Pink Diapers!

I am so excited! I finally decided to buy some *pink* diapers for my little girl! With Grant I think it took me about a year to buy two blue diapers. However, it's just so fun to think about my baby girl to wear pink all the way down to her tushie! Who knew diapers could be so exciting?

A cooking disaster and a race

So, I will never claim to be a great cook. When I first got married I think we often ate cereal or Lean Cuisine-type meals. At times when I did cook it was a hold-your-breath-and-hope-for-the-best experience. We never quite knew how the food would taste. As time has gone by, I think my cooking in has improved. Last night, however, was probably the worst kitchen experience I've had.

I melted my mom's bread maker. Yes, they can melt. Well, I suppose I should clarify exactly how it happened. I was trying to quickly make dinner while the bread maker was making bread. I put the maker on the stove because we don't have enough room for it anywhere else in our kitchen. At the same time I turned on a burner to cook the rice. Unfortunately, I turned on the wrong burner and cooked the bread maker instead of the rice. Flames started developing inside the bread maker and smoke poured out of the top. So...our house now smells like melted plastic, which is probably toxic and killing all of us. Ugh!

the melted bread maker

Today Ryan came home early. After waking up both Grant and Caroline and feeding them, we decided to go the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Community Day. This is the first year that Ryan hasn't had to work the whole day during this week before the race. The fun thing about this event is that the general public can drive around the track in their own cars. Of course, there is a speed limit of 30 mph, but it's still fun to be on the track. Jack loved being up on the banked turns and thought the straightaways were "boring." Maybe next year we will go a little earlier to enjoy the festivities: meeting the drivers, seeing the cars, etc.

Ryan driving around the track--next year it will be my turn!

the kiddos enjoying the ride (notice the angle--we were on a turn)

the famous IMS pagoda

Happy birthday to me!

Here is a top ten list (in no particular order) of great things about my birthday weekend this year:

1. Visiting former co-workers on Friday. I took this picture just before we went to Smoky Row. Love this!

2. Boys playing outside in our pool for the first time this year. Gotta love the beginning of pool season--outdoor living=cleaner house?

3. My sister Megan, her husband Tim, their baby Barrett, and their dog Payton (or is it Peyton--I never remember!) came to visit. We hadn't seen Barrett, who is 5 months, since he was born. He's definitely changed and is such a cute, smiley little guy. It's too bad they live in Chicago. I love it when my kids get together with their cousins!

4. Tummy time pictures. The babies didn't quite cooperate. They were supposed to look at each other, while on their tummies, and smile. I guess they didn't get the memo!

5. Pictures with my sister and our kiddos. The children, of course, act their age and don't look at the camera, but they are IN the pictures so I guess that counts, right?

6. Getting a family picture taken. Ryan and I look good so we just kind of figure you get what you get when it comes to the kiddos.

7. So Delicious dairy-free, soy-free cookies and cream ice cream instead of cake for my birthday. I did eat just the tiniest bit of cake. (I just cannot resist buttercream icing and white cake--yum!) This ice cream, though, is so yummy that I didn't even miss regular ice cream. It really is "so delicious."

8. The weather was beautiful on Sunday so after Megan and Tim left, we went to the park. It was our first park excursion as a family this year, and all of us had a lovely time. Here is a Jack quote: "Today I discovered the tire swing. It was fun...and a little scary." So true!

9. Spicy flank steak, grilled asparagus with Northwoods Seasoning from Penzey's Spices, and rice for dinner on Saturday night with Megan and Tim. I think we will be grilling asparagus this way a lot in the future--such a tasty meal!







10. A beautiful bouquet of flowers and a baking stone given to me by my wonderful husband. He also grilled the food and let me sleep in on Sunday. I'm truly blessed!

