mb

she tried.

 

this fall is camryn's second go round of playing soccer.  she played as a newly turned three year old and let's just say it was an interesting experience.  more hollaring at her sister on the sidelines and occasionaly she'd be in the same vicinity of the ball

this time, i was hoping things would be a bit different.

although she obviously is older, having just turned 4.5, this go round she's timid when it comes to taking the ball away from people.  or being agressive and running to where the action is.  she's the one that's concerned when someone from the other team falls.  and that's totally okay.  but she didn't really seem to be enjoying herself.

two games into the season, we asked her several times if she still wanted to play and she always answered yes.  so we took the time to make it a teachable moment.  it's doesn't matter if you win or lose, but just try.  try to be where the ball is.  try to just kick the ball once in the game.  

she did and then some.  she showed some of the spunk i know all too well.  on the very first play of the next game she not only kicked the ball, she dribbled down the field and scored a goal.  i was one proud mama.  i may have yelled a bit too loudly.

the best part? on the walk back to the car afterwards she shrieked, "i had fun!"  and that's all it took. just the motivation to put forth the effort and try.

 

Get a Kleenex custom oval BOGO until 11/15/12, just use the code PLAYOFFS at checkout on the MyKleenex site. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

this is why.

 

this is why i won't go any longer than every other year for getting family photos.

after having to reschedule our shoot (the leaves weren't changing yet), having our shoot rained out and then finally squeezing in time this weekend (with andy leaving the hospital for 45 minutes and then going back) we finally got our family photos taken.  and i adore our photographer.  she took our photos two years ago and she happened to post this on her facebook wall as a sneak. 

so happy she got this shot of carson as he was the hardest to photograph.  when you hate being on your tummy and you weren't really thrilled with being on your back in the grass... well, let's just say i was worried of how many shots he'd be in without someone holding him.  this was one of the last shots of the session that she took when andy was just playing with him.  l-o-v-e.

locals, if you're looking for a photographer i can't recommend kendra enough.

 

hit me with your best shot.

 

these smiling faces?  smiling because they got stickers as a consolation for finally agreeing to getting the flu mist instead of the shot.  the nurse asked me if they wanted the mist and i told her no.  she then asked the girls who told her no again.  the nurse that gives the shot came in and said the mist was more effective for their ages so we talked them into it.  talked them into NOT getting a shot.

you can tell that their daddy is a doctor and we own at least three doctor kits.  they play doctor every day.  they doctor themselves.  they doctor their stuffed animals.  they doctor the cats.  

camryn said she was going to be a doctor the other day and when i asked her what kind, she said a kid doctor.  leighton eagerly piped in that she could be the nurse.  oh what a dynamic duo that would be!

 

his first knit hat.

 

since he was born at the end of may, i didn't knit him a coming home outfit as i did for the girls.  instead, i promised him a hat.  and wonder of wonders with everything else going on, i followed through!  a super easy knit.  there's nothing like seeing your baby in something you made especially for them.

as his sisters didn't get new mama made hats last year, i ordered a different colorway of yarn to make them hats to coordinate with his.

he's now ready for his first - and possibly only - wisconsin winter.  bring it, mother nature!

knitters click here to view pattern details on ravelry.

menu plan monday : 10.16.12.

 

so i really need to come up with a new name for this as obviously i'm menu planning on a tuesday and it seems to be almost working.  i'll take almost at this point.  with a baby still on a napping strike and two other kiddos, menu planning every other week is working at the moment.

 

wednesday : oven baked chicken fajitas.  we had these two weeks ago.  a-maz-ing.

thursday : peperoncini beef sandwiches.  andy will FLIP when he comes home to these.  a favorite of his and super easy to throw together.

friday : white chicken enchiladas.  i still have a batch of these in the freezer.  a perfect no thinking required meal.  as long as i get them out in the morning to thaw.  target has a fabulous cilantro lime rice mix that i love to serve with this.  it tastes like chipotle rice with the addition of corn.  yum!

saturday : spinach orzo soup.  a new recipe for us.  i love making soup on saturday nights.  most of the time, the girls don't join us for soup as it's more difficult for leighton to eat without making a huge mess and i let them pick whatever they want to eat.  usually pb&j or mac and cheese.  whatever.  for one night i'm not aruging with them about it.  

sunday : pizza.  camryn has soccer on sundays so we need to do easy!

meatless monday : rocco's fettucine alfredo.  hoping leighton goes for this.  she's my little carb lover and this should make her day.  not that it likely won't make mine too.

i've selected monday as a night of the week for our family to eat a meatless meal as it tends to be more budget friendly as well as a friendlier option for the environment. my meat and potato eating husband tends to go along with this idea because i also make him a yummy dessert in addition to his meatless meal. what can i say, i'm nice like that.

tuesday : lasagna soup. i made this back in february and dug through my blog history to find it again.  score!  a way easier and just as tasty version of lasagna for a week night.

 

last week's new recipe reviews

spinach and artichoke baked pasta.  think of this as spinach artichoke dip meets pasta.  camryn and i both enjoyed this.  in fact, she stole the last portion of it from me yesterday at lunch.  leighton stated she didn't like spinach (a complete fabrication of the truth) so she hardly ate any of it.  andy wasn't home for dinner the night that it was made so he doesn't get a vote.  this would be a great dish to bring to someone for a meal as it reheated nicely too.

oven baked chicken fajitas.  AWESOME.  everyone loved it.  camryn deemed it scrumptious.  super easy for me to put together as well.  i did make quite a few changes to the original recipe.  i used three whole peppers and two onions.  i also drained the can of tomatoes + chiles and then squeezed a lime over everything before baking.  absolutely delicious.  obviously as it's on the menu again for this week!

quinoa pizza bites.  these were fine.  nothing out of this world, but i made them last saturday for lunch and they were great as a quick lunch that wasn't takeout.

grilled cheeseburger wraps.  another easy recipe to put together.  a good thing as i made this one night after 8p for andy and i and enjoyed leftovers with the girls for lunch the next day.  i almost always have everything on hand so will definitely be turning to this in the future for a quick meal.

wordless wednesday : tiger trio.

