Winter Things

The days have been long, and cold.. and cold .... So we keep busy 

at playgroup...

he loves painting and washing the brushes.

Baking lots of goodies..

And this lovely Elsa got to go see Disney on Ice for the first time.

Gram took us both actually.

It was magical

I remember going as a kid, but I dont remember it being this good.

Bubbles and real snow falling from the sky...

The FROZEN part of the show was at the very end.

It was well worth waiting for. 

Samantha was in heaven, she loved every minute of it! And so did I!

Im still packing lunches in a bento style for her every day

Its become so easy and fun, and she still likes it and refuses to buy lunch.. haha.. Thats okay by me!

While sister is at school and the temps have been rediculously cold and/or blowing windy snow showers..Andrew and I have some good quality time together. We go shopping, we go for little Starbucks dates, playgroup, play dates.. and even the mall. He is so very well behaved.. well, I try to do something every day with him in the morning.. and he sometimes takes a little nap in the afternoon.

Im huge on organization.

I feel at peace when things are all in its place, or newly re-arranged/decorated.

I have a few planners floating around, but found a really nice small cheap one at Walmart! Then I found these colorful notebooks underneath the planner for $2,00 each. I just had to. 

Notebooks and lists, and forever to do's...

In January. I wrote down every meal we had on every day. 

Im trying to keep a log, so I can look back and get ideas for future meals when I get stale.

I do the same on Instagram with Sam's lunches. I use the hashtag #jjbentos so I can go back and see how I packed lunches and get ideas/inspiration.

One of our favorite meals we do not have nearly enough are these Vietnamese Spring rolls.

They are so so good. 

Just spring roll papers - then you roll up avocado, cucumber, carrots, lettuce, and I added cellophane/Rice Noodles this time and they were so much better with it!

So even though we are a little cooped up, 

We are having fun, and praying for spring to please make its appearance in a few weeks...

Now that he's three.. we saw his doctor yesterday.

The visit was like night and day compared to last year, or even 6 months ago.

Ever since he had tubes he has HATED all doctors, especially ENT's ... but something changed with his Pediatric Doc.. Last year we couldnt get any accurate weight, head, measurements, and we had to hold him down ... doc, me and the nurse to get him to do what you see in the pic below..

He let the doc do everything... eyes, nose, ears, chest, throat, weight, head... everything.. I took pics because I needed proof! ha! I needed to remember that this was the easiest visit EVER....

He is perfectly healthy and in the 90's for weight and BPHC and 75 for height. 

So, although I do miss having small babies.. I am glad that it is getting easier with this one.. Sweet as a lamb, and I hope he always will be.

Recipes, Eating, Cooking, Freezing Temps...

Well, 2015.. 

I started with cookies, what could be wrong with that?

I always make these pistachio cookies. 

They're my and my husband's favorites

 usually gone in a few days.

I am organizing and throwing things out like crazy.

This pic is so blurry, but I made a little coffee station last weekend, and re-organized and wiped down a few cabinets, 

We tried a new spin on pizza last weekend. 

The Pioneer Woman's Taco Pizza.

It is so easy and yummy.. and Meat-LESS which was even better. 

If you follow me via Pinterest @jlmmomma.. I have it under my "pizza" board.

Sister went back to school, and I really missed and enjoyed my one on one time with my little mister.

He is totally hysterical lately... the way his little toddler voice asks me questions, and how he plays independently A LOT and I just watch and thank the Lord that he is such a sweet blessing. We have our days, our tantrums, our battles of breaking his love of NOT sleeping and ridiculous baby bottles.. but all in all he is pretty easy going and good most of the time.

Since its been FREEEEEEZING

Im trying to eat healthier, but it certainly doesnt help when its 0 degrees out and all I am doing is baking and cooking non-stop. I love it though... 

My new breakfast favorite is Plain Greek Yogurt, a few scoops of Strawberry Jam - so so good. Sometimes I throw in a little homemade granola, sometimes not. 

