Growing Up

Parenting is such a crazy experience.

There was a time, not long ago, rocking my tiny infant daughter to sleep in her bouncy chair was the only way to get her to take a nap. Rocking the bouncy seat with my hand, because the vibration of the chair wasn't satisfactory.

I remember many months of rocking my baby girl to sleep in a rocking chair. Fond and loving, yet exhausting memories of rocking her to sleep in a completely dark, quiet room while Andi ate dinner alone or while all of our friends and family at the cabin hung out by the lake.

I'll never forget all the days I nearly broke my back leaning over my baby girl's crib, rubbing her back to sleep. Sometimes, 45-60 minutes standing in one position trying not to make a sound. When I'd move a muscle and the floor creaked, my nearly one-year-old daughter would cry and I'd have to start the soothing process all over again.

Yes, parenting is such a crazy experience.

This morning Tory was extra fussy at breakfast, throwing little fits when things didn't go her way. We have music class today, so morning nap time on Fridays is always a little tight. I have to lay her down by 8:30am or we'll be late getting out to the door to music. A glance at the clock told me it was already 8:45am and a morning nap was probably out the question. In passing, I mentioned to Tory she could really use a nap as fussy as she was behaving. Instinctively, I warmed up some milk and handed it to her. Tory turned on a dime and calmly walked herself down the hallway to her bedroom, where she stood by her crib and waited for me to lay her down for rest.

I am shocked by that child, sometimes. I am amazed at how smart and aware she is of her surroundings. I'm in awe of the way her little mind works and reminded especially in moments like this how much of a big girl she's growing up to be. Sometimes, for a very quick second, I wish I was back in those moments where I rocked her for hours and she needed me so much. Nah, having a big girl who sleeps is a nice stage to be in, too.

What We're Eating: Hits, Misses and a Few Tips Thrown in for Good Measure

After our vacation in mid-February, I fell off the meal planning wagon.

Before Vacation (BV): gung ho homemaker; crafting up a storm; mad cleaning spree

After Vacation (AV): general lazy feeling; lack of interest in doing anything but eating and drinking*

*it's a tad difficult transitioning from being waited on hand and foot to doing the waiting on others myself ...

In the last three weeks, I've continued to write a weekly meal plan with major gaps on the weekends and a heavy lean toward quick meals for Tory (ie: Easy Mac, Spaghettios). I just didn't feeeeeel like cooking ... wah, wah, wah. I also gained about five pounds on vacation, thanks to the buckets of fresh guacamole and chips I consumed and way too many Corona's. It's hard to jump back into healthy, well portioned eating when you've indulged for days on end.

I'm slowly getting back track. I'm forcing myself to stick to meal plans, portion better and skip the mid-day snacks. I don't like the 4 o'clock feeling of panic when I have no idea what to cook for dinner and nothing's thawing in the fridge. Meal planning makes my days easier, so I've got to get in the groove again. And with that awesome lead in, here's some of our hits and misses from the last few weeks:

Week of February 11-17: 
I pre-made freezer meals for Andi's family to pop in the oven while we were on vacation. I wanted meal time to be easy for them while they were doing us the favor of babysitting Tory. Andi's mom reported the Crock-Pot Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli was very good and she and Andi's grandma also enjoyed the Chicken and Spinach Pasta Bake.

Whenever I make pasta bakes like the one mentioned above, I always split the recipe into two disposable aluminum square pans because we never need 6-8 servings of one dish at a time and freeze one or both of the meals. So, I re-heated the Chicken and Spinach Pasta Bake (which I previously froze) for dinner the other night and I have to agree with Janie, I also liked the dish. Generally, pasta bakes aren't my favorite but Tory likes them so I do make them from time to time. The Chicken and Spinach Pasta Bake had good flavor with the roasted tomatoes and spinach. I'd definitely make this one again. If I remember correctly, it was a snap to throw together, too.

