we are family

juliet isn't quite sure what to think of bathtime yet. she's glad she's graduated from the kitchen sink to the tub, but i can't really say that she feels one way or the other about the bath itself.  hopefully this changes, because there are few things better in this world than a big bubble bath and curling up in fuzzy robes afterwards.  and hot chocolate.  and puppies.  i think i'm losing focus.

she does, however love all of the up close time with both mommy and daddy.  i love how she lights up when we're both around.  when we go in to tag-team for the 4am diaper change/feeding and she flashes one of those big smiles, it's like she's saying "hey!  this is our little family - isn't it great?!"  ...you forget for a minute that the sun won't be up for another 2 and a half hours {but just for a minute because 4am is still crazy early}.

we love you, baby girl!

winter baby

juliet was having a tough time falling asleep for her afternoon nap the other day, so we bundled her up and took her for a ride around the neighborhood. 

thanks to aunt sheila for the sweet snow suit (:  juliet was so cozy!

won't you be mine, valentine?

i know we're a day late...but hey, we've got a 2-month old over here. 

juliet was our valentine this year, and she set the bar high.  lots of sweet cuddles, a long nap which let me make cupcakes for daddy, and a good night's sleep - best gifts around if you ask me.

we love this little lady.

my mama's homemade vegetable stock

stock, or broth, is one of those items that we always like to keep on hand.  true, you can usually substitute water with no serious side effects, but a good stock gives such a nice punch of flavor to whatever you're cooking, i think it's worth it.

something i really like about making my own stock is that i can control the amount of salt that gets added.  you usually add salt to whatever you're making anyway, so why start with a salty base if you don't have to?

this recipe comes to us from my mom, and it couldn't be easier.  when i make this, i usually double the recipe so i have 12 cups total on hand for the week.  the broth lasts about a week in the fridge and a good long while in the freezer.  this is a great way to use up any veggies which may be passing their prime. 

also, i'm not too worried about the soy sauce affecting our compost, so i do throw all of the veggies in the compost pile once they've been cooked.  circle of life. enjoy!

homemade vegetable broth

makes 6 cups

ingredients:

2 carrots, cut into large chunks {no need to peel}

1 onion, halved

2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
2 large red potatoes, quartered
1 bay leaf
1 small bunch parsley
black pepper
2 tablespoons soy sauce
6 cups water
mushrooms {to taste...about 1/2 cup dry, 3/4 cup fresh, sliced}
olive oil








directions:
heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large stock pot.  when hot, add all veggies except dried mushrooms if you're using those {if you're using fresh mushrooms, go ahead and add them now}, and saute until lightly browned {watch the potatoes...they may stick to the bottom of the pan}.  once browned, add the water, soy sauce, parsley, bay leaf, dried mushrooms, and a generous sprinkle of pepper.  bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered for about 1 hour.  strain veggies from broth.

happy eating!

just because.

we've all been a little under the weather in this house for the last little while, thus the dearth of postings.

i feel like we're rounding the bend though, and hope to be back in fighting form soon!

in the meantime, while we nap/ chill/ drink our 25th cup of tea today, enjoy a little snippet of life.

it is so good.

at least one of them is sleeping...

good to know

while i was pregnant, {and especially now that i'm nursing} we began to look most closely at what we eat.  to sum up the research i did: the drive these days to increase efficiencies on all fronts has led to some pretty serious side effects for our food.  we certainly can't afford to eat all organic, but we do make sure to select those items for which we get the most delicious bang for our buck. 

the environmental working group published this great chart to help determine which fruits/ veggies are best to buy organic, and which are ok to eat when grown conventionally.  i have found this to be super helpful and i hope you do as well. 

this list covers the infamous "dirty dozen" with a few extras...as explained on the site: "For the second year, we have expanded the Dirty Dozen™ with a Plus category to highlight two crops – domestically-grown summer squash and leafy greens, specifically kale and collards. These crops did not meet traditional Dirty Dozen™ criteria but were commonly contaminated with pesticides exceptionally toxic to the nervous system."  Source: Environmental Working Group


do you eat organic?  why/ why not? 

one month.

our sweet girl is a month old today.

when and how that happened, i have no idea!

all i know is that every day, i am more glad that she is ours.

a few highlights from the past four weeks:

juliet is a champ at tummy time - she holds her head up like a cute little turtle and almost looks like she wants to roll over...i am not sure i'm ready for that just yet.

