Mitch + Jessie = Missy

Waving to the airplanes and birdies.

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:10:24 -0400

Waving to the airplanes and birdies.

So Much Hummus

Thu, 16 May 2013 17:23:03 -0400

My baby loves her some hummus! It is so easy to make too. Enjoy with cucumber.

This is the recipe I follow. Instead of reserving the liquid from the can, I just add water until I have the consistency I like. And wabam! You’ve got yourself a healthy snack.

Enjoy straight from the bowl.

Or enjoy making a mess with it while your carrot sits in the bowl.

Either way, hummus is loved in our household.

Easter

Wed, 15 May 2013 18:05:00 -0400

Easter is a lot like Christmas: we celebrate Jesus Christ and we give gifts! I have to say, one of the funnest things about being a parent is putting out gifts for my baby. Then seeing her face in the morning just tops it all off. It’s so good.

Here is the trail the Easter bunny left leading to the Easter basket full of Cocoroons and bubbles for Missy girl.

And the best part comes now…..

We are squinting at the sun, but at least we got our Easter outfits on! And bummer Mitch couldn’t get in the picture. :(

New

Tue, 14 May 2013 18:46:00 -0400

Jessica Shyba is a beautiful mother of 3 who I follow on social media. She lives in New York, and I love to see the things she does with her kids (especially while I was also living there.) She will be leaving NY for the Bay area, and wrote a “final chapter” to describe what it feels like to leave the city. I couldn’t have said it any better…so here it is:

“My feet move quickly on the pavement, my heart always beating in sync with the traffic, the lights, the footprints I leave behind me. I rarely make eye contact with strangers any more, yet I’m acutely aware of what is going on around me. My empathy is all encompassing, yet I’m incredibly protective over the beings within my circle. I’m stronger than I’ve ever been, and that in and of itself is empowering.”

This was our first day in New York City. Look at how young we look! We were SO thrilled to be there, and I was very much looking forward to getting to know the city. I feel so happy when I see this picture. :)

“I’ll leave this city and this experience knowing that I have been changed almost completely having been here. Similar to the birth of my first child, I’ll never go back to the person that I was before living in New York City. For better in most ways, for worse in a few too. I’m far more tolerant, yet incredibly impatient at the same time.” - Momma’s Gone City

And this is our last picture in New York. In front of our apartment building, behind our taxi cab with all our luggage, ready to go to the airport. I feel sad when I see this picture because of all the good relationships, memories, and the beautiful place we are about to leave. Man, I love that city.

But we move forward in life, and here we are now in San Francisco, California. It’s not New York. There are new friends, new parks, new streets, and new memories to be had. Until we get an apartment and a car, we will be living out of our suitcases, and holding on to each other for comfort in this new place.

Straight to Silly

Tue, 14 May 2013 04:00:50 -0400

Life would be much too boring without this smiling face in my life.

Lemon Bars

Mon, 13 May 2013 18:29:00 -0400

I know I’m not the best at food styling, but this is a recipe I HAD to share and these pictures had be taken quickly because the food was disappearing!

Julie dared me to replicate the lemon bar that we had at Pure Food and Wine, and I gladly obliged. An excuse to make something delicious? Heck yes I’ll do it! Another reason why Julie is such a good friend: she dares me to make something, and she eats it with me!

I could have used a bigger pan to get a thinner crust, but I kinda liked it thick. You’ll never guess what gives it the yellow color. It’s not lemons…it’s turmeric. Here’s the recipe.

And while we sat on the floor (due to the lack of couch) and stuffed our faces with lemons and turmeric, the babies played. Oh our babies are so cute. This is also what our apartment looked like when we had 4 more days until moving day. Ugh, I miss that apartment…and these people.

Isn’t Julie the best?

Ben and Missy get along so well. Julie and I love seeing them play together. We just watch them and laugh because they’re so funny together. For instance, Missy cheered Ben on as he crawled in the bookshelf.

Then Max joined the party, and things got cray cray. Jumping on boxes, stepping down and up and down again.

Ben and his mighty muscles lifting the boxes.

Missy’s all, “whaaa?”

This is Max’s full of adrenaline look.

Great pose, Ben.

Max, the great.

P.S. If Alli wasn’t pregnant, I would be mad at her for eating the rest of the lemon bars. ;)

I turned 28

Mon, 06 May 2013 22:31:00 -0400

My birthday was in March. New York was cold the whole time. But that didn’t mean we couldn’t have fun! We still had a party. I have the BEST friends! Because of my ~~addiction~~ love of smoothies, they threw me a smoothie party! Isn’t that so sweet? And they even picked up a gluten-free vanilla cupcake from Pip’s Place just because they wanted to go all out. I mean, come on, it’s my birthday! I really couldn’t ask for better friends. I am so lucky to have such thoughtful friends who would do something so nice for me. I really am so grateful. I felt so loved.

