Things on my mind

I'm feeling the need for another little brain dump. So here's what's been on my mind lately...

^^ a grainy family selfie taken while Aaron was out of town this week.

-We went on a family walk around the neighborhood right after Aaron got home from work one night.  I ended up with five fresh mosquito bites (they are loving me this year) but it was still worth it.  We stopped in at the little park by us and Eleanor conquered the slide all by herself (I failed to catch her one time six months ago and she's been scared of slides ever since).  Meanwhile, Ford stayed pretty chill in his big boy stroller seat.

-Halloween is around the corner and I am excited.  And yet, I don't know why costumes are such a struggle for me.  I even have a good idea this year but I'm dragging my heals on the execution.

-Ford is running in to everything these days.  He can pull himself up on to any surface now, which is blowing my mind.  Eleanor wasn't doing this for another couple of months!  It seems like he gets a new bruise every day, no matter how closely I watch him. I need to write up a post about the fact that he is CRAWLING.  Man, he's growing fast.

-This past summer has kind of taken a toll on me emotionally and it really caught up to me this week.  There were several semi-traumatic experiences this summer that showed me just how fragile life is (one of which was the fire but there have been a couple other things too).  I've also had several people close to me pass away unexpectedly this summer.  I thought I was coping with it all ok but just last week I was sitting on a bench with my kids and saw a fire truck fly by with its sirens blaring.  My heart started racing and my eyes welled up with tears.  It was this crazy emotional reaction I had no control over.  It was like I really felt for whoever that firetruck was rushing to go save.  But I also oddly felt like I was right back in the line of fire myself.  And then Aaron left on a business trip this week and I became so afraid that something was going to happen to him on the drive.  It's like my bubble has been burst and I no longer naively think that bad things won't happen to the people I love.  I had a good talk with my sister Audrey that helped.  Also, listening to talks like this help.  And I usually don't think too much about it all but when the feeling hits, it hits hard.  Interesting stuff.

-On a sort of related, I have found this post on How to Write a Condolence Note to be helpful as I reach out to those around me who are dealing with the passing of a loved one.

-I've had this motherhood print hanging in my bathroom for months now and I love it.  I hung it a little too low though and it always seemed a touch off until on a whim this week I decided to hang this seascape above it.  Instant happiness!  For whatever reason, mixing art really makes my heart happy.  Also, we need to paint our bathroom walls white but that doesn't sound fun at all.  Maybe one day but the thought of having to tape off all the tile/mirrors/cabinetry/trim/etc. makes me want to run in the other direction!

-A new Cafe Rio opens just five minutes from my house next week!!!!! There are not enough exclamation points in the world for that sentence.  I'm already dreaming of how much less cooking I will need to do now since we will practically live there ;)  Also, hoping this persuades my Bay Area family (who doesn't have a Cafe Rio close by) to come even more often! (wink, wink)

-Eleanor wrote all over our front door with a hot pink crayon.  It was literally one of those situations where I wasn't looking for 30 seconds and the damage was done.  It's scrubbed off ok but kinda took the gloss off the door and left it with a pink hint.  I've always wanted to repaint our front door but now I think I really need now.  If only picking out "the color" was easy!

-Do you ever just want to get rid of your Facebook?  I feel like it wears on me more than uplifts me.  I keep it for a couple reasons...keeping up with opportunities to serve, coordinating playgroup locations/times, learning about a high school reunion, etc.  Also, Facebook allows me to see my close friends' Instagram pictures since I don't have the Instagram app anymore (deleting that app was the best decision ever).  But goodness, the negativity is there too.  I know I can just choose to not go on Facebook but for some reason it is easier for me to quit something all together than to be half in.

-I took the time to write in my three journals the other day and it felt so great!  I have a personal journal and then a journal for Ford and Eleanor where I try to write about their latest developments and funny stories.  The first page of Ford's journal is his footprints, stamped within the first hour after he was born.  Look at those cute toes!!

^^The journal is pretty small but if you didn't know that then it would probably appear like he has mammoth feet, ha!

-I don't know if I will ever come around to copper in home decor.  I stopped in at Target the other night and saw all their latest copper accessories and it just wasn't doing it for me at all.  Maybe it's because their version looks so cheap.  Either way, I am a brass lover and feel no need to change.

-We went to the doctor yesterday and found out Ford has an ear infection.  He's had a cold but showed no signs that his ears were hurting him.  Poor guy. I'm learning that when in doubt, the answer is always "yes, go to the doctor."

-Eleanor starts dance class this weekend and she has been counting down the days.  She told Aaron yesterday on the phone, "I have dance class in TWO DAYS, Daddy!!"  She has her new leotard, tutu, tights and shoes.  The cute smile she gets while wearing her get up makes me incredibly happy.

^^All the heart eyes in the world for this picture!

