Summer Recipe Roundup

We've been enjoying the bounties of summer gardens lately.  As much as I hate the heat, there's nothing finer than a perfectly ripe heirloom tomato in this Southern girl's estimation.    

Here are some things I've whipped up of late: 

I riffed on this Grilled Shrimp Panzanella with Basil from the August 2011 Real Simple and becuase I rarely leave well enough alone, I also added chunks of cucumbers, avocado, fresh oregano, and olives.  I used a green zebra tomato and some other variety that was small and red.  It was amazing. 

The components to be grilled

Doesn't look that pretty (certainly not as pretty as the magazine) but it sure was tasty!

101 Cookbook's Summer Corn Salad

I neglected to take a photo of this, but it was so delicious.  It made a wonderful, easy, no-cook supper one night when John was working (which is convenient since he doesn't like corn).  The lemonade vinaigrette is intriguing, but I like a tangy vinaigrette so I'd probably cut back on the sugar a bit next time.  Loved the crunch of the seeds.  I put a big scoop of mine over a healthy serving of these greens, which are a new favorite.  I get mine at Whole

Foods.

Flatbreads with Honey, Thyme & Sea Salt

My herbs have been really exploding so I used my thyme and some local honey to whip up these beauties from my kitchen crush, Deb.  John & I tend to eat late, after we get MKM to bed (which lately has been nearing 9 p.m.; oh how I miss the days of the strict 7 p.m. bedtime) so sometimes I like a little bite of something to bridge the gap when we get home from work.  This was perfect, and they were easy enough to whip up if you find out you have some last minute company dropping by.

I have also already made a huge batch of pesto for the freezer, just the way I like it.  I keep mine really thick, pretty much a paste (less oil than many recipes call for): a couple of healthy squeezes of lemon juice, fresh grated parm, toasted pine nuts and 1-2 large cloves of garlic.  Just enough oil through the top of the food processor to bring it all together but when I'm done with mine I usually have to end up scraping it out of the processor bowl.  I like to keep mine thick because that way it works great as a sandwich spread and if you need to thin it out to toss with pasta, some of the pasta water does that naturally and you don't end up with an overly loose sauce.  Also, when you store your pesto, either in the fridge or the freezer, if you leave enough room to put a thin layer of olive oil across the top before you seal it, this will help keep the pesto from turning brown.  I so love that bright green color, so I always do this!

In addition to the standard genovese basil, this year I also planted this spicy globe basil which has tiny leaves that are more delicate in texture, and I just use the stems whole (they are much more tender and not woody at all) and throw them in the food processor.  Obviously I like to have more standard variety on hand for chiffonades and other purposes, but I find myself using the spicy globe a lot lately.  You can just pinch the leaves off and use as it with no knife necessary!

For the kiddies, I recently made these PB&J cookies.  They actually have another name and are from my local Junior League cookbook, Seasoned to Taste.  In the book they are the Kids in the Kitchen cookies, but PB&J is what they are.  I sent them to school with MKM on Monday and by all accounts they were a hit.  I made mine totally organic (and luckily, no one has a nut allergy in his room right now) but I'm sure they'd be as delicious with store brand jelly and Jif. :)  If you want the recipe, email me {bkmaedelATgmailDOTcom}, but they are a pretty standard PB cookie recipe, make a small well in the middle and put a little dollop of your favorite jelly or jam in the middle & bake.

Next up, I want to try this Eggplant with Tahini & Honey, these grits with corn, goat cheese & roasted tomatoes, and sample this roasted peach lemonade while the crops are still plentiful and juicy!

Bon Appetit!

Fourth of July School Parade

{Otherwise known as Mitchell just wanted to be held}

His school had a little parade today and I debated about whether to go or not.  I decided to attend, but probably shouldn't have, becuase he cried for me to hold him as soon as he spotted me, and then cried really hard when I handed him back over to his teacher so I could return to the office.  Oh, working motherhood, I do despise you sometimes.

But I did get a few cute shots of either him or his classmates.  And isn't that the whole reason I subjected him (and myself) to that in the first place?

I think this is the only one of him that is remotely close to a smile.  Don't you just love Maddie's little ringlets?

The whole group of Bumblebees (I think that is their class name, not sure, as I just refer to it as the Toddler room or the young 2's)

Also, please note that Mitchell has on one red sock and one white.  The red one is part of a pair of Elmo socks that he got in his Easter basket from John's parents.  He hasn't cared to wear them once, ever, but this a.m. he wanted them on and I could only find one of them so hence the mis-matched sock.  Just not a battle worth fighting!

