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...

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...