lately...

lately, we've been...

enjoying a fancy mama breakfast before the babies wake up...

trying to embrace pregnancy.

i really don't like being pregnant but i'm trying to remember that God chose me to carry this sweet miracle around for nine months.

i'm His assistant miracle maker :)
*almost 30 weeks!*

loving this amazing shea butter.

it's the best.

and i have NO well, maybe a couple stretch marks to prove it!

chuckling about how cute my dad is :)

amused at how these brothers have decided to sleep together.

every night.

in the crib.

and still wake up happy!

disliking that daddy's working late but loving that mama can choose her own "dinner".

ha.

*that's iced coffee, a warm cookie, a shot of apple cider vinegar, and a drizzle of raw honey, for allergies*

packing.
and packing "helpers".

splashing in spring showers and puddles in our undies and pjs!

the best memorial day side dish.

need an idea for a memorial day bbq??
this is the best.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is, hands down, my new favorite salad.

It's refreshing, unique and just plain good.

I have Giada to thank for this one....can't take credit for it :)

Red Potato Tomato Salad

Serves 4.

I have to say that I've made this several times and every time it still comes out a little grainy....I keep thinking I'm overcooking the potatoes so I cook them less and less each time.  Still grainy.  You know, that potato-starch-grainy texture.  Regardless, it's still that good.

1 pound baby red potatoes, halved, or bigger ones, quartered

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1/3 cup pitted black olives, halved

1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

3-4 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 large lemons, zested

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Add the potatoes to a medium saucepan with enough cold water to cover by at least 2 inches. Set the saucepan over medium heat. Bring the water to a boil and continue boiling until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and allow them to dry for 5 minutes. 

In a serving bowl, add the potatoes, tomatoes, scallions, olives, parsley, capers, thyme, olive oil, and lemon zest. Toss gently until all the ingredients are coated and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate for 1 hour and gently toss again before serving.  Enjoy!

camping in the shenandoah's!

last weekend, we headed up to the shenandoah national forest for a bit of old-school, family camping.

i grew up camping.

and i do mean real camping.

tents, cooking over campfires, pee-in-the-woods.

mike didn't, but loves to camp out like this.

it's been awhile since we've been camping but we decided to take advantage of the gorgeous national park that is so close and before i get too pregnant, to go camping.

this was the first time we've taken the boys.

wow.

an experience.

a good one.

but an experience.

started with a huge rainstorm the night before and all most of the roads being flooded or washed out on the way out there.

so, what should have taken a little over 2 hours, took 4.

the boys were amazing, as usual, taking naps and looking out of the windows.

for the first 3 hours, 50 minutes.

then, mv started complaining that his back hurt.

a lot.

we were literally 4 miles from the campsite we had picked out so we kept putting his whining off.

until.

the puking started.

he puked his whole packed car lunch of peanut butter sandwich, red grapes, and carrot sticks all over himself, my jacket, his carseat, and his beloved puppy and blanket.

so, we pulled over into the first non-cliff, grassy area, changed him, wiped him, wiped the car, wiped everything else possible, rallied, and loaded back up.

lesson learned.

if your normally decently content child starts really complaining for no reason, even if it's the wrong area, you need to heed him.

the other major travesty was jack jack pushing through not one, but two, brand new teeth during our major hike.

and letting the peaceful forest and animals around him know about it.

he sobbed for about 45 minutes, strapped in his hiking backpack to mike and then promptly passed out for the remainder of the hike.

*sigh*

not exactly the quiet, family camp out we had envisioned, but as everything else went very smoothly - no bugs, no bears, no injuries, perfect weather, perfect food, perfect company - we call it a success and can't wait to go again!

so excited to go camping!

setting up the tent with daddy

cooking dinner.

and peach cobbler is a must.

the boys found a deer while dinner was cooking

peach cobbler on!

morning snuggling with my baby.

sleepyhead slept till 9am!

daddy and mv snuggled too :)

and we discovered yet another reason why boys rock. 

peeing out the tent flap so mommy doesn't have to walk you outside at 7am.

cold peach cobbler for breakfast!

and eggs cooked in bacon fat ;)

on our first hike!

mv was a rockstar.

3 miles, zero complaining.

...on the other hand...

28 weeks!

lunch break!

our 3 1/2 year old stud made it all but the last 100 yards.

;)

chicken and dumplings for dinner!

pancakes for our last day

a stop off for pictures with the gorgeous scenery!

they were in good spirits ;)

appalachian trail hike for our last day!

very sad to go.

can't wait to go back the next time and enjoy these beautiful sunsets again!

diy succulent wreaths

so.

i made one of these for my mama for mother's day.

and i kinda really got into it.

i made it exactly how i'd like mine to look if i was making one...

and turns out, a lot of people like our taste ;)

i've been "commissioned" to make quite a few!

i've made a couple now and i use different supplies each time but the same general method.

and, hey. if you want a handmade succulent wreath, you know where to find me! :)

wreath base (wire or twig)

moss

faux succulents, big and small

"fillers" like ferns or other greenery

and lots and lots of hot glue!

here, i used a 12" wire frame so i used moss as a base

here, an 18", all green 

here, a small 8" one, with varying colors

and i'm off to make a couple more!