This one totally cracked me up.  Don't they just look thrilled to be there?

He held Maddie's hand for approximately 20 seconds and then immediately wanted to be held the rest of the time.  So much for marching!

With some of the teachers. The sweet blonde one behind M is his most favorite person ever, Miss Kristen.  She was his teacher in the Wobblers room and we hated to leave her when he moved up.  Not to worry though, she is a very reliable and frequent babysitter at our house!

We were treated to lots of songs and marching by the older classes.  They really got into it!

Happy 4th all.  Be safe & have fun!

Thanks to all who serve our country and keep us safe & free.

{pretty, happy, funny, real} Nightingale Thursday edition

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

{pretty}

I had this arrangement at a recent fundraiser I hosted at home.  It was too gorgeous, but those lovely peonies just don't last long in our hot weather.  I have been pulling out the tired blooms and subbing in hydrangeas from the yard to make it last a bit longer!  White peonies, white hydrangea, coral roses, thistle, blooming curly willow, and eucalyptus.  And that urn is from Hobby Lobby, years ago. 

{happy}

I attempted to recreate a gorgeous photo I saw in Bon Appetit's Summer Cooking Manifesto last month.  Mine is much messier and less composed, but it was so delicious.  What made me happy about this dish is what would probably drive some so crazy: I loved trying to cut everything into psued-uniform sizes, and laying it out in the dish.  I miss having the time that I used to have to really devote to something in the kitchen; with a little one underfoot my goal is usually speed over execution/presentation.  I used watermelon, yellow & red tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, mozzarella cheese, toasted bread cubes, and made a dressing from lime juice, jalepeno, basil, mint and olive oil.  This would be equally tasted just tossed in a bowl and dressed.

{funny}

This is my child with his clothing hamper on his head.  Plus some yellow sunglasses his grandmother brought him.  I love the mind of a child!

{real}

I am part of a new group in town called the Nightingale Network.  We've been raising funds in the month of June to make the very first grant our local Women's Fund has ever made in our city, and tonight is the celebration event where the winner will be announced!  Three agencies are vying for the grant: a new community garden/farmers' market in a "food dessert" area of town; a life planning course for women who are single-wage earners in their household; and a Mom's Club program for uneducated expectant mothers.  All three are amazing choices and I'm so proud to be a part of this movement.



Park Playdate

We met up with up some friends on Saturday while M & I were in the 'ham for a wedding.  The kiddos ate their weight in fruit (peaches, watermelon & blueberries) and had fun playing together; the adults just tried to stay in the shade.  It was HOT!

The roster (in addition to us, of course): Erin, ML & CQ, Momo, Chris & Sinclair, and Rainer & Bitty

Mitchell dug right in to the watermelon

Initially CQ looks a litte wary of Mitchell; she warmed up and played, and ML reported that C told her Bitty & Mitchell were fun!

Doesn't she look like she is on a mission?

They all seemed to enjoy hanging out in this tunnel, eating their fruit.  I absolutely adore this image - it really captures their playful little relationship!

Watching those crazy Kendrick cousins

Mitchell was trying to get her to say 'cheese'

I love the blueberry muffin death grip.

I know you cannot see M's mouth, but I promise he's smiling.  His eyes squint up just like his mama's when he grins.

Momo & Sinclair were just chillin

And CQ was looking for "bugs" (they filled AE's bug house with sweet gumballs) and holding on to her blueberry cup very tight!

Fun times were had by all!  Thanks to all who came, despite almost all kids having slept poorly the night before.  I miss my friends & family so I treasure that time we do get to spend together!

Mitchell Catch Up at 22 Months

So yeah, the star of our show hasn't had much press on here lately, huh?  I know that's why most of you read, if anyone is actually still reading this thing.  I post so infrequently these days, and for that I apologize, but the balance in life just really hasn't been there.  As I say all the time, we all do what we can.  I hope we can still be friends.  Marc posted recently about how much time it takes to prepare a post...I concur, and honestly that's one of the reasons I usually just don't post anything.  At any rate. 

Finally got around to planting my kitchen herbs

(they seem to be doing well, despite our Hades-like temps recently)

Here's what MKM has been up to of late:

Verbal Skills: the vocabulary continues to mushroom.  At last count, in March, he was well over 100 words and now he is able to speak in sentences.  The funniest thing about him though is his recall.  He will remember something that was said or explained to him long after the memory of the instance has left my addled brain.  Sometimes I have to have him repeat himself a few times before I can even figure out what he is talking about.  He also mimics frighteningly well.  We have to really watch ourselves now.  He can sing the full ABC song as well as Twinkle Twinkle (convenient that they are the same tune).  He also loves to be sung "Little Bunny Foo Foo (which he adds several extra 'foo' sounds onto) and the Shoo Fly song.  Still very into who people are, saying names of all his/our friends and we talk about Daddy being at the 'tadium a lot. 

