Diapers and Dishes

out of ideas

2012-02-13T14:38:00.008-06:00

when it comes to valentine's day i'm often at a loss of what to do for casey.
i like to do something out of the ordinary but sometimes trying to figure out what that is ... well it's kind of exhausting!

i just looked at realsimple.com and got one fun idea that's a little outside the box.
a customized crossword puzzle from here.
i just inputed 25 memories/inside jokes casey and i have together and pressed a button.
voila a free and fun gift!
casey loves crossword puzzles and i knew some of the things i put on there would make him laugh.
a little cheesy? ... yes, i'm fully aware.

webb and i are going to try out these vegan sugar cookies tomorrow, since i can't have dairy or soy right now.
(townes has an allergy to both ... at least we think.)
and since there's no egg in them, it won't be a big deal if webb decides to eat the dough, which is highly likely!
i'm hoping they're good because i'm craving something sweet!

now i'm just hoping casey will pick up dinner :)

what do you do for your husband on valentine's day?
would love other fun ideas!

sweet t

2012-02-13T13:39:00.004-06:00

townes will be 12 weeks this weekend.
it's flying by and he's getting so big!
he's already way bigger then webb was at this age.

here's a few pictures from the past week.

safe and sound

2012-02-03T11:18:00.005-06:00

casey made it home from dubai yesterday morning!
so thankful to have him back home.

he brought the boys back these adorable little gifts.
a baby camel for little t

and "the mama camel", as webb has been calling it, for webb.

you can tell he's really a fan!
last night he tucked it in bed with him and said "night night mama camel" and then he kissed it.
he doesn't even do that with his other animals.
it was so sweet.

and he brought me home this beautiful necklace!
(which i really couldn't get a great picture of)
which is so exciting because i never get jewelry ... besides ya know christmas or birthday.

sixty

2012-02-02T21:25:00.003-06:00

happy 60th birthday daddie-o!!
(aka pwee)

also known as granddaddy mike to these two!

i think 60 is a big year.

if you do the math you might figure out that my mom's funeral was on my dad's 50th birthday.

can you even begin to imagine?

all that to say, our family is really looking forward to celebrating this big birthday!!

as i've said many times, i'm truly thankful for my dad and the role he's played in my life, especially most recently.
i'm so fortunate that he is only 2 hours away and has helped us out so much these past 2 months.
i couldn't have made it through without his support!

what i love about my dad is how thoughtful he is.
he's definitely way more thoughtful then most men out there and i'm so grateful that he is!
it definitely helps feel a void.
he's always checking in and wants to know how he can help us.
i know i can call him when i need some encouragement or advice.
if he doesn't know what to say, he knows where to direct me.
i called him when i found out casey was going to dubai and was telling him how anxious i was.
he named off 5 verses for me to go look up to help me get through.
i've always loved that he could do that.

dad, i love you so much and am so happy to see you so happy!!
we can't wait to be with you this weekend ...
if the snow doesn't stop you from getting back home!
i hope you know how loved you are!

daddy's over the ocean ...

2012-02-01T21:30:00.006-06:00

that's all webb has said this week.

remember this picture.

we'll be reliving it tomorrow morning around 8am.
casey is coming home from his 2nd trip to dubai and we're praying it's the last!
i can handle him being gone a week in the states, but a week in the middle east is a little much.
i know, it's a luxurious place, but still!

i'm a fearful person ... after losing my mom and will, i just worry.
now don't get me wrong, i know that the Lord is in control, but it doesn't stop me from "going there".

right before casey left webb got sick.
like the kinda sick that if townes caught it, it would be bad.
then casey was flying over the ocean.
and right now my dad is skiing.
my nerves are kinda shot!

but casey will be home tomorrow first thing.
he's flying over the ocean right now and i'm praying for that pilot!
i can't wait to see his face!

ten years

2012-01-31T12:37:00.006-06:00

if my mom could see me now i wonder what she'd say.
i wonder what kind of advice she'd be giving me.
i wonder what our conversations would be.
i wonder how close we would be.
we were so close.

i wonder what kind of grandmother she would be.
i wonder what crazy things would come out of her mouth that would make my children smile.
would we talk everyday?
i'm sure of it.
would she be in nashville all the time?
i know she would.

she could have saved me from having to go through so much.
everything i've struggled with in past years i remember her struggling with.
she'd already been there.
maybe it was a work in progress, but she had it figured out.
she could have saved me, directed my path.

it's when i think of all that, i know the Lord wanted me to figure it out without her.
i would have depended too much, maybe not looked to Him like i should have.

yesterday was such a different day.
ten years without her.
the outpouring of love from friends that i haven't even known that long, the outpouring of love from friends that i haven't heard from in a long time .... it was overwhelming.

ten years is a strange place.
i feel a lot more removed from my mom than ever before.
i've cried to casey just this year telling him that i no longer know what my mom would say.
how she would encourage, how she would direct me.
i'm now in a stage of life that i want more than ever for her to be here
and i have no clue what that would've looked like.
my sweet dad tells me what it would have been like, and it sounds amazing.
it's reassuring to know what i already thought.
though it hurts, i know that this is the way God intended.

this was the path for my life.
it brought me to meet and bond with a handful of amazing friends at ole miss who loved me unconditionally.
i met casey who everyday amazes me with just how amazing he is.
he knows just what i need and the right words to say. he knows how to love me.
it bonded my dad, brother and i together in a way that would have never happened otherwise.
yes, we had to go through a few hurdles to get to that place, but to me it was worth it all.
i cherish those two so much. i don't know where i would be without their love, their support.
and now it's brought me to have deep relationships with new friends in Nashville who i am raising my children with. i'm so blessed by the people that the Lord is putting in my life right now. i know the Lord answers prayers because all i've prayed for is for good friends in Nashville and He has given me that and more. once again, i'm overwhelmed.

my mom did her purpose here on earth.
she loved well.
and most importantly she loved the Lord!
it's all she talked about and all she desired.
and i'm thankful she did because she taught me that it is the ONLY way.
the only way to survive in this world.
it's not easy but at least i know where to draw strength and where to turn.

this year was a special time to remember mom.
dad took us out to dinner and we talked about so many stories that i couldn't even remember.
i think my heart was so broken i blocked out so much.
he told us stories we'd never heard.
he told us about her love for him and how it saved him.
he told us about her love for the wine country.
her love for will and the battle she fought for him to live.

if she was here i would have so many questions.

i told casey a couple of weeks ago that i have all i've ever wanted, all i've ever dreamed of.
now that i think about what i said i'm realizing that i'm at a place of acceptance.
and though it kinda makes me sad ... sad to move on, i know i'll never forget.
she'll always be a part of me.

i'm so grateful for the 19 years i had with my mom.
i know she's up in heaven with will smiling down on us all.
i know she's proud.

little t

2012-01-30T22:34:00.007-06:00

townes hit the two month mark last week!
i must say it's a good place to be.

potty training

2012-01-26T16:03:00.008-06:00

this is what potty training looks like at our house.
popchips and the "big potty".

i know ... crazy to start this mess with a newborn.
but webb was acting all crazy about his diaper being dirty that i felt like a bad mom if i didn't try.
honestly, i think he likes all the attention he's getting!
it definitely helped to have a few friends who had already started the process.
i've gotten lots of great tips!
we are in week 2 and thankfully week 2 has been much less stressful than week 1.
maybe that's because all of the "accidents" this week have happened on the hardwood floors.

it definitely helped that this sweet little fella started "sleeping through the night"
just as these potty training escapades began.
webb didn't sleep through the night until 4 months!

... and he started smiling too!!
little t, as we've stared calling him, has definitely stolen my heart.

11.26.11

2012-01-11T21:23:00.009-06:00

so as i was saying about a month ago ....

townes was born on a saturday two days after thanksgiving.
my water broke two hours after my dad had just left our house to go back to chattanooga.
we threw webb in the car, called the seibels up the street (who we are extremely grateful for),
and were on our way to the hospital.

the on-call doctor was at the hospital next door and said she would be there shortly.
shortly turned into two hours and by that time i had dilated all the way.
the baby was coming and i knew it.
which was kind of a problem given that townes was breech, booty down.

i was told the "in house" ob was going to have do the c-section.
i had just met him.
he had to be 70.
praise the lord the doctor made it right as they were about to start the surgery.
she was amazing and a hoot!

after townes came the nurse said,
"i didn't want to tell you this but the last time i checked you i saw some little butt cheeks".
oh gracious!

townes arrived and was perfect.
i, on the other hand, was a nervous shaking wreck :)

this picture makes me so happy.
this little guy was wide awake and ready to go!

dad made it back to nashville right as we got out of the or all thanks to jody!

jody (mitsy's daughter), casey, me and townes, dad and mitsy

i love this picture.

jody and mitsy with townes.
they had just taken webb for pancakes at the pancake pantry.

webb and i watching cartoons.
so content after all those pancakes!

attempting a family pic.
i've learned over the years to just go ahead and smile at the camera ...
praying that webb will choose to do the same.

a miracle this even came together!

reg and al made it back from florida!

webb looks more excited about this meeting then townes.

casey's mom and the baby.
she and jimmy entertained webb while we were in the hospital.
so thankful!

this was one alert little boy.
look at those eyes!

headed home ... and some kisses from big brother.

a few things i've learned from my second pregnancy ...

1. if you can avoid a c-section, avoid it!
2. i had no idea how much compassion i should've been giving (and now will) mom's who have c-sections.
3. like they all say, yes ... webb seems like a grown boy now. he's so big!
4. you really do forget. EVERYTHING! breastfeeding, changing a bizzillion diapers, OH and the night sweats.
i've already forgotten that this time around i slept on the couch for a week because i couldn't get in and out of the bed.
i just remembered while i was typing this!

but as "they" (casey always asks me "who is they?") say ... it's all worth it!

stayed tuned for a christmas recap next.
i'm finally catching up!

way behind

2012-01-08T14:35:00.008-06:00

i've got so much to share about what all's been going on!
since i can't seem to make that happen just yet, here's where we are this week.

townes is 6 weeks old!

webb at 6 weeks.

no kidding, these boys look so much alike!
townes has more hair and it's darker (you can't tell in this pic).
lips, nose, even bags under the eyes! haha.

here's webb at 2.5 years!
loving life in his lighting mcqueen pjs and slippers he got this christmas.
he's changed so much since townes was born.
he's had a verbal explosion!
it's been really fun to hear what comes out of his mouth.
the latest favorite ... "mommy i have an idea!"
and that when referring to his brother he always says "baby brother townes".

if i could ...

2012-01-04T20:44:00.004-06:00

get my act together i would make this wreath.
unfortunately i don't see it happening anytime soon.

isn't it perfect for winter?!

photo and diy directions found here

merry christmas!

