Dog days of summer.

Hot, humid days have kept us inside more than usual this week.
Owen & I are hanging out at home alone while Daddy is hiking with family in Colorado.

Sadie misses Chris, & I'm not so sure that she's so appreciative of how Owen is choosing to spend his additional inside time...

Felt food.

Owen's all-time favorite toy is the play kitchen we gave him for his 1st Christmas. He plays with it every day.
We caught some grief buying him a kitchen because he is a boy, but boys need to learn how to cook too!

Felt food is nothing new in the crafting world, but I finally had some time to try my hand at it recently. And what's more manly than bacon & eggs? I couldn't resist!

Friends.

2 frittatas, 60 sausage balls, 48 mini muffins, fruit salad, a crock pot full of stone ground grits, a bowl full of coffee punch (AKA "Crack punch") =a brunch to celebrate the amazing work that our friends will accomplish while serving in the Dominican Republic...what a great time!

Dollar store fun.

Thanks to inspiration from Pinterest & a visit to the Dollar Store a few weeks ago, we've been having some good, inexpensive fun on hot or rainy days.

1 plastic dish tub, 2 bags of dry black beans, & plastic bugs= lots of fun digging in the "dirt" for bugs ...worms, "crickies" (crickets), & "manti" (praying mantises")

1 dog collar, 1 dog leash, & 1 stuffed Horton the Elephant = tons of fun "walking" Owen's pet around the house (Owen calls Horton an "effant")

We're having lots of fun using our new things & our imaginations!

Fun times.

It's summer! Hope you're having as much fun as we are...

ABCs

Chris was reading an ABC book to Owen on Saturday morning & got Owen to repeat back some letters of the alphabet.
He continues to impress us with how much he's learning every day...see for yourself!

Another winner.

I have another wonderful recipe to share...this time thanks to Pinterest.
Meet my new favorite risotto- Summer Squash Risotto with Fresh Garlic, Peas, & Basil.
I haven't made many risottos with Owen around because they require a good bit of attention while cooking. This one is easy, & it's as delicious as it sounds.
I also added fresh Parmesan which made it even better!

Enjoy!

Fabulous recipe.

A dear friend shared this dish with me recently & I immediately knew that I must have the recipe.

It seriously is like eating so many of my favorite things all in one dish...feta cheese, fresh basil, craisins...it doesn't get much better than that!

It's an amazing summer pasta dish that pairs well with almost anything & is good room temperature or chilled. The recipe makes a gracious plenty (as we say here in the South!).

I can't recommend it enough.

Tri-Colore Orzo Salad

Ingredients
1 pound orzo pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup
2 cups fresh arugula (about 3 ounces)
3/4 cup crumbled ricotta salata cheese (or feta cheese)
1/2 cup dried cherries
12 fresh basil leaves, torn
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and put the pasta on a large cookie sheet. Drizzle the pasta with 3 tablespoons olive oil, toss, spread out, and set aside to cool.

Once the orzo is cool, transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently to combine. Serve.

Enjoy!

Crushes.

Thought I'd share some things that I'm currently loving...

The Atlanta Braves...they're dominating their division & are playing great baseball that's just down right exciting to watch!

This cookbook (Dinner: A Love Story). I love the way that Jenny (I feel like I'm on a 1st-name basis with her after reading her stories) weaves her recipes throughout her family's stories. And I love that the premise of the book centers on the importance of family dinners which is something so important to me. I can't wait to try so many of her recipes. We've tried the pan seared scallops with the bacon corn hash...it's a must try!

I can't rave enough about my newest make-up find...NARS tinted moisturizer with SPF. I treated myself to a Cosmetic Market makeover one afternoon before Owen got out of school for the summer. I instantly loved the product & although it was a splurge, I'm so hooked on it that I don't think I'll go back to Clinique. I apply it with a foundation brush & it's enough coverage for me that I'm wearing it as a foundation & add powder on top. Love it!

Triscuit's new crackers made with brown rice & black beans are delicious. The Roasted Red Pepper ones are definitely my favorite. I love snacking on them, & interestingly enough, Owen loves them too!

I'd love to know some of your favorite recent finds!

Vocabulary.

Owen's vocabulary is expanding at an alarming rate. I feel like he's learning up to several new words a day. I had been pretty good at keeping up with the words he knew, but I think that's about to become  impossible. Here's one more attempt to record Owen's vocabulary at the age of 16 & 1/2 months.

Hi
Bye bye
Dog
Cat
Bird
Duck
Fish
Cheese
Cookie
Broccoli ("brocci")
Banana ("nannie")
Pea
Apple ("appa")
Berry
Cup
Fork ("ork")
Bite
Cook
Brush
Head
Mouth
Teeth
Eye
Knee
Toes
Shoe
Hat
Book
Keys
Block ("bock")
Please
Baby
Mommy
Daddy
Abbey
Re (for Auntie Cheri)
Hot-One of his newest words. I told him not to touch the stove because it was hot, so now he thinks
        anything you tell him not to touch is hot.
Light ("ight")
On
Off-Owen's newest favorite word. He constantly asks if things are off (lights, appliances, cars, etc.)
Push
Outside ("side")
Bubble ("bubba")
Grass
Potty ("pottsy")
Bath ("baf")
Car
Trash-Another of Owen's favorite words. He loves to find trash & put it in the trash can.
Crash-Owen loves to drop things & say "crash".
Stuck ("scuck")
Yeahhhh
Yes

I love listening to our little man talk & am realizing just how much he's taking in from this busy world around him.

Summer fun.

Owen & I have been on summer break for a couple of weeks now & we've been having lots of fun, with lots more to come.

Story time at the library on Mondays, morning walks with mommy, playing outside, finger painting, trips to the park, a roadtrip to GA to visit family, a trip to the zoo with mommy...so much fun!

Owen's 1st ride on Grampy's tractor

Perfecting the art of relaxation at the lake

Gardening.

I planted a little summer garden about 3 1/2 weeks ago, just after my summer break started...Summer squash, zucchini, tomatoes, & bell peppers. I edged the garden with marigolds because I read that the smell of the flowers deters rabbits & squirrels (which are run rampant in our yard), and the marigolds excrete chemicals into the soil that deter slugs & many bugs. So far it appears to be working!

And, perhaps the best part-I also planted a little herb garden...cilantro, basil, oregano, & parsley. I love little more than the way fresh herbs taste!

Here's what we started with...

 3 1/2 weeks later...

We're so looking forward to harvesting some homegrown vegetables & herbs this summer.

Big guy.

I think this picture from Monday says it all...he thinks he' a big guy!

Last day of school.

I can't believe that today is Owen's last day of school in the Infant class at WBWP. It's been such a special year for us with our new friends there. We feel so blessed to have found such an amazing group of people to help us take care of our Owen.

Since Owen started attending WBWP last September, he learned to walk, to say many words, to eat at the big boy table, to eat with a fork (sometimes!); he transitioned from the bottle to a sippy cup and from breastmilk/formula to whole milk; he's learned to share & play with his friends; he's loved music classes with Ms. Donna; really, he's just grown up into such a big guy!

Here's Owen with his sweet group of teachers (Ms. Polly, Ms. Lin, & Ms. Pam) this morning...

Mother's Day.

I had a lovely week celebrating Mother's Day with my little man & his dad.

Owen & I had Muffins with Mom at preschool last week. Owen made some lovely artwork for Mommy at MOPS on Friday & again on Sunday at church and with Daddy. We did a little shopping on Saturday & I was treated to a super cute pair of white pants from my guys.

I feel so blessed to be this little man's mom!