat to his stew, so red pepper flakes would be a wonderful addition.
****Last but no least, I believe that this is more a "chili" consistency than a "stew" recipe with the ground sausage. A tasty chili recipe, I might add... one that just might show up at a certain annual fall Kinetic Church chili cook off.... just saying... ;-D

Happy Father's Day 2012- All About Daddy Questionnaire

Daddy and his little wing girl ;-)

Now that Katy is a little older and able to answer simple questions, I thought that it would be fun to ask her questions about her Daddy, on Father's Day, on an annual basis. It will be fun to see what kind of answers we get! This year, our little interview went something like this (me asking Katy the questions):

Me, "How old is Daddy?"
Katy, "One" (She holds up one finger.)

Me, "What is Daddy's full name?"
Katy, "My Daddy."

Me, "What is Daddy's favorite food?"
Katy, "Pasta. My Daddy like pasta- me too."

Me, "What is Daddy's favorite color?"
Katy, "Speecy spicy." (This is what Katy calls Tabasco sauce)

Me, "What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy?"
Katy, "Eat. I like (to) eat 'cream."

Me, "What is Daddy's favorite song?"
Katy, "Muppets." (She then proceeds to break out into song and dance, "I've got everything that I need...")

Me, "What is Daddy's favorite movie?"
Katy, "Muppet Man!!" (referring to the most recent Muppet movie)

With the exception of the age question, does Katy know her Daddy, or what?!? :-)

Happy Father's Day!!

Dining Out With Food Allergies

As most of you know, Katy is allergic to eggs, nuts and soy. We've known about these food allergies for well over a year, now and we've learned a couple of trick along the way. At first it was hard, but now it's pretty much second nature. We, as a family tend to eat better because of the allergies and our awareness of exactly what ingredients go into the food we fuel our bodies with.

However, dining out with Katy is always a problem. What- if anything?- on the menu can Katy safely eat without breaking out into hives? This usually leads into a discussion with the wait staff, perhaps a manager, and some sort of group consultation. You can't just ASSUME something doesn't contain any of the offending allergens. You'd be amazed what foods out there contain soy (Seriously, read a couple of labels in your pantry- you'll be shocked!!)!!

Tonight on a whim, we went to Olive Garden for dinner. It was a spur-of-the moment decision. I'm going to pick on Olive Garden for a moment. First of all, our service was mediocre, at best. Then, when I presented the question about allergies, our waitress was uninformed, uncaring and completely uneducated about food allergies and the potential dangers that lurked ahead. After several SLOW exchanges between us, the waitress and the cooks, a manager FINALLY came out to talk to us. The manager was cordial, but equally uneducated and uninformed about food allergies and the ingredients that go into the food that the Olive Garden serves. A good 40 minutes after we were seated (remember, we're dining out with a toddler), we FINALLY received a computer print-out of Olive Garden allergens/ingredients. It was really slim pickings for our egg/nut/soy allergic Lil' Miss, but we finally settled on a side of sausage (I had brought along yogurt, raisins, veggie sticks and applesauce in her bag) but she devoured it! Lesson learned- do your research before going out to eat. Insist to see a manager about food allergies. Persist if you don't first get the service you need. And, as any good girl scout knows- come prepared with reinforcements (just in case)!!! For those of you who care, or are just curious, here is the Olive Garden allergen information from their website: http://www.olivegarden.com/uploadedFiles/Content/pdf/allergen_guide.pdf

On the flip side, we've dined out at places before with impeccable service and attention to the needs of those with food allergies. Huge kudos to Walt Disney World (they really, truly take food allergies to heart and go the extra mile to accommodate)! Katy has eaten at the Magic Kingdom twice with no problems and wonderfully educated, caring and informed wait-staff. Also, Sweet Frog Frozen Yogurt is very up-front about ingredients and potential allergens- they have signs posted with easy-to-read ingredient lists. Quaker Steak and Lube is another place where we saw the manager/cook come out and discuss food allergies with a customer.

Sentence of the Day- Some Common Phrases

While enjoying a snack together, Katy and her friend, Kylie, were making silly faces at each other and making each other laugh and giggle. Hiccuping because she was laughing so hard, Katy exclaimed, "I cracking!" Katy, Dear, you crack me up!

Here are some other phrases that are commonly said around the house, these days:

-"You Pwomised!" Katy's got a memory like a steal-trap and she'll remind us of every bribe and promised "treat"- lest our old, feeble minds forget.

-"I don't think so!" Katy says this one when she is unconvinced to be persuaded to anything but what SHE wants to do, when SHE wants to do it.

