My New Favorite Picture

Make These Now!

These may be the best thing I have made in a while. They are vegan, but you would never know it! The only bad thing about them is that they seem to disappear around here. I admit, while I am doing my best to adhear to a vegan diet for the hubby's sake, I did use regular butter instead of the soy butter the recipe calls for. (gasp!)

Vegan Blueberry Muffins

Summer

Just a quick post with a few new photos of the kids. We are trying to stay busy while avoiding the heat, which is proving to be tricky these days. We are going on 30+ days over 100 degrees...and counting. Olivia sure loves the pool though, so we try to go in the morning before it gets unbearably hot! She is talking really well and continues to say things to crack us up! A few memorable quotes:

"Mom, can I have your phone. I need to check my email." (Huh?)

To her imaginary friend, Max: "Max, you are in time out! You're not listening, Max." (bends down to what I can only assume is on Max's level.) "Are you ready to be a good listener? Okay, give me a hug."

To Jake: "Ohhh bud, you spit up. We don't spit up!"

In other news, we are starting Jake on solids. Our first encounter with rice cereal was a big thumbs up...

What We've Been Eating

A few weeks ago Greg read a book that has changed the way we are eating. The book, called the Engine 2 Diet, really isn't so much of a diet as it is a way of life. It's plant based, with no meats, eggs, dairy, processed foods, etc. We first heard about it a few years ago, bought two carts full of groceries at Whole Foods, and then I decided it wasn't for me. Greg stuck with it for a few weeks and said he felt great...but he eventually fell back to whatever I was eating.
This time we are both sticking with it...and both feel great. We've been shopping once a week, planning our meals accordingly, and because what we can eat is so limited, it has drastically reduced our eating out. I'm still serving chicken, milk, eggs, etc. to Olivia, but she has started eating a lot more veggies and fruit, and is wanting to try whatever we are having, which is great. I gave up Dr. Pepper (except for the occasional one, instead of my daily one), and milk (almond milk is not bad), but I have still been eating a little ice cream and cheese. I figure it is much better than what I would eat before. Breakfast and lunch have been fairly easy, but dinner has been slightly more challenging when preparing meals. Here is what we plan to eat this week:

Monday: Pizza-Kabuli crust, tomato sauce, basil, sliced Roma tomatoes and mozzerella (on Greg's half I nix the cheese and add more veggies) with a side salad and carrot sticks

Tuesday: Bean Tacos-Black beans, homemade (from Central Market...not my kitchen!) whole wheat tortillas, tomatoes, romaine, corn and Central Market 4th Aniversary Salsa....yummmmmm! Served with a side of rice.

Wednesday: Farfalle pasta with veggies and a side salad with strawberries and blueberries

Thursday: Veggie Stir fry and brown rice

Friday: Baked ziti and summer veggies with haricot verts and side salad

Saturday: Dinner out with friends

Sunday: Breakfast-Blueberry buckwheat waffles with maple syrup, hashbrowns and fruit salad

What's Goin On

We are enjoying this very HOT Summer! We try to hit the pool early for short periods before it gets too hot. Olivia is a wild child at the pool, she loves to jump in (with her floaties of course). We are trying to teach her to swim, but she is pretty head strong so that is proving to be a difficult task. Also, we are really working on the potty training. So far a few success stories...those M & M's seem to be the best reward! A few pictures...my phone took them so not the best quality!

Just hanging out...rolling around

Trying to get a picture of him in his "Big Boy" Jammies

Typical ( :

Olivia checking in on Jake with a little help from her drum (I heard her loud and clear on Jake's monitor one morning and all I could see was Jake laughing and kicking his feet...so cute!)
Jake is rolling all over the place. We have been putting him in his highchair at dinner with us, which he loves! He is such a boy. He likes the pool somewhat, mostly just laughs at sister when she jumps in and makes a big splash.

4 Months

My little buddy is already 4 months old! When did that happen? We went for our well check visit this week and he weighs 18 pounds and is 26 inches tall. We are currently filling out our 9 months clothes well, and are creeping into the 12 month size. Jake is starting to show quite the little personality! He is rolling over, lifting his head up, and holding his head steady (which is nice because it gives him a few more activities to do, ie: be placed in for his entertainment and my freedom ( : He is as sweet as ever, and we get the greatest joy watching him stare at and laugh with his big sis.
Olivia is still growning like a weed, but thankfully some of her 3T clothes still fit...for now ( : We think we are finally getting out of the tantrum phase (did I just say that outloud and jinx myself?) She just goes with the flow. She loves to help me with laundry, will help me clean up her toys, and her new favorite thing to do is to help make her peanut butter sandwiches. ("Can I make, too?") We are bribing working on potty training, but she REFUSES to try to use the potty. She is sleeping great in her big girl bed, and rarely gets up, if so it is usually just once.

Some funny things she is/has said:
"I'm washing my wound." (in the bath tub while pouring water over her scar)
"What mom? Huh?" (repeatedly, giggling the whole while)

That is all that I can think of for now. I hear my "little" buddy getting up from his nap!

Summer!

For Memorial Day we went to Dallas to spend time with my mom and dad, and to be their for my dad's recent surgery. My dad was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but fortunately the doctors caught it really early (stage 1-A). His surgeon said in the thousands of cases that he has seen, only ONE other case was caught that early, and it was by chance after a patient was in a car accident. They removed the tumor, and also anything within a short radius of it, including lymph nodes to be sure that nothing had spread. Thankfully, all came back negative. We don't even know if they will do chemo at this point, and probably won't do anything for several weeks to build up my dad's strength.
It is times like these that you stop to hug your loved ones, count your blessings, and re-evaluate what it most important in your life. The surgeon even said that someone was looking out for my dad, and I couldn't agree more.
Speaking of what's important...my sweet peas. LOVE them both so much. It is so fun to already see how different their little personalities are and how Jake lights up when he looks at his big sister!