Then when I eat 15 cookies.. I can say, "well, at least I ate a healthy breakfast?!" -- yea sure.

They really missed each other this week.

She came home and was so sweet to her brother.

He was excited every day to wait for the bus, and was getting used to her being gone all day all over again.

Im trying to get back into the swing of things with lunches... 

I keep asking her if she'd like to buy, but she really really loves how I make her lunches every day. 

And if that makes her happy, then I am happy to do it. 

I feel like it is last year all over again. These temps are not only freezing, but its been windy, so blowing AND freezing snow.

Which brings me to more comfort cooking again...

My Italian Grandmother's Sauce

It truly turns out different every time.

And its all about tasting and eye balling as you add spices

Sauce

2-3 cans puree

4-5 big cloves of garlic

1 can tomato paste

1/2 large onion chopped 

basil

fresh parsley

oregano

salt and pepper 

1-2 green peppers (take out seeds and try to keep the pepper WHOLE)

1. sautee garlic and onions in olive oil

2. add paste and cook while mixing

3. add cans of puree

4. add spices and pepper and simmer.

5. Add meatballs 

6. cover and simmer on low for 2-3 hours or until meatballs are done.

7. take green peppers out and 1 cup of sauce. Blend.

Return the mixture to the sauce. Cook for an additional 1/2 hour. 

taste and add sugar if needed to balance out the acidity.

Meatballs 

1-2 lbs ground beef

1-2 eggs

1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley

1/4 -1/3 cup of the cooked sauce 

salt and pepper 

Mix all ingredients gently. Do not overmix.

They should be gummy... 

form meatballs and drop into the simmering sauce.

I break my meatballs up, but you can have them just like this (below)

This sauce is an art. Like I said I dont always make an amazing batch.. We froze a bunch which I love to use for other recipes, stuffed shells, lasagna, 

And every batch turns out a little different every time. 

This one was extra yummy.

Yummy and complete meal.

Plus plenty of leftovers.. bonus

Moving on to more cooking....and eating

Earl Grey and Cardamom Pancakes 

pancake mix - whole wheat, buttermilk, anything works

almond extract 

early grey tea 

cardamom

butter 

coconut oil

Mix all ingredients, fry them in coconut oil, butter them and I added my Aunt's yummy strawberry jam. 

The Happenings of January ...

We've been home from our 10 day stay in Ohio a while now...

Just getting back into the swing of things.

We had a little sledding adventure a few weeks ago.

 

Andrew loved it more than Samantha..

Maybe because he doesn't have to pull his sled up the hill.. or she was super overtired that morning..

Or he's our little daredevil, and nothing will scare him off.

He kept saying "again.. again"... 

 

He'll be two in 2 weeks ... I can hardly believe it.

Im eager though to see the huge change from 2-3 that is upon us.

He's learned so much in the last year, and it seems that he's grasping things so fast .. even daily.

He plays by himself, shares better than Big Sis most of the time.. has a heart of gold and just melts me with tight hugs and the best kisses ever...

 

On the weather...

Its been the coldest winter I can remember since we relocated back to Buffalo in 2009.

School has already been cancelled 3 times not due to snow, but extreme cold temperatures.

The next polar vortex is scheduled to arrive this week, and I'm banking that Samantha's school gets cancelled at least 1-2 times more IF the weather predicted is correct.

 

We've been trying to do things to keep the kids busy, we've been spending time at the Y swimming a lot, which again, Mr. Fearless... he's scary...but Im thankful he's not afraid of the water.

Samantha is very close to swimming on her own, I bet she gets it this summer.

 

Last weekend, Sam and Daddy made a homemade batch of sauerkraut.

She loved squeezing and pressing and adding the cabbage..

 

My Music Men

Samantha enjoys music... dancing and singing...

But this kid loves playing... especially the piano... 

 

Im working on a few crafty things.

My sister's baby shower is at my Mom's in a few weeks, and so is Andrew's 2nd Birthday..

And as I type... the whole house except myself is sleeping.

