DIY Necklace

I love to look at craft tutorials online. I very rarely make the tutorials that I bookmark, but I still love browsing through them. I decided to actually make one this time. I saved a few old teeshirts and found a cute red one to cut up. I cut the bottom of the shirt off in strips and stretched them. I then tied them together to make a necklace form. I used three small strips to tie in knots in the front. For a five minute project, I think it turned out pretty good. I also braided a bracelet with leftover pieces.

Another project that I've been working on is a quilt for Greyson made out of his baby clothes. I haven't gotten far enough to do a posting on it, but one is definitely coming. I'll keep you posted.

Cute Everyday Things

I wanted to post these videos on the 18 month post, but they would not post for me. I was definitely having technical problems, but after talking to Luke it sounds like it wasn't my fault. Alas, they are here.

***Geez, technical difficulties still. We only have one video, but oh well.

Pork Pitas & Avocado Ranch Dip

I love love love these pork pitas. Very yummy and very easy = my favorite combo. The dip was good as well, but I would probably choose to do guacamole over this. We made the chips, but I wouldn't recommend them. They were a bit time consuming and not good enough to repeat.

Pork and Cucumber Pita

Courtesy of Sweet Basil

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• Kosher salt
• 2 Kirby cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1 red or green jalapeno, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 4 pitas, halved

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the cucumbers and jalapeño and let sit, tossing occasionally, for at least 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the pork, breaking up with a spoon until no longer pink, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the hoisin, ginger, and 2 tablespoons water.
3. Fill the pita halves with the pork and cucumber salad.

You can find the Avocado Ranch Dip and Homemade Potato chips here if interested.

Mexico

Well, we had to come home. We were able to spend six glorious days at the Tides in Zihuatanejo, Mexico for our 5 Year Anniversary and we loved every minute.

We arrived in Mexico and had pre-arranged car transport to the resort. We weren't sure how "safe" we would feel getting a taxi so we decided to just have the transport there and waiting. Once we claimed our bags, our driver was waiting right there with a sign welcoming us.

We arrive at the resort and as soon as we get out of the car a worker is there to take our bags to our room. No check-in neccesary. We are given a short tour around the resort and end in our room with a welcome drink. The.best.welcome.drink.ever! It was so good we ordered it again when we ordered room service.

Welcome drink.

Now, the room part. Can we just say it was the most perfect room that I've ever seen. Totally gorgeous. Two sitting areas inside, a king bed, sitting area outside - with a double lounger, hammock and table and chairs - huge walk-in showers, separate toilet area and a PRIVATE PLUNGE POOL. Loved it!

New floral arrangements on the pillows every day.

View from the bed.

Where I had coffee every morning.

View of the room from the pool.

Swimming in our plunge pool.

We pretty much alternated our days between hanging out on our patio, going to the pool (right below us) and laying on the beach (right in front of us). Well, and then we would eat and eat again.

Playing with our underwater camera.

Monday, we went surfing. The waves were at least six feet high. Crazy...scary...fun. I scraped up my leg (still hoping I don't scar) from my thigh to my ankle. I bled and was a bit scared that I would attract sharks. Seriously. lol. Luke did great at surfing and I have to say that I did pretty well myself. Compared to the East Coast, getting up on the surfboard was simple. I didn't even have to paddle much.

Tuesday, we swam with dolphins. We both had a really good time doing this. At the end, two dolphins came behind us and used their noses to push us to a standing position and then pushed us around the pool like that. It was amazing.

Wednesday, we rented a boogie board and I got a massage. It was a pretty relaxing day.

Boogie Boarding.

Thursday, we walked the beach and hungout at the pool before we left.

18 Months

You weigh 22 lbs (10th percentile) and are in the 25th percentile in height.

You eat three meals a day, plus a few small snacks here and there.

You go to sleep at 7:30pm and get up between 6:50 -7:15 am. You are taking one nap a day. You go down at 12:35 and wake up between 2:30-3:00pm.

You wear 12-18 month clothes in just about everything. There are a few pair of shorts that are 12-18 months and still don't fit. I'm hoping you get to wear them a few times before the end of the summer. You are wearing a size 5 shoe.

You wear a size 4 diaper during the day and a size 4 overnight diaper at night.

Your hair is so long and it feels like we just got it cut. You have really thick hair.

You walk, run, climb, and try to jump. You are very active.

You say about 25 different words. Your favorite seem to be: Mama, Tractor, Truck, Elmo and Car.

You love to be outside. You love the pool, playground, riding in the wagon and just walking around. When we take you to the park, you do the big boy slides and then want to swing for hours. You love it.

You love watching Elmo's World. I let you watch about 45 minutes of TV a day. You watch 20 mins or so when I'm fixing lunch and 20min or so when I'm fixing dinner.

Crazy hair after your bath.

Not really sure why Daddy is grabbing his foot.

You have to grab your foot because Daddy did.

Feeding the ducks with Grandma.

Picture with Mommy.

Another one.

The new bookcase for your closet. You think it was built just to climb on.

Still playing with the bookcase.

Putting money in the alligator bank for the first time. You loved it until we ran out of change.

Blue Belles

Ingredients

• 1 stick unsalted butter, plus more for pans
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 4 lemons) (I only used 2 lemons)
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• Salt
• 2 large eggs
• 6 ounces blueberries (1 1/4 cups)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter nine 2 1/2-by-4-inch baking pans, and dust with flour, tapping out excess.

2. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and syrup is thickened, about 4 minutes. Let stand while making cakes.

3. Meanwhile, combine heavy cream, remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and the vanilla in a bowl. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in another bowl.

4. Beat butter, lemon zest, and remaining cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low, and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Gently fold in blueberries using a rubber spatula.

5. Divide batter evenly among pans. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet until a toothpick inserted into the center of each comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

6. Transfer pans to wire racks, and brush tops of cakes with lemon syrup. Let stand for 15 minutes. Turn out cakes from pans, and brush all over with remaining syrup. Let cool completely on wire racks.

Variations

To make a large loaf instead of several little ones, use a 5-by-9-inch loaf pan, and bake for 55 minutes.

**I baked a large loaf and it needed about 62 minutes to cook.

It was really good and I will definitely be making it again. It was the perfect breakfast treat.

-Adapted from Martha Stewart Magazine

18 Month - Bath PS

We did a shoot with Grey the other day. I wanted cute pictures of him taking a bath. He loved it right away. We had a few incidents with his little bootie sliding but it was fun.