Mid-Summer Fog

Posted in Kids, Lila, Liz's Life by Liz

Sorry I’ve been a little MIA lately. This tends to happen around this time the summer. I’m not sure if its that we’re coming off a vacation home, or that it’s hot out so I want to be outside, but I find it hard to get motivated to write in July.

Life lately has been a series of ups and downs. On the up side, our trip home was wonderful. Lila was showered with love and attention from her grandparents on both sides along with other family and friends.

On the down side, we all got sick during our trip home. Lila picked it up from daycare when I had to put her in for two hours while I met with a potential client. She passed it to both Luke and me, but I got it the worst. My sinuses were so swollen I was convinced I had a cracked molar because my gums and whole jaw were aching. Not a fun way to spend vacation.

Since we’ve been back, I’ve been working on getting Lila into more of a routine so we can plan things better with friends. But baby girl is all over the place with her sleeping. One day she’ll wake up at 6:15 am and the next it’s 9:00 am. Then with her napping, she’ll sleep 45 minutes one day and 3 hours the next. I wish I could say “Lila naps from X until X every day” but we’re not really there yet.

I’ve been working hard though to find things we can do together and with other moms and babies. Yesterday we went on a hike with friends we met at church, I’m trying a baby boot camp class on Wednesday and I have a regular play date set up with a friend and her baby on Fridays. My goal is to get to a place where we have some regularity to our days. Mondays we do this and Tuesdays we do that. We’re getting there slowly yet surely.

In the past few weeks Lila’s development has really taken off. She’s got SIX teeth now at just 7.5 months. We started baby-led weaning after she showed signs of wanting to feed herself, and girlfriend has been housing food ever since. Today for lunch she ate a whole avocado, whole peach and five blackberries. She’s also figured out crawling and is on the move. I had to finally set up our baby gates today when I found her under our computer table grabbing at some wires. It’s really incredible to watch her grow so quickly. It’s good to be back home in Nevada and into our day to day groove. I think my summer motivation block has lifted and I plan to write much more regularly. I have some posts brewing in my mind, like how consulting has been going for me, why Lila has been sleeping in the closet and my never-ending dental debacle. So, stay tuned!

25Jun2013

Back Home

Posted in Kids, Liz's Life by Liz

Right now we are back in the midwest visiting my family in Ohio and Luke’s family in Indiana for two weeks.

We got here on Friday night after a four hour flight into Chicago. Little bitty did well on the flight, but lost it in the car on the way to Luke’s parent’s house. I don’t blame her … it was a loooong travel day!

But the hours en route were soon forgotten when we were with our families. We pack a lot into our trips home, and so far this one has been no different. We’ve already had my nieces first birthday party, my birthday, Lila’s first baseball game (go Mud Hens!), her baptism and some swimming.

Since we’re staying for two weeks though, we are making time for some good relaxing too.

Today Luke is golfing with my dad and brother while I hang with my best friend and Lila’s godmother, Julia, along with her little boy Liam (my godson). Then tonight it’s off to my brother’s for dinner with his family and Lila’s cousin Reagan, who is just a few months older.

Then on Saturday it’s off to Indiana to spend the rest of our trip with the Batman’s.

There’s nothing better to me than getting some good family and friend time. Living on the other side of the country means my in-person time with my closest people is limited, so I’m soaking it all up.

It’s wonderful to see Lila around so many people who love her too. So far she’s a little unsure of all the attention. She must get that from her dad. ;)

I truly believe that some of the greatest happiness we get from life is from our relationships with the people we love. And over these next two weeks, I’m planning to fill up on lots of smiles, long talks, hugs and laughs with my tribe.

20Jun2013

Dear Lila: You’re Seven Months Old

Posted in Kids, Lila by Liz

Dear Lila,

This week you turned seven months old. You have one tooth almost all the way in on the bottom and four (!!) coming in on the top. You are a little peanut at just 14 lbs 8 oz, but long at 27 inches.

Lately you’ve been working really hard at crawling. You get up on your knees and hands and rock back and forth until you fall on your belly.

Two of your other favorite things to do lately are scratching and grabbing. All the time we hear your little nails scratching on whatever surface is near you. Unfortunately this also tends to be my skin, so I’ve been diligent about keeping your nails clipped. When I’m holding you, you often reach out your arm to grab whatever is near and sometimes far. This morning you tried to grab the ceiling fan.

I love watching you explore your world.

You like eating and have tried a lot of food now. Every time you try a new food, you get a confused face with the first bite. But after a few more bites you usually love whatever we’ve given you. Yesterday it was carrots.

You love your independent play time. I set you on the floor with some of your “toys” and you’re content for an hour or so. Right now your favorite things to play with are just every day household objects like an old remote, plastic hanger and wooden spoon.

I try to get you outside to play at least once a day. It seems like the outdoors is your element. You love the wind hitting your face, feeling the grass and smiling at the people and dogs who pass us.

Just recently you started getting very sad when I’m not in the room with you. Right now I’m writing this sitting next to your crib while you fall asleep because you kept crying when I left the room. It can be frustrating not being able to get time to myself, but I know that one day you won’t want or need me like you do now.

Sometimes it makes me sad that you’re getting older, but most of the time I feel grateful that I get to watch you grow and learn every day. I am so lucky to get to spend my days by your side. You’re Daddy and my’s little side kick and you make even the most mundane tasks fun.

We love you always and forever little girl.

Love,

Mommy

14Jun2013

Easy Chipotle Raspberry BBQ Sauce

Posted in Sunday Supper Series by Liz

Many of you know that Luke and I follow the Paleo diet. This means we eat a lot of local, grassfed meats. And my favorite way to eat meat? Slathered in homemade BBQ sauce of course.

About a year ago I searched the web for a better-for-you BBQ sauce recipe that didn’t include a heaping pile of brown sugar or flour. I landing on this recipe for Chipotle Raspberry sauce on Budget Bytes Blog and haven’t looked back.

This sauce in total makes enough to BBQ two meals and is about 10 minutes prep time and 45 minutes cook time. I have been making it almost weekly and using it on baked chicken thighs, crock pot brisket, grilled ribs and more.

It has a spicy chipotle flavor with a slightly sweet raspberry after taste. It is nice and thick and really coats whatever you put it on. We pretty much always have some in our fridge.

Chipotle Raspberry BBQ Sauce Recipe:

Ingredients:

Half yellow onion diced
Three cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 can of tomato sauce
1 can chipotle peppers in adobo
1 cup raspberry jam
1 tablespoon butter

Instructions:

Place butter, diced onion and minced garlic in a sauce pan to cook over medium-high heat until onion is translucent
While onion is cooking, remove two chipotle peppers from the can and chop it. Reserve two tablespoons of sauce along with the chopped peppers.
Add tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, chopped chipotles and sauce and one cup raspberry jam. Mix well.
Simmer for 45 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally.
Let sit for 5-10 minutes off the heat so it thickens before using.