The Yawn...

To Little T, How is it that I yawn every time you yawn, but you seem unaffected when I yawn (and I yawn more than you do...)? Isn't that supposed to work both ways?? Side note...if you decided to sleep more at night, we would both yawn less. :) I can say thank you though! Sleeping from 7:30pm-7am and you only wake up 3 times now. One magnificent word: PROGRESS. 
To the 2012 Olympics, Hard to image the last time I watched Olympic sporting events was two years ago and The Swede was sitting on the couch beside me. I remember watching hockey every night for the duration of those winter games. To The Swede, I've decided you're one of the best people to watch the game with. I miss you! To Popmiester, I always thought it was cool that you played water polo growing up. Now after watching the USA men's game yesterday and the women's game today, I have realized that it is really rather impressive that you played. I know you used to say that some of the guys on your team would file their toe nails to a point, but it was completely different to watch the guys/girls beat up on each other!
To Food Friday (or should you be called Scrumptious Saturday? Supper Sunday? or Mmmmm Monday??), Better late than never! These days, I will sometimes wake up on Saturday morning and something about fixing breakfast (or a sweet comment from Weathergirl) will remind me that I neglected you for the week. Here's to having a queue of Food Fridays/Scrumptious Saturdays ready for publication for whenever I need them... :)
To the Doctor Husband, You have been working some ridiculous hours these days...making it home in enough time to kiss Little T good night (and read him a book!), eat a late dinner, and go to bed. I have enjoyed hearing about some of your Trauma Surgery cases, though I often get a summary from the evening news before you get home!

Two Months Old!

Little T is...

and pretty much the same size as Benny the Bear!

Weight: 12 lbs 9 oz
Height: 23 5/8 inches
Wearing: still in 0-3 month clothes (although he's grown out of some), and in size 2 diapers 
Loving: Trying to sit up, CEILING FANS, the baby in the mirror, "Old McDonald Had a Farm", animal sounds

The Proof...the bandaids look so big on such a little baby! And he wore his "Beware, I bite" onesie just in case he needed a reminder that he is a strong, brave boy! :)

To my Brave Boy, Honestly, I was a little worried what the afternoon/evening after your shots would be like... but, you did great! All in all, I think you getting your shots affected me more and you just remained my happy guy! New developments: you've found the baby in the mirror and you liked what you saw! :)
To the House Hunt, Yes! We've started our search. You may be a little intimidating (although not more than packing up all our stuff and moving it while taking care of a youngster), but I'm looking forward to finding the house we will make our home over the next 5 years! Lord, prepare a home for us! Give us wisdom and help us not to be close-minded. Show us where you would have us raise our little boy. 
To Handsome Hubby, Thanks for making dinner for us the other night! After all you did at work, it meant so much to me that you planned to make dinner...especially since you had to go to the grocery store before you came home. You certainly know how to make a girl feel special! :)

To the "Driveway" Doves, I love it that you have made my house your home! Though, I think your two precious eggs would have preferred a quieter home than along our driveway...I know we scare you every time we arrive home. Hoping your little ones hatch soon!
To My Little Man, You're 9 weeks old as of yesterday and you are getting so big (and BRAVE!). You were a trooper getting your shots this morning and really only did your "drama" no-tears cry for a few seconds before falling asleep for the ride home. I've even gotten a few smiles since we arrived home! What's new with you? You weigh all of 12 lbs 9 oz now (75th percentile for weight and height) and your favorite thing?: the ceiling fan. :) It really is your first love... You squawk at me when I get in the way.   
To Handsome Hubby, I can't believe you ended up with this weekend off while we were away! Thank you for spending that time cleaning up some of the yard debris from last week's storm. It looks some much better already!

Food Friday!: Frozen Butterfinger Pie

Food Friday: Frozen Butterfinger Pie

Handsome Hubby and I were craving a sweet treat the other day, and with the heat lately, we knew we wanted an easy, frozen dessert! I found this recipe on Cooking Light's list of 10 Best Ice Box Pies. It was delightful! I made mine in a 9 x 13 inch pan instead of a pie pan and with Reduced Fat Nilla wafers instead of the chocolate graham crackers. Delish! I think next time I might be tempted to use two cartons of frozen yogurt instead of just the one. Enjoy!

Ingredients


40 chocolate graham crackers or 1 box Nilla wafers (let's be honest though...it was 1 box minus the 10 or so that I ate as a snack while I made this dessert)   :) 
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted 
1 egg white
1 carton vanilla fat-free frozen yogurt (if desired, 2 cartons if using 9 x 13 inch pan)
3 tbsp light-colored corn syrup 
3 tbsp creamy peanut butter 
1 tbsp fat-free milk 
1 Butterfinger candy bar, crushed

Preparation 

Preheat oven to 350°. Place graham crackers (or Nilla wafers) in food processor and pulse until crumbly. I actually place them in a sealed gallon sized ziploc and beat them with a rolling pin until they are crushed. :) Then add melted butter and egg white to either the food processor or the ziploc bag and pulse/massage until moist. Press crumb mixture into a greased 9-inch pie plate or 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes and then place in freezer for 15 minutes.

