More stuff Natalie won't wear :)

I really, truly, swear it...this is the last stuff I'm making for her.  She put the headband on for just about 25 seconds and has refused to try the skirt.  Instead she'd like me to send it to my friend Amy's daughter, G.  (Amy, if you like this let me know and it's yours.)

Anyhoo...  I nabbed the pattern for the skirt from here and then I changed it up a little bit.  Natalie is longer and thinner then the instructions called for.  And I did the ruffle differently.  That I actually crocheted directly on to the outer layer of the skirt using slip stitches and then the first row was a single crochet.  I thought, maybe, just maybe, Nat would wear this is I used the softest yarn and a flamboyant bow - but nope.  Too bad for you cupcake yarn.

I made the headband from a pattern found at Vallies Kids and stole the button off an old pair of pants I don't like anymore :)  Made that while I was waiting for Paddy to have his surgery.  So, obviously a very quick and easy pattern.

Here are the pictures.  :)

Herb Seasoned Eggplant!

I was trying to figure out if these eggplant were ready to pick - and google told me the answer - YES!  So, then the question was what to do with them.  Apparently I'm a culinary genius (or just quite good at frying stuff which always makes it taste better.  Here's the recipe so you can make up your mind for yourself :)

***Disclaimer...  Patrick, who does not eat vegetables devoured this.  Granted, eggplant is technically a berry...but since he doesn't actually eat those either I'd say you better watch out because this is obviously really good ;)

Step 1 - pick eggplant (we're growing Ichiban variety) and any other herb you want to season with.  I used Basil (finely chopped), marjoram (dried), salt, pepper, Italian Seasoned bread crumbs and 5 LARGE cloves of garlic (minced).  No measurements taken so you'll have to play it by ear.

Step 2 - slice eggplant, salt and roll into paper towls for 20 minutes.

Step 3 - While eggplant is wrapped up in the towel mix all the herbed ingredients together in a bowl.

Step 4 - Pour 1/2c EVOO into a frying pan or skillet.  While it's heating up toss the eggplant in the herbs until fully coated.

Step 5 - Lay eggplant in 1 layer in pan and cook until lightly browned on 1 side. Turn to cook the other side.

Step 6 - shred cheese over hot eggplant and Serve!  I have a huge chunk of Jarlsberg that I grated and it was delish.  The adults enjoyed this with a Viognier (which is what we had open and it was yum together).  If you have kids at home they may attempt to lick the fried up bits off the plate afterward.  ;)

Recent pictures - and Paddy "Danger" Webster

I was digging around recently in my camera bag and found a UV filter that I have never used.  I popped it on the camera w/ the new zoom and had some fun.  Have to say I'm sorry I didn't find it sooner.  Here are some straight out of the camera shots, a few slightly edited as far as cropping or trying to eliminate a shadow, and one taken w/ my cell phone that is priceless :)

These two are unedited - I am thrilled w/ the look of the water and once again, Natalie takes my breath away.

These two are the one's that were cropped & edited for shadows. I love the way Nat's face is lit up by the candles. And of course Paddy's is lit up by pure joy!

 
 

 

And this was one morning I won't soon forget. I bent to tie Nat's shoes and when I looked back up this is where I found Patrick. He is 12m 25d. We are in big BIG trouble with this kid! 

Paddy's stats, Natalie's birthday and my exhale...

Patrick had his 1 year well visit yesterday afternoon.  He is...
22lbs (30%)
30.5" (70%)
Fiesty (100%)

He's ahead of the game for milestones and development.  And definitely the least compliant patient on record.  Okay, maybe not for all of history - but definitely yesterday.  And by noon today he should have another ear infection so I have an Rx on standby.  When she checked him yesterday his temp was 99.9* and his ears were red and filled w/ fluid. Based on his history we know where this is headed....

He screamed so long and hard he broke blood vessels in his cheeks and neck, and flailed around to the point that she couldn't check his leg/hip joints.  But she's seen him prior and said that unless we had concerns she wasn't going to press because she was afraid she'd wind up hurting him.

We did manage to avoid needing a 3rd person to restrain him for vax but it was not ideal and his thighs are all bruised today from kicking around while she was trying to poke.

Yeah, that's my kid!
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Yesterday I took cupcakes to preschool and treated Natalie to her friends singing and some chocolate.  It was rainy so I treated the teacher to 10 kids on a sugar high trapped indoors.  Actually, it wasn't too bad since she put on music and I got to dance around the room like a 4yo for 15 minutes.

Since her party was on 5/1 she decided that was the day she turned 4 and refused to believe that yesterday was not her 5th birthday.  Remember how much fun it used to be to get older!?  And lucky girl got treated to cupcakes for afternoon snack too since another Mom brought in some as a happy accident just to be sweet to her own daughter.  After Paddy's appt I went back to get Natalie and home for our family paaaaartay! She opened all her presents in less than 10 minutes and barely stopped to notice what she'd gotten in her quest to rip rip rip!

Hilarious!

She requested mac n cheese for dinner and then we had cake.  Again. 

Girlfriend better be lovin' life right now because she had cake 3x yesterday and probably lost 2lb from running around like a maniac on a sugar high.  Oh, to eat cake 3x a day and not gain an oz and have a strong desire to age. 
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I am exhausted.  Fully wrung out and ready to drop.  But my kids had great birthdays!  And I am incredibly thankful that it's another year until I need to do this marathon again.

exhale....

Happy FOURTH Birthday, My Miss Natalie!

Dear Natalie,

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)

i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done

by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear

no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)

i want

no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)

and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows

higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

ee cummings

AHA(!) re Southern BBQ! and Partypalooza pictures!

It was a crazy busy weekend with Partypalooza at our house but I think a good time was had by all.  I told The Hubs that I wanted to entertain more often and he looked at me like I was insane but I think we're good at it and he'll come around ;)

The menu for the party centered around a South Carolina BBQ recipe that a friend made for me last year.  I've been trying to figure out BBQ since we moved to Richmond 3 years ago and (AHA!) I've finally got it.  And since I don't know too many folks who don't LOVE southern BBQ I'm posting instructions...  I'm not a recipe hoarder and you can all thank me later...after you eat this...and lick your lips and smack your chops and impress your friends :)

 

 

And here are some of my favorites from the party!