The Dinnertime Dance

I don't know about you, but it seems like I never get to sit and eat dinner in one sitting anymore. Here is what a typical dinner routine looks like in the Stone home;

- Either Todd or I get Emily's plate all set up with her dinner, get her settled in her high chair and she begins eating while Todd and I get our plates ready.
-AH! Dinner at least , take a few bites.
-Oh wait, Emily needs her drink, up to the fridge to get her drink, give her her drink, give her a few more noodles, back to sit down and take a few more bites.
-Oh shoot, I forgot to get myself a drink...back up to get myself and Todd a drink. Back to sit down..take a few more bites.
- DONE DONE! yells Emily, as she dumps the remaining noodles on the floor. Emily, do you want a cookie? (An attempt to get a few more quiet moments were we can talk and eat our food)
-Up to get a cookie, clean up the noodles, refill her drink. Take a few more bites....
-DOWN DOWN! Now Emily is really done, can't buy more time with cookies...time to let her down. Hoping that at least one of us has scarfed down our food so she stays entertained while the other takes their last few bites.

Do you have a dinnertime routine? What does dinner look like for your family? We always try to at least say a small prayer and have a few moments were we are ALL 3 sitting down enjoying our meals TOGETHER. I think it is very important to make that effort every evening. Once you let dinner happen on the couches or in front of the TV, I think it is really hard to go back to the sit down dinners. Occasionally we will sit in front of the TV while Emily plays after we have gotten a pizza or take - out. :)

Happy Wednesday

Nothing like waking up to this sweet face every morning!

Food

I love food. Cooking and baking is like therapy for me.

I love any new recipes that are health friendly, kid friendly and husband friendly:) Okay, so my husband will pretty much eat anything I make, and he has said there have only been a few dishes I have made that have not satisfied his taste buds. I love cooking meals for Todd and Emily every evening. Currently, Todd and I are cutting back on calories and how much we eat in one sitting! So finding healthy recipes that also taste delicious is sometimes a big task for this stay at home Momma:) Lately I've been cutting out most red meat, and replacing with Turkey. Todd and I have really enjoyed how versatile turkey is. Here are some fun recipes I have found and ENJOYED and not felt terrible for consuming!

Turk - o Salad

Ground Turkey
Taco Seasoning
Onion
Lettuce
Olives
Diced Tomato
Shredded Low Fat Cheese
Fat Free Sour Cream
Salsa
Blue Corn Tortilla chips

Cook turkey, onion and taco seasoning together. Serve over top of Fresh veggies, top with salsa, sour cream and tortilla chips.

This is what we had for dinner tonight, Delicious! And if there are others in your home who aren't trying to cut back on calories they can always wrap everything up in a Tortilla!


I'll try to continue posting new recipes that I come across or make up myself.
The Turk-o salad is one of my own creations, I know - genius right?

2011

Was my last post really in July?! Wow! I guess having a new home, a toddler, and a husband who commutes 2 hours a day really does suck up all your time and energy! We have really taken the last few months to make our house a place that we feel very proud to call home! Lots of hard work, help from family, and many trips to Home Depot. We could not be happier. At least once a week, one of us says to the other ' I love our house, don't you?!"

Emily loves it too! In fact some nights she runs from the front door to the back garage door over and over and over again. Her playroom upstairs had gotten a lot of use! We find that the majority of our time is spent downstairs, since the kitchen opens up to the dining room/family room, we really have everything we need in 1 space.

Emily is now 20 months old and a little character, her vocabulary is growing daily! Here are some things she is saying now, I started making a list of words, but it would really take me way too long. She is in the 95% for her weight and 50% for her height, tall like her Daddy! She loves eat broccoli and green beans, the girl would choose broccoli over mac and cheese any day. I'm not complaining! She also loves Spaghetti, corn, cheese, and Toast with a little Peanut Butter. I did stop one afternoon and got her some french fries because she was being such a good girl when we were out shopping, BIG mistake, now every time she sees a Burger King sign she yells 'Duh Dyes!' (French Fries) Yesterday she grabbed my coat, shoes and keys and was standing by the front door saying, 'Mama, Buh bye, Duh Dies?!' I think we will save the French Fries for special occasions only:)

Christmas was a VERY special time for us, as Emily's Great Grandma Stone was here to visit. We had a lot of special days with her, Emily know calls her 'Buh' as we taught her Grandma Barb. Now that the holidays are over, we have switched gears to summer time plans, Emily's 2nd Birthday, and a few upcoming weddings that Todd and I are going to be a part of. We are very excited to take Emily to Long Beach this summer, we are renting a oceanfront beach house for 3 nights and 4 days in July! I've even started to do a little early Birthday shopping for Emily, Target has some excellent sales on toys right now!