Your big brother is still (blissfully) unaware that a baby will be joining our family soon. I'm sure it will be quite the transition for him, but I know he will come to love and protect you in the days ahead. My heart swells when I think of the two of you together...playing, fighting, growing up and having a life-long friend in each other. Every night we pray for our "boys" and it feels so surreal to say that. Our boys. Thank you, sweet baby, for making me a mommy again. It is truly the greatest gift.

Love,

Mommy

It's the most wonderful time of the year! I am one of those holiday-loving types that starts listening to Christmas music before Thanksgiving dinner hits the table...I just can't get enough. And there's something about having a little one that puts my excitement into overdrive. My tree is up, the kitchen is warm, and my heart is so happy.

With that comes a recipe that I think everyone can use around the holidays, cream of mushroom soup! The canned version is not an option for us gluten-free folks, so here is a delicious alternative that I know your family will love.

I will say that this recipe is a bit labor intensive, but it makes a lot. I split it in half after it's done and use it in two separate dishes. So here goes!

1/4 cup butter
2- 8 oz. packages sliced mushrooms

2/3 cup shallots (or onions), chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/2 tsp fresh thyme

2 cups gluten-free chicken broth

1 1/3 cups half & half

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar


Directions

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onions, garlic and thyme. Season with the salt and pepper. Cook for 5-10 minutes until veggies are softened.
2. Add in the flour and stir until completely combined. Let this cook for 1-2 minutes.
3. Pour in the chicken broth stirring constantly until it begins to thicken. Cook for 3-5 minutes and then remove from the heat and allow it cool slightly. Reserve 1/2 cup of the soup and pour the remaining soup into a food processor or blender and blend. Return to saucepan with the reserved 1/2 cup of soup.
4. Add half & half and cook for 3-4 minutes.
5. Splash in the vinegar and adjust seasoning to taste!

At this point, you could serve and eat immediately. Or, allow it to cool completely, divide it into two portions and refrigerate.

Tips & Substitutions
This recipe is so versatile and forgiving. You can use any kind of mushroom you like, whatever onions you have on hand, dried thyme instead of fresh and you could use sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar at the end.

Happy Holidays!

After a (very) long blogging hiatus, I'm back! My blog got a quick makeover and I'm really looking forward to getting back into it. Everything went a little haywire and it took me a while to get this site back to working order. So, enough with housekeeping! Here's what's been going on with us...

We're having another baby! It's a boy and he's expected to arrive on Valentine's day. I'm so excited about the thought of another sweet baby joining our family. I cannot wait to hold a newborn again...I think you sort of forget what that feels like when you have a 25 pound toddler in your arms all the time! Our boys will be 22 months apart and I'd be lying if I didn't say I wasn't nervous. Nervous about juggling two kiddos, nervous about how Jude will adjust to the baby....eeek! Wish us luck!
And along those same lines, after being in the working world for nine years, I'm now a stay-at-home mom. I'm still freelancing on the side to feed my creativity, as well as running an etsy shop. Staying home with Jude has been so much fun. I feel incredibly grateful to share this season of life with my little dude at home. Staying at home has also allowed me to get in the kitchen more often and I can't wait to share some new recipes with you very soon!




We are in the process of slightly turning Jude's room into a big boy room so we can move the crib and other baby furniture to the new baby's room (cue the tears). We wanted to make the transition before the baby is born so that Jude will hopefully be more accepting of it. Here's a little sneak peek of that project:





So there it is! Thank you for reading again. I can't wait to share more very soon!

When I was pregnant with my baby boy, I made the decision to breastfeed him. Let me just say...I knew nothing going into it. Only resting in the fact that my mom breastfed me, and if she could do it, I could do it! I bought all the books, read all the blogs, and stocked up on nursing pads, lanolin and breast-milk storage baggies. I soaked up advice from every girlfriend/cousin/etc. that was willing to give it to me. My husband and I even attended a breastfeeding class at our hospital (yes, he is a saint) and we took notes diligently. I thought I had all the ammo I would ever need.

Since my baby was born, I've had several friends ask for my advice on breastfeeding and I feel like I sometimes give a sugar-coated answer to "encourage" them.

This is what I really wanted to say...

Breastfeeding has been a whirlwind of great latching, not-so-great milk supply, and LOTS of crying (from the both of us)! It's one of the hardest things I've ever done, but has also given me some of the most rewarding, life-affirming moments I've ever had. Breastfeeding my son came with an entire set of challenges that no book or class could have ever prepared me for.....