All the fun ingredients. My favorite was pineapple, banana, and coconut milk. It was delicious!

The ones who made it happen: Amy, Kristin, Alli, Jennifer, Julie, Jennifer, and Deborah.

And one with Jennie.

We met Mitch at his work to say goodbye to everyone. It was his last day.

Everyone is always so sweet to Missy. They always have fun toys for her to play with because of the brands they work with.

Then off to dinner. Cafe Blossom - organic vegan cuisine. I highly recommend this place!

My choice:

Beet Carpaccio and Rutabaga, Quinoa, Asparagus, Kale, Brussel Sprouts and Roasted Tomato Entree.

Mitch’s choice:

Salt and Vinegar Garlic Fries, and Flatbread Pizza. (He was feeling VERY adventuristic! :) )

I’m so grateful for good friends, a beautiful daughter, a hard-working husband, and good health! Here’s to 28 years! Here’s my birthday Vine.

I was a lucky girl and got to go out for ice cream with some of my girlfriends. I’m so glad I did because I had the best time! There’s just something about being with girlfriends that is so connecting and rewarding. I love it.

We went to Lula’s Sweet Apothecary. Ice cream made from cashews…my favorite kind!

There’s the brownie sundae I shared with Kassie. :)

Cashew ice cream is so creamy you would never know there wasn’t cream in it.

Kelly, Kaela, Kassie, and Julie. I love these girls.

We laughed, we talked, we ate, we hugged, and we rode in Kassie’s saweet ride!!

Julie is pretty fantastic. Thanks for putting the best birthday together. xoxo

Strawberry Jam

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:48:00 -0400

Warning: this is the EASIEST recipe you will ever come across for strawberry jam.

Warning 2: this is extremely delicious. :)

There are only 4 ingredients: strawberries, dates, chia seeds, and water. Amount of time: 5 minutes. Easy peasy.

Here’s a visual guide of how to make strawberry jam in 5 minutes.

First, you’re going to put some chia seeds in a cup with some water so that they can begin gelling.

Then cut the greens off your strawberries, and put in food processor. (One of the few good things that’s happened to me while in San Francisco is finding this mini food processor in the house!)

Then add some dates.

Mix it up.

Add the gelled chia seeds, and just pulse until incorporated.

Give a few strawberries to the little one.

Wait for the jam to gel in the fridge…

And….BAM! 30 minutes later, you’ve got jam! You don’t even really have to wait 30 minutes if you’re that anxious to try it. :)

RECIPE:

1 cup of strawberries
11 small pitted dates (or 5-6 larger ones, mine were just really small)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon water

DIRECTIONS:

Put chia seeds and water in a cup to begin gelling. I usually stir mine after a few minutes so that they all get in the water.
Cut greens off of strawberries and put in food processor. You could also do it in a blender. Just know that if it gets really smooth, it will turn out more like jelly instead of jam. *If possible, buy organic/local strawberries to avoid toxic pesticides. Here’s why.
Add dates and mix just until you have small pieces, or however you like it.
*You could add some vanilla if you like. I thought it tasted fine without.
Add gelled chia seeds, and pulse just until incorporated.
Pour into glass jar, put lid on top, and put in fridge to gel up for about 30 minutes.

That’s it!!!! See, I told you it was easy peasy. Let me know how it turns out when you make it!

Slather that beautiful goodness on some sprouted bread with some coconut oil, and you’ve got a winner!!

This is me enjoying my bread and jam. Yum!

Pure Food and Wine

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 16:19:00 -0400

Remember that raw, organic lasagna I was telling you about? This is it:

Made up of zucchini, tomatoes, and 3 different purees: a pistachio basil pesto, a sun-dried tomato sauce, and a pumpkin seed macadamia cheese. That’s it! No gluten or starchy noodles, no MSG or GMOs in the sauce, no pasteurized dairy, no hormone-laden meat, and no pesticides. Completely toxin free. It is absolutely beautiful in every way, shape, and form. I never wanted it to end.

Julie, a food-lover like myself, was so awesome to come and try this food with me. You can see her hands going for the Thai wraps in the picture above. :) These wraps were pretty tasty, but didn’t strike a chord with me like the lasagna did. They had cabbage, mango, carrot, cashews, basil, mint, cilantro, pea shoots, with a tamarind sauce.

Ok, now let’s talk dessert. Julie is a lemon lover, so we had to get the lemon bar. Almond coconut crust, and lemon custard made out of coconut. She dared me to try and replicate it…which I did. You’ll definitely want to stay tuned for that one. :)

And then something chocolatey for me. The moon pie.

Pretty dreamy, right? Now you get why I’m having such a hard time in San Francisco? Yep, you guessed it…there’s no Julie here. :) Or Pure Food and Wine.

I HEART NYC

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 11:57:30 -0400

We were lucky enough to have the one and only, Maribeth Youngberg take our photos before we left NYC! We started in Central Park and made our way to Times’ Square to fit in as much of the city into a couple photographs as we could. I love the results!

