Laughter

There is just something about your kiddo laughing that makes almost anything better.  Once Ava starts laughing it's hard to not laugh right along with her. So I laugh.  A lot.  Even when it's something that I shouldn't laugh at because a 2 year old shouldn't say or know what just popped out of her mouth.  I just turn my head and make sure she can't see that I'm laughing with her.  Then I tell her not to say it again or do that again.  I know.  People are lining up to give me mother of the year awards :o)

I hope your day is filled with laughter with someone you love.  

Recipe: Pumpkin Pancakes

It's that time of year when you start to see pumpkin recipes everywhere and I love it!  Ava adores pancakes and I thought these pancakes would be right up her alley and add a little fallishness to our breakfast.  She loves to cook and these are easy for her to mix and help out with.  She loved them and so did the rest of the family.

Pumpkin Pancakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or more if you like)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk (plus a little more to thin out batter if needed)
• 15 oz can pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons vinegar

1. In a medium sized bowl combine milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar.  Mix until combined.
2. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder and soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
3. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. (Don't taste the batter now because it is not very yummy until it cooks.)  If the batter seems thick then add a little milk to thin it out so it is more the consistency of normal pancake batter
4. Cook on a griddle or skillet until golden brown on both sides.  These take longer than normal pancakes to cook but are sooooo worth it.
5. Serve warm with syrup and chopped walnuts.

This makes a lot of pancakes for our little family but they freeze or refrigerate well for later.

*Recipe adapted slightly from allrecipes.com

Big Girl Bed

We're starting to gear up for the new little guy coming in a few months.  We want Ava to be in a full sized bed by then so the baby will get Ava's old crib.  In order to start the transition, I took the front off her crib and introduced her to her new "big girl" bed.  She was super excited and wanted to play on her bed all day Friday.  

She went to bed great at 8:00 Friday night.  I checked on her at 10:30 and she was still snoozing soundly.  Steve checked on her at 12:30 and he came to get me.  This is what we saw.  She apparently rolled out of the bed and sprawled out on the floor and fell right back to sleep.  I was glad I left her bumper on the floor in front of the bed to soften the landing a little.  We haven't had any more rolling incidents so I think one time was all she needed.  Good thing she's a quick learner!

On a side note, the kid looks like a giant in this picture.  It's a good thing she is getting a bigger bed soon because she fills up her little crib bed as it is now!

Library Time

Ava and I recently started visiting our local library.  I don't really know what took me so long because the kid loves books (as does her momma).  She also loves trains so the fact that our library has tons and tons of books and a Thomas Train table means at least an hour of fun for her.

Photo from Aunt Jane

Since we've been checking out so many books and the little bookmark stamped with the date doesn't work for me I found this printable list that I'm going to try out for the new year.  It's super cute and I won't lose it like the little bookmarks.  Go check out the Etsy story, Aunt Jane.  She even makes great totes for lugging all those library books around.

Where are you Fall?

This past weekend we had all these outdoor plans for Saturday and it was windy and cold.  We went to Strassenfest in Chesterfield and it was so chilly we didn't even stay for a brat.  You know that street fairs are all about the food, so I was bummed that we didn't stay for any food...at all! After Strassenfest we were going to head downtown to the Taste of St. Louis Fair.  Due to all the wind and cold, we opted for a warm Bread Co. lunch of soup and bread.  

This week has been gorgeous weather wise.  The next few days will be in the low 80s which is great for some outdoor fun.  Yesterday we spent a few hours at MOBot with some friends and enjoyed all the sun and slides and flowers.  We even fed the huge ugly coy fish in the Japanese Garden.  We have plans to go pumpkin picking this weekend but it just seems wrong to pick pumpkins in 80 degree weather.  Very un-fall like to say the least.  I'm not complaining about the weather because I hate being cooped up all winter with no outdoor playtime but I just don't want mother nature to skip right to winter.  

Recipe: Fall Harvest Salad

Whenever I ask an aunt, my MIL, or friends, "So what do you want me to bring to your house?"  I get the same answer almost every time.  "A green salad."  I think I have now become the unofficial salad queen among friends and family.  I like using a variety of ingredients in salads and they are so versatile you can go the the store or market and just see what looks good.  Here's my latest salad creation that was a hit with the fam.

8 oz. spring mix or spinach well rinsed

1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 cup Crasins

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 avocado diced

1/2 small red onion thinly sliced

Dressing:

3 Tbsp. red raspberry jam (no seeds)

3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1/4 C. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1. In a small bowl whisk together all the dressing ingredients.  Set aside.
2. In a large bowl toss spring mix, walnuts, Crasins, blue cheese, grape tomatoes, avocado and red onion.
3. Right before serving toss with dressing.

I love this salad because of the slightly sweet dressing with the tang of the blue cheese and crisp flavor of the red onion.  If there is something that you don't like then leave it out.  If you don't have Crasins then chop up a apple and throw that in.  Swap out the walnuts for pecans.  Go salad crazy folks!!

Look Out World

We found out Thursday that we'll be welcoming a new little guy into our family in February.  We're super excited and now I can shop on the other side of the stores now too.  Steve's excited because the balance in the house will be restored.  I told him that Simon has always been on his side but he insists the furball doesn't count.

The funny thing is whenever we tell people the response is something like, "Ohhhhhh, well he definitely will keep you busy and you should get your rest now."  The tone is never in a good way either.  It's that you're-in-for-it-now kind of tone.  I don't think people are trying to make me nervous but it's starting to creep into my thinking.  It can't though!  It's just a little boy.  I know we have been extremely lucky with Ava who is a super sweet and good little girl but come on.  He's still our kiddo and he's going to be fun no matter how spunky and full of energy he is.  Let the little boy things start to invade our house!!  We're ready!