"Mewon" is one of his favorite snacks

Some of his favorite phrases

• "I hold you" - obviously, when he wants one of us to hold him
• "I ____ (verb)" - he is big into the statement of the obvious, saying things to me like "I waffing (laughing), I color, I walking, etc. 
• "Mitchell do it" - anyone who has ever met a 2 year old will identify with this
• "Wook, mama, big truck" - he likes to point out every.single.truck we pass, which can get a bit exhausting when we are in the car for a long time.  There are only so many times to sound excited about an 18-wheeler.
• "That right there" - this one gets used constantly while playing & eating; big fan of arranging and re-arranging things.
• Dump It - without fail, if I give him something liquid, he will look at me with a hopeful look and ask if he can dump it out.  I guess he expects that one day I will respond in the affirmative.  Other than the random bucket of water I put out on the deck for him to play in, he's going to have to keep waiting on that one!
• "Wike dat" - for the longest time, he would say "like that" if he liked it, or if he didn't.  He has started learning to put a no in front of things he doesn't like but it's still sporadically applied.
• " 'sat?" - as in who or what is that - he asks this 80 jillion times a day
• And everyone's perennial favorite, "why" has crept into our vocab.  Cue the tearing of my hair.

Whyyyyyy, won't my pictures display correctly?  I tried rotating this one 3 times.

He hates hates hates getting his nails cut.  It's like way past fussing and onto tortured sobs.  My mom kept him for me last month while I had to be out of town for work and the Lookouts were in town, meaning John was chained to the stadium.  Unless our magical nail cutter is around and then he's semi-OK with it.  Who might that be, you ask?  Erin.  If she is involved, he seems to be fine with it, so we have to schedule our mani/pedi sessions each time we are Birmingham.  Please do not ask my why this is.  He has just latched on to her as being the one who cuts his nails.  Last time we were headed down there, I was talking to him about it beforehand and I asked him who all we were going to see, and we were saying everyone's name.  All of a sudden he blurts out "Erin - nails."  I asked him if he wanted Erin to cut his nails and he said yes.  When I then asked if she could cut his toenails (which he truly hates having done) he exclaimed with a very enthusiastic "yeah!".  When I told Erin this story she said she loved the way his mind works.  So true, sister, so true.  From the looks of this photo it's a good thing we're coming for a visit...

Playing with a pull & peel Twizzler (didn't care a thing about eating them, but enjoyed pulling them apart); contents under nails at present include playground dirt and blue icing from a classmate's bday party.  He's a real catch.



We've been experiencing some novel behavioral issues in our household.  Mitchell continue to remind us that he's nearing the age of 2.  Some days even getting shoes on is a battle, becuase of the "I do it" factor.  We try to find ways for him to participate in the process, but sometimes you just cannot predict what is going to set them off.  So I've caved into letting him watch a few minutes of one of his little shows in the a.m. becuase I can dress him in 2 minutes flat that was, as opposed to chasing him around the room when he's not otherwise engaged.  It's not probably my finest parenting choice to date, but when you're getting yourself, a toddler and sometimes a husband out the door (and taking the dog out somewhere in there too), you do what you gotta do. 

Strawberry Summer Cake from Smitten Kitchen.  You should make this.  Soon.  So easy. 

Mitchell has had some less than glowing reports from school of late, but we're hoping part of that is growing pains from moving up to a new classroom right after Memorial Day.  He had grown very tired of his old classroom (although we LOVE LOVE LOVE his teacher from that room, she is our most favorite babysitter) becuase he was well past the age where he should have moved up and was just stuck where he was due to space issues at daycare.  They had a bit of a logjam in one of the older classrooms, which meant quite a few children had to stay where they were for longer than usual.  M's old room was 12-18 months (approximately) and he moved just before his 22nd month.  When you are talking about the developmental span between a 12 month old and a 22 month old (who is pretty advanced, at least when it comes to language) that is a huge difference and we were able to tell that he was feeling a bit stunted.  Plus, I think he was just getting tired of some of the kiddos in his class.  He's very happy to be back with his 2 buddies that have been there since he started at 3 months old. 

Here they are (upside down) playing at a birthday party.  What is the deal, Blogger?