-On the opposite end of the spectrum, "I think so..." Katy says this one sometimes instead of a simple, "Yes." For example, Kylie was crying and I said, "Do you think Kylie needs a bottle?" Katy will reply, "I think so..." almost as if she's thinking about it.

-Our little girl is growing up (and making us laugh along the way)! Sometimes, when Katy is going to the potty, she'll close the door in our face and say, "I need a little privacy."

Super Mom!

 

Best Buds!

Out for a stroll!

Storytime at the Library

Time for a snack!

"On a Dinosaur built for two...."

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week I took care of our friends' 10 month old daughter, Kylie, during the day. That means that I had two kids on Monday and Wednesday and three kids to watch on Tuesday (Elizabeth comes on Tuesdays). EEEK!

With the exception of naps (or lack thereof), Katy, Kylie and Elizabeth were pretty well behaved. We had a good time and there were no major meltdowns along the way. Still, I've learned some very important lessons, this week!

-When you have more than one kid it's very easy to forget to eat lunch. I used to wonder how women could "forget" to eat... I mean, I love to eat- how could I forget to do so?!? Between feeding baby food to one, cutting up food for another, dodging  spoonfuls of food flung in the air, cooling down hot food enough for a toddler to consume, making sure everybody has proper drinks, napkins/bibs, age appropriate silverware... when is there TIME for mom to eat?!?

-It is near IMPOSSIBLE to get two children to nap at the SAME time!

-It is also near impossible to have a clean floor when there is more than one child running around. I swept the floor multiple times each day and I still felt crumbs and sticky spots.

-Moms are the ultimate multi-tasker. Moms of more than one are UBER multi-taskers! It's not just talent, it's survival!

-Moms of more than one must possess superpower strength that I am severely lacking in order to get fed, dressed, get out the door, to a destination, on time and in a pleasant mood. Amazing!!

-Moms of more than one must run on adrenaline because it certainly isn't sleep!

Let's just say that after this week, I've got a new-found admiration for moms of more than one (Thanks Mom!)! I've also discovered that the most important lesson I learned this week is that having one is WONDERFUL!! Whew!

Wordless Wednesday- Profile 2 Years, 4 Months

Raiding the Fridge

We're in trouble! As if we didn't already know this, Katy figured out how to open the refrigerator on her own, today. I was in the play room, taking care of our friend's daughter, Kylie, and Katy came sauntering in, chocolate smeared across her face and tell-tale cupcake crumbs all over her cheeks, hands and a Hansel and Gretel trail behind her. I asked her what she got into and she replied;

"Chock-o-late muffin- from fridge."

Sure enough, I peeked my head into the kitchen and the fridge door stood wide open, the chocolate chip cupcake container looking suspiciously picked through.

Is there such a thing as a fridge lock- because, I think I need one!!

Dance Like Your Daddy!

There's no question about it, Katy dances like her Daddy! The following pictures say it all...!

Ted, Circa 1978

Katy, June 2012

Big Girl Helper

"My friend Kylie came over to play, today. Mommy had her hands full taking care of Kylie and I!"

"I loved 'helping' to take care of Kylie!"

 "Feeding Kylie is fun- boy, is she a messy eater!"

"Taking care of a baby is exhausting (that's fancy for tiring)!"

Muffin Tin Monday- Before and After

Before (Starting in the upper left corner, circling clockwise around): Canteloupe Chunks, Greek Yogurt mixed with Homemade Blueberry Jam, Carrot Sticks, Mini Egg/Nut/Soy-free Chocolate Chip Muffin, Grape Tomatoes, Hot Dogs.

 After- Not Too Shabby...

Today's muffin tin was a lunch tin. 

I was trying a little experiment with grape tomatoes, thinking that Katy might eat them since they are cute and little. She likes ketchup and tomato sauce so I thought it might be a fun veggie to try. Alas, I was foiled again by the Veg-O-Phobe. However, Katy DID eat two carrot sticks on her own accord, so I can't complain too loudly. In fact, I can't really call her a Veg-O-Phobe, since she's been eating more veggies than normal, lately. She's been requesting lettuce and onions on her sandwiches. She wanted more mushrooms with her brown rice and she ate half a dozen baby carrots while at a friend's house, this week. So, maybe we are making some tiny, baby steps on the veggie front... Yay! *crossing my fingers!*

A question I was asked recently was, "Does Katy eat everything in her muffin tin?" So, I decided to do a before and after shot. As you can tell from the pictures, she liked the yogurt, hot dogs, muffin and fruit. She ate a little of the carrots and none of the tomatoes. However, what you don't see in these pictures is the fact that Katy also ate some of MY lunch, too! Our Katy is definitely an eater!