2011-12-25T10:07:00.002-06:00

merry christmas from us to you!

my christmas cards finally went out on the 23rd.
so nashville friends got them yesterday and out of town friends will hopefully get them monday.
not tooooo bad i'd say!

thanks hannah for taking some great pics of the boys and to emelie for designing these adorable cards!

have a VERY merry day!

flashback to thanksgiving

2011-12-16T09:22:00.009-06:00

before telling about our new life with townes, it's a must that i go back and tell our thanksgiving story.
this was the first thanksgiving we've spent without family.
i was going to be "induced" the wednesday after thanksgiving, so obviously we weren't going anywhere.
dad was in chattanooga, casey's family in tupelo and reg and al in florida.
all were getting ready to be in nashville with us on wednesday to help with webb.

so ... it was just us three.
and to be honest it was perfect.
it's a day i'll always be thankful for and remember being a family of three.

since i was having all kinds of random contractions, we laid low
... as we had been doing since casey left for dubai weeks earlier.

we watched the macy's day parade and casey made the breakfast casserole that i always make for the holidays.
i think it was better than when i make it!

the weather was beautiful.
we hung out outside for a while and webb played a little golf.
a new favorite sport of his!

to bad there's a garbage can behind us.
i thought this picture was sweet.

another attempt at a pic of the 2 of us.
some of you may remember this turkey shirt from last year.
i'm often paranoid about webb's size.
well it's only because people always say "awe he's just so short and so cute!"
kinda drives me crazy.
so he's 2, i don't know maybe 3 inches (in some cases!) shorter than some kids his age.
i guess if there's a plus side to it ...
looks like we won't be growing out of clothes as fast as most toddlers!

i asked casey to pick up a centerpiece for the table and i was SO impressed!
i LOVE some flowers and we hardly ever have them at the house.

the table

we never use our fancy stuff, so it was fun to pull it out.
and of course we had to use our wedding napkins ... from 5 years ago!!!
i was planning weddings when we got married and saw people run out of stuff often.
so what did i do? go a little overboard.
i think we have over a 100 napkins leftover.
but hey, they look great with our china!!

last picture of me and webb before townes was born!

and for dessert, my favorite ... pecan pie!
i don't know about you, but i only like to eat pecan pie at the holidays.
there's something special about it.
i'm always pretty sentimental and use my mom's pecan pie recipe.
this year i tried the pioneer woman's and it definitely didn't disappoint!

our garcon!
he even dressed up for the part.
casey cooked everything we ate for dinner.
it was amazing!
turkey and gravy, turnip greens, cornbread dressing, sweet potato casserole with a side of sister shuberts.
we didn't skimp!

big boo actually ate!

cracking up with daddy.

my dad came to town the next day and hung out until saturday.
we watched LOTS of football and he entertained webb.

webb loves to laugh with grandaddy mike.

dad went back to chattanooga on saturday.
i called him two hours later as he had just walked in the door to his house.
my water had broken and we were on the way to the hospital.
... to be continued ...

where i've been ...

2011-12-07T10:32:00.009-06:00

we've been getting use to life with this precious little guy

townes michael
born on saturday, november 26th at 7:30pm

he's the sweetest little thing and i'm so in love.
we're SO thankful and so blessed to have a healthy baby boy!

... and we're getting used to being a family of 4!

it's definitely been an adjustment.
webb has been so sweet and casey has been amazing.
we couldn't have made it these past 10 days without the help of our family who i can't thank enough.
... and some really sweet friends who have gone above and beyond.
i'm so grateful.
the Lord has truly blessed us!

crazy delivery story and some funny webb stories to come!
and of course, more pictures!

the fireman

2011-11-21T09:30:00.012-06:00

webb has gotten into dressing up lately which i'm very thankful for!
to me that means his imagination is up and running ...
where mine is pretty much non-existent at this stage of the game :)

after days of staying in the house/going to school, i decided friday morning we needed some activity.
fighting a few contractions and exhaustion we made it to monkey's treehouse and it was a great morning!
i love that place!
i can just sit back and not have a worry in the world while webb plays happily for hours.

his latest loves are fire trucks, trains and as always lighting mcqueen.

casey's twin!

this little fireman has been talking up a storm lately.
his brain is a little sponge.
often times saying some of the most hysterical things.
(i know if i don't document this now, i'll forget it all! ... so here it goes)

some milestones are ...
he loves counting to 10 and attempting to count beyond (though they get a little jumbled).

singing the alphabet which the funniest part is LMNOP ... he says "i have gotta pee"!

he's even learning at church.
one of my friends who teaches sunday school was telling me how the kids are learning the shorter catechism.
i grew up in a pca church and don't even know it!
so i asked him the other day "who made you?" and he replied with a big grin, "God".
then i had to look up the second question ...
"what else did God make?" and his response, "God made all things".
i thought i would cry!

we're trying to work on getting him use to the potty but aren't stressing about it.
lately we've been getting play by plays of his going to the bathroom.
the other night he said, "it's itchin', it's poopoo, it's diaper change" ... all in the matter of a minute!
of course you mention "do you want to go to the potty?" and he says "no!"
(sorry, lots of detail you'd prob prefer not to know)

on thursday he told me, after i was up doing one too many things and i knew i should be resting ...
"mommy, lay down on the couch" and he pulled me by my hand into the den.

if he can't find me in the house he sings "mooooommmmmyyyy" in the sweetest voice.
it makes my heart melt.

yesterday when we went to church i opened the door to get in the car and he said, "mommy sit down".
and then proceded to close the door for me like such the gentlemen.

it fills my heart to see how much he loves and adores casey.
he'll always say "daddy, look" and shows him who knows what.
bedtime is always so special to watch those two.
by that time of day my patience is all gone and casey always makes it such a sweet time of the day.

i'm so thankful for casey.
he's waited on me hand and foot these past weeks and won't let me do anything when he's home.
if i'm stirring around he'll always yell "lou, what are you up to in there? ... please get on the couch."
i'll have to say that i owe it to him and my dad that this baby hasn't come yet.
they both mandated that i be on "couch rest" and no picking up webb and i've actually listened.
(because they know how anxious of a person i am)
my doctor has said that since i'm as far along as i am if the baby comes, he comes.
so i guess that's why bed rest was never mentioned at the 36 week stage of the game.
staying off my feet has been the only way that these contractions have subsided and this baby has gotten the chance to grow more or as casey says "gotten to incubate".

lots of people ask if webb knows what's about to hit him.
he definitely understands that baby brother has all kinds of things.
a bed, clothes, car seat ... and he prays for him every night.
but i think he is completely clueless to what is about to go down!

38 week ultrasound and appointment tomorrow!

foodie friday

2011-11-18T12:57:00.005-06:00

well we're still hanging on over here.
the little guy will be here in less than two weeks, unless he decides to come on his own.
i'm just waiting to hear back from the doctor about when my "scheduled" turning session will be.
should be interesting!

i was just talking to a friend about how it seems like i'm going to be one of those cases where the doctor tells you the baby could come any day ...
then low and behold the baby just hangs on and waits until you schedule a time for them to make their big debut!

hopefully he'll hang on until after thanksgiving and put on some lbs.
i wouldn't mind that one bit.
i also think it would be kinda special to have a thanksgiving surprise!
to be continued ...

here's a recipe i've been dying to make since telling mk about it last week.
but considering that i just ate a number of pillsbury cinnamon rolls this morning,
i think i may wait until next week to make it.

just in time for the holidays ... this is definitely a crowd pleaser!
to me the icing is optional. the cake is so good without too!

photo via martha stewart

pumpkin pound cake
1 package yellow cake mix
4 eggs beaten
1/2 cup veg oil
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teas. cinnamon
1/8 teas. nutmeg

icing
8 oz cream cheese softened
4 T margarine
16 oz powdered sugar
1 teas vanilla

mix all ingredients and beat 4 minutes.
pour into greased bundt pan.
bake for 1 hour on 325.
let cool before icing.

for the icing:
blend cream cheese and margarine.
add vanilla and powdered sugar.
blend until smooth then pour over cake.
sprinkle cake with nuts if you want!

the countdown

2011-11-14T15:10:00.003-06:00

37 weeks.
that's this week!
that's when our little webb changed our life forever.
i get emotional just thinking about it.

i can't believe we're about to be a family of 4.
something about it feels so different.
i feel so blessed.
i'm so excited!
i can't wait to meet sweet baby brother.
it could be anyday that we'll be meeting just like this ...

this past week has been another doozie!
and i'm so grateful once again for the best family and friends who've helped keep us sane!
from taking me to the hospital to picking up webb and entertaining him for a while.
it's such a blessing to know everyone and everything is and will be taken care of.

this wednesday's appt. will hopefully give us an idea of what's ahead.
right now we're ready (well not really) and waiting for the big day!

my prayer this week is that
a) baby brother will turn, baby, turn!
.. he's breeched and i know he hasn't moved cause i can feel that little head up against my ribs.

b) he'll put on some weight and lengthen out that little body
... he's measuring small like webb did.

c) the Lord will tell me when to go to the hospital!
... i've already been twice b/c the doctor told me to go at any signs of labor.
i'm already dialated and webb came super fast so she's concerned labor could start and the baby hasn't turned.

looks like baby brother will be a november baby!
if he hasn't come in the next week and a half we'll go in and try and turn him or do a c-section.

praying for a healthy little boy!

the things this boy says

2011-11-07T19:27:00.006-06:00

before i forget, here's what's coming out of boo's mouth these days.

"i need to be careful" ... i've created a cautious little man.

"i wanna lay down on the couch" ... as he gets a blanket and crawls up to do what i've been doing best.

"it's kinda hot" ... to his food, my coffee, my food. i never knew i said this phrase all the time!
it's amazing what kids will teach you about yourself. :)

"i wanna watch news" ... and sometimes pitches a fit about it.

"i wanna watch football" ... you know who loves that!

"daddy in dubai bye" but sometimes "daddy in abu dhabi"? ... that one came from my dad.

the past two mornings he's gotten out of his bed, at 5am, run into our room saying:

on day 1 "Oh no!"
on day 2 "Surprise!"

rewind

2011-11-07T19:06:00.008-06:00

i was so focused on not having the baby while casey was out of town
that i got a little behind on the latest webb happenings!
so here it goes ...

webb and i picking out pumpkins before halloween.
casey and i had taken him to a pumpkin patch before he left
but my luck the camera battery died before i could take my first pic.
so we needed some proof that we did something festive for fall!

this one's my favorite.
that boy is always sticking out his tongue!

some really sweet friends ...

threw me a diaper shower and it turned out to be while casey was in dubai.
just what i needed!
it was another good distraction while he was gone and a reality check of what's to come!

halloween also fell while mr. hester was out of town.
i had envisioned this great spider costume i was going to make for webb but it was a total flop.
and then exhaustion set in.
i, for one, am not a lover of halloween.
i was about to throw in the towel and just say forget it.
right before it was time to trick or treat i got this email from casey ...

I am sad we are apart on this holiday, since I know it is so important to you :)
Be on the lookout for inflatable halloween yard decorations. i miss you two.