Those others will be in his new room soon enough, but it was clear M needed a change of scenery.  Still, he's been a bit mischevious since he's moved up, but I'm praying that is just a factor of excitement and getting used to new routines (they walk up stairs to eat, sit at a little table where as before they had been in chairs with trays to limit movement).  They enforce the "walking feet" rule indoors, and Mitchell is the walking feet police.  He likes to remind me to use walking feet all the time (not that I run around a lot, but he tells me just the same) and points them out anytime we see anyone walking or gasp, running (as in for excersize).

And yet, here he is running with popsicle in hand.  At least he doesn't have it in his mouth, right?

I really do count my lucky stars all the time at how inquisitive and intelligent he is.  He has always just seemed to be in a hurry - he was huge when he was born, sat up at 4.5 months, crawled at 6 months and was walking by 10 months.  He's still that way...he just whizzes through life.  Please understand that I say none of this in a boastful way...it's our reality and that's where I'm coming from.  I say this becuase for me, it's hard many days to sit down and appreciate the little moments, but I do try.  He's still so sweet and loves to hug and kiss (and invents lots of boo-boos that he commands me to kiss) but those baby traits are just melting away and he's becoming a big boy before our eyes.  It's fun, but I see why people talk about how much they miss thier children being babies.  I couldn't have appreciated it even this time last year because we were still in the throes of it, but even this short time later I really can identify.

Focusing really hard on some eye-cweam

He's 100% boy and we still call him Pig Pen with good reason.  He is very into climbing, being chased and general rough-housing.  Every time we are outside with Dixie he'll look at me with a gleam in his eye and ask if he can go running.  He loves to "dig-dig" in the dirt and is getting more into sports.  His daddy has been very deliberate about teaching him to go "boom" and swing his arm like he would a baseball bat, but by the looks of this it continues to be more likely to me, that he will be a catcher.  He's always been a squatter.

Again with the orientation - sorry.

In closing, this boy makes life so interesting and often, challenging.  But we usually have fun too.  My house is not very clean, my yard has been sorely neglected, and the dog has been walked far too seldom these days, but that is the life of 2 working parents I suppose.  I struggle every day with juggling it all, and I'll be honest that of late I've not done a great job, but I'll end with this little gem I plan to order for self-affirmational purposes very soon.  It's so true, at least in my world, which is what matters.  You know, to me.  Happy Friday, ya'll!

{pretty, happy, funny, real} all cell phone pics edition

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

pretty

I got to celebrate my two pretty sisters (one of them is an -in-law) last weekend as they both prepare to welcome new babes into the world.  Thanks Lolly for the pic!

happy

M with his leading lady from next door.  They literally dumped cups of water on themselves, fully clothed for nearly 30 minutes (only stopping while I had to fill up their bucket again).  The sounds coming out of them is what sheer bliss sounds like!

funny

Mitchell received this little walker wagon for a 1st birthday gift and he has enjoyed the heck out of it, although he is usually being pushed in it.  Not too long ago I saw him wrestling his way into it and I realized how much he's grown lately.  Hilarious!

real

Mitchell loves "drifing" and sometimes Mama will let him while she is trying to unload groceries/unlock the door/turn off the alarm/take the dog out/etc (obviously the car is turned off and the keys are on my person).  He loves it and I can only imagine that one day, 15 years from now, I'll be thinking to myself "It was only yesterday when...."

{Mostly} Fun Friday Links

Here are a few little web gems I've found recently, mostly on my Google Reader feed.  Don't miss the last one, please.

From Whisker Graphics, a couple of sweet {free} downloads in case you are really behind on getting a card.  You can print on any paper or cardstock to fit your needs.  Links to the download can be found by clicking above.  I can see this as a lovely placard or a name card on a brunch table.  I love the pink stripes!  This company is the maker of the awesome Divine Twine.  It really does make the cutest wrapping for small gifts and especially baked goods.

Pink Stripe

Apostrophe Heart

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A sweet friend in town, who stitches the most amazing felted confections through her business Ivey Handcrafted, is doing a sweet little raindrop for tornado relief in the TN Valley.  She can make it into a brooch or a barette (alligator clip or bobby pin, you pick) for you.  She is making these for $10 and all proceeds are going to the Chattanooga Area Red Cross.  See more on these on her post.  I've already bought two (one of each) to have on hand in my gift chest.

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This one isn't so fun but I implore you to watch it. It had me in tears.  All the footage and interviews are from the Tuscaloosa area.