It's Friday and I can't wait for a good, family filled weekend.  Aaron just got back from a two day business trip and we are all very happy he's home. Eleanor wants to play "scary monster" all day long and Ford is just super content crawling around like crazy.  Aaron and I have a date tonight planned to the Farmer's Market.  And then Saturday will be pedicures and the General Women's Broadcast.  Good stuff!  Hope you all have a great weekend, too!  

Our Monterey Getaway

Aaron and I have been dreaming of a getaway trip for quite some time now--in fact ever since we went to Park City two and a half years ago!

I got the idea in my head a couple weeks ago that we needed to make our trip happen NOW before summer craziness sets in.  So I texted my mom and Ginny while they were in Italy and asked if they could come stay at our house with Eleanor while we had a night out.  They said "yes!" so I started scheming.  I set out to surprise Aaron with it all, so I researched hotels and activities and restaurants galore.  I just kept wanting to get excited about it with Aaron though so I caved and let him in on the idea.  He was all about it and before we knew it we had our Monterey hotel booked and our plans in place to leave that coming weekend.  We are not ususally this spontaneous but it was fun to throw caution to the wind.

My mom and Ginny drove up by 2 pm on Friday afternoon and we were out the door by 3 pm.  This was our first time both leaving Eleanor together so I was a little worried (but also very excited :)), especially since Eleanor has become very attached to me these last couple of weeks.  But when we went to say goodbye, Eleanor wouldn't even come to give me a hug.  She was perfectly content to just sit in Grandma's lap!  Not quite the going away scene you imagine as a mom but it definitely put my heart at ease knowing that she was going to be just fine without us.

So we drove off and had the very best time together.

We stayed at a hotel right on the water in the heart of touristy Cannery Row.

We were pretty starved by the time we pulled in but Aaron humored me with some pictures by the water.  When it's just the two of us, pictures usually go like this...

First one of Aaron...

 Then one of me...

But all we really want is a picture of together, so we wait til a stranger walks by and then we pounce (while praying that the pictures turns out semi ok)...

 Success!

We relied heavily on Trip Advisor/Yelp for food recommendations and they did not steer us wrong! 

We walked over to a sushi place called Crystal Fish and while we were at first skeptical by the location and exterior, it totally blew us away.  

It was THE BEST SUSHI OF ALL TIME. 

The fish was SO fresh.  We could have eaten five more rolls but we were full after three (darn!).  We will definitely be going back though.  I must have that Monterey Roll again!  

And we now use "Crystal Fish" as the measuring stick for greatness.  Throughout the weekend, you could find us saying, "This is the 'crystal fish' of all nights," "You are the 'crystal fish' of all husbands," "That was the 'crystal fish' of all ice cream," etc. etc.

 ^^The look of pure satisfaction.  And you better believe we ate those last couple of rolls!

We ended the night with a walk along Cannery Row and split a sundae at Ghirardelli's.

 ^^Look at the grip I have on the glass, as if to say, "This is allll mine."  I wish, ha!

And then Saturday morning started off with these beautiful flowers...

Oh and these ones too...

Monterey was really killin' it in the plant department.  I could do with more of those flowers and cypress trees in my life. 

We grabbed delicious crepes at Crepes of Brittany, which was just along the water at Fisherman's Wharf. 

^^See that little boy with his Grandpa?  He was practicing walking right next to us and made us miss Eleanor a whole bunch.

And as luck would have it, there was a car show just next to where we ate our crepes!  Aaron is like a magnet for these things.

 ^^Look at the speedometer! Goodness, cars used to be so pretty.

Then on to the Aquarium, thanks to our wonderful friends the Stoffels who let us use their guest passes.  Thanks Arenda!

I fell in love with the sea otters the last time I came to Monterey (over 15 years ago...) and I loved them just as much this time around.

 And look at the jelly fish!  These were just quickly snapped iPhone photos but they actually show the colors surprisingly well.

Sometimes I think that aquariums and zoos are for kids cause that's what you do going up, but I was amazed at just how into it all we were as a 27 year olds.  We loved it!

After the aquarium, we were in the mood to just sit for a while so we decided to do the 17 Mile Drive.  The drive takes you along the coast and through world famous golf courses and the most beautiful homes.  The views are just stunning and definitely gave us a chance to do a little dreaming ourselves.

^^I'd love to bike this drive one day!

 ^^I couldn't get the color to come out right for this picture but that water was surprisingly blue for the Pacific Ocean and that sand was nice and white.

 ^^That's a good ole DSLR selfie right there. Monterey's overcast weather sure makes your skin look milky smooth in photos.

 ^^I should have taken more shots of the trees.  This photo DOES NOT do those pretty trees justice.

^^We sure loved walking the grounds of Pebble Beach.