Week of February 18-24:
Cornflake Chicken
Andi really likes "crunchy foods" so believe me when I say, I search "crunchy" on food sites and see what comes up. This particular cornflake chicken recipe was very good. I used chicken tenders instead of chicken thighs and cooked the recipe at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes. The secret gem in this recipe is to cook the chicken on a wire rack to ensure crunchiness on all sides. Don't forget to spray the wire rack first!

Crock Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup

This recipe is supposedly a knock-off of the Olive Garden version, which I've never eaten so I can't compare the similarity of the two recipes. This meal was just okay for Andi and I. From this soup, I think we identified neither of us like the flavor of thyme and it seemed prominent in this soup. Maybe it was just me and I added too much? Or maybe that's how it's suppose to taste and we just didn't like it. I threw out the leftovers instead of freezing them in small portions for later lunches, so that should say something.  

Week of February 25 - March 3: 

Beef Enchiladas

This recipe for beef enchiladas is my favorite and honestly it's the one I've adapted from the back of the Old El Paso enchilada sauce can. All you need is 1lb. of hamburger, browned. The recipe on the back of the can directs adding 1/2 of one can of enchilada sauce (reserving the remaining 1/2 and second can to top the enchiladas in the last step). Here's where I alter from the directions: I add 1 1/2 cans of enchilada sauce to the ground beef (as in, almost all the sauce). It makes for a much saucier inside of each enchilada. Add 1 cup of shredded cheese to the ground beef/enchilada sauce mixture in the skillet. Spoon a tbsp. of meat mixture into each tortilla and roll. Once all the tortillas are filled, dump remaining enchilada sauce and shredded cheese on top of the enchiladas. There usually isn't much sauce left, but that's okay because most of it is already in the tortillas. Sprinkle more shredded cheese on the top of the rolled enchiladas. I also use the disposable square aluminum pans for my enchiladas (you can fit 6 enchiladas per pan) and this recipe makes two pans. These enchiladas freeze wonderfully and I love that there's only a few ingredients required which I almost always have on hand. 

Crock-Pot Baked Potato Soup

This soup was warm, filling and delicious. I was about a cup short on chicken stock so ours was a little on the thick side, but I'd definitely make this one again. I bought the "healthy" bacon from Trader Joe's of which Andi was not a fan, but he did said the bacon was perfect for this recipe because it basically crumbled upon cooking ... so win?

Week of March 4-10:
I've had some real cooking misses this week and I'm not exactly sure why. I'd like to place blame on a small toddler and 7 pound dog always scurrying around my legs, but that can't be completely true.

Butternut Squash Lasagna
For some reason, I've been craving butternut squash lasagna, which is crazy since I'm not sure I've ever tasted it. I think I saw it on a blog somewhere and it sounded interesting, so when I came across this recipe it seemed tasty and easy enough to make. I had cubed butternut squash already in the freezer since I puree it from time to time and mix it in with other pasta dishes for Tory. I used canned marinara sauce instead of making fresh and had all the other ingredients on hand, so this recipe came together fairly simply. I though it was pretty delicious, albeit the butternut squash makes it a little different, but I was a little let down when I looked over at Andi's plate to see he'd barely touched it. Apparently, it wasn't his favorite meal. Bummer.

Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie
I made this Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie recipe because Andi looooves pot pie and given my hit or miss record with him as of late, I thought this recipe would be a dead ringer. I prepared it earlier in the day and took it with us to the cabin on Friday so we'd have something to heat up for dinner once we arrived. This recipe was simple enough to put together, but didn't come together right in the end. I'm not sure if it's because the pot pie traveling uncooked in a cooler to the cabin or because our oven there isn't very powerful. The pot pie took far longer than the directions indicated to bake and in the end was just okay tasting. I didn't care for the cheesiness of the sauce and the biscuit topping looked a bit goofy as it never made a full crust on the top of the casserole.

Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole
I made this for breakfast Saturday morning at the cabin. I used crumbled bacon instead of sausage which was a mistake, I think. The egg bake tasted fine, but it was a little bland. I'd use this recipe again and either add the sausage as directed, or add bell peppers for a vegetarian version to give the flavor more kick. The cheesy hashbrown part was good, though.

Wisconsin Snowmobiling Trip

Andi's been itching to go snowmobiling this winter and being the fun loving wife I am, I suggested we bring a babysitter to the cabin with us last weekend while we hit the trails together. Fortunately for us, Andi's cousin Taylor, who's also our weekly babysitter, agreed to come along and watch Tory. Andi secured a few snowmobiles for our use over the weekend and we were set.

Now I must say, in the seven years Andi and I have been together, I've come a long way from Miss Girly Girl with limited experience and actual interest in outdoor recreation to Mrs. Sporty Spice who'll give anything a try. Andi has an adventurous spirit and it means a lot to him that I participate in his various interests. We've gone canoeing down St. Croix River which I surprisingly loved, ice fishing this winter, taken many, many hikes (of which many I thought my lungs were going to explode), snowshoeing and snowmobiling. Most times, I end up having a fun time and gain an appreciation for the activity even if I means I don't necessarily want to do it everyday. You'd think Andi would return the favor and participate alongside me in my favorite hobbies, but he has yet to get into scrapbooking, baking, crafting or watching college football with me. What's the deal? 

Anyway, a few years ago Andi took me snowmobiling for the first time in Northern Minnesota and I rode on the back of his sled the entire time. I didn't love snowmobiling during that experience and in fact, I remember strongly suggesting he GET ME OFF THIS THING BECAUSE I AM DONE!!! I enjoyed the first one or two hours of our adventure, but by hour four or five I was hungry and tired and cold. Plus, riding on the back of a sled for five hours was a bit scary at times when the sled felt unsteady and I personally had no control over the machine.

This time, Andi borrowed two sleds so we'd each have one to ride. I've never driven my own sled so I was a bit nervous, especially after talking to our cabin neighbor who told me stories of flipping hers in the ditch a few days prior. I bucked up for Andi's sake, mostly because he was so excited to ride and drove it. Turns out, snowmobiling is actually fun when you're the one driving and in control of your own sled. Andi was respectful of the fact I didn't want to ride all day long, so we took short trail loops around our cabin and I really enjoyed myself. Just to poke fun at Andi, I kept mentioning how fun it's going to be watching Husker football together this fall and hosting our very own tailgate party. "Look! I'm having fun and so will you,' I said about a million times.

My very own pink helmet

Stopped for a pic during a ride Sunday morning

Ready to ride - I can DO THIS!

There were cool little shacks like this all over the place for snowmobilers to take a break. There's even an out house (4 U 2 P, the sign said) should you need to do your business in the woods. 

During our trail rides, we saw lots of wildlife and a side of the cabin area we don't usually see from the road. The trails were beautifully groomed and it was peaceful to ride through the woods and fields. Andi also took Taylor for a snowmobile adventure so she wasn't stuck watching Tory all weekend and had some boy time riding with his friend Derrick where they burned off some male testosterone driving fast and jumping stuff. It turned out to be a pretty great weekend at the cabin.

What We're Watching

We cut back to basic cable over a year ago and I can honestly say, I don't miss it. My only must-have television channels are the local CBS, ABC, NBC stations because I do enjoy listening to the news. Since Andi and I became parents, we rarely watch any television show in real time. The 7:00pm time slot falls directly over Tory's bedtime and the time I sit down to relax in the evenings varies by day. Gone are the days I set my calendar around tv air times. Now, we have a subscription to Netflix and an Apple TV device which allows us to watch television shows on our time.

Andi's tends to favor more violent, shoot-'em-up type shows which have a hard time gaining my interest. He's watched Justfied, Burn Notice, Dexter, Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Oz and Sons of Anarchy.

