Coastal Oaks

Baby D is now crawling all over the place!  We are pretty close to cruising too so look out!!!  At the library I found a baby recipe book and chose a few to try to change things up a bit. Some looked so good Matt said he'd eat it too! I've been making Baby D meals with produce items I prepare and already prepared food (Gerber) too. The most popular have been apples, sweet potatoes, pears, and peaches. I've actually found if any food is too strong or tart adding apple juice when you purée the food helps it go "down" for the baby.  Soon I'll be posting the new recipes with pictures of the happy customer!  This is the first time I have ever bought a leek. Holy moly these things are huge! I almost needed the wide lens for the photo. :)

So here is my first attempt at baby food that I actually had to "prepare". We have already tried avocados, bananas, etc. but those you just peel and mash. Since blueberries are considered a part of the dirty dozen I wanted to make sure I got out any impurities. I boiled them for about 15 minutes and then blended with some of the water from boiling. Blueberries are so great for you because they are rich in antioxidants, vitamin C and fiber among many other good nutrients.  Now they just have to pass the Derek test.... We were hiding in our little pooh bear tent today!! Gosh this face melts my heart! 

Dear friends,  Summer is such a great time! I love hearing the shake of cicadas in the trees while Derek and I take our morning strolls, hearing kids play in the afternoon while selling lemonade on the corner, and the splash of folks playing in their pools.... such a good time of year! Soon we'll be smelling the salty wind of the beach, another favorite.  Anyways, so while Derek was taking one of his naps I made Burger Cookies for my Parrot Head AKA Mom.  I also shared some with my neighbors to wish them a Happy Summer! They are very easy just a little time consuming. All you need is vanilla wafers, thin mints, red icing, coconut with green food coloring and sesame seeds (I get them to stick with honey).  Burger cookies for my parrot head  Derek in his derby hat!! 

It's my last day of the AdvoCare 24 day challenge... and the results are in....  I have a waist again AND I can fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes! I still have some work to do but I'm well on my way! My most noticeable loss was in my waist. I went from 38 inches to 33 inches! I definitely have an increase in energy. In the mornings I used to have a cup of coffee and don't get me wrong I LOVE a good cup a coffee every now and then but now I have a spark in the morning. Out of all the products I've been taking this is my favorite. It helps give me an extra bounce in my step (which is no longer on my belly, HA)!  Derek, Maxey and I have been going on "strolls" in the morning which has been a huge contributor to the toning I'm sure! Plus it gets all of us involved. We all start the day off right- listening to the birds chirp and the beat of our feet on the ground! Plus with this little guy I gotta learn to keep up or I might miss out on some of these g

We are trying not to waste anything these days... so what do you do when life hands you two very ripe bananas? make banana bread of course! I'm sure glad I immediately had two pieces, you know, to test taste.... cause the rest was eaten very quickly by some innocent bystanders! I quickly looked this up and threw the ingredients together. I doubt you can really mess this up.... Makes  1 full-sized loaf or 2 small loaves Preheat the oven to 350. In one bowl, combine: 1/2 stick  (4-5 tablespoons)  butter , softened 2  eggs 2 or 3 very ripe  bananas 2/3 cup  sugar Use a potato masher, fork, or spoon to squish the banana and mix the ingredients together. It is alright for there to be small (1 centimeter) chunks of banana in the batter, but you want most of the banana to be reduced to mush. In another bowl, combine: 1 1/3 cup  all-purpose unbleached flour 3/4 teaspoon  salt 1/2 teaspoon  baking soda 1/4 teaspoon  baking powder   1/2 teaspoon  cinnamon  (o

Since I'm doing my 24 day Challenge I cannot have these dishes below; HOWEVER, a girl can dream about them!  Pardon my drool on the webpage.... =) And here is my sweet dessert!! Don't catch him "lion"!! 