We were starving by the end of the drive and had just enough time to squeeze in a late lunch/early dinner before we headed back home.  We accidentally ended up at a rather fancy waterfront restaurant but it seemed like the perfect end to a great weekend so we just rolled with it.  I loved my salad and we had a great time recapping all the fun stuff we had done.  We also planned out ideas for future getaways, of which we hope there are many ;)

And then it was off to Fresno for us.  We blasted Billy Joel and the Eagles all the way home and and spent equal time singing along as we did talking about our life goals.

Upon arriving home, we gave my mom and Ginny the biggest hugs we could and thanked them again and again for letting us have the best weekend.  They were such champs!  And it felt so good knowing that Eleanor was happy as a clam while we were away. Eleanor was already asleep when we got home but we both went into her room the next morning and it was a really sweet reunion.  We gave her a little puffin stuffed animal from the aquarium and she has given that thing so many hugs it's ridiculous and adorable.

So, in summary, these sorts of weekends are definitely a luxury that we don't get to enjoy very often but man it was needed and wonderful.  It just feels good to be with your spouse and focus just on each other and remember that you really are best friends and that you really, really enjoy each other.  It's just one of those things that is so worth it because it allows you to really reconnect and refocus.

It was definitely the "crystal fish" of all weekends ;)

Cooking for the Whole Family: One Meal, Two Ways

When possible, I try to have Eleanor eat what Aaron and I are eating for dinner.  There is an art to preparing one meal for everyone, an art that I am still learning (and may never truly master) but I have come across a couple of meals that work really well for us.  And I figured that when you find a meal that is fast, easy, healthy and tasty (even to kids) then it must be shared with the world.  Cause cooking daily for your family is hard enough without people to share recipes with.

Before I share the meal, I must praise my friend Jessica who is the original source of this goodness (the adult version of the recipe).  She came up with this sweet potato/spinach/egg concoction on her own and then made it for us when she visited San Jose almost a year ago.  It has since become my go to meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I wasn't able to actually see Jess prepare the meal back then so this is just my best attempt at recreating her delicious meal.  So here it is, one of our meals with an easy tweak for the kiddos too!

The Adult-Friendly Version:

 To prepare: Peel and chop the the sweet potatoes.  Toss sweet potatoes in a bowl with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, salt and minced garlic (I just eye ball it but you just want to have just enough spices/oil to lightly coat each cube of sweet potato).  Bake in the oven at 400 for 25 minutes (or until soft).  Top with chopped spinach and an over-easy egg (or poached egg if you are more talented than me!).  Drizzle with a touch of melted butter.

It's so good!  I love the taste of the runny yoke with the sweet potatoes.

The Kid-Friendly Version:

To prepare: Take the baked sweet potato you already cooked for the adult version and cut up them up into smaller pieces.  Scramble two eggs with finely chopped spinach added in.  Throw it all on their high chair tray and smile with joy as your child gobbles it down.  Does your baby love sweet potatoes? I can always depend on them for Eleanor.

Hope this helps in the meal planning department cause goodness knows I need all the help I can get!

Happy Friday and have a great weekend!

A Baby Shower for Jessica and Baby Girl Marcum

Lucy Brown and I threw a baby shower for Jessica and her new baby girl and it was all so much fun.  The shower was flower themed and tons of wonderful people both from the ward and from Jessica's family all came.  Jessica is the master of throwing showers and parties (she even threw me a surprise baby shower when I was pregnant with Eleanor) so it was fun to have one in her honor this time.

Naturally, my camera battery died about ten minutes into the whole thing and I didn't have my charger so these aren't the best pictures of the night but definitely still worth sharing for memory's sake.

I sure love you Jess and that sweet new baby of yours too!

^^Gorgeous, right?! The day before the shower I get a text from Mandy Spencer offering to make a cake .  I said "That would be great!" and then she added that she might whip up some cupcakes while she's at it.  Even better! Mind you this was just the day before the shower which didn't give her much time to prep at all.  So imagine my surprise when Mandy walks in with not only a beautiful cake but also an entire adorable cupcake display.  And if you think it looks good then just imagine how good it tasted!  In the ten minutes that my camera was working I chose to snap away at photos of the dessert table.  It may have been wise to get more people shots and at least a decent shot of the mother-to-be but you know, priorities, right? 

I had only been in the ward for a month at this point so helping to put together this shower was a really fun way to bond with the ladies.  And Jessica really is the most beautiful pregnant lady ever so it was extra fun to see her glow as she was showered with love and gifts.  I kept pinching myself the whole night that I now lived close enough to get to throw a baby shower for one of my very best friends.  I assumed those days were over when we all headed out of Provo but I'm so glad I was wrong!  Here's to many more babies and many more showers to come ;)

And just for fun, you can go here to see the baby shower my friend Erin and I threw for Jess when she was pregnant with Clara.

In case anyone is curious, I used this tutorial from Ruche on Design Sponge to make the large tissue paper flowers (they are based on the House of Lars flowers).  Jessica took some home after the shower and did an amazing job of incorporating them into baby Winnie's adorable nursery here.