Send me a picture of boo in halloween gear.
I saw some trick or treaters in the lobby of the hotel earlier today and I got sad to miss him in his costume.
Never thought I'd be so nostalgic over Halloween.

so i mustered up all the strength i could, took webb to target,
picked out this cute full priced frankenstein costume all for the sake of a picture for casey.
and webb wouldn't wear the key part of the costume.
the hat!
so he just looked like a little man in a little suit.

we went next door to the seibels neighborhood and took part in their neighborhood parade
and a little trick or treating.
webb got the idea of trick or treating down pretty good,
though he tried giving away his candy at each house instead of taking it.
it was really cute.

what did i tell ya ... little man, little suit

it didn't matter what the pictures looked like.
casey loved them regardless.

foodie friday

2011-11-04T08:28:00.004-05:00

here's another yummy soup recipe to warm you up on this chilly, dreary friday.

last week while casey was gone, his mom came to town for a few days to help me with webb.

it was Amazing!
while she was here we found this delicious soup recipe in my GPS alumnae cookbook.
it was super easy and SO good!!

homemade potato soup

4-5 medium potatoes
1 medium onion
salt
6 pieces of bacon
2 cloves garlic
1 heaping T. flour
2+ cups of milk
1 stick butter
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
chives (if you want them)

peel, wash and dice potatoes. chop onion.
in large pot cover potatoes and onion with water and add salt to taste.
cover and cook on medium until potatoes are soft, but not mushy.

fry bacon and crumble, set aside.
mince garlic, set aside.

make a paste with the flour and 1/3 cup of the milk, stirring until smooth.
add 1 1/2 - 2 cups milk to paste, stir and then add to pot of potatoes/onion.

add butter, bacon, garlic, cheese and chives (if you have them) to soup.
stir and simmer for 20 minutes.

(we just added the butter, garlic and cheese and it was still so good!)

will

2011-11-04T08:03:00.005-05:00

i can't believe it's been 7 years since my little brother passed away.
today was the day that we said our final goodbye to him.
often when i think about will i feel like it is a dream that i just made up in my head.
not many people have to watch suffering everyday, especially as a child.
but for some reason it was what the Lord had in store for our family.
as i did a little bible study this morning i'm reminded of why the Lord brought will into our life.
so that we could learn to have faith.
faith that the Lord was walking along side us, faith that the Lord would heal, faith to believe that there was a reason he brought this little guy into our life.

i wish so much that my mother was here to tell me the stories of how she gained so much patience.
though in reality i know the answer.
lots and lots of prayer. lots and lots of time reading the Bible.
it's when i think of her that i feel an unmeasurable amount of guilt about the lack of patience i have with my own son, who is perfectly healthy.
i tell ya, this world is such a tough place to live!
priorities are always out of wack, our focus is on the things that never matter the most.
at least that's the way it is for me.

today i am thankful for the 20 years of life that i shared with my little brother.
i'm grateful that the Lord blessed us with an angel to show us where our focus should be, though it isn't always.
will helped me see that God is in control and we have to trust in Him.
and that we must believe that the Lords plan for our life is the best plan.

this week always kicks off a couple of months of heartache in the costello family.
from will to the holidays then mom then mom and will's birthday in february.
it's an emotional doozie!
of course it's gotten better over the years.
time does help heal things ... if you've dealt with them that is!

it's the biggest blessing to have this little baby boy coming in the midst of all this time of remembrance.
i'm so thankful for the joy that he will bring to each of our holidays.
the celebration of new life!
it really is such a gift and i know the Lord planned it to be exactly that way!

prayers answered!

2011-11-03T12:47:00.004-05:00

yesterday was a day to be celebrated!!
casey made it home safely from dubai!

webb and i picked him up at the airport, "welcome home" sign and all yesterday morning.

(so sad i didn't capture a picture of the sign ... it was decorated with lighting mcqueen stickers of course!)

webb ran straight for casey and i started crying, which i had anticipated would happen.
it was a tough 8 days.
especially because i had contractions the day before he left so the goal was to lay low while he was gone.

thanks to lots of prayers and HELP from some wonderful family and friends we survived!
the week actually ended up flying by pretty fast.

it was amazing to see how blessed we are by those around us.
to those of you who constantly checked in and offered to take webb to give me a break -
we can't thank you enough for helping us get through!
love y'all so much.

foodie friday

2011-10-21T13:56:00.004-05:00

who doesn't LOVE soup season?!
i'm sure there are plenty that don't, but i sure do!
i love making soup in my dutch oven.
if you don't have a dutch oven, you must ask for one for christmas!
when we got ours for a wedding gift i had no clue what it was.
i thank the smith family on signal mountain every time i use my dutch oven ... it was the best gift!!
(i always think i'll them that whenever i see them. i know they'll think i'm crazy!)

back to the soup, i've already made two different kinds this week.
a new one and an old standby.

i never thought i would grow up and choose to make beef stew.
but i have and i do and i love this recipe!

it's super easy and super satisfying.
especially served up with some homemade cornbread. (i've shared that fav recipe below too!)
hope you enjoy!!

old fashioned beef stew
by paula deen

2 pounds stew beef (i use a little less)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Dash ground allspice or ground cloves (i never have this on hand)
3 large carrots, sliced (i do about twice as much)
3 ribs celery, chopped (same as carrots)
2 tablespoons cornstarch (if you don't have, use 4 T. all purpose flour)

Brown meat in hot oil. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and allspice. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Remove bay leaves and garlic clove. Add carrots and celery. Cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes longer. To thicken gravy, remove 2 cups hot liquid. Using a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with a little hot liquid and return mixture to pot. Stir and cook until bubbly.

_________________________________________________________________

i found this cornbread recipe when casey and i were on this no dairy kick ... which is ancient history now! so where it said to use soy or rice milk, i replace it with whole or 2%.

photo from whole foods

1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 cups flour (I used white whole wheat)
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
2 large eggs
1/2 cup oil

Preheat oven to 400°F. Oil a (9-inch) square baking pan and set it aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a second large bowl, whisk together soy milk, eggs and oil. Add milk mixture to cornmeal mixture and stir until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

sneak peek

2011-10-21T13:24:00.006-05:00

this past saturday i woke up around 4:30, yes in the morning, and couldn't go back to sleep.
i think the "nesting" period has officially set in.

i popped out of bed, went straight to the computer and ordered webb this cute big brother shirt from etsy to match some fun pants he has.

photo from myemmybaby at etsy

i finally finished the bedskirt i'd been working on for his new room.

here's a sneak peek ... i didn't have the energy to make the bed when i took the pic!

and then started working on curtains for his room.
no wonder i'm so stressed ... i know that's what you're thinking!

have you ever heard of drop cloth curtains?
super cheap, super easy and really cute.
i've been working on them ever since the weekend.
i have one panel done, so here's a peak of them too.
i didn't bleach mine, just added a fabric trim.

more "reveals" to follow in the coming weeks!

the bbb

2011-10-14T14:04:00.004-05:00

getting my act together around here has been quite the challenge lately!
the past few days have been a little better.
I’ve had to get used to the idea that I cannot cram all that I want to do in one day.
I’ve overwhelmed myself with, as usual, an impossible list to accomplish over the next 8 weeks.
as of this past weekend I decided, with the help of some contractions, to screw the list and just do what I can do.
everything will get done that’s supposed to get done and that’s just the way it is.
I’m so thankful for my sweet husband who’s been helping out around the house and even told me to hire a housekeeper!
that right there is a call for celebration!

so what has been my biggest worry?
getting webb over to the bbb … big boy bed or as I like to call the big “boo” bed.
well last weekend we finally did it!
he has done so good.
naptime, not as good.
he opts to play in the sheets instead of getting his beauty sleep.

the room was not ready at all but the bed was together and I finally found some fun sheets that would do the job.
I wanted to make webb’s room train themed but couldn’t find exactly what I had envisioned for the price I wanted to pay … go figure!
so instead I settled on a planes, trains and automobiles theme.
why not just incorporate it all, right?

I can’t show you pics of the room just yet ... but I will show you webb in his bbb with his cute "airpane" sheets that he asks to pray for every night!

i love how he sleeps with half of his little body on the pillow!

foodie friday

2011-09-30T13:06:00.005-05:00

TGIF!!

i love the weekends!
when webb was little and i started staying at home people used to always say ...
"i bet the weekends just aren't the same to you anymore".
i beg to differ!!
they are still the best part of my week.
the hubbie is home, we get to be a family and do fun things together,
and the best part is i don't feel all the pressure i do during the week! ... (but that's my fault!)
praise the Lord for the weekends :)

here's a new recipe i wanted to share that a friend recently shared with me.
i wasn't sure i would like it when i made it.
it'll definitely be served again!
it's a healthy spin on your typical lasagna and the flavors work so well together

via southern living

spinach and black bean lasagna
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese (i used cottage cheese instead)
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained (i used fresh)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers, divided
2 (16-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (2-pound, 13-ounce) jar pasta sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
9 precooked lasagna noodles
Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro

Stir together first 5 ingredients and 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese; set aside.

Mash beans with a potato masher or fork in a large bowl; stir in pasta sauce and cumin. Spread one-third of bean mixture on bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Layer with 3 noodles, half of spinach mixture, and 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese; repeat layers. Spread with one-third bean mixture; top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining bean mixture.

Bake, covered, at 350° for 1 hour; uncover and top with remaining Monterey Jack cheese. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese melts. Garnish, if desired.

blessings

2011-09-28T15:26:00.006-05:00

i would say that i've listened to christian radio more in the past 2 year then ever before.
it really just helps me make it through the day.
staying at home allows me a lot of "thinking time".
and for me, that time isn't always a good thing.

the song blessings by laura story is one of my favorite songs right now.
everytime i hear it, without a doubt ... the tears start flowing.

here's the lyrics ...

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise

hotty toddy

2011-09-26T09:42:00.004-05:00

our poor football team is just terrible this year!
regardless, it was so fun to go to the olemiss/georgia football game with casey ...

... and catch up with my favorite college friends.

while webb discovered a new favorite treat at his grandparents house in tupelo ... nilla wafers!!

a healthy chip!

2011-09-22T15:04:00.003-05:00

there was a time during my first trimester that i watched a lot of ellen!
3pm would roll around and webb was still taking looooooooong naps and i was in heaven!
well i was actually miserably nauseous ... but in heaven with the 4 hour nap schedule.

during one of these couch sessions gwyneth paltrow did a cooking segment and made baked kale chips.
i've been meaning to try them ever since and just last week we finally did.
now let me tell you, casey made the first batch.
he's known to get kinda "happy" in the kitchen and will sometimes overseason every now and then.
well, this was one of those cases.
so our first batch turned out a bit salty!
even he didn't really eat many of them, which was funny, because he'll usually fight through!

so here's an actual recipe that i plan on using tonight. once again from, smitten kitchen!

i'm excited to see if webb will eat them because "everyone" says kids love them!
however, when it comes to eating ... my kid is definitely not the norm.

photo from here

Baked Kale Chips
1 bunch (about 6 ounces) kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 300°F. Rinse and dry the kale, then remove the stems and tough center ribs. Cut into large pieces, toss with olive oil in a bowl then sprinkle with salt. Arrange leaves in a single layer on a large baking sheet (lined with parchment for easy clean-up but there’s no reason that you must). Bake for 20 minutes, or until crisp. Place baking sheet on a rack to cool.

zucchini, zucchini, & more zucchini!