SoLost: Chainsaw Samaritans from Oxford American

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{pretty, happy, funny, real} I've Been Gone A Long Time

You don't even have to say it.  I know.  It's been 4+ months since I last blogged.  I have just had to accept that there are things I might have to step away from at times because I just cannot fit another activity into my day.  And sadly, blogging has been one of them of late, as I've been completely drained of creativity.  But I'm going to try to commit to this because I think it's a great thing to do on a weekly basis.  If you don't already read the blog that started this, I highly recommend it.  If you click on the link below you will be taken to LM,LD. 

{pretty}

My spring flowers bring me great joy.  With all the rain we've had lately (that's an understatement), everything has just been blooming beautifully.

Peonies just beginning to pop (took this last week, since then I've had to cut 6 huge blooms off before they fall over completely)

Yellow iris - by some accident of planting, all of the ones I have on the left side of the house are yellow, while those on the right are all purple

First blooms of hydrangea - despite putting aluminum sulfate on this bed year after year, they always end up turning pink, so I'm just going to go with it this year.  I guess the phosphorous level in that soil is through the roof!  

{happy}

We are so fortunate to have a dear friend with a child Mitchell's age right behind us.  The kids go to school together and now that the weather is nice we play together outside quite literally everyday.  As a mother, it has been invaluable to me to have another momma to bounce ideas off of, commiserate with, and always feel comfortable saying "can you watch him for a second while I (insert a whole host of things it is easier to accomplish while a toddler is not underfoot)?"  And I do the same for her.  The biggest blessing though, is that our children play so well together and already have a best friend!

Here they are having an impromptu al fresco picnic dinner one day last week

(Excuse M's face, he's always dirty but allergy season has been rough on his little system which always means a bad gunky nose)

{funny}

Have ya'll read Tina Fey's book yet?  It is funny and smart, sweet and dirty, all at once.  I loved the balance of humorous stories (which are numerous, girl is not afraid to poke fun at herself) and her look at the struggles of succeeding in a male-dominated business.  She managed to write a book that celebrates female empowerment without ever sounding preachy or holier-than-thou.  I love Liz Lemon more than ever after reading it.

That's probably not the funny you were hoping for though. 

Here's a funny I saw the other day on a blog.  Perhaps the best "Keep Calm" I've ever seen.

Who watched the Royal Wedding?  I'm not going to lie, I got up at 5:30 and turned on the TV.

{real}

There isn't much more real around here than the horrible devastation from last week's storms.  In the TN Valley, thousands are homeless and hurting from what (or who) they lost.  Thanks to Facebook and Twitter I'm also hearing all the horrible reports from my sweet home Alabama. 

It's devastating, y'all.  Find whatever way you can give and do it.  I'm not going to make any recommendations other than to say please do your research and if you're going to donate $$, give to a well-established organization that will be good stewards of your charity. 

No picture here, we've all been inundated with horrifying images and heartbreaking stories.  I'm encouraged by the way things like this can pull a community together; I just wish that the spirit would continue long after houses are rebuilt and closets are replenished.  Here's to hoping (and praying) that we can all be catalysts that to happen.  God bless you all.

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More soon on what the Maedels have been up to, lo these many months.





Cozy Up

Ya'll I made the most delicious green chile mac & cheese the other night.  It came from the December edition of Bon Appetit, in the RSVP section, where you can write in and say "I had the most awesome ________ from _________ in _____, ___" and they will contact the restaurant and ask them for the recipe. 

I guess there are probably some parameters, like maybe they change up a few ingredients or leave out some secret step, but whatever.  If there is some recipe that you love from somehwere you've been, it's worth a shot!

This comes from the Roaring Fork in Scottsdale, AZ and the notes say it would be a great side dish for steak.  I agree with that pairing but I made it with thin cut chicken breasts that I marinated in vegetable oil, hot chile powder (if you don't have that use mild and add a dash of cayenne), cumin, garlic pepper, salt and lime juice.  I served the chicken over the mac & cheese with a lime slice on top for some extra fresh zing.  This was so yummy and comforting, without being too rich. 

I looked to see if there was a link for this on the BA website, but I don't know if they publish their RSVP recipes online or not.  I didn't find a link to this particular recipe.