While the crust is cooling in the freezer, let the yogurt stand at room temperature for 15 minutes to soften. Combine the corn syrup, peanut butter, and milk in a small bowl, and stir until smooth. Spoon half of yogurt onto crust. Drizzle half of the peanut butter syrup over the yogurt already in the crust. Then, sprinkle with half of chopped Butterfinger bar. Repeat the procedure with remaining yogurt, peanut butter syrup, and Butterfinger pieces. Cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for 3 hours or until firm. Enjoy! :)

To the Designer of Baby Clothes, Functional pockets? Really? On 0-3 month old clothes? I would understand decorative pockets. What could my Little T (who can barely grab things) possibly put in his pockets? I guess I could use them for a paci or something...
To the Littlest Chef, When I make dinner, I talk to you and explain what I'm doing while you watch from the rocker. I call it "cooking class" and I can't wait for the day when you can really help me bake! I loved being in the kitchen with your Nana while she taught me her passion! Let's not rush things though...you're getting so big already! You moved up to size 2 diapers last week as a 7 week old!
To Last Night's Pop-Up Storm, Boy, were you a surprise! With Weathergirl on midnight shifts this week, I haven't been as apprised of the daily weather outlook. You dumped a boat-load of rain on our area, filling the empty trash can at the curb with 5" of water, sending the full recycle bin down the street (and crashing into the neighbor's car!), causing Handsome Hubby to find an alternate route home (because the street by our house was so flooded), and littering our front and back yards with tree debris... not to mention the water leaking under the front door. My goodness! Praise the Lord that our house was not the one that got the roof blown off... And this was all without a severe thunderstorm warning! Let's not even talk about the change in dinner plans (HH no longer wanted to grill...go figure).
To the Almost-Invisible Handsome Hubby, I'll be honest...we don't get to see you much, but thank you for the incredible time you do spend with us!  We were so excited when you got home at 6:30pm yesterday...you were almost like a normal working dad! Little T immediately notices when you come home. He loves your voice, especially when you sing to him. :)

Food Friday!: Hashbrown Quiche

Food Friday: Hashbrown Quiche

Yet another family favorite for this week's Food Friday, I mean Saturday, post. Growing up, Popmiester would occasionally make quiche on nights when he made dinner. In fact, I remember it as a Popmiester dinner staple (although I do know that Mama Ne' did make it...I just remember it as a "papa meal"...like cream of wheat at breakfast). We always ate it at dinner. Banker Boy even told a flight attendant one time that "quiche is for dinner!" when she suggested she bring it to him for breakfast. He was four. :)

The beauty of this recipe is that you can make it your own. Use your own favorite cheese, meat, and vegetable- mushroom, sausage, and swiss or spinach, bacon, and cheddar. In this case, I used thick slices of deli ham, green bell pepper, and cheddar cheese. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Roughly 16 oz of shredded hashbrowns (half of a 32 oz bag)
6 eggs (you can use some whole eggs and some egg whites if you would prefer)
3 tbps milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp ground mustard (which makes all the difference)
~ 1 cup diced vegetable
~ 1 cup diced meat
~ 1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheese 
2 tbsp butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Press thawed (and squeezed out) shredded hashbrowns into a greased pie pan to form a crust. Brush melted butter over hashbrowns. Bake for approximately 15 mins or until edges begin to brown.

While the hashbrown crust bakes, prepare meat and vegetables. Also, beat together eggs, milk, ground mustard, and salt and pepper. When the crust is done baking, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Then layer the meat, vegetables, and cheese inside the crust. Pour egg mixture over the top.

Bake for 30-35 mins until the egg has completely cooked. Enjoy!