2011-09-21T07:49:00.010-05:00

when mk posted about wanting to make zucchini fritters last week it reminded me of a recipe i'd been wanting to try ... smitten kitchens's zucchini latkes.

let me tell you, these things are good! like, really good!
when i used to work at loews planning weddings, i also planned my fair share of bar and bat mitzvahs.
latkes were always on the menu and our chef made the best!
up until then i definitely had no clue what a latke was nor had i ever tried them.
we've been getting so much zucchini from our csa that this seemed like a great zucchini recipe to add to the list.
the potato balances out the zucchini flavor, which to me is key!
(since we've been getting so much of it, it's totally lost its appeal!)

here's a great recipe to try that's super easy, super delicious and a little outside of the box.
hope you'll enjoy!

photo from smitten kitchen

zucchini latkes
from smitten kitchen

1 pound medium zucchini
1 large baking potato (3/4 pound), peeled
1 small onion, peeled
1/2 cup matzo meal (didn't have this ... but didn't seem to make a difference)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (didn't have this either ... and they were still fabulous!)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
vegetable oil for frying

this is how i made them:
grate zucchini, potato and onion.
place all three is colander and squeeze dry.
(you may want to ring the veggies out in a cloth to get ride of all the veggie juice, water ... whatever you call it)
place veggies in bowl and add egg, salt, pepper and lemon juice if you have it and stir to combine.

in medium skillet heat 2 T. vegetable oil.
drop patted latkes (i made mine a little smaller than the palm of my hand) in oil and flatten with spoon.
cook until edges are gold on moderate high heat ... about 2 minutes per side, then drain on paper towel.

the best way to serve is topped with a dollup of sour cream!

or if you are trying to be health conscious you can use applesauce!

like buttah!

2011-09-20T13:07:00.003-05:00

so we tackled the eggplant issue, now onto the butternut squash ...

a couple of weeks ago i was checking out what was cooking over at snacks and desserts and saw that emily was going to be whipping up some butternut squash soup.
i, for one, have never made butternut squash soup and was in the market for a good recipe.
well, she's got the best recipe out there!
i simply could not get over how easy and delicious this soup was.
so rich in flavor and so satisfying, especially served with some crusty bread!

i'll definitely be making a lot more of it this fall.
thanks emily for sharing your family's recipe!

photo via browneyedbaker

butternut squash soup
from snacks and desserts

you'll need:
two butternut squash
one regular baking potato
one onion
chicken broth
salt, pepper and tony chachere's to taste

peel squash and remove seeds.
chop squash along with other vegetables and add to a stock pot.
cover with chicken broth and boil.
once veggies have soften, puree in food processor along with liquid. (i used a blender)
season with salt, pepper and tony chachere's to taste and serve plain or topped with bacon or shrimp.

for more detailed info on this recipe check out emily's blog.

foodie friday

2011-09-16T16:00:00.005-05:00

since we've been getting all kinds of veggies through our CSA that we don't typically eat
(aka eggplant, butternut squash and now acorn squash),
i've been trying to get creative with my cooking lately.
hope to share some more success stories in the weeks ahead.

our biggest challenge has been all the eggplant we've been getting.
casey and i are not lovers of this beautiful vegetable.
the bitter, spongy taste simply has no appeal.
it's been showing up in our box for well over a month, EVERY week.
after giving it away a couple of times i decided i needed to just try something with it.
we had two failed attempts and one success story.
so far this is the only way i've discovered that we'll eat it.

we both agreed we didn't even know it was in the dish and i'll definitely be making this again!
besides the slicing of veggies, it's super easy to make and the warmed goat cheese topping was the icing on the cake!

ratatouille's ratatouille
recipe from smitten kitchen

my dish
(i used dried herbs instead of fresh)

1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
1 cup tomato puree (such as Pomi)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small eggplant
1 smallish zucchini
1 smallish yellow squash
1 longish red bell pepper
Few sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
Few tablespoons soft goat cheese, for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Pour tomato puree into bottom of an oval baking dish, approximately 10 inches across the long way. Drop the sliced garlic cloves and chopped onion into the sauce, stir in one tablespoon of the olive oil and season the sauce generously with salt and pepper.

Trim the ends off the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash. As carefully as you can, trim the ends off the red pepper and remove the core, leaving the edges intact, like a tube.

On a mandoline, adjustable-blade slicer or with a very sharp knife, cut the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper into very thin slices, approximately 1/16-inch thick.

Atop the tomato sauce, arrange slices of prepared vegetables concentrically from the outer edge to the inside of the baking dish, overlapping so just a smidgen of each flat surface is visible, alternating vegetables. You may have a handful leftover that do not fit.

Drizzle the remaining tablespoon olive oil over the vegetables and season them generously with salt and pepper. Remove the leaves from the thyme sprigs with your fingertips, running them down the stem. Sprinkle the fresh thyme over the dish.

Cover dish with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit inside. (Tricky, I know, but the hardest thing about this.)

Bake for approximately 45 to 55 minutes, until vegetables have released their liquid and are clearly cooked, but with some structure left so they are not totally limp. They should not be brown at the edges, and you should see that the tomato sauce is bubbling up around them.

Serve with a dab of soft goat cheese on top, alone, or with some crusty French bread, atop polenta, couscous, or your choice of grain.

day out with thomas

2011-09-13T14:06:00.015-05:00

this past saturday we took webb to see thomas the train, who by the way he loves!
he got to go on his first train ride and had a whole lotta fun!

playing with percy, his other favorite steam engine!

all aboard!
here we go!

checking out the scenery.

thomas!!
we opted out of waiting in line for an up close view.

feeding the llama at the petting zoo.

waving bye bye to the goat.

before we left i asked webb if he wanted his picture with percy and thomas.
he just plopped down on the ground.

in other words -

day out with thomas was a success!

MIA

2011-09-12T11:53:00.025-05:00

and i'm not talking about missing in action ... i'm talking MIAMI!
over labor day weekend casey and i were fortunate enough to get away for our 5 year anniversary
(and a babymoon) to south beach.
it was an absolute dream!
we couldn't have done it without the help of some wonderful grandparents!

we got to miami around lunch friday and got all checked in ...

we had lunch at this great little french sandwich shop we'd read up on.
la sandwicherie.
definitely the cheapest meal we had while in south beach :)

... and then we hit the pool!

our first night out to dinner was at fratelli la bufala, a little authentic italian restaurant.
we had house made mozzerella and sausage, and of some of the best margherita pizza!

(i know y'all are not so interested in the names of restaurants ... but i love to look back and remember!)

day 2 consisted of more time at .. you've got it, the pool!
well let's be honest ... all we did the whole time we were in south beach was sit by the pool, eat, and walk around.
it was A-mazing.

also on day 2 we discovered these rocking chairs.
they were in this little garden area at the w hotel, where we stayed.
we both looked at each other and said ... we've really done it, we're on vacation!!
so relaxing.

and after looking at this picture, reality set in that i'm definitely pregnant.
small i may be, but puffy, ... yes!
this one makes me LOL.

we had lunch at this quaint little hotel down the street called the raleigh.

and then hit up the wild and crazy clevelander to watch some of the ole miss football game.
i was definitely the only pregnant mama at this bar ... and the people watching was one of a kind!

casey drinking a miami vice.
somehow he always ends up with some girly drink on all our trips!

one of the reasons, besides the beach, that we chose to go to south beach was because we could walk around and didn't need a car.
my favorite was strolling though lummus park next to ocean drive.

i have no words for this picture but thought it was appropriate to share.
it makes me laugh too ...

ocean drive

such a fun dinner at a fish called avalon on ocean drive

day 3 was a repeat of day 1 and 2 :)

last night out on the town and dinner at sushi samba.

and then on day 4 we had to say goodbye.

bye bye peace and quiet ...

bye bye beach ....

bye bye most relaxing pool i've ever been to ...

the best part about our trip was that it was better than we both had hoped it to be.
it probably helped that i prayed a lot before that trip!
if there is one thing i've learned about being a mom it's that it's hard to let go.
let go of the control, the responsibility, the feeling of being needed ...
and for me, it's especially challenging.
but i knew that this trip was what casey and i both needed.
time alone to be those two crazy people that fell in love over 5 years ago.
we laughed more on this trip than i've laughed in a while.
we laughed like we used to.
not that we don't laugh anymore, it just made me realize there was a difference.
it just seems like a lot of the time we're always going and stressing, etc.
it was such a blessing to be able to be together and enjoy each other without any distractions or schedule
... and just be.

when things start getting crazy around the house and deep breaths need to be taken,
casey looks at me and says "remember miami".
oh how i love my husband!

back to school!

2011-08-29T11:27:00.005-05:00

webb started back to school today!
he's going two days a week like last year.
it's going to be such a big help so i can get this house ready for baby brother's arrival!

i'm in love with these pictures ...
i can't get over this little guy.
what a blessing!

the weekend

2011-08-29T10:33:00.015-05:00

hope you had a wonderful, relaxing weekend!
we sure did :)

it started off thursday night with a little happy hour birthday celebration for casey at melrose pub.
i surprised casey by having some friends meet us for drinks, apps and cupcakes at one of his fav hangouts.
i couldn't believe i actually kept it a secret!
i've been known to slip up in the past ... whoopsie!
he had so much fun and he's been talking about it ever since.
i think it was just what he needed after some rough months at work, adjustment to being a family man
... and everything else in life!

thanks to my sweet brother who got to melrose early to hold a table, we got the best seats in the house.
right next to super shot!
it totally made the celebration a fun affair ... for the guys that is!
who knew a jar of quarters and an old school basketball game could be such a hit!

i didn't get tons a pics, but here's a few ...

celebrating casey with a little o'douls :)

the casemeister in action!
(that's what i used to call him ... it's kinda unfortunate!)

reg shootin' like david robinson!
(that's who he used to wanna be when he was little)

then casey and i went to dinner at the city house for dinner.
YUM-my!
we LOVED the atmostphere!
it reminded us of a place we went to in portland and buenos aires.
he had catfish and grits and i got the margherita pizza.
mine tasted like a little bit of italia ... so fresh!

i would have shared a pic of casey opening webb's gift but we've gotten in the habit of doing it first thing in the morning when everyone's in their pj's and piled in our bed.
i think i've shared enough of those in the past!! :)
but i'll tell you what webb got his daddy.
a juicer!
... i know, a gift only fitting for my husband!

friday we went to chattanooga for our annual "staycation".
ever since the economy tanked we started this fun tradition in our family.
though sadly, reg and al couldn't make it.
reg ... we were really sad you missed out on the cake dad and mitsy got us.
a birthday/anniversary cake from the one and only jackson bakery!
it's the best white on white cake chattanooga has to offer and has been around for forever.
thanks dad and mitsy!

saturday morning we went to the pool which was such a treat.
of course webb was in heaven and kept wanting to go in the "big pool, big pool!"

he kept wanting to jump off casey's chest and was putting his hand up in the air.
it was hysterical!
we didn't even tell him to do it.

so into it and such perfect form!

learning to jump from the side.

kicking his "toes" as he would say!

then saturday night we went on a little date for our 5 year anniversary and saw the help!
such a great movie.
our big anniversary celebration comes this weekend when we head to south beach!
i'm so excited i can hardly stand it!

happy birthday to you!!

