Name These Primary Tunes

Can you make any of them out? If so, you deserve an A+ in Toddler Talk 101.

From the Mouth of My Babe

This is is what enjoying your ice cream cone looks like. One of our favorite summer pastimes is riding bikes to the local ice cream shop. Davis always chooses Cotton Candy flavor.

While playing with Maddie, my princess doll said to her princess doll, "Aurora, do you want to come over and play?" "No!" exclaimed Maddie. "Princesses do NOT play. They only dance." 

Recipe Links Galore

While eating his first ear of corn on the cob this season, I asked Isaac how he liked it, "Yum. All I can say is YUM!"

Thought I'd share a few of our current favorite recipes, all taken (and slightly adapted) from other food bloggers.

Apple Nachos from Manifest Vegan. I skip the vegan chocolate chips and go with boring old Nestle and I toast the coconut and the almonds, and these have quickly become my very favorite snack/dessert/lunch. The kids love them too. 

It's just been in the past couple of months that I discovered the deliciousness that is lentils and I make them even in the summer because they are that good. I found this recipe via Making it Here. Super healthy, super tasty. 

These next two recipes are from my favorite food blogger at Mel's Kitchen Cafe. In the summer months I usually go on a cooking hiatus, and our dinners consist of mostly salads or cold cereal (with the occasional lentils, of course). If you hate to heat up the oven in the summer, make this Mexican Tomato and Corn Salad tonight for dinner, only stir in a chopped avocado before serving--and I promise you will thank me for introducing it to your life. 

Sesame Noodles with Peanut sauce. I love to add sauteed red pepper or zucchini to this dish, and it's easy to forego the chicken if you are in the mood for a vegetarian meal. I also don't usually cook all of the pasta required because it's a little too much for our family to eat, plus, it makes the noodles extra saucy, and you know how I like my noodles and my life extra saucy. 

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos from Our Best Bites. I make a double batch and then freeze all the left overs. It think they are best with corn tortillas. These never disappoint. Trust me.  

Got any current favorite dishes being served at your house? Please do share!

Family Weekend

This past weekend we took a little getaway with the kids for some highly anticipated family time. It was just what the children needed.

We spent some time just outside of Hartford at the Lutz Children's Museum. Maddie the gymnast enjoyed swinging at the playground outside the museum. 

So did Ryan and Isaac.

Davis rang the annoying train bell over and over and OVER.

After staying the night in Hartford, we headed north to a natural history museum and ecotarium in Massachusetts. Right after taking this picture on the train, Davis barked at Maddie, "Stop bothering me, please!" He didn't appreciate the hug she gave him during the Kodak moment. 

Checking out what different types of sand look like under the microscope and getting inside a giant bubble. 

Like most vacations with children, we came back more exhausted than when we left but it was worth it because the kids got to spend time with their dad. Some of my favorite lines from the trip were:

• Isaac, after getting bored of being at the children's museum and anxious to get to the hotel to swim, declared, "How can this be a vacation if all we do is look at animals all day?"
• We took the kids to the movie theater and while we were watching the previews and waiting for Brave to begin, Maddie announced, "This is so ANNOYING!" "What's annoying, Maddie?" "I just want Brave to start!"
• Davis took to saying "or somefing" after just about every statement he made over the weekend..."I want a dwink...or somefing" "Can we go to da park...or somefing?" "My name is Davy...or somefing."

The Farmer Takes the Life and the Cheese Stands Still

Making a List

Spending the day at the Stamford Nature Center with friends.

Is it really already mid July? Time always seems to march on but lately it is flying by. My better half has been busier than usual this past month and we are doing our best to keep busy right along with him since staying occupied seems to make his absence more bearable. It's during rotations like these that I have to give myself more positive self-talk than usual. i'm telling you, It's sink or swim time and I've got my flippers on and I'm doing my best doggie paddle.

I am so thankful that my children are young and will most likely never remember the absence of their dad in the years to come. It really is such a special time of their lives and I am trying my best to take in their sweetness while simultaneously mustering up the patience and energy to take care of all of their needs. I think I'm getting better at it.

I know I will look back on our CT years with fondness because we have met wonderful people and seen wonderful places. I just hope (really, REALLY hope) that I look back on these years someday and think, "That was a really busy, trying time, but it was really worth it. It was just what our family needed at that time." In all my positive self-talk I have made many mental lists of things that I love about post-graduate training, so tonight I'm putting it on virtual paper:

• We have a job. Any job is better than no job, no matter how many hours you have to work.
• Ryan is receiving training that he needs to become competent in his line of work.
• Ryan and I never get the chance to be sick of each other because our time together is minimal.
• We don't disagree about how to parent our kids because only one of us is available to parent right now. :)
• The strength of our Church family has become so much more significant and meaningful for me since moving away from our own family. 
• Somehow we have been fortunate enough to grow closer together rather than further apart. Living thousands of miles from family is very difficult but it has caused us to rely on one another in a way that we might not have otherwise. I am thankful for that challenge and opportunity.

Maddie loves manning the GPS. 

From the Mouth of My Babe

Isaac playing in the kiddie pool with friends.

Maddie: "Mom, did you REALLY eat squid?"
Me: "Yes, I've eaten it. It's called calamari and it's delicious."
Maddie: "Even more delicious than freshly baked cookies?"

From the Mouth of My Babe

Reading Fancy Nancy with Grandpa, June 2012.

A few phrases that often come out of Davis' mouth are:

• "Mommy, I need to tell you somefing."
• "No Way!"
• "I am so mad at you, mommy!" "Why, Davis?" "Ummm....I dunno!?!?!"
• "Use your words!" --he hears that all the time lately since using his teeth to get what he wants instead.
• "DAT'S NOT FAIR!"
• "Mom, you aw my best fwwweeennd!"

July 4th in Pictures

Our 4th was filled with massive amounts of popsicle consumption, a neighborhood bike parade (or lawnmower parade if you are the D-Man), a pancake breakfast with friends, stifling humidity, and a kiddie pool party and BBQ in the evening. It ended with an unexpected rainstorm that left everyone outside soaking wet within seconds. The rain out here is a sight to behold-I love it.

I'm grateful for days off in the middle of the week, for memorable weather, and for great friends that help make the holidays fun.

A Few Current Favorites

Image Source: Amazon.com

Phillipine brand dried coconut. I have long been a fan of their dried mangos, but this coconut is my new favorite treat. I have only ever seen it at a Utah Costco, so I asked my parents to bring me a bag when they came for a visit recently--instead they brought me four. That's just how they roll. Ryan thinks it tastes just like Styrofoam. I think that's great--more for me.

Ikea's Kids-Eat-Free-Tuesdays. Who says there's no such thing as a free lunch? Clearly their chocolate milk is a hit.

I get chills every time I watch the trailer for the newest Les Miserables movie. I haven't been this excited for a movie in a long time. In case you have been living under a rock and haven't seen it, you simply must check it out. Anne Hathaway, you get my Oscar vote.



This essay on Motherhood makes me smile. I love writers who can articulate so well how I am feeling like this one did.

And lastly, a video of each of my three favorite little people:

Isaac sings his favorite primary song, Nephi's Courage.


Maddie's rendition of Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam with some dancing. She made me promise I would post this one to the blog.



It is a running joke in our family that Davis has never had a thought that he didn't vocalize. He is ALWAYS talking. Always. Adorable and exhausting all rolled into one. Without him knowing, I grabbed a little bit of footage of him looking at a book in hopes of catching a glimpse of what he is like at age two.