Last weekend was so relaxing and exactly what we needed.
We had some seriously beautiful weather at the end of the week so we spent lots of time outside.
We went to the park:
We stopped to play cars on our way home:
I spent some time doing a bit of yardwork.
Last year we didn't pull anything out before the gross weather hit, and our yard looked extra dumpy until spring.
We're definitely learning how to be homeowners as we go.
Anyways, B picked me a flower while I was working and of course I had to make him pose for a picture:
(sometimes he likes to be weird and wear his sock container on his head)
By Friday evening we had torrential downpours.
I got the native nachos (still dreaming about them) and Chris got the tacos:
We sat there for quite a while taking full advantage of the fire and
free refills of watermelon mint agua fresca:
We pretty much stayed inside all weekend and it actually kind of nice.
Buck went in the exersaucer for the first time and throughly enjoyed himself:
(yes, I'm aware that it's a hideous, giant piece of plastic, but sometimes you just need to contain your kids in order to get a shower or cook dinner!)
Buck got all bundled up for a run in the stroller:
As I was taking that picture of Buck, I was reminded that I took a similar one of bennett in the same cozy suit when he was around 4 months:
(think they are brothers much?!)
Chris built B a couch fort while Buck played with toys:
and I pulled out my first scarf!:
This weekend should be much of the same.
I'd like to make it to the pumpkin patch eventually but the rain is putting a damper on things.
(pun fully intended)
Happy Thursday Friends!
One of my favorite things is finding a new recipe that we all love and is healthy. A meal that meets that criteria immediately gets put into our regular dinner rotation. Now that it's cooler out, I'm not afraid to turn on the stove/oven so I've been cooking a lot more comfort food (and who doesn't like comfort food?!).
Also, it's been forever since I've shared my recent favorite recipes!
Here are a few meals I think your should try out asap:
Roasted Zucchini, Black Bean and Goat Cheese Enchiladas
I have been making a creamy chicken enchilada for forever, but wanted to find a healthier alternative.
I tried these ones out (with the TJ's enchilada sauce) and they were so good that Chris said he didn't even miss the old ones (his all-time favorite meal) and now wants me to make these every week!
Cashew Pesto Pizza
We love pesto and homemade pizza, so a while back I tried out this recipe
(that just so happens to be my friend Elizabeth's own recipe) which uses cashews instead of the traditional pine nuts for the pesto 'sauce'.
The cashews give the pesto so much flavor, I will never use pine nuts again!
Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas
If we've had you over in the last couple of months, chances are this is what I made. I have turned on the oven on hot summer days in order to make these fajitas and it is SO worth it! I add strips of zucchini because I am obsessed with it and must add it to everything.
Top with avocado, greek yogurt and a squeeze of lime.
Peperonata Sandwich
I made these for the first time a couple of days ago.
Super tasty.
Sandwiches definitely don't need meat to taste good!
(especially when there's crusty bread)
Black Bean, Sweet Potato and Quinoa Chili
This chili on top of TJ's cornbread mix on a cold day is dangerously good.
Black Bean and Veggie Baked Potatoes
Baked potatoes are the ultimate comfort food.
These are really tasty, while still being nutritious.
Pan Seared Honey-Glazed Salmon with Browned Butter Lime Sauce
Everyone needs to try this recipe.
There are a lot of steps in the prep but it comes together quicky and easily.
Probably the best salmon I've ever had!
(I know that butter sauce isn't the healthiest but you only need a tiny bit to get the full effect)
I haven't tried these next two recipes but they are on the menu next and they sound so good!
Double Bean Burgers with Avocado Basil Cream Sauce
Sweet Potato Burgers
Also, I made
veggie sloppy joes lastnight and was reminded of why they are one of our favorite meals!
Okay that's it for now.
Do you guys have a favorite recipe you can wait to heat the house up with?
Last weekend we stayed at a beach house with my family in Oceanside on the Oregon coast. I had never even heard of Oceanside...but it's pretty much considered Tillamook.
Bennett is really into letters and sounds right now, so the whole way there he would think of a word and ask us what letter it starts with. That dude is one smart cookie and he helped the 2 hour drive seem like 20 minutes.
My brother got to the house not too long after us.
He got this VW bus a couple months ago but it was our first time seeing it.
How awesome is this:
The house had a
LoveSac and it was so comfy.
Buckley agreed:
(I wish I had one of these when I was pregnant, it would have been perfect for sleeping.)
We played on the beach:
B looks so annoyed that I was trying to get a picture of him:
Pure joy running out to the water:
I love this picture:
I love his flippy hair:
The water was SO cold:
My Niece Hagan:
Once we got home we ate dinner and I was coerced into eating an oyster.
My sister said they were so good with garlic butter on them so I figured YOLO (that's what the kids are saying these days right?) and tried to swallow it down.
It got about halfway into my mouth when I (naturally) tried to bite it which was a huge mistake.
Nastiest thing ever. I will never try an oyster again.
(There is a video of my attempt but I will not be posting it on this here blog)
The view out our bedroom window:
Buck and his uncle Ben:
On our way out of town we stopped at the Tillamook Cheese (and ice cream) factory:
Bennett with his cousins:
Watching how they slice and package the cheese:
We got to try samples of cheese at the end of our tour and we of course had to get some ice cream.
Bennett's face in this one kills me:
Tillamook ice cream is so good:
Oh and Buck was just along for the ride:
Happy Wednesday Friends!
We are off to throughly enjoy one of the last sunny days before the rain hits!
With Bennett, I did weekly pictures to track his growth.
(you can see his weekly pictures in this post)
It was pretty difficult getting him to lay still long enough to take a picture once he started moving around, so I decided that I'd stick to it for the year then I'd only do monthly pictures with any other children we would have.
I've already posted Buck's one month picture
here, and I wanted to post the rest of them before he gets to be 5 months old next week.
(how is he already 5 months?!)
So here you have it:
(Proof that Buck is growing like a weed and I'm getting smaller...
I've been working really hard so it's nice to see a little progress!)
and I don't want Bennett to feel left out:
I'm hoping to stay up to date with these...it is only once a month afterall!
Happy Thursday Friends!
This last weekend kind of flew by.
This is us before:
People definitely got creative with their white outfits:
The run drew over 15,000 people, making it one of the largest 5k runs ever:
(it was kind of ridiculous how many people were there, but it was a benefit for Child Aid, which was awesome.)
During the color run, there are a number of color stations that you run through where people put the colored powder on the runners as they go by.
This was coming up to our first color:
Then after the race they have a giant party with music and every 15 minutes you count down then everyone throws their own personal color packet at once.
It was pretty cool. Here is us right after we threw ours:
(we had pink ones if you couldn't tell)
color cloud:
the ladies:
after:
(proof that the color comes off!)
Then Sunday morning we had a family coffee date.
Chris suggested I pull the heels (that he got me years ago) out of the back of the closet.
I'm so glad he did:
(cute right? He picked them out all by himself!)
We went to church in the evening, but Buck was not feeling well so we had to go home not too long after it started.
The boys are still trying to kick a cold they have had for a couple of weeks.
I think we are finally on the mend now!
Happy Tuesday Friends!