2011-08-25T14:53:00.003-05:00

happy birthday to my sweet, adorable, adventurous, quirky, and often comical husband!
he really encompasses so many things.

i hope that today you are reminded of how much you are truly loved!

pb & j

2011-08-24T08:53:00.005-05:00

changes keep on coming in the hester household.

i took it upon myself to give webb's bangs a trim last week and have actually gotten lots of compliments.
which is funny because there are very long sporadic pieces everywhere!
but hey - i saved 10 bucks :)

webb has fallen in love with the classic pb & j and will actually eat it like a sandwich.
no more tearing sandwiches to bite size pieces!
(it's the little things)

he loves to give everything a label.
webb's snoothie (that's smoothie)
mama's snoothie
dada's snoothie

everything comes in threes.
he likes to make sure we are all included :)

he's started giving me orders which has been both shocking and sweet.
if demanding things can be sweet.
"sit down" and "come here" ... he says!
in the most southern, precious voice.

one of my favorites is when we're playing out in the yard throwing and kicking balls and one rolls out into the grass.
"i got it!" he says as he runs towards the ball.

he's been whispering sweet words to baby brother and i got the cutest video of it last night.
it's on casey's phone so i'll share it as soon as he can take a break from work and send it.
he's been SO busy at work.
it's really been a blessing, besides the angst it's causing him ...
he finally has things to do that makes his days fly by.
we all know what a good thing that is!

slowly but surely things are coming along in the big boy room.
figuring out what to do with the guest room suite has been a bit challenging but i think we almost have it figured out.
looks like boo won't get to make the move until sometime next month.

we're also gearing up for a lot of fun for me and the mister.
tomorrow is casey's birthday, friday our 5th anniversary,
and next weekend we're going to south beach to celebrate!!
praying the hurricanes stay away!

who knew!?

2011-08-17T12:49:00.006-05:00

would you believe me if i told you there is a pumpkin growing in our garden?
it's totally true!

sometime last year we started composting.
now when i say "we", i mean i finally gave in.
casey had been trying to get me to follow his lead for quite some time but i just couldn't.

composting to me always = gross.
we had these neighbors growing up that composted.
only people i ever knew that did.
and let me tell you, the pile was this overwhelming mountain of nastiness.
i don't think they ever even used it.
... and of course it was on our side of the fence.

images of my neighbors compost pile would flash before my eyes whenever casey would talk about the subject matter.
well, i finally gave in but with one condition ... i didn't want to see "the pile".
... you know i wouldn't have agreed to it if i could see it!

back to the point of the story ...
what we've recently learned is you never know what can grow in your garden if you use the compost soil.
at first we thought we were growing a watermelon and then some sort of gourd.
now there's absolutely no question.
we don't know if the seeds came from our pumpkin last year ... is that even possible?
or some pumpkin seeds casey had bought a few months back.

at this rate we think it'll be ready to pick just in time for halloween!
and then we'll make some homemade pumpkin bread ... yum!

growing up

2011-08-10T08:51:00.009-05:00

two has brought on lots of change.
for starters webb doesn't take a paci anymore.
the transition was super easy.
i was honestly shocked at how easy it was.
we decided that the day after he turned two the paci would be moved to the trash.
there were no fits about it.
now webb likes to joke about it which we find kinda funny.
casey was sitting with him at dinner one night and webb looked at him and said "paci!" with a big grin on his face.
then he said it over and over and was dying laughing!

we've been working on lots of things since two.
something about the age has been a big motivator.
the obvious reason being he totally gets things now and that baby brother will be here before we know it!

we've been working on manners.
he says ...

tank you-ah
saw-be
se ma'am
no ma'am
se sir
no sir
peas

the thank yous he's gotten better and better at, the rest is a work in progress.
it's really all so precious.
he's got such a southern drawl ... i just can't get enough.
is he learning that from me??

he's been saying two and three word sentences for about a month and just this week some sentences are coming out.
we've been most amazed at how he can read letters.
he won't say the entire alphabet, but if you sit with him and ask him to find an "h", "a", "r", etc on the page he will!
he's not right on everytime, but for the most part he is!
we were speechless!

his true loves are fire trucks, ambulances, trucks which he calls "eighteen-teen crucks".
he loves to play his lighting mcqueen guitar with dada.
last week casey put on a hat, sat in his "reading" chair, as we call it, and started playing his guitar.
webb went into his bedroom, got out his hat, sat in his little "webb" chair and picked up his guitar to play.
i wasn't there to witness it,and of course no picture was taken!
i can only imagine what that must have looked like!

he's starting to clue into baby brother.
he'll point at the ultrasound picture on the fridge and say "babeee broder" and he'll randomly talk about him.

so that's whats been going on these past 6 weeks.
now i'm off to decluttering.
next up ... getting webb's big room ready this month and next month potty training!!
should be interesting!

inspiration

2011-08-08T08:30:00.005-05:00

i love to be inspired by others.
actually a lot of times it's how i accomplish most things in my life!
i'll be the first to admit that i'm a scaredy cat when it comes to trying something new unless it's in the kitchen.

ever since i got my sewing machine i've had big dreams!
i talk a good game, but often times don't produce.

when it comes to sewing a lot of my inspiration has come from my sister-in-law.
she's not scared to try anything.
she just got my great grandmother's couch recovered, which by the way looks fantastic, and made pillows to go with just like that.
she's always told me that making pillows is so easy and encouraged me to make some.
instead i've just dreamed of the prospect of updating my house with beautifully fabriced pillows ... sad, but true.

another recent inspiration happened on my trip to chattanooga this past week.
casey had a couple of days off and kept webb while i went to check on my grandfather and to attend a family friends wedding shower.
what a treat it was!
despite the fact that my grandfather is still in the hospital :(
but thankfully this time he was awake and knew who i was.
he even puckered up his lips, the funny way that he does (he's got lots of personality) to give me a kiss.
it broke my heart and brought me so much joy all at the same time.

so back to the inspiration ... i got to spend some time with one of my mom's best friends cindy while i was in town.
it was just what i needed!
she gave me all kinds of tips on decorating, cooking, traveling and raising a child in this crazy world!
all my favorite things, not to mention i've always loved her taste!
right now she's redoing a number of rooms in her house and it was totally inspiring!!
she's going for the neutral, white, natural look (not sure the best way to explain it) and it got me wanting to get back to giving my house a little boost.

so i headed to this fabric store in chattanooga that i adored going to with my mom when i was little, associated fabrics.
... and found some fabric to make pillows for our couch and various chairs in the house.

here's my first pillow.
it took no time to make! ... oh and only $10.
thanks al and cindy for your inspiration!

the back with opening to slide the pillow in.

for a tutorial on how to make your own pillow go to cool people sew.
i just skipped the cording part, but if you're up for that challenge ... go for it!

trains!

2011-07-27T14:46:00.010-05:00

this past weekend we took webb to cheekwood to see the trains exhibit.
it was a bit hot, but we managed.
thankfully some of the exhibit was shaded.

with casey being out of town for a week with work (which felt like a month),
my emotionally draining trip to chattanooga
(my mom's dad had major back surgery and then had a heart attack while in the hospital),
along with a few other things ...

... our family needed a little fun time together.
we knew webb would love the trains, because he is OBSESSED with thomas, and he did!

sometimes we skip out on some of the more exciting things in nashville for kids to save a buck or two.
instead we stick to the zoo and pool, which we already pay for, or the park, walks at radnor lake or playing in the yard.
that's usually our weekend.

but this weekend we needed something extra special.

it was so much fun to see how excited webb was about the trains at cheekwood.
he ran round and round chasing thomas the train, the ladybug train and checking out all the little houses in between.

thomas was watching our every move!

a typical shot of me and boo

this picture says ....
"you gotta be kidding me, it's time to leave?!?"

praying for granddaddy bill this week to recover from all he's been through.
we love him so much!

this picture is from the first time he met webb.

how i told him

2011-07-13T16:29:00.008-05:00

i realized that i haven't shared these pictures yet and thought today would be the perfect day to do so ...
because i had my 20 week ultrasound just this morning!

i wish i had been a little more prepared back in march when i found out i was pregnant.
... or a little more patient.
i knew how i wanted to tell casey we were having another baby,
but i couldn't find that adorable "big brother" shirt i had envisioned on such a short deadline.

i found one that definitely did the job.

casey comes home from work
"heyyyyy" ... he sings as he enters the house.
(he was particularly perky that day!)

he always goes straight to hugging on webb.
... webb is always running towards him with the biggest smile saying "dada, dada!".

and then he sees it!

now was that a perfect reaction shot or what?! ... those eyebrows!
so glad i got it!
he was a.b.s.o.l.u.t.e.l.y shocked!
not in a bad way ... just couldn't believe that it was all happening.
we were really going to have another baby!
we were, and are so excited!

so, the ultrasound ... it went so great and i was SO very thankful!
with what webb went through in the first 3 weeks of life and my worrisome self ...
i had lots of anxious energy this morning.
so far fluid levels, measurements, weight ... everything looks just as it should.
the doctor is going to recheck everything at 30 weeks.

after we saw all the body parts, well almost all of them ...
suddenly i hear casey say "uh oh".
he saw it.
and then said "looks like we'll be having more than just two!"

because we found out we're having another BOY!

we're SO excited and feel so incredibly blessed!
i've been smiling about having 2 boys all day.
i never imagined that i would be a mom of 2 boys at some point in my life.
just goes to show the Lord knows better than i do.
can't wait to see all the adventures that lie ahead!

fourth of july

2011-07-08T13:29:00.011-05:00

last week we took advantage of the long weekend and went to tupelo for the 4th of july
and to celebrate casey's mom's birthday.
it was so relaxing and webb was so content.

here's what all he did while we were there ....
(lots of time was spent in the water. the humidity was on the verge of unbearable!)

he played in the water hose.
casey has taught him how to water the garden, so he thinks he's a real pro with the hose.

relaxing on the porch

he found casey's old mets baseball helmet.
he wouldn't take it off.

(p.s. - we looked at pictures of casey when he was two while we were there.
the resemblance is unbelievable!
i'll have to scan a picture soon to show.
they have the same exact eye shape, face shape hair and lips.
and make the exact same expressions!)

then he found his sunglasses ..

he loves kiki!

riding in the jeep with his cousin ethan.

they were really cute.

playing at the water fountain in downtown tupelo.

checkin' on mama.
it was so hot, i had to stay in the shade!!

the ride home.
he fell asleep in no time!

thanks vicki and jimmy for a great weekend and for entertaining webb!
casey and i were in need of a little r&r.

foodie friday

2011-07-08T13:05:00.005-05:00

photo from here

looking for a good cupcake recipe?
this one is for you!
i've never been big on making cupcakes.
i don't feel like they turn out the way i want them to.
usually they are all different sizes, too dense and never fluffy enough.

i used this recipe for webb's birthday party a couple of weeks ago and was so happy with the result!
i was truly impressed.

i try to stay as natural and non-processed in my baking and cooking as possible, but i just couldn't resist these.
i used the best ingredients i could until i had to add the artificial food coloring.
my first batch i even tried an all natural food coloring that is super expensive and the cupcakes were purpley.
so at 10pm, the night before webb's party casey ran out and got me the real stuff.
you can't win everytime ...

red velvet cupcakes
from annies eats

Ingredients:
For the cake:
2½ cups cake flour (i used white wheat flour)
1½ cups sugar (i used organic cane sugar)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1½ cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp. (1 oz.) liquid red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. distilled white vinegar

For the frosting:*
8 oz. cream cheese
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar. Beat on medium speed until well blended. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Let cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.

the party!