We've all got bad colds, & coughs....It was only a matter of time I guess.

So we're holed up in the house, making the best of it.. and hoping we can go swimming tomorrow if everyone is feeling better...

Im dreaming of Spring...

Thats enough winter mother nature.... no, really....

Wintry Week Happenings



This week its been really ccccold.
I know its winter.. but seems extra chilly and biting wind added in.. nice, eh?

 

I found a new favorite drink .. Iced Coffee. Right after I just said its freezing I know.

Instant Coffee - 2 tsp

Add sugar

1/2 cup water

Stir well

Fill a cup with ice

Add Half & Half

Stir

This has been my weekly drink.

Im steering away from my beloved Starbucks.

And I even added some chocolate syrup & whipped cream one morning..

Yum.



Andrew's party is this weekend, so the dining room table, work bench in the basement, shelves in the kitchen look like my craft areas as I prep, cut, and organize.

I finally hung these vintage metal numbers on Andrew's nursery wall this week.

His nursery is almost done.. yea took a whole year.

Its a work in progress, and I finally think it looks the way I want it to.

After dropping off SJ on Wed I took Andrew shopping with me...

I needed another new favorite beverage first

Iced Blueberry Coffee

Mmmmmm... again.. cheating on Starbucks...its so so good though.

First we went to Target..

And found the most colorful things..

Towel, Chevron Socks, stickers, xylophone, and mister mister needed some new boats for bathtime.. 

 

Then we went to Old Navy.. looking for dresses for Samantha.. but they only had spring/summer stuff already and not a whole lot of clearance for girls.

 

But for Momma.. I got these 5 shirts for 15.00 total.

Couldnt pass it up.. 

It just seems to get colder and colder..

Saturday is Andrew's indoor pool party.. nice.. and crisp 19 degrees for a high! Eek! 

 

We headed to Target again tonight.. and I was had again.. I just cant stand the colors and cute stuff!



 

I started working on the cookies for his party.. and now Im ready for bed.

Andrew is sleeping much better.. but I seem to be so much more tired.. go figure!

Snowy Cold Weekend

Last year on the day Andrew was born .. it was 50 degrees and sunny..

This year I think we're paying for our mild winter.

Its ccccold.. and very snowy...

 

So here's what we've been doing to try and stay warm, and keep busy.

 

Andrew's party is next weekend, and Im trying to prep a lot so I dont get overwhelmed or forget anything.. I made a batch of cutouts and froze them, I'll frost em next week

The family that vaccums together, stays together.

The funny part is.. both kids voluntarily grabbed their own vacuum amd helped out..

We made a Lowe's run on Friday..

Daddy and Sass picked out a bunch of seeds for our garden.

Hard to think about it now, but we're planning and thinking about warmer weather.

One of Andrew's smaller presents were a pair of converse sneakers.

We put them on him last night.. and HE LOVES them. He was running around the house and kept looking down at them and laughing.. he looks so adorable in them.. I am really getting into little man fashion...

 

Sleeping is MUCH better.. But today he was up at 6... which meant so was Mama..

He was looking at the snow this morning .. we got about 2 feet..

The boy has some awesome hair.

 

After he tried to take a nap.. (aka.. cried it out and slept for 30 minutes).. we packed up the kids and headed to the pool... They love going there.. and it was perfect to be swimming on this cold snowy day.

Samantha went to Grammy's house after swimming, and the three of us headed to the Mall

We ended up not buying much at all... but it was strange/nice.. to have just one baby with us..

 

I found a cute grey top at the Gap, and I was looking for some school clothes for Samantha.

Of course.. I found a dress. Because I KNOW she'll wear it to school. She is such a clothes diva these days..

Today.. Superbowl Sunday.. we just did a few shopping errands, invited Grammy over, had a pizza, veggie dip, and she brought Moe's Queso, Guac and chips..

The kids are sound asleep, and we are watching the 2nd half of the superbowl...

Samantha wore her new outfit all day.. and is excited to wear it to school tomorrow too..

Love this girl...