Some of our favorite shows to watch together have been / are Gossip Girl, Mad Men, Friday Night Lights, Tudors, Weeds, How I Met Your Mother and most recently, New Girl. We tried to watch Parenthood together but Andi said it reminded him too much of real life. Apparently kids screaming and life drama for Andi is like prison blood and guts for me.

We do have an issue with starting a television series together and one of us watching ahead of the other person (read also: Andi watching ahead of me). This is really the plague of death in marital entertainment. We've started together and he's finished alone Nurse Jackie, The Kennedy's, Suits and Hell on Wheels. I will admit to committing this felony while watching Revenge. However, I completely justify my action because Andi was traveling for eight days straight and I was lonely and bored. I had to watch ahead, you see, or I might have withered up and died. I'm also watching Downton Abbey and Pretty Little Liars solo because Andi didn't care for either one.

It's funny how television shows have become a pretty big deal in our thirty-something lives. For us, it's how we relax together at the end of the day. What are some other television shows to add to our must-watch list?

Skeptic Turned Believer

If you've talked to me for longer than five seconds, you know teething and Tory do not mix. For the last year, she's dealt with the near constant irritation of teething.

I know everyone has their own beliefs about teething. (Does it rear its ugly head with physical symptoms? What medicinal / homeopathic remedies work best, if any, in dealing with the pain?) I'm not about to stir up a heated discussion on the matter but I do know, based on my sole parenting experience, Tory's teething goes on for weeks. Her symptoms include drooling, rosy cheeks, diarrhea, severe diaper rash and poor sleep. Mostly, I feel horrible watching her go through it all. I've tried everything from cold washcloths to chew on, doses of Tylenol and natural teething tablets with little relief. Ultimately, we both learned to soldier through the pain (her: the symptoms above; me: the sleepless nights, dealing with an extremely fussy, demanding, clinging toddler) and hope the end was soon in sight.

But! We've found something that seems to help. Months ago, Andi purchased Tory an amber teething necklace for teething pain. I was too apprehensive to put it on her, worried it might choke her at 7 or 8 months old, and threw it in the back of my nightstand drawer. A few months ago, I found it and decided to give it a try.

Tory has been wearing the necklace since January and has gained three canine teeth in the meantime with no teething symptoms. Granted, I realize she's now 18 months old and may be able to tolerate teething pain more than she could as an infant. However, she hasn't experienced any of the other teething symptoms in the last few months so I honestly believe the necklace helps. I'm a skeptic turned believer!

I truly forget she's wearing the necklace until someone makes a comment about her wearing it. The other day at her 18 month well-child visit, the doctor said "oh Tory, you're wearing a necklace, how fancy!" I didn't feel like going into details about its teething powers, so I just smiled and let the moment pass by. The necklace doesn't seem to bother Tory one bit. She wears it almost 24/7 except for in the bathtub and asks for it to be put on again when she's done. I don't know how long I'll let her wear it, but I do know I'm a bit nervous to take it off and experience another round of terrible teething.

Ice Fishing Day Date

My family left for the long drive back to Nebraska early Sunday morning, so Andi and I had the rare opportunity to spend a weekend day in the Twin Cities. Sundays are usually spent packing up our lake cabin, driving back home, catching up on laundry and readying for the week ahead. With an entirely free day in the Twin Cities, it almost felt like we were visitors in our hometown.

Andi decided to plan a date day, just the two of us. He rented an ice house on Lake Minnetonka, arranged for his sister and cousin to babysit Tory, packed snacks and beer for our day's adventure and away we went!

This is my first winter ice fishing and up until now, all my experiences have been at our lake cabin where Andi drills a few holes in the ice, puts out some tip ups and we play outside in the snow or sit by the campfire waiting for the fish to bite. Ice fishing in a fish house is a different experience entirely. There are many variations of fish houses, but the one Andi rented for us was a small trailer on the ice with eight holes in the floor to fish. The trailer includes a stove (which we didn't use), bunk beds / couch, a table, radio and HEAT. The heat is obviously the main selling point.