2011-06-27T16:21:00.016-05:00

well this has taken me forever to post!
a couple of times i spent an hour working on this post only for it to not save.
totally frustrated and feeling like i'd wasted too much time i had to step away from blogging for a few days!

so here we go!
webb's birthday party pics.

the theme was the cat in the hat.
webb fell in love with the cat in the hat thanks to the fact that we don't have cable.
so thankful for pbs kids.
only educational cartoons for this kiddo!

we watch the cat in the hat almost every morning around here.
"go go go" was one of the first phrases boo ever said.
it was hysterical and really cute.

the invitation:
designed by my friend emelie at town square designs.
to see a better image of this adorable invite, go here.
(she also designed the sweet lou's logo)

party time!
webb's party was at smart sprouts.
it's a new drop-off daycare in green hills.
it's fabulous!
ann, the owner, rents out the space for birthday parties on saturdays.
it was just the place i had been searching for when i knew i wanted to have an indoor party.
(i was afraid the cicadas were still going to be around! ... as webb would say "shoo")

the party favors were cat in the hat paper hats and stickers.

on the menu:
chips and salsa
goldfish (you can't have a party these days without 'em!)
watermelon and blueberries
hallelujah ham rolls
white chocolate covered strawberries
(but the chocolate was blue!)
red velvet cupcakes

my sweet helper lizzie.
couldn't have done it without you!!
(eventhough you dropped the box of cupcakes!)

the proud parents

this was how we got the hint that webb wanted a guitar for his birthday.
he carried this thing around about 90% of the time at the party.

of course the train table was a hit!
webb with luke, arthur and brennan

webb loves william!
i think william loves webb because webb laughs at everything william says :)

daddy and webb

what the family does at a 2 year old birthday party!

happy birthday to you!!

if i could change one thing, i wish i would have videoed this!
i didn't expect that it was going to be such a special moment.
webb's face lit up when everyone sang happy birthday and then he blew out the candle.
i had NO clue he could do that!
everyone cheered and he smiled so big.
he was SO proud and we were SO proud of him too!

yummy!

i love it when my mom let's me eat sweets :)

a little one on one storytime in the corner with mama ...

ann wilson is one of webb's few girlfriends and he adores her!
he loves to hold her hand and the funniest part is that sometimes she's just not in the mood.
it's really cute.

going in for a hug ...

i found him by the table sneaking a tortilla chip.
his favorite, but not mine.
those sharp edges make me so nervous!

george, webb, max and parker

playgroup friends ... luke, ethan and mary mae

webb and tom kennon playing follow the leader.
webb's always the follower.

having too much fun in the water fountain!

another one of me and boo

here comes the birthday boy!

hugs from george!
webb's sweet friend from school.

wearing the party hat

opening a gift from unkie and al.
webb is obsessed with his CAT rumbler!

i was wrong ... if i could do it all over i again i would do two things differently.
1 - video singing happy birthday
and
2 - get a picture of webb with my dad
i don't know what i was thinking.
i was sad when i realized i forgot to take one.
i guess i could use pregnancy brain as an excuse,
but at the end of the first trimester is that even a valid excuse at this point?

webb's party was just perfect!
it was a wonderful celebration of how far we have come in 2 years, a celebration of good health, and new friendships.
we feel SO extremely blessed!

saturday

2011-06-26T13:20:00.007-05:00

here's a little recap of what we did on webb's birthday ...

we got him a lightning mcqueen guitar!!

talk about double the fun ...
webb is OBSESSED with lightning mcqueen from cars and
he's also obsessed with daddy's new guitar (casey's started taking lessons).
so now they can play together!

just a strummin'

learning some chords

since we had webb's birthday party last weekend,
we decided to take him for donuts instead of getting more cake.

webb picking out his breakfast at donut den.

sprinkles!

he REALLY liked this one!

daddy's sausage biscuit!

takin' a little breather ...

i think i'll try this blueberry one too ...

he had so much fun!
oh and this "2" shirt was part of his birthday gift too.
i made it!
tutorial to come.
such an easy, quick project and only costs about $5.

then we went to the park to run off the donuts.

then he went down the slide,

then he went rock climbing,

and last but not least, he ran the bases at the baseball field with daddy.

after naptime we went to a little friends birthday party to finish out the day.
saturday was such a fun day.
i loved being low key on his actual birthday and just letting him do whatever he pleased.
(i'm not always good at that!)

next post:
pictures of webb's birthday party from last weekend!

boo is two!

2011-06-25T14:16:00.004-05:00

happy birthday to the best gift i was ever given!
i love this little guy so much!

happy 2nd birthday webb!!

the beach, part II

2011-06-23T12:10:00.011-05:00

what i love about blogging is that it's an easy way to document our life.
i've never been good about writing things down, scrapbooking or taking videos.
and it definitely hasn't helped that my memory has been shot for the past decade.
so this blog has been a great way to remember what we've done,
where we've been and the happy times we've shared over the past 2 years.
i'm so thankful for it!

i had to get these beach pictures up once and for all.
otherwise i would have no recollection of the costello family vacation to seagrove!
here they are ... about a month behind.

we started out our trip to the emerald coast with a stop at durbin farms for peaches!
we always makes these tasty daiquiris when we go to the beach.
there's no substitute for chilton county peaches!

durbin farms is the perfect halfway stop between nashville and the beach.
it's a great place for webb to use up some stored up energy too!
he really struggled to carry around this basket, and boy was he determined.

first day at the beach.

first day in the sand.

we really need a new camera!
me and boo by the ocean.

one of two of my favorite pictures.

my absolute favorite!

(before we left nashville, i went to old navy to get casey a new swimsuit.
i had a red one in my hand but texted him just in case to see if he may want something different.
a hawaiian one he replied! i believe it was a little flashier than he expected :) ...)

webb loves when dada plays this clapping game.

unkie reg showing webb some things of the sea ...

red bar with reg and al

as i've mentioned before, webb loves to dance with "my-ee"

big smiles!

so thankful for the giraffe pool and watering can :)

playing by the ocean ...

unkie roboto!

webb always had his hands flared out ....
he doesn't love to be dirty.

family pics ... thanks al!

last night
dinner at cafe 30a

sweet mitsy walked webb around the building i'm not sure how many times while we ate dessert.
(i wish i had a picture of it!)

he didn't want to sit at the table for more than 5 minutes.
and when it was time to leave ....
he was ready to go back inside!

i'm already praying that next years beach trip will be a bit more relaxing.
shouldn't age 3 be a tad bit easier?
here's wishin' and hopin'!

motivate me monday!

2011-06-20T07:43:00.006-05:00

it's back!!!

first off, thanks so much for all the congratulations about our little one on the way!
only 3 weeks and we'll find out if the nursery will stay with the sailboat theme that it's been these past two years or i can start shopping! so excited to find out. i think i'm a little bit more nervous this time around.
i think it's because if it's a boy ... then the discussion of three kids will be coming up more and more :)
whatever the Lord has in store i know will be just perfect!

this week i'm going to put up the rest of our beach pictures ... i'm so behind!
between the nausea, exhaustion and planning webb's 2nd birthday party (which was this past weekend ... his real bday is this saturday) i've had a hard time getting to the blog!

since i haven't put up all my beach pictures, you never got to see the shortall i made for webb!
too bad i don't have a good picture of him standing up with it on ... it was a tad bit short.
okay, it was really short! i've been telling everyone it looked like daisy dukes.
he's only worn it once, which was at the beach, so this week ... we're going a size up.
i'll be making him a new one.

stay tuned ....

red bar ... my favorite!
webb did terrible, but the food was still great :)

you can kinda see here that a lot of leg was showing!

happy father's day!!

2011-06-19T10:26:00.006-05:00

this morning we celebrated casey's 2nd father's day and my dad's 30-something father's day!
so grateful that we got to all be together!

gift time!
casey's been talking about how bad he's wanted a massage for forever.
it just so happened that webb had been listening :)

grandaddy mike got some toms!
how hip is he going to be?

breakfast is served!

webb LOVES to laugh with "myeee" ... and it's the only way to get a decent picture!

happy father's day to two of the people that have made my life so complete!
i couldn't be more thankful for you two!
the Lord has truly blessed me and webb more than i could have ever imagined!

we love you dada and pwee!!

amazing!

2011-06-14T07:38:00.004-05:00

it's a miracle!
i borrowed my sister-in-law's copy of the help when we went down to florida a couple of weeks ago.
i actually thought i was going to be able to read a book ... haha!
i think i read 7 pages while we were there.

so weekend before last i decided to pick the book back up one night when there was nothing on tv.
(we only have basic cable, so in our house there's hardly anything ever on tv!)

a week in and half later and i've finished the book!
a true miracle i tell ya!
i've said it before and i'll say it again ... i'm not a reader.
50 pages in and the book sets on the nightstand for weeks until casey says "do you really want to read that book?"
the answer is usually no.

friends had told me to get past about 75 pages and it would be quick reading.
... and it was!
i loved it!!
if you haven't read the book, i highly suggest you put it on your summer reading list!

i never imagined i could read 444 pages so fast!
allison and i had decided a good deadline for me was to have it read before the movie comes out in august.
... i'm two months early!
i told casey last night that i deserved a prize :)

so now the question is ... what to read next?
i would LOVE your recommendations!

my requirements for a book are:
a page turner
somewhat based on actual events
a feel good book

can't wait to hear what you recommend!

the beach

2011-06-07T12:57:00.009-05:00

we just got home from a wild time at the beach!
webb was so excited about the beach, pool, ocean, "myeee" (that's what he's been calling my dad), "unkie" (that's regan), bi-cy-cles everywhere! ... that he wore us out!

he climbed out of his pack 'n play for the first time ever and wasn't too happy about bedtime either.
i'm so thankful for casey! we had to tag team the little guy the whole week.
(it probably didn't help that i was towards the end of my first trimester either! ... i'm due in december!)
casey and i got to go on some dates and walks on the beach which definitely charged our batteries!

i think the 2's have hit ... they will for sure in a little over two weeks!

here's a few pictures until i can get the rest up ...

me and boo

he loves his daddy ... that's for sure!

he's started saying "cheese" when we take pictures!

dancin' with "myee" ... his favorite thing to do!

his unkie knows just how to put him in a silly mood!

the three musketeers

foodie friday

2011-05-20T12:23:00.005-05:00

on wednesday i picked up our first box of fruits and veggies from our csa i was telling you about a while back.

it was filled with ...
red russian kale
red lettuce
green lettuce
green onions
strawberries
garlic
broccoli
swiss chard

lots and lots of good green stuff!!
the green onions and garlic have the biggest bulbs i have ever seen and the strawberries are to die for!

seeing this overflowing box compelled casey to jump right into the kitchen.
he organized our refrigerator to make room for our fresh veggies and even made dinner.
i think this csa is going to be all that i had hoped it to be!

casey used one of the recipes delvin farms suggested for the swiss chard and it was SO good!

easy swiss chard
bunch of swiss chard
1 t. butter
1 glove garlic, sliced
2 T. olive oil (or coconut oil)
2 T. water
pinch of crushed red pepper
salt

roughly chop leaves into inch wide strip.
heat a saucepan on medium setting, add oil, a few small slices of garlic and the crushed red peppers.
saute for about a minute and add the chopped chard leaves and water.
turn thoroughly and cover.
check for doneness after about 5 minutes.
add salt to taste and a small amount of butter.
serve immediately while deliciously warm!

bye bye school

2011-05-19T08:43:00.006-05:00

webb loves to say "bye bye" to everything and everybody.
yesterday he had to say "bye bye" to ms. diane and ms. terri, his mother's day out teachers.