To Motherhood, Sometimes I'm surprised that I only get a shower in every other day, that sometimes I haven't gotten my morning teeth-brushing in until the afternoon, and that sometimes I'm still in my pjs when Handsome Hubby comes home from work (at 7pm!)...and that's all with a mostly happy baby! Even more, I'm surprised by how often I have made it to the grocery store (even if I drop my container of blueberries in the parking lot because I was too worried that Little T was getting upset), how often I have made dinner (far more often than when I was pregnant, even if dinner is slightly overdone because it's just harder to cook with one hand), and how often I have not forgotten to feed Long Dog. I love being a mama...I wouldn't change it for the world...but it is amazing what has now become an accomplishment and what used to be simple tasks have now become daily challenges. Lord, may I always take delight in the little things, holding my Little T even when I have a million other things to do, or singing yet another verse of a children's song. Teach me to make the important things a priority and leave those that aren't for another day. And, Father, I ask that you would bless the sleep that the two of us get, that it would be restful and full of peace, that I may be able to accomplish today all that you would have me do.
To Little T, We went to the grocery store this week and it seemed like you thought it was a whole new world with all the new sights, colors, sounds, and people! It makes a big difference when you are awake. :) It's not as exciting though as when I sing Old McDonald Had a Farm to you... I've never seen so many smiles and I think it is so funny that you like animal noises. P.S. It's crazy how often I call you by Long Dog's name and vice versa. :) I'm sorry...
To the Treadmill, You have sat for nearly two years dusty and in a corner as I have explored other workout options. But, I have brought you back to life! Here's to getting back in shape while the summer heat keeps me from leaving the house.
To the Devoted Dad, I love it that you come home from working such a long day and are such a loving Papa to Little T. He loves it when you sing to him and you are a much better bath-giver than I am. Thank you for all you do for us! You are a wonderful Papa and that makes me love you that much more!

To my Baby Love, You survived your first Golfcart-Land 4th of July experience! It included- but was not limited to- your first golf cart ride (thanks Popmiester for rigging up the car seat on the back!), your first golf cart parade, lots of new sights, lots of new sounds, time in the swimming pool (never too soon to start swimming lessons!), a family grill out (including both sets of your grandparents!), and your first fireworks display! You were the perfect baby. :)
To the Fireworks Display, What happened to the finale? I know it was nothing quite like the flop in San Diego, and we did actually get an almost 20 minute firework show, but I have never seen it just end so abruptly. It's just too bad that I spent so much time telling non-residents of our town how great the finale would be!...
To Weathergirl, The other night it stormed and we all sat out on the screened in porch and watched it rain (once the rain finally came). Thanks for giving Little T his first weather lesson. With your help, I know that he will always find storms fascinating and not scary! Or at least I know that you and Hurricane Hunk can explain everything.
To Handsome Hubby, We missed you while we were away! So glad to be home with our little family of three. I love ever moment with our extended family and wouldn't trade it for the world...but, we need to get this little one into a routine! I'm ready for a full nights sleep...

Food Friday: Grilled Flank Steak with Lime Marinade

Grilled Flank Steak with Lime Marinade

I started maternity leave the week before Little T was born, with a whole 7 days before going to the hospital to deliver. It was my first "retirement" experience. Day 1 passed, day 2 passed...still loving every bit of my time off. I think I spoke with Popmiester on Day 3 and when he asked how it was going, I told him I was bored. :) Ultimately, I started encouraging my passion for cooking and found new recipes to make for dinner. Martha Stewart's website had a slew of recipes in the summer grilling section, and I selected this one to make (on top of a few others...) during that week for dinner. It came together so easily and had such a great flavor, that Handsome Hubby and I have eaten it a few times since then. I highly recommend it! We actually used the leftover steak the next night when we made these Grilled Steak Sandwiches with Goat Cheese and Arugala. Mmmmmmm!

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs flank steak
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce (use low sodium!!)
2 scallions, thinly sliced (honestly, I forgot to buy these when I made it the last time and it was still wonderful!)
2 tbsp minced, peeled fresh ginger (or roughly 1/4 tsp ground ginger)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Resealable plastic bag


Preparation

Combine lime juice, soy sauce, scallions, ginger, and red pepper flakes. 

Place steak in the resealable plastic bag and add marinade. Seal bag and place in the refrigerator, flipping the bag occasionally and allow meat to marinate for approximately 1 hour.

Grill on high heat grill, pouring excess marinade over the meat for extra flavor. Grill 6-8 minutes per side, or until desired doneness. Turn filet only once. Allow meat to rest approximately 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!!



I would love to hear what you think of my recipes if you end up making them yourself! :)

To my hometown, Way to make it on the list of the nation's top 3 most patriotic cities! I'm so proud! But I can tell you one thing...I know for certain that the other cities don't celebrate with 10,000 decorated golf carts, a golf cart parade, and golf cart traffic jams as far as the eye can see! I'm so excited that Thomas gets to experience his first 4th!!
To Long Dog, The 4th is the one day out of the whole year that you hate the most. If it's any consolation, you will be spending it with the White Dog, Sadie Girl, and Dingo Dog...I hope that makes things a little better...
To my Baby Love, Every time your Papa holds you, without fail (even in your sleep!), you will slowly twist/run your fingers through his arm hair. :) I love this little gesture. And thank you for not insulting me by running your fingers through my arm hair.  (Weight update: 11lbs 6oz at 6 weeks)
To my Dr. Husband, Yesterday you officially started your PGY-2 year of your Surgery Residency. Wahoo!! I know that you were certainly eager to teach the new interns when they started today. I'm so proud of you and I know that you will teach them well. Congrats on one year down, only five more to go...

 

Nothing like puppy ears to tie you over until dinner time... :)