Honestly, I never fish when we're at the cabin because I'm usually chasing after Little Miss Tory Bean, preparing meals or perfectly content drinking beer while everyone else casts a line. Therefore, I had to buy a one-day fishing license for our date day fishing adventure and take a quick lesson from Andi on how to operate a fishing pole. Soon enough, I was on a role and out-fishing my very skilled and experienced husband.

We caught 19 fish in just two short hours. It was really fun to catch and release the fish, especially because Andi did all the dirty work of baiting and un-hooking the slimy fish.

Once when Andi was removing the hook from a fish's mouth, it sprayed urine across the room nearly landing on our snacks of cheese and crackers. Ack! Andi laughed for a solid three minutes after I screamed and jumped straight off my seat.

After we grew bored of fishing, we relaxed in the trailer and watched an episode of How I Met Your Mother. I even took a 20-minute power nap which was glorious after entertaining family all weekend. We packed up our stuff and grabbed a late lunch at Spasso. It was really fun day together. It felt strangely reminiscent of our life pre-kiddo when we leisurely spent an afternoon bumming around town and making decisions on a whim.

Back at home, we decided to bundle Tory up in her winter gear and take a brisk stroll around the neighborhood in her new Radio Flyer wagon which Santa brought her this past Christmas. Tory thought she was pretty fancy riding around in her big girl wagon. I'm looking forward to warmer temperatures and more snow melt so we can take many more trips around the neighborhood.

   

Family Visit

My parents, sister and her family visited us in Minnesota this weekend. We haven't seen each other since Christmas and they haven't been to the Cities since August when they usually trek North for Tory's birthday. To say I was excited to have them visit my home was an understatement! A weekend with no big party plans or holiday event on the calendar - a low-key weekend at my house was a rare treat.

My dad is diabetic and it's a strain on his eyes to drive the long seven hours to Minnesota. My mom's not comfortable doing the driving either, so usually by the time they arrive at my house they're on pins and needles. (Neither of my parents like to fly, so that's out of the question). My sister has a big SUV, but also has two small children, and it's usually not feasible for everyone to drive up together ... until this weekend. My brother-in-law, Jason, did the driving so it was great to see my parents arrive here, happy and ready for a fun weekend.

The car caravan arrive Friday afternoon and we spent the rest of the day, and the remainder of the weekend, hanging out at my house and watching my nieces Brooke (5 1/2 years) and Neeley (7 months) play together with Tory (18 months). I know there's a million fabulous restaurants and sight-seeing things to do in the Twin Cities, but honestly we just wanted to spend time together. Andi and I cooked all the meals but dinner on Saturday night (when I twisted my mom's arm to make her delicious pork chops), so I hope it was a relaxing time for my family.

Tory loves babies and is always honing her mama skills, so it's no surprise she was obsessed with Neeley. It always takes Tory a few minutes to warm up in new situations, but the girls reached for each other and hugged the minute Neeley arrived. All weekend, Tory vigorously patted her legs requesting Neeley to sit on her lap. Eighteen pound Neeley, sitting on 20-pound Tory. Ha! The girls are almost the same size except Tory has more hair and a bountiful amount of energy.

Neeley "sitting on" Tory's lap 

Neeley is the happiest baby I've ever met - always smiling!

Always a special place in my heart for Brookie

Papa and Neeley

Ashley and Jason, just relaxing

My favorite nieces, Brooke and Neeley

Brooke and Tory played together, too, and I was happy to see how patient Brooke was with Tory when she tried her best to tag along in pretend play. The girls played dolls and house, kitchen and read books. There was even a little break for iPad relaxation.

Brooke and Tory taking a break, watching Bubble Guppies

Cousin love!
(Brookie's missing her two front teeth - ha!)

Neeley sitting on Tory's lap again ... and everyone sitting on Nana's

A fun weekend with the family!