Green Chile Mac & Cheese
Courtesy of Bon Appetit, via Roaring Fork Restaurant in Scottsdale, AZ

1 whole fresh poblano chile plus 1/4 c chopped fresh poblano chile
1 T corn oil
1/4 c chopped red bell pepper
1/4 c chopped red onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 c fresh corn kernels or frozen, thawed
3/4 c whipping cream
2 c freshly cooked macaroni (about 2/3 c dried)
1/2 c grated pepper jack cheese
1 pint grape tomatoes, roasted* (optional, see notes below)

Char whole chile directly over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides.  Transfer to paper bag; seal.  Let stand 15 minutes.  Peel, seed & coarsely chop chile.  Transfer to food processor; puree until smooth.

Heat oil in have large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add 1/4 c chopped chile, bell pepper, onion, and garlic.  Saute until soft, about 4 minutes.  Add corn, stir 1 minute.  Add cream and chile puree, bring to boil.  Add macaroni and cheese; stir until cheese melts and mixture is heated through.  Season with salt and pepper.

* - I made a couple of modifications.  This was all I was serving (chicken and mac/cheese) to our neighborhood dinner swap** so I wanted it to have a bit more vegetable punch.  First off I double all the pepper amounts and then I had about a pint & a half of grape tomatoes at home, so I threw those in the oven and roasted them with olive oil, salt & pepper until they had burst open (10-15 minutes on 400). I thought they went very nicely with the rest of the ingredients.  Stir them in at the end.  They will kind of break up and be all throughout the pasta.

** - Have I told y'all about our dinner swap? Here's the deal: three households who are all within steps of one another do this every week.  Three nights of the week, one house is responsible for dinners for their own house as well as the other two houses, so you are essentially cooking for 6 adults one night a week, and then two other nights dinner is taken care of for you.  It is awesome.  We just all laid some parameters of things to stay away from (one person doesn't like raw bell peppers but will eat them cooked, our house has a pretty strict no-mayo policy, and one person doesn't eat shrimp).  We all have very young kids who typically eat before we do, and we are all OK with eating later (as in, after our kids have gone to bed).  I do think you have to be pretty close in proximity to one another to do this, successfully, on a regular basis, but it's been such a blessing to not have to worry about it.  We started it this summer and all agreed that we wanted to keep it up for a while.  If all the variables work out for, I encourage you to talk to some friends and try it out!

Bon Appetit!

Translation, Please

I have been meaning to get this down somewhere so I can remember.  At 16 months, Mitchell has 30-35 words in his vobabulary.  His first real word was uh-oh, followed by Daddy and dog.  He says Mama a lot more now, which is often mixed with 'mo' (and the accompanying sign for more), I guess because he knows Mama will always feed him!

Here's a rundown of some of what he's saying/doing (since some of it is closer to signing than speaking) these days:

• wa-wa is the universal word for anything to drink; he drinks his wa-wa in a 'pup'
• ow-da (outside); he will go and stand at the back door when I ask Dixie if she needs to go outside, and sometimes he'll just go stand there without me even asking and start saying it over and over.  The first syllable is emphasized with a very exaggerated open mouth, where his chin almost touches his chest.
• poo (for both spoon and fork)
• peas (please, along with a vigorous rubbing of his chest, to approximate the sign for it)
• pass (pacifier)
• bush (brush)
• bath, which I sometimes get it confused with his pronunciation of either pass or brush, as they all sound similar but he definitely uses them distinctly
• likes to say nose and then points out the nose, eyes, ears, head/hair and mouth of anyone around; be careful if he goes for your nose or your eyes, as his finger ususally goes IN both; also likes to point out belly buttons if you ask him where people's are but he doesn't really say anything for that yet
• up and open (both sound similar but I can usually tell which it is he's trying to say)
• socks/shoes (and his favorite, boots, with emphasis on a long 'ssss' sound at the end)
• hat
• ba-bwee (baby)
• hot ('ot, and then he usually does a little 'ssss' noise because that's how we taught him not to touch the fireplace and the oven and he seems to think it is funny
• tair for chair
• light
• book
• bubbas (bubbles)
• Mitchell's name for Santa is Ho.  I'm not sure Santa will apprecite that one.
• Foods he likes to say are apoo (apple), eths (eggs), ice, cacker, rais (raisins), gape (grape), cheese and he has a word for blueberries but I cannot reproduce it, much less spell it.
• Animals: dog (also says woo-woo; this continues to be his favorite word, we are all dogs all the time around our house), cow (only says cow sporadically but if he sees a picture of a cow or you ask him what a cow says he will respond with moo), horse (same as with cow, rarely says the word but knows neigh very well), duck (says the word and also knows that a duck says 'dack dack'), cat (prounounces the cat sound like mow instead of meow), 'daff' (giraffe), 'ga ga' (for the gobble gobble of a turkey, although he cannot say that word)
• He has an animal book that he can identify a lot of the animals in, either by the name of the animal or by the sound they make, but as we all know some animals don't make a noise that is identifiably thiers, or easy to mimic, so I try to tell him something about those animals, like "the zebra has stripes" or "the elephant has a long nose".  One of them I've always done is say "waddle waddle" when we see a penguin, so now he says something like that and sways from side-to-side when he sees one.
• Names he can say pretty well: Mama, Dada, Dixie, Maddie (next door neighbot/classmate and her name is running a close 2nd to dog these days as his favorite one to say), Mike, Spot (dot), Grampa (pa-pa).  We work on his other classmates' names regularly and he does a pretty good job with all of them but one, which is kind of tough (Dakota; if anything he will say something like 'co' when I say his name).  The others I can make out that's what he's saying are "ez" (Ezra), "dack" (Jack), "day" (Grey), and ess-da (Jessica, a teacher).
• He loves to say hi and bye.  His new thing is to go tell someone bye when he's ready to go or wants me to be done talking.  He does the bye thing a lot lately if I'm talking on the phone and he's at home with me.  He'll just walk up to me and say 'bye' to me and start grabbing on my legs.  He makes sure I get the message!