"Ring Around the Rosie..."

"...a pocket full of posies..."

"...ashes, ashes..."

"...we all fall DOWN!"

(clearly, my child thinks the 'falling down' part is the best!)

Sentence of the Day- Road Rage

Anybody that knows me well, knows that I like to use the car horn frequently. I am an impatient driver- I admit it. Today, while waiting to make a turn, the lanes started to back up and I had to wait A LONG time in order to completely execute the turn. Getting frustrated and grumbling about it, I hear Katy say from the back seat,

"Wait your turn, Mommy. Be patient."

!!!

"Now I Lay Me..."

From the mouth of babe's, Katy's prayer tonight included, "...down to sleep, I pray the Lord, my soul to keep. God bless Mommy, Daddy, Katy and Chunka-chunka." Since my newest nephew, Luke, was born last week, I've been affectionately referring to him as either "Chunky Monkey" or "Chunk-la-Monk" because he tipped the scales with a birth weight of 10 lbs. 2 oz. Oops, I guess Lil' Miss caught on! :-)

A Little More Katy-Speak

The main reason I started this blog was to share with friends far and wide a little glimpse into our lives- especially Katy's. The other reason is that this blog serves as a "memory" for me. Milestones and funny anecdotes that I think that I will always remember are now recorded on the blog so I don't always have to remember them.

A couple of Katy phrases that I don't want to forget are as follows:

"Wheat Tea" for Sweet Tea. Our Lil' Miss is a Southern Gal :-)

"Gumble Bee" for Bumble Bee. We even tried to correct her and tell her that it was a "Bumble Bee" and she then proceeded to correct us and say, "No, it's Gumble Bee." It's cute for now.

"Poolies" refers to the inflatable swimmies that Katy wears into the pool. So far, she's done great with them and they've given her (almost too much) confidence in the pool.

Sentence of the Day- Salad

Yesterday, I was making Katy and myself a sandwich. Usually, I put lots of lettuce on mine. I've pretty much stopped putting it on Katy's since she picks it off every time and/or refuse to then eat the sandwich and any component that dared to touch something leafy.

However, yesterday was a different story. As I was putting the lettuce on my sandwich, she looked at me and asked, "Where my lettuce, Mommy?"

I asked her, "Do you want me to put lettuce on your sandwich, Katy?" She nodded, so I obliged.

Wouldn't you know, she ate the whole sandwich- lettuce and all!

Muffin Tin Monday- Dinner with Friends

Hot Dog, Mozzerella Balls, Red Grapes, Carrots, Homemade Bread with Honey

We went to a friend's house for dinner, Saturday night. So, I made a little something for Katy to nosh on while we were there. Turns out we didn't even need it as our wonderful hostess made lots of Katy-approved food. Thanks, Lauren, for taking our food allergies into consideration!

Porch Party

There's always more than one way to get into a swing....

Cheesy Smile (but boy, do I love that smile!!)

Girly-girl Mani

Manicure, anybody?

As if we needed further proof that our Lil' Miss is a girly-girl, Katy came home from Sunday School today with the above picture. Do you see the traced hand? Do you see the blue smudges on each finger? Katy informed her Sunday School teacher that it was "nail polish." Hahahaha! Even through the two-year old tantrums and the late nights/early mornings- that girl makes me laugh!

Sentence of the Day- Cloudy with a Chance Meatballs

While sitting in the kitchen, eating lunch, the room suddenly dimmed because the weather outside got cloudy.

I said to Katy, "Oh no! Did the sun go inside for a nap?"

Katy replied, "Nope. Just cloudy, Mom."

I think I just got told by a two-year old!

Just Beat It!

"Do you like my Ariel bathing suit? It's the perfect costume to dance in!"

"Cymbals are great for cooling off the cheeks on a hot, summer day!"

"I like to move it, move it!"

 "Get down with your bad self!!"

Welcome, Luke James Coyle!

Luke James Coyle

New baby cousin, Luke James Coyle, was born on Thursday, May 31, 2012. He weighed in at a whopping 10 lbs. 2 ozs! Big sister, Molly, is spending some quality time with Grandma and Pop-Pop Tinkey while Mama Hope heals and Daddy Eric holds down the fort. Congratulations, Hope and Eric- he's BEAUTIFUL!! I can't wait to get my hands on him!