Now for some food...... My Aunt got me some fresh veggies at a local place where you can pick your own. I'll have to keep that in mind for later.... I've been coming up with creative ways to save money and plan activities for us to do! For example, the League City library has a toddler reading time where they read, sing and play games. It was very enjoyable! I love the fact that it is age appropriate (birth to 2 years old). Right now Derek is a bit young for it but we still enjoy it together. He'll sit in my lap to listen and watch the other kids. Before long we'll sit on the floor and join in on the activities like clapping! =) So back to those veggies... I wanted to use them in dinner before they went bad. I had onions, peppers and chicken out so I went with an Asian dish. I have this sesame seed oil I had from when I tried Asian meatballs. It smells like peanut butter. Wonderful, wonderful peanut butter. If you love PB take a whiff of this and you'll want to b

Do what you love and love what you're doing! I'm now living these words. Matt came home from work yesterday to find me making dinner while singing and dancing for Derek to "Love Shack"! I turned just as he came walking in with this huge grin on his face and said now that's a great site to come home too!  Derek LOVES it when you sing and dance to music. He squeals in delight with the biggest of smiles on his face!  We also conquered our first trip to the grocery store together. Usually I went on weekends but now its much easier to get things done on weekdays while there are no crowds.  Nap time equals happy baby!!  Today is Day 4 of my 24 Day Challenge and I gotta say I'm feeling much better. I was very apprehensive about the "cleanse" portion and its not as bad as I thought. Previously I would wake up and feel achy in the morning or just blah. Now I feel more energetic and lighter. Its an odd feeling to describe. After Derek's early morning

Today is Day 1 of my 24 Day Challenge! My goal is to loose the rest of my baby weight and to feel more energized. Some days I'm a bit sluggish and I do NOT want to miss any of Derek's moments. The more mobile he gets the more active we get together!  Days 1-10 are considered a "Cleanse phase" and days 11-24 are a "Max phase". The Cleanse phase rids your body of toxins to allow for maximum nutrition absorption. In addition to the products I will be taking I will also be eating healthier. We usually do stick to a pretty good menu at home but I am going to be a bit more intentional with it for these 24 days.  The guidelines AdvoCare encourages are protein, vegetables, fruit, and complex carbs in correct portions. When I was pregnant I CRAVED protein rich foods. About a month before Derek was due I went in for a routine OB doctor appointment where she commented that I had gained a lot of weight since my last appointment. I said "well I am still exercis

My last two weeks at work are coming to a close. I've given 10 years to the company and am leaving with good memories and many lessons of professional development. However I'm very excited for my promotion to "Mommy at home"! My new Boss Derek is anticipating the change as well. We'll probably have a dance party to commemorate the occasion. =) I was planning on sharing a recipe with you for taco lasagna that I got off another food blog I follow but it was not all that great. Hopefully I'll have another good one to share with you soon. I think I'm going to make taco cupcakes this weekend that you saw HERE ! Yummy crunchy goodness! Father's day is coming up and I'm brainstorming ideas for Matt. For Mother's day Derek rolled over both ways that day! It was the best surprise for a new mommy. Obviously that was not planned in any way.  Hurry up Friday.......  BELOW: Floor time with our best buddy Maxey! BELOW: Hugging our Mickey! We si

It has been awhile since my last blog so here is an update along with my plan for the future. Many changes have occurred and I could not be happier from my new seat and plan ahead.  As you know, we have been blessed with a bundle of joy; our baby boy Derek! He has turned our lives upside down. We have so much love in our hearts and joy in our smiles!  After my maternity leave I went back to work and Derek went to Daycare. They were great but.... my heart was so heavy from all the time I was missing out on while at work. In addition to that struggle there were many other challenges at work... Things that became big flashing lights pointing towards the exit sign. So Matt and I went home and created our pro/con list and decided that I turn in my resignation to find a new pathway.  I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and this is nothing short of another reassurance.  Going forward I wanted to continue with my passion for food and life on this blog in addit