(can't you tell he's nervous to leave them?!)

we're so sad that he won't be in their class next year.
they definitely spoiled us!

this year has gone by so fast.
at this rate, i feel like he'll be in 3rd grade before we know it!

a celebration

2011-05-17T13:15:00.005-05:00

friday was such a great day.
besides it being a my birthday, it was a celebration of wellness!!
after two weeks of isolation ... big boo is back!
i'm so thankful to have a healthy child again ... for now at least.

with webb missing two weeks of school and casey traveling for a couple of days .....
mother's day and my birthday sure came at just the right time.

i needed some me time bad.
i took advantage of it and did a little pampering.
i got a babysitter, got my hair done, got a pedi and went shopping.
it was fabulous!

then friday night reg and al watched webb while casey and i went to dinner.
praise the lord for family!

these past few days i've loved watching how much webb is changing.
the words he's saying are blowing me away.
i know other two year olds are doing the same, but when it's your child ... it seems so special and like maybe he's saying things that no one else his age is saying.

some new favorite words are:

bi-cy-cle ... he loves to shout it from the rooftops! he says it so clear, so loud, and so correct!
zebra ... just started that one yesterday
house ... some i wonder where he learns them from
ally-gaygor ... alligator
heli-cocer ... helicopter

he loves to talk about ah-nnie at school. he's definitely got his first crush!

oh and he's been saying his name for a couple of weeks now.
he points at me and says "mama" and then to casey "dada" and then to himself "waaa-b"

yesterday when casey was leaving for work, webb grabbed his hand, heading for the door and said "bye bye mama".
he's never said that before and i thought i was going to start crying.
it was the most precious thing.

it's so fun to hear all that this little guy has got to say!

finally!! ... the couch is recovered.

2011-05-10T08:12:00.004-05:00

last week my couch came back from the reupholster.
i'm in love with it!!
it's like a whole new couch.

next on the list ...
make pillows and paint

before

after

mother's day

2011-05-09T12:36:00.004-05:00

we ended up staying in nashville for mother's day this year.
webb had to go back to the doctor on saturday morning because he still had a fever.
thankfully third time was a charm and we got some answers.
the virus he has should be on it's way out within the next couple of days.
hallelujah, praise the lord!

this past week was very exhausting because webb felt so miserable.
by saturday afternoon i was beat and emotional.
but by saturday night i was feeling alright.

a good friend and i went to see something borrowed.
it was just what i needed, and might i add such a cute movie.
i had read the book (yes, it was one that i actually read cover to cover) and loved the movie just as much.
i'm no critic though, and i was desperate for a good laugh.
... all to say, i would recommend it, but only if you go with a girlfriend.

sunday morning i woke up to webb carrying a mother's day card into me.
it was such a change from last year and the cutest sight.
and daddy was in tow with an anthropologie bag!
now who doesn't get excited about that?!
they got me some really cute sandals for summer.

since webb couldn't go to church (he's still contagious) we got ready and went to an early brunch.
if you live in nashville and have never had brunch at marche, you must go this weekend!
we probably haven't been in a year and i had forgotten about how much i LOVE it.

we got there right when the doors opened at 9 and there was already a line.
we got one of the last tables ....

... and watched the hostess give away the last highchair

given the circumstances, webb did very well.
maybe he actually got that it was mother's day??
if he wasn't standing up playing with his "crucks" on his chair,
he was in my lap.

see those little bumps on his face?
mean 'ole virus!

at my request we went to centennial park afterwards for a little stroll.
i wanted webb to see the ducks since he hadn't seen them since he was way little.
he LOVED them.
especially the geese.

he kept chasing after them.
i was getting a little nervous that they were about to attack.
they were hissing at my boo!

my boys ...
thanks for making my day SO incredibly special!
mother's day has taken on a whole new meaning for me since the two of you are in my life.
it's a joyful day again, and for that i am so thankful.

poor boo

2011-05-06T12:36:00.004-05:00

poor little webb has been sick all week.
the worst part is that he's had a high fever the whole time.
which has been a little scary at times.
poor thing has been pretty miserable.
the doctor isn't sure what has caused it and says sometimes you won't know.
thankfully 4 days later his temp is starting to go down.
if it continues to go down we're headed to tupelo for the weekend to celebrate mother's day with casey's mom.

here's me and boo one year ago on my first mother's day.
my how much he has changed!
i love this little buddy so much.

hope you have a happy mother's day wherever you'll be celebrating!

easter weekend

2011-04-25T10:28:00.010-05:00

easter weekend started out with webb's first easter egg hunt.
sad to say we actually missed the easter egg hunt (they ran out of eggs), so we had our own!

(wish i could take credit for all of these pictures ... thanks amanda!!)

webb and ann wilson

check out those eyes!

so cute!
this age is adorable.

typical webb style ...

he loved the baby duck

i'm in love with these pictures ann wilson's mom took of webb.

sunday morning the easter bunny brought a tent!
... and some other fun stuff

the only way webb would get in is if daddy did too!

easter sunday at church

... and sunday night the tradition of beer and pizza with regan and allison continued.

hope you had a wonderful easter weekend!

foodie friday

2011-04-22T12:31:00.005-05:00

i'm not one to crave a salad .... i think i ate way too many in high school.
but i will say that over the past few years i've fallen in love with greek salads.
never before did i like olives or feta.

so when i saw the pioneer woman's post this week on her greek salad recipe, i had to try it.
it is the best salad i have EVER made at home!
love love LOVE IT ... and casey did too.
so i've made it my new "go to".

hope you enjoy it just as much as i did.

photo from the pioneer woman

greek salad
the pioneer woman

... oh and for 2 people, i would half this recipe.

1 head Romaine Lettuce, Chopped (I just used bagged lettuce)
4 whole Ripe Tomatoes, Cut Into Six Wedges Each, Then Each Wedge Cut In Half
1 whole (large) Cucumber, Peeled, Cut Into Fourths Lengthwise, And Diced Into Large Chunks
½ whole Red Onion, Sliced Very Thin
30 whole Pitted Kalamata Olives, Cut In Half Lengthwise
6 ounces, weight Crumbled Feta Cheese
Fresh Parsley, Roughly Chopped
¼ cups Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoon Sugar (more To Taste)
1 clove Garlic, Minced
6 whole Kalamata Olives (extra), Chopped Fine
¼ teaspoons Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 whole Lemon, For Squeezing

Add chopped lettuce, tomato wedges, cucumber chunks, onion slices, halved Kalamata olives, half the feta, and parsley to a large bowl.

Combine olive oil, vinegar, sugar, garlic, salt, pepper, and chopped olives in a bowl. Whisk together until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings (I almost always add a little sugar.)

Pour dressing over salad ingredients, then add salt and pepper. Toss with tongs or clean hands. Just before serving, top with additional feta and squeeze a little lemon juice over the top.

always something

2011-04-20T11:50:00.004-05:00

yet another example of why we don't have a bizzillion toys around the house.
webb always opts to play with things like ...

the humidifier

typically a big no-no, this week i haven't minded.

he's been pretty congested.
so i figured his little science experiment may actually benefit him.

another month gone by ...

2011-04-19T13:26:00.006-05:00

month 21 has been a good month ... actually a great month!
webb has turned a corner in his fiestiness and i couldn't be more thankful for that!
the adjustment period for me was a little long and i'm sure will continue for the rest of my days.
the specific period i'm referring to today is from when he started walking in september until ohhhh last month.
so, that would be about 6 months.

what i've learned about myself in life over the past decade or so has translated into the type of mom i've become.
i'm an anxious, nervous, people pleasin' fool!
it's a sad reality to face, but i stare it straight in the face everyday and try to work my way through it.
i pray about it a lot!
i think that's why this adjustment period has been a little rough.
having a child run from me, kick and scream at the end of every playgroup, etc is not ideal for my personality type.
obviously all children are this way, but i think some people are able to deal with it better than others.
i think the Lord has definitely been working on me.
.... for 7 months to be exact :)

back to month 21 ...

webb's finally chilling out.
i'm no longer afraid that if i set him down while we're in line at starbucks that he'll run away.
he can actually sit through a quick dinner out without pitching a fit.
of course we've learned a few tricks.
sit by a window, dine outside so he can watch all the "crucks" and buses go by, bring "crucks".
when i say "webb we can't go outside till we put your shoes on".
he grabs his shoes out of the drawer and sits still while i velcro them on.
the battle has been won!?

of course he's not a perfect angel and he almost kicks me in the face everytime i change his diaper.
we're getting better at it, and that's where the disciplining is really starting to kick in.

the most exciting thing is ... he's falling back in love with his mama and it makes me so happy!
he's even saying my name again!

i love hearing all the words that are coming out of his little mouth.
to name a few:

mawn mower ... for lawn mower
cockee ... (sorry for the spelling on that one!) ... that's coffee
cractor ... for tractor
ay-sauce ... that's applesauce
bee-air ... for pear

the most hysterical is when we're running errands he SCREAMS ...
"crucks, buses, mayman!" anytime he see's one.
the excitement is totally overwhelming!

he's only said one sentence thus far and it's "i see a (fill in the blank)."
you never know what that blank may be.
i attribute his first sentence to a favorite book brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?
(thanks aunt mary!)

i love watching his personality come out more and more.
he's become quite the little joker.
i just love that he get's what he's doing.
he definitely knows how to make me laugh.

everything is a hat to this boy.

month 22 here we come!
can't wait to see what's in store.

maybe he'll finally say his name ...

things are a changin'

2011-04-12T13:00:00.009-05:00

i'm taking a leave of absence right now from "motivate me monday".
i'm trying to do too much at one time and when i can't accomplish a task, i get stressed and dwell on my failures.
if i was more laid back, i'm sure i wouldn't care so much.
but i'm not so i do :)

on to other things ...
webb has been quite the napper these days!
he's been clocking 3 hours most afternoons and it's been really nice to have a little extra time for myself.
now what i do with that time, i'm not always sure.
though these long naps are so great, i've found there's a downside.
sometimes they lead to a cranky toddler.
which i, for one, completely understand.
whenever i take a long nap, i'm kinda cranky myself!

this past friday afternoon a cranky webb woke up close to 4pm.
it was such a beautiful day and we had no plans, so we headed to the zoo.
from our door to the zoo entrance is no more than 10 minutes.
a really great bonus to our location. (of course we didn't care about that 21 months ago!)

anyhoo ... i decided that webb and i would just walk around the zoo, ride the carousel, play at the playground, etc.
this was the first time we had been this spring, gone by ourselves, and visited the zoo sans stroller.
this zoo trip goes down as one of my favorite days with webb.

some favorite moments were:
he loved seeing all the different animals, but then got scared and wanted me to hold him. (a very rare occasion!)
he held my hand the whole way around the zoo.
he mimicked the crazy noises the camels were making and made his adorable little fish face when we saw the fish.

all in all the best part was that we had no agenda, nowhere to be, and my mind was totally in the moment.
oh how i struggle so much with being present.

here's webb trying to get a good view of the muskrats.

he couldn't get enough.

the flamingos were his other favorite.

and then as we usually do on a friday night,
we met casey at el mariachi for the only meal where webb will clean his plate.
he loves their cheese quesadilla!
it's not just any quesadilla he loves, it's gotta be from el mariachi!
this boy is something else.