 

we have trained them well.  on saturdays, they immeditaely ask to wear their tiger shirts.  if you ask them, they'll also correctly answer where they are going to college.  

M-I-Z.

 

carson : 4 months.

 

four months already.  ack.  the last few weeks have been a bit rough but we continue on...

at four months, carson :

• weighs 17 pounds (78.89%).  i don't believe i've ever had a child in this percentile! 
• is 26.8" tall (98.9%).  not shocking.
• eats five times a day, about every 3-4 hours.
• goes to bed between 7:15 and 7:30p and gets up between 7 and 7:30a.  
• is sleeping through the night.  you think this would be followed by an exclamation mark, but ever since he began sleeping through the night, he's been on a napping strike of sorts.
• continues to need to be swaddled to sleep.  his arms are crazy and he'll constantly take out his pacifier and make himself mad.  at least once or twice a week i end up sleeping on his floor because of the need to put his pacifier back in.
• naps are my source of stress.  the past week or so has been a bit better but some days he's sleeping only an hour during the day total.  by bedtime, we've reached meltdown mode.
• is wearing 6-12 month clothes.
• is still not a fan of tummy time.  no rolling over yet because of it although i think he's getting close.
• nicknames = handsome boy and snuggly bear.  both used exclusively by mama.  the girls refer to him as buddy or buddy boy.
• has found a new love in the jumperoo.  he'll stay in there for a half hour and enjoys being able to see everything that is going on around him.
• continues to love bath time and usually has me drenched by the end.  thinking he's close to moving into the big tub with his bath seat.  hello new adventure!
• loves to chew on his fingers.  this photo is so appropriate as he seems to be constantly snacking on them.  he's just beginning to discover his feet so i fear they may be the the next snack of choice.

 

and all three of my crazies in the chair. everyone is looking and pseudo smiling.  a new favorite.

here's hoping we conquer the napping issues and we all become more well rested this next month.

hello fall.

 

knowing that the temperature is going to fall almost thirty degrees by the end of the week, we've tried to enjoy the outside as much as possible yesterday and today.  yesterday i loaded everyone and the double stroller up and we went for a walk on a nearby trail.  the perfect activity.  everyone could be as loud as they wanted - at one point leighton was pretty much shouting her renditions of "jesus loves me" and the alphabet song - and they could run ahead of me without fear of getting hit by a car.  because it was a weekday, there weren't many people out so there was little worry of them getting hit by a bicycle either.  the two walkers we passed thought we were quite the sight, i'm sure.

today we went on a walk in our neighborhood and made a pitstop at the park.  and then played outside with the neighbors when we got home.  three happy kiddos and one happy mama.  trying to soak in each and every last drop of sunshine before hibernation occurs.

did i mention our overnight low on saturday will be 25 degrees?  apparently leighton is ready as she asked me when it was going to snow twice today.

menu plan monday : 10.2.12

 

ugh.  why is menu planning so hard these days!  it didn't help that last week i skipped the grocery store run in hopes that my son would nap.  i lost out on stocking my freezer with ice cream and on the napping front.  so here's to a better week all around.  and menu planning a date late...  perhaps if i menu plan mid-week for the next week it'll go better?

wednesday : grilled cheeseburger wraps.  still haven't made this one even though it was on my menu two weeks ago.  a perfect dinner choice for what looks to be our last warm day.

thursday : quinoa pizza bites.  we haven't had pizza in almost two weeks.  we love quinoa so this looks to be a good alternative.  the girls should be in heaven.

friday : oven baked chicken fajitas.  when we lived in missouri, i took a cooking class taught by a guy that was on the very first season of food network star.  when i make fajitas, i always use his recipe but it's super time intensive.  hoping this quicker version is an okay substitute.  

saturday : chicken dumpling soup.  it's supposed to be much colder and it's football day so soup it is!  this is andy's favorite.  i always double the dumpling part as it's my favorite part of the dish.

sunday : pizza.  camryn has soccer on sundays so we need to do easy!

meatless monday : spinach and artichoke baked pasta.  another new recipe found on pinterest.  this looks perfect as a comforting fall dish.  hoping to serve fresh bread on the side.  hello carbs!

i've selected monday as a night of the week for our family to eat a meatless meal as it tends to be more budget friendly as well as a friendlier option for the environment. my meat and potato eating husband tends to go along with this idea because i also make him a yummy dessert in addition to his meatless meal. what can i say, i'm nice like that.

tuesday : thai chile peanut meatballs. andy's request for the week.  much better than the girls' request for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

 

last week's new recipe reviews

spaghetti with meat sauce.  the author claims it as the best sauce ever.  and although i loved the heartiness of it, it was missing one key ingredient for me.  garlic.  will make again as camryn loved it but will tweak just a bit.

lemony lentil soup.  super easy and surprisingly hearty.  camryn and i enjoyed it but upon the initial eating, leighton threw her bowl on the floor.  let's just say it didn't go well.  will make again.

soccer warm-up.

 

i've decided this is why she scored a goal yesterday.  a pre-game dance party in the car on the way to the soccer field.  i got hooked on this song after samsung started using it in their commercials and apparently someone likes it as well.

totally brightening my day today as we continue to have a baby on a napping strike...