11. And one more, just for fun. Here is a video of Caroline laughing for me. My baby's laughter makes my heart smile!

Spicy Flank Steak

This weekend I made spicy flank steak. It was delicious, if I do say so myself! Here is the recipe:

1 (1.5-2 lb.) flank steak
2 tsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1. Rub both sides of steak evenly with vegetable oil.
2. Stir together ground cumin and next 4 ingredients. Rub cumin mixture evenly over both sides of steak. Let stand 10 min.
3. Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350-400 degrees) 5-7 minutes on each side or to desired degree of doneness. Remove from grill. Cover steak loosely with foil, and let stand 10 minutes. Cut across the grain into thin strips.
*For a more pungent spice rub, add 1 tsp. ground coriander. (I didn't do this.)

It is seriously so tasty! Jack even ate it! This will be added to our summer food repertoire--yum!

Three months!

Caroline turned 3 months on Monday. We went to the doctor yesterday, and she is 14 lb. 12oz. and 25 in. She's obviously doing okay! Here is a picture of her, surprisingly happy after her vaccination.




Just for fun, here are some pictures of her brothers at the same age.

Jack

Grant

It's funny looking at these pictures. I think Caroline and Jack look more alike than these pictures seem to show. I suppose this just shows that our little girl really is a combination of both her parents--go figure!

Life Lately

I apologize for not having written lately. I couldn't figure out how to post pictures, but fortunately my dear techie husband figured out the problem I'd been struggling with for 2 weeks. So..here we go.

Here are pictures from life lately.

We've been climbing trees (well, the boys have--Ryan and I have stayed firmly planted on the ground).

Mimi visited and spent lots of time loving Caroline.

Grant enjoyed wearing all of Ryan's medals from the mini-marathons he's run.

We went to Ohio for Landon's (Ryan's brother's baby) dedication. He is one month younger than Caroline.

Grant, Jack, and Drew (Landon's older brother) enjoyed playing together but were impossible to photograph sitting. They were very busy!

Will (a cousin Jack's age) and Jack jammed together. Future rock stars?

Caroline holds up her head really well when she is in the mood.

She also now sucks her thumb. Hooray!

Grant got his own set of shades but prefers to play with them instead of actually using them in the sun. He looks cute anyway, though!

Transition

Today was the last day of preschool for Jack. He had a wonderful teacher this year and has learned so much. He can cut much better, knows many letters and sounds, and apparently recognizes number 1-10. I'm truly thankful for his preschool experience, but at the same time I know this means that he is getting closer to kindergarten. I'm not so sure that I am ready for that.

Grant is still learning words. He is beginning to show his independent, two-year-old side more often. He's our little guy who is not such a fan of change and has his quirks. My favorite quirk lately has been the transition from long-sleeves to short-sleeves. Grant would tuck his arms into the short sleeves but could not suck his thumb that way. So, he'd stretch one arm out to suck his thumb and tuck one arm in. Too funny!

Caroline is laughing more, usually reserving the laughs for Daddy. Not fair! She has rolled over, but we don't see it very often. She's aware of what is going on and loves to watch her brothers and their chaos as well as the TV. It's been so fun to have her in our lives!

Happy Mother's Day!

Mother's Day this year was a little bit different. I'd really wanted to sleep in, go to church, and have a delicious meal, per usual. I did get to sleep in, but the main reason I needed it this year was because Grant and Caroline both decided to wake up at 5 am. I dealt with Grant and moved him into another room so as not to wake Jack before coming back to feed Caroline. Jack woke up at 5:45 and was ready to go for the day. Ryan took care of the boys (Grant never fell back asleep) so I could rest. We didn't get to go to church because Grant had been running a fever the previous day. And my delicious meal? Qdoba--the only place I could think of to go where I would be able to eat the food without worrying that I was ingesting any of my contraband foods. It was a nice day, though, to enjoy my children and to reflect on the blessings that they are in my life. God has entrusted me with 3 lovely people, and I so often become consumed with my own selfish desires to nap, watch TV, eat, etc. that I forget to enjoy these little ones. God is good!

Little Miss Caroline, smiling away

Grant, Caroline, and Jack with Mommy on Mother's Day