(they were watching the masters.)

foodie friday

2011-04-08T12:29:00.003-05:00

photo from here

i love tomatoes but i love bruschetta even more!
i usually buy it premade, but thought this weekend i would take a stab at making it myself.

this is the recipe i'll be trying from annie's eats.

tomato basil bruschetta

3 tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 tbsp. basil, minced
¼ tsp. kosher salt
Pepper, to taste
1½ tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. finely grated parmesan
toasted baguette slices, for serving

combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; mix well to blend. cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. spoon the tomato mixture on top of the baguette slices and serve.

have a fabulous weekend!

artwork

2011-04-07T08:44:00.003-05:00

another one of my favorite ikea purchases from our recent atlanta trip is this great hanging wire.

i'd been looking for a way to hang webb's artwork from school and this is working out perfectly!
(clock is from ikea too)

the couch

2011-04-06T11:40:00.009-05:00

i just ordered the fabric for my couch!
it should get here by monday and then the couch is off to be reupholstered.
i'm so excited and a weight has been lifted.
(i'm so very indecisive!)

here's the fabric
pattern: jumper, color: mocha

it took me WAY longer to decide on the fabric than i imagined.
i really wanted to do something so fun.
looking ahead and thinking about webb as a mischievous little boy,
thinking about another little one somewhere along the way,
and maybe a dog in the mix ....
i think i made the right decision.
what i love about this fabric is the design and texture, oh and durability.

i've been looking on etsy for some pillow inspiration.
that's where i think it's going to get really fun!

here's what i'm loving from turquoise tumbleweed.

this first fabric i know just where to buy in nashville.
i'm thinking i'll take a shot at making this one myself.

neutral and safe.
i like it.

i love this one.
definitely my style and has all the right colors.

this one would bring out some colors from our new rug and it's funky.
that's all casey keeps saying.
"let's go funky!"

foodie friday

2011-04-01T07:55:00.004-05:00

lately our dinners have been very boring.
cooking has not been on my to do list and i've definitely felt pretty guilty about it.
so i get pretty excited when i stumble upon a new blog with some "go to" recipes like annie's eats.

i love the layout of annie's blog, the pictures, and the recipes that she shares.
all those things definitely make or break a blogging relationship for me!

so here's the first recipe i've tried of annie's.
it was really good, but even better the next day!

photo from here

weeknight bolognese
by ina garten
(the recipe below includes my few tweaks)

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. coconut oil or olive oil
1 lb. grass fed beef (or ground turkey)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
1¼ cups dry red wine, divided
1 (28 oz.) + 1 (14.5 oz.)can crushed or diced tomatoes
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 lb. dried pasta, such as shells
Pinch of ground nutmeg
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves (or 3 T. dried basil)
¼ cup heavy cream (I used whole milk b/c it's what I had)
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble the ground meat into the pan. Cook until no longer pink and starting to brown, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup of the wine to the pan and stir, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, finish the sauce. Stir in the nutmeg, basil, cream, and remaining ¼ cup wine. Simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. When the pasta is cooked and drained, toss with the warm sauce and grated Parmesan until well coated. Serve with additional Parmesan if desired.

calling china?

2011-03-31T12:39:00.002-05:00

between the outfit and the phone call ... he's like a little business man!

naptime success!

2011-03-29T14:28:00.007-05:00

i'm on my way!
with the help of cool people sew, a quick text to my sister-in-law about backstitching, and a good playlist.
a little cee lo can really getcha going!

now if only webb would snooze for another hour or so.
.... definitely wishful thinking.

UPDATE:
i just broke my needle!
does that even happen??
guess i'll be using the rest of my time figuring out how to replace it.
so sad!

motivate me monday

2011-03-28T20:18:00.006-05:00

like i mentioned yesterday,
this week i'm ...

finishing my first sewing project ever!
a seersucker shortall for webb.
the goal is to sew during naptime instead of focusing on "tidying up".

working on some easter cookies for sweet lou's.

... and getting inspired by this book.

i wasn't lying

2011-03-27T18:37:00.003-05:00

i really am working on it!

i've had too much on the brain lately.
one of them being my couch.
yipee! it's actually going to get recovered.
those of you who've been around for a while know it's been a process.
i'm hoping to make my final decision on fabric this week (crossing fingers) and have it out of the house asap!

pictures of the webb's cute jon jon to come this week. promise!
(that promise is really to myself.)

foodie friday

2011-03-25T13:10:00.007-05:00

i love discovering new blogs.
they're especially fascinating when the blog you've discovered is someone you've known from your past.

i knew meg growing up through elementary school and church.
she was a year older than me.
we were never real close, but i do remember how much she made me laugh on our church missions trip to mexico.
that was when i was in 7th grade.

her blog proves that she still has the same great sense of humor.
i love reading about her thoughts on whole foods, and looking at the pictures she posts of her cute little boy and her house, oh and her projects!

i found this recipe when looking back at some of her past posts and it's definitely a new favorite around here.
i was over making soup until this little cold front hit.
so i thought i would try out the bean and bacon soup.
i knew it would be a hit with casey because he loves some beans and is always tempted by bacon!

the recipe comes from real simple, but i made it meg's way and added the garlic.
this would be a good one to make this weekend.
nashville forecast is rainy and 50.
oh, and the best part is this is super cheap to make.

photo from here

bean and bacon soup
1 pound of northern beans

5 strips of bacon (i used turkey bacon from trader joe's)

1 cup diced onion

4 diced carrots
4 cloves garlic, diced

salt and pepper

dried parsley

soak the beans overnight or 8 hours.
cook them until they're tender.
i cooked mine in the crockpot.
(just cover them with water, set on low and check every few hours)
cook the bacon in a big pot.
then pull it out and drain.
saute the onion and carrots until tender in olive oil (or coconut oil)
add the cooked beans to the pot with some water or chicken stock, salt & pepper, and parsley.

i love a recipe where you can just wing it!

the garden

2011-03-24T12:12:00.004-05:00

when the weather gets like it's been lately casey starts dreaming about his garden.
the other night he and webb ventured down to it to scout out a plan for planting.

the garden is definitely way overgrown, but made for some sweet pictures.

a few little flowers for mama.

then came some funny pictures ...

i absolutely adore this one!

no question about it

2011-03-23T12:25:00.006-05:00

... webb is all boy!

he L.O.V.E.S. his daddy.
he talks about dada all day and can't wait for him to get home.
no talk of mama anymore :(

sometimes i think he's calling for me but i discover he's seen the mailman, "maymane" or his lambie, "mamie".
i know neither seem like they would remotely sound like "mama" but with that sweet voice and little southern drawl, it's an honest mistake!

he's big into hugs these days too.
you get more hugs if you take him outside.

he loves to play in the yard.

... and help daddy pick up sticks.
he even says "sicks".

he helps daddy mow the yard too.

now that we have a motorless lawn mower, the possibilities are limitless!
do you know anybody that has a motorless lawn mower??

buses, trucks, trains ... he loves them all.
check out this lineup!
the first words that come out of his mouth when he wakes up?
"cruck", and sometimes "busssss" ... that "s" really lingers, and usually "dada!!"

webb meets the kritter

2011-03-19T11:23:00.009-05:00

as i mentioned, we had a very successful trip to ikea last weekend.
over the next couple of weeks i thought i would tell you about our exciting finds.

favorite purchase from ikea, numero uno ...

webb's own little table.
mealtime has gotten a lot better around here.
no more throwing food across the room, kicking or screaming in the high chair.
no wonder i've had such a great week!

ikea has a pretty large selection of children's tables.
there were probably 10 different tables to chose from.
we picked out the kritter table and chairs.
the table was $24.99, chairs were $12.99 each, and it comes in white, red and blue.

one reason we picked the kritter table was the height.
it seemed a tad shorter than the other tables.
webb is a bit of a shorty.
but would you believe his legs don't touch the floor?
i couldn't believe it!
i definitely thought they would.
guess he'll grow into it!

the table was so easy to put together and i did it all by myself.

here's webb right after the assembly process.
he was pretty excited about it.

after doing a furniture switch-a-roo ... the table is set in place.
webb eatin' a little lunch.

foodie friday

2011-03-18T12:21:00.012-05:00

after talking about it for a number of years, casey and i have decided to join a csa.
i'm really excited about it!
csa's have grown increasingly popular over the last decade or so, but especially the past few years.
with the whole local and organic movement, everyone is racing back to the farm ... literally.
the hester family happens to be one of them. :)
don't know much about csa's? click here.

all you need to do to become a part of a csa is:
1.) select the farm whose csa you want to participate in

2.) decide how many shares you want
typically full and half shares are offered.
a full share is every week from may to october and a half share is every other week.

3.) pay the price in full or setup a payment plan

4.) pick up your fruits and veggies at the location most convenient to your house come may!

there are so many great farms surrounding nashville, we decided why not just go straight to the source.
... and since a number of the farms around here are organic, it's a win win!
just another attempt at "going green", i guess you could say.

so what farm have we decided to join?
delvin farms in college grove just outside of franklin
they are basically blowing up nashville
they are everywhere! ... whole foods, the farmers market, restuarants, you name it.
their family farm is 100% organic and they are super nice people. (that matters too!)
we're going full force and getting a full share ... so we'll be picking up a box of fresh fruits and veggies every week.
it'll be a variety of things that i may sometimes not know what to do with!
beets, kale, eggplant ... oh my!
the share is $700 but divided over 24 weeks that 30 bucks a week.

i'm really hoping this commitment will ...
a. save me time at the grocery store
b. save us a little money
c. help me become more creative in the kitchen

if you want to learn more information about csa's check out local harvest.
local harvest can even help you find the nearest csa to wear you live.

i see some interesting foodie friday's in my future!