she sleeps 5 hours at a time just about every night.  we can't believe it ourselves.  during the day she can be quite the cat-napper, but pretty much regardless of how the day goes, she can be counted on for a good long stretch of sleep {and so can we!}

the girl can eat.  and eat.  and she took a bottle for the first time yesterday!  i'm so excited that jordan can share that time with her now too - she is so funny when she's eating...sometimes she takes a little break and gives you the sweetest smile before getting right back to business.  it's the best.

she likes loves her moby wrap.  my sister-in-law gave us a wrap, and i will tell you: if our house were burning, i would grab my family, any important papers i could find, and this wrap.  it's pure magic.

not a juliet highlight, but i am enjoying breastfeeding for the sheer pleasure of eating everything in sight...seriously, i am always hungry!  it's pretty awesome (:  to that end, i'm trying out this recipe tomorrow.

i hope you've enjoyed the start of 2014...we over here will continue to hunker down and get to know this little lady a little bit more.

ps: recipe post coming soon!  have a great sunday!

a little 2-week reality check.

hello!

i cannot believe our little girl is two weeks old {plus a day!} already...seriously, it seems like we were just taking her home from the hospital yesterday.

i am surprised to see how much has already changed in these short 15 days.  for instance, i now realize that i can survive on a broken-up sleep schedule {knock on wood, but juliet has fallen into a great sleeping pattern: 3 hours down, 1 up to eat, then back down with little to no fussing...i am counting my blessings}.  i also have had to revise some of my expectations for myself.  i am a doer: i feel most complete and accomplished when i get things done, and i will usually push myself to do so...but nowadays, there is someone way more important than that extra load of laundry, or the floor which desperately needs to be swept, etc.  and so?  i give myself a break.  as long as my baby is fed and safe, my day is complete.  dinner will figure itself out {especially when my parents stop by to feed us (:...thank you again!}.

also, you know all of those "i will never..." statements that you think up when you think of what you will/ won't do with your child?  some are worth sticking by definitely, but others may need to be revised.  i swore up, down, right and left that i would never give my kids a pacifier. {when i was a kid, i used one for too long and it made me have speech problems later which had to be corrected in therapy...read: "hi! i'm thephanie."...}  but you know what?  pacifiers work, people, and if it soothes my baby and helps her sleep i am all in.  

i am also very thankful for the little things in my day...the cup of coffee i enjoy during her morning nap, the books i read to her as she's falling asleep {this morning it was are you my mother?}...my sister coming over whenever i need an extra set of hands and literally doing anything i need in return for a few minutes of baby-holding.  heidi: you are a gem!

so this is life nowadays!  and i couldn't be happier (:

hope you all enjoy your weekend!

juliet, 8 days...and cookies!

a cute baby and cookies?  my kind of post.

my sister brought these cookies to the hospital the day juliet was born and i seriously devoured them.  it's ok though, because regardless of my giving myself all sorts of dietary liberties these days, these are not your average cookies: they're actually good for you!

try them out and let me know what you think...and if you don't care for them, call me - i will take them off your hands, no problem.

good-for-you-but-don't-taste-like-cardboard cookies

2 cups quick-cooking oats
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup almond butter, peanut butter or sunflower seed butter {i use almond...no salt added}
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup apple butter {*check the labels when you buy this: many of the brands out there add a lot of extra sugar - we found that whole foods carries a variety relatively low in sugar, fyi}
1 large banana, mashed {about 1/2 cup...you can adjust this depending on how banana-y you like things}
1 cup dried fruit {cranberries, cherries, raisins, chopped apricots, blueberries...all work well}

1/2 cup shelled pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup ground flax seed (optional)

{you can also add about 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips if you want a little sweetness}

preheat oven to 325 degrees. line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

 

combine all ingredients {except flax seed} into a large bowl or stand mixer.  mix until all of the ingredients are combined - using either the stand mixer, a hand mixer or a good 'ol wooden spoon. the dough will be stiff.  when everything is incorporated, add the flax seed and mix...if you add the flax at the beginning, it tends to just stick to the sides of the bowl and not get worked into the dough.

 

 

using a cookie scoop, tablespoons, or your hands, drop the dough onto the prepared cookie sheet {you can make these cookies however large/small you'd like}  slightly flatten the tops into the desired thickness...the cookies will not spread in the oven.

 

 

 

bake for 15-17 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown.  allow to cool on the cookie sheet completely.  

cookies will stay fresh at room temp for 1 week; they keep well in the fridge, and can be frozen for up to 3 months.  {they're especially good frozen, dunked in your coffee!}

 

 

these people make me the happiest:

 

daddy's little girl

 

she's here!

juliet alexis moger

december 12, 2013

7lb 4 oz, 20 inches

perfection.

 {this is currently my favorite picture taken of anyone at any time}