I am sure there are plenty of other cuties I'm leaving out.  It is really fun to watch him processing so much.  I know what he comprehends is way more than what he can say, that's for sure!

Big Fat (Random) Holiday Shopping Guide

Hello, fair readers.  Do y'all even remember who I am?  I am so sorry for my blog break of late.  I just cannot seem to get it together enough to write anything, but I learned recently that I have more readers than I knew about, so I guess there is some added external pressure to update this baby so you don't have to look at my Amazon.com wishlist of cookbooks any longer....

Without further ado, here is my big, fat, holiday shopping guide.  There is no rhyme or reason to this list...it is simply a list of interesting gift ideas I've seen lately.  I was going to do separate posts for a bunch of different categories, but clearly I've not shown I'm capable of that much follow through so I'm just going to try to do a mammoth single post.  I hope you find a few things that someone on your shopping list might like too!

For the hostesses on your list

Seeded Glass Pitcher - This beauty would also double as a unique vase, and it's on sale right now!

These soapstone whiskey stones will keep a drink cool without watering it down (you can buy with or without the pictured glasses).  Pair with a nice bottle of his (or her) favorite brown liquor for a complete gift!

This bay leaf peace wreath is a fun twist on an old standby gift idea for me.  I love giving wreaths, especially to those who I don't see very often.  A beautiful greenery wreath goes with most any decor and I think it's definitely one of those gifts that keeps on giving (plus it is stunning as is, so you don't have to worry about it not being wrapped, since most of them cannot be gift-wrapped).   

My favorite place to send wreaths from is Williams-Sonoma.  I have been ordering them for about the last 5 years and they have always been high-quality, long lasting and beautiful!

 I have this Magnolia & Pomegranate Wreath from last Christmas and it is still beautiful. 

 I think this cook's herb wreath is a wonderful option for the chef in your life!

For the person who has everything

Sorry for the blatant giveaway of where I stole this photo from (here is the link to it on amazon.com).  I think this would be great for a friend who has everything and might appreciate some new material on her coffee table (especially one that might have a hidden stash of Us Weekly magazines hidden in a cabinet somewhere).  It's a little bit cheekier than just pictures of landscapes, or houses, etc but still has gorgeous photos. 

There are endless possibilities out there for a photography lover - gorgeous options exist for almost any interest or hobby.  Here are two that I'd love to feature in my home. 

Click on the photo for a link to the item.

Another great idea is a personalized puzzle. I got these puzzles made from a satellite image of an address for several family members on our list (the hometown puzzle is more of a general area).  John's extended family is very hard to buy for, so I just got everyone a puzzle of thier address. If nothing else it will keep them occupied for a while!  I got mine from LL Bean since they have free shipping on everything right now, and I can just ship them directly to the recipeints, who live in FL and CO so we're not going to see them anyway.  However, they are available from a bunch of different retailers, so if you have a coupon or promo code, you may want to do a quick Google search to see if you can use it to buy one from some other retailer. 

For the charitably minded

First, let me say that I totally support charitable giving at the holidays in lieu of gifts.  There is no one on my gift list who truly needs a single thing; nor do I.  Of course getting gifts is fun and that's what most of this list is about, but I fully support this method if this is the way you admirably choose to go.  I hope to push my "gift giving" more in this route in years to come.  A nice note explaining why you have chosen to give to a specific organization in honor of someone is certainly sufficient.  However, if you would rather give a more tangible gift here are some good options.  All of these ideas donate to worthy causes in some way.