1. Lansinoh Storage Bags   2. Simple Wishes Pumping Bra   3. Soothies Gel Pads 4. Fenugreek   5. Medela Breast Pump

The first few weeks I felt like he lived on my boob. He would nurse constantly. I never got a break. He wanted to eat every 1-2 hours! But wait, those books said he would nurse approximately every three hours. LIES! ALL LIES! My baby was doing what my doctor called "cluster feeding." Super. Just great. The pediatrician said it was normal, but nothing about this felt "normal." All the while, I wasn't making enough milk to satisfy my hungry little hippo, so we were having to buy formula and supplement. It felt like a slap in the face! I became engorged several times and eventually developed Mastitis. It. Was. Awful.

The sun eventually came out, and one day it all just sort of clicked. It's like your body and your baby just sort of figure it out. It's not easy, but it well worth the sacrifice.

I don't know how to adequately put into words what has happened this past year. We raised a tiny, precious, little newborn into a one year old. And I developed my most important life roll:

"Mama."

I look at my sweet baby who I've only known for a short time, but feel like he's been a part of me forever. His laughs, his cries, his smirks and noises...they fill up my soul. There's is nothing in the world like coming in the door after a long day and watching his face fill up with joy when he sees me and watching his feet kick uncontrollably from his sweet potato-covered high chair. His reactions perfectly mirror my emotions. It's no coincidence.

We've had many restless nights, groggy mornings and uneventful weekends. We've experienced frustrations, times of sadness and joy, blow-out diapers and morning/afternoon/nighttime baths. We've been on road trips, swing-sets, and airplanes. We've gone to the beach, the rodeo, weddings, and graduations.

We are not at all lost on what a gift he is. My eyes are baggier and my midsection is softer, but I carried him in my womb for nine months, and on my hip for 12...

We are forever changed. The words "mama" and "dada" have never sounded so sweet.

Sweet Baby Boy,
Your first year of life has been our best year of life. You made us a family...that's a big role for such a little boy. You have the sweetest personality and everyone sees it. You've never met a stranger or a sweet potato you didn't like. You love to cuddle with us while you watch Mickey Mouse and your little face lights up when they sing the "Hot Dog" song.

You are truly an old soul. We love to watch you go through your books; never rushed, always taking your time to see what each page has to offer. You love to open the shutters and stare out the window. Sometimes proclaiming a "huh?" when a car goes by or a squirrel comes into view. I love seeing the world through your eyes, appreciating the small details. We still can't believe you are ours to have forever.

Happy Birthday darling boy. We love you so.

























Photos by pic ryan photography

Since Jude is an eating machine lately, I thought it would be fun to do a post on some of the foods I make for him that he is loving. He has started being a little more adventurous with his food and it is honestly so much fun! If making hilarious facial expressions while you eat were an Olympic sport, this kid would seriously make the medal podium.

Like most couples who are expecting, when I was pregnant with Jude, Jeff and I would have these "I wonder..." conversations about our baby:

"I wonder if he'll have really blonde hair like I did when I was little?

"I wonder if he'll have hazel eyes like we both have?"

"I wonder if he'll inherit my gluten allergy?" Hopefully not!

"I wonder if he'll cling to us when he's around people he doesn't know?"

The unknown is somewhat magical in the moment. There's so much to "wonder" about. Those little character traits were fun to talk about during those (long) months. But, those days are gone, and now every day we have the privilege of discovering Jude and all the details that make up who he is. His perfectly soft hair that is light brown....just like his dad's was he was a boy, his sweet blue eyes, the hilarious faces he makes when he tries new foods and the way he buries his head into our chests when he is being shy. I know he will grow out of this eventually, but for now, I will relish in the fact that he finds comfort and rest in our arms. 

Every month I find my myself saying "this is my favorite age!" "No, this is my favorite age!" At six months, he is so vibrant and full of personality. I just cannot get enough of him. The dinosaur squeals, his toothy smile, the constantly kicking feet, his delightful laugh....My heart is forever changed and my love for him is overwhelming. My little Jude Bug.

When I was pregnant with Jude, each month I would document my growing belly with photos and these cute little backgrounds I created in Adobe Illustrator. Now, they are yours! Feel free to use these patterns for photo backgrounds, scrap-booking, etc. Please just source my blog when posting & pinning. Thank you and enjoy!

Download PDF files here (may take a few minutes)

Better late than never I suppose.....Jude is three months old and we are finally settling into a routine. So, on to the nursery! When I first started envisioning his room, I knew I didn't want a theme. I get tired of stuff too easy to have a room full of monkeys, trains or cars. Instead, Jeff and I went for a soft, comfortable, artistic feeling room that he could grow into. With the help of my parents, fun little shopping trips, old and new lovely things and Jeff's painting/drawing/putting furniture together skills, it came together so sweetly.