What do you think?

New York was sooo good to us! It is our FAVORITE place to live. We met the nicest people, created lasting friendships, discovered delicious food, changed careers, and created a family. For me, personally, New York taught me to speak my mind and share my feelings. I am definitely a more confident and brave person. My favorite thing about the city is that you’re never alone. No matter what time of day you walk out on the streets, there’s always someone else there. This made me feel safe. Someone was always there to grab the door for me when I was trying to get through with the stroller. I quickly learned that we are here to take care of each other, once I started witnessing the small acts of kindness again and again. It was refreshing. I loved it. And my love for the city only grew. Exploring never got old because there is always something new to see…and eat. My favorite place that I went to over and over is, Chickpea. They have the best BAKED falafels!!! But the place I can’t wait to go back to is, Pure Food and Wine. Their raw, organic lasagna is so memorable, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. So much so, I am on the hunt to find one similar in San Francisco.
Thank you, New York, for being so good to us. I will never forget you and what you taught me. I love you, and look forward to seeing you again.

P.S. I miss you like crazy.

My Journey of Mothering

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:45:00 -0400

I was asked to write an article for the Le Leche League newsletter on my journey of mothering. I was honored to do so.

“It really is quite extraordinary being a mother, isn’t it? Caring for someone else 24/7, and loving them 24/7. I truly love my calling as a mother, and feel so incredibly lucky to be where I am. This is how my journey began.

I had a great pregnancy. During which time, I became more aware of what I was feeding my body since I was also feeding another human being. I assumed breastfeeding would be a breeze since pregnancy and birth were both such great experiences. Although, I can’t say it was easy, I can say it was worth it!

Breastfeeding was very painful for me, which is not uncommon. Only, it lasted longer than what most people experience. I had a bad case of thrush, multiple rounds of mastitis and raw nipples for 3 months. My baby, Missy, also had a frenotomy done at 1 month. I cried, praying it would all just be over with. I was so determined to get it right. If that meant I would be miserable for a time, and cry while my baby nursed, then that was how it was going to be. I knew relief would come sooner or later. I just had to be patient.

After 3 months, I could finally nurse comfortably. It is a beautiful thing to be able to bond with my baby as I provide for her. It is such a rewarding feeling knowing that I am doing that. I love that she can thrive off of me. I feel so blessed to be in such a position to be able to do that for her. I knew that once I got breastfeeding down, I could use it as much as I needed to. I am grateful to have learned how to eat cleaner, so that both of us can get the maximum nutrients possible from whole, organic food. And here we are now at 17 months, and I still nurse and rock Missy to sleep every night…because I can! That way, I’m right there, and I know she’s falling asleep in a gentle way. I love hearing her breathe, her little whimpers during a bad dream, feeling her hand on my arm, her first words in the morning…”mama”, and best of all, I love her kisses when she first wakes up! I feel so proud to be a mommy to such a sweet, smart, and beautiful girl. I love that I can look back and truly say that I did everything I possibly could to give her what she deserves…the best.”

I love you, Missy.

My strawberry girl.

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:29:58 -0400

My strawberry girl.

We love sunshine!

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:16:20 -0400

We love sunshine!

Stepping pro.

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:07:03 -0400

Stepping pro.

Kissy Kiss on Missy Miss

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 13:38:51 -0500

This was an adventure we had in the East Village. We went to Hummus Place where we had the opportunity to eat delicious food…and hummus! I love hummus!

(Side note: did you know that if you remove the skin from the chickpeas, it makes the hummus a lot smoother? You’re welcome.)

This was one of our plates:

And of course, Missy girl was there. Cute little olive eater.

Baby, it's cold outside

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 11:55:46 -0500

It has been really cold this winter. The hallway has been a great alternative to playing outside while staying nice and warm.

This is my baby girl sporting a striped, hooded onesie with peep-toe gold shoes. I love her.

"Gather our children around us and let our homes be the abiding place of the Spirit of the Lord. If..."

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 12:13:54 -0500

“Gather our children around us and let our homes be the abiding place of the Spirit of the Lord. If we will do our part, we may know and be sure that our Heavenly Father will do his.”

- Teachings of Presidents of the Church: George Albert Smith, Chapter 22: Bringing Up Children in Light and Truth

Morning.

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:17:37 -0500

Morning.

"I want to suggest to you … , there is no time that you can spend, no way in which you can utilize..."

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 12:18:17 -0500

“I want to suggest to you … , there is no time that you can spend, no way in which you can utilize your time that will be of greater advantage than training your boys and your girls to be worthy of the blessings of our Heavenly Father.”

- Teachings of Presidents of the Church: George Albert Smith, Chapter 22: Bringing Up Children in Light and Truth

Little old lady.

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 20:19:54 -0500

Little old lady.