Juliska Cornerstones Charity Piggy Bank - available in pewter and signature Juliska whitewash

$8 for every bank sold, with minimum of $50,000 goes to Save the Children; I would write a nice note and encourage the recipient(s) to choose a charity to support with the funds they place in the bank.

(sorry the picture is so tiny, it got very blurry as I tried to make it larger)

Donors Choose

This was recently featured on Oprah's Ultimate Favorite Things (Did y'all see that one by the way?  Completely over the top.).  We all know teachers who have to pay out of their own pockets for necessary supplies.  This site helps you match up your donation with a classroom.  You can choose what project you want to donate towards.

Kellie is the daughter of Hank Greenwald, who was a baseball broadcaster for the Giants and Yankees during his career.  He published his autobiography in 1999, after which Kellie expressed her desire to put out her own story.  Kellie was born with Down's Syndrome and wanted her book to portray memorable events and emotions in her life.  From Amazon: Kellie's Book expresses her celebration of life & promises to be a source of hope for people with developmental challenges, their families, extended families, providers, & educators. It is a testament to the fact that when children know they are utterly loved & supported, there is no end to what they can achieve & no end to what they can give back by uplifting the lives of those around them.

Part of sales proceeds are being donated to The Cedars of Marin, a facility for adults with developmental disablilties. Y'all know this book hits a soft spot with me.

***There are millions of ways to do this same thing.  If you are passionate about local food, then buy a membership to a local CSA/food box/co-op program.  If you love the Humane Society, sponser a few animals to be spayed/neutered in someone's honor.  If a local charity produces an item that gives the proceeds back to it's causes, buy a few of those for gifts.  The sky is the limit.  I think any thoughtful gesture that supports a cause someone is passionate about is the ultimate gift.***


For the gourmand


There is a heck of a lot of fancy food out there. I prefer to find something sort of cheeky and fun to give; if you see some crazy unique food item and think, "I'd love to try that, but I'd never buy it for myself", then it's a great gift idea.  I like the idea of picking one thing and buying a case, or in whatever bulk quantity for that to just be your signature gift for the year.  Here are a couple of things I've seen that I'd love to try (but probably won't buy for myself, wink wink).

Mo's Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix

This stuff is made by Vosges, a "haute" chocolate company.  The Mo's Bacon Bar has bits of bacon in a chocolate bar.  This mix has bits of the bar in it.  Need I say more?

Blackberry Farm Spicy Pear Chutney I think by now y'all know I'm obsessed with this place.  Many of its popular products are available for purchase online, and this is one of just several that I want to try.  They even sell a handsome looking birch box that will hold 2 12-ounce jars so you can give someone a sampler if you wanted.  Some other products I have my eye on are the green tomato chutney, the winter jam and the spring thyme marmalade.


As for other food gifts, think regional.  If you love a particular item from your hometown, consider packaging up nuts, cheese straws, honey, jam or any other special item that has some significance to you or the gift giver.  As always, a nice note explaining why the gift is special helps give it that personal touch.  Consider making your own gifts.  I get my ideas most regularly are the kitchn blog, Smitten Kitchen, My Recipes and Real Simple.


For the young (or young at heart)
*My apologies this part of the list is sparse.  As I write this on December 8, I don't even know what I plan to get my own child for Christmas, so I'm hardly able to give you much guidance on what to give yours.*


I am in love with Elizabeth Mitchell's music.  We have You Are My Little Bird, You Are My Flower, You Are My Sunshine and I just ordered her newest release, Sunny Day.  Her songs are sweet, fun and creative, and I find myself listening to them for my own pleasure, which is something I cannot say for all children's music!  Consider tucking one of these into a child's stocking.


Mary Englebreit's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
This book is absolutely beautiful.  Even if you already have a copy of TtNBC, I think this is a gorgeous addition to a child's library.  Her sweet Nursery Tales book is also a great gift.

My favorite children's gifts come from The Land of Nod (free shipping on lots of great gifts right now), Learning Express, or Uncommon Goods.  I know lots of people find lots of wonderful things on Etsy, but I always feel like I need anti-anxiety medicine and a personal shopper before I go looking for anything on there.  There's almost too much available.  If you don't know what you are looking for, do not go there. 

I hope this gives you some great ideas.  If I come up with any other gems this week I will do a follow up.  I am also trying to squeeze in a quick Mitchell update.  Stay tuned!