First Haircut!!

After several months of shaggy hair and bangs in her eyes....it was finally time for Kate's first haircut. I took her to Cookie Cutters which is a hair salon for kids. Kate loved it! She got to sit in a pink car and watch the Backyardigans during her haircut. She was really good and no tears...NO TEARS! They even had a slide and Kate couldn't go down it enough. I went in with my little baby...and left with a stylin' toddler! No tears for Kate..but can't say the same for me. My little girl is growing up.

First Carosel Ride

Spontaneous trips to the zoo are great. Kate loved the carosel ride and playing with her friend Evelyn.

Need sparkly clean dishes????

So I just learned a great new trick (thanks Lacee) and was sooo tickled with the results...I couldn't resist sharing.

Do your dishes have water spots..or a water/soap film that you just can't get rid of....(my problem stemmed from these new "Electrasol All in 1 FINISH Gelpacs".....do NOT buy them!! They leave a crazy film on your dishes).. anyway..... do I have the fix for you!

Vinegar!!

Vinegar?? you say.......YEP

Just add 1 cup of white vinegar to your dishwasher load...and voila

Sparkly clean dishes for you!

Try it.. really. I was suprised at how much it improved my mood. haha. The joy that simple things bring. Who knew I would get soo excited over glistening dishes.

Make sure that you let the cycle start so that there is water in the bottom of your dishwasher, then pour in the vinegar...and let her run. I promise, you won't be disapointed! If your dishes are fine and don't need help (well..then good for you)...but your dishwasher just need a freshening up...add vinegar baby!

Apparently it also works to deodorize your disposal, removes odors from clothes in the wash..or can stand in for your fabric softener if you run out. And as the picture above states...there is over 400 uses for vinegar (the picture is the cover of a book)....and baking soda is suppose to be a pretty amazing cleaner as well. Guess we don't need all those yucky chemicals after all. Nope...back to the basics!

Enjoying the fresh air

My Valentine Sweeties

Bye Bye BINKI!!

We decided to follow the dentists advice, and go off the binki......cold turkey. He said it will probably be 3 miserable nights...but it usually works best. Like pulling off a band-aid. Just pull it off quick...pulling it off slow...only prolongs the pain. So that night...it was no binki for Kate. We sat down with her and cut the tips off the binkis and gave them to her to inspect. She gave them a try and then threw the "broken" binkis down in disgust. Initially she put up quite the fight when we put her in her crib without the beloved bink, screaming for about 20 min (with us going in to reassure and comfort her every 10 min). It was so sad...and I almost....almost... caved. Especially since she is teething. I just kept thinking....I am the meanest mommy ever....taking away her bink when her mouth is sore. But just as I was going to cave...she gave up and went to sleep. She slept solid for a couple hrs and then it was up again for another 20 min of screaming. After some hugs and rocking with mommy she returned to sleep again and slept the rest of the night. I woke up quite amazed that the night went so well....I was anticipating much worse. I thought...ok...the nap will be the true test. But she only fussed for a couple minutes and then took a long nap! Wahooo! Success! And she has gone down without a fuss every nap and night time since. I can't believe how easy it was.

Kates first DENTIST appointment

What does 8 teeth (1 not all the way up) and 2 molars breaking through get you???......your first trip to the dentisit!! According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry they should have their first visit by their first birthday...so we are a couple months behind. The visit went ok..but Kate wasn't thrilled about a stranger looking inside her mouth...and cleaning her teeth. Her teeth looked healthy...but the dentist said...it's time to loose the binki. I was afraid of that! Kate Im afraid....won't give it up easliy......

15 months old already....

Where does the time go??? Days melt away all too fast! She may not think she is a baby anymore. But she will be my baby always! Kate is now 15 months old and is full of energy and spunk. She spends her days going non-stop. I really wish I could channel some of her energy. I could get so much more done in a day. But instead.....I chase my little munchkin around all day. Which I don't mind. I have heard that all too soon... you will miss the piles of laundry and the mounds of toys scattered on the floor. So for now...I just enjoy. Kate is now 18 lbs 5.5 ozs which lands her in the 3% on the growth chart. My tiny bean! She is 29 1/4 inchs which puts her in the 25% for her height. As the doctor says...she will just be petite. Im starting to think she may be a little gymnast. She has the petite little body and amazing balance. She often rides her rocking horse by standing on the seat, holding onto the handle bars and rocks away. Her language is expanding daily and now includes: Daddy (dada), Dante, thank you, baby, I love you, wow, ooh ohh and MAMA (at long last!!!!). Also the continious gabbering that is her own language. She likes to sit on the floor with her books and "read" them to herself. She gabbers on and on as she turns the pages. She usually has quite the appetite and loves anything involving cheese, bread or noodles......truely my daughter!! She also loves bananas, avocados and sweet potatoes. She has mastered the stairs and climbs on anything and everything. Kate loves to dance and thinks it's funny to spin in circles until she falls over. Kates favorite past time is to pester Dante (our cat). She loves to play peek-a boo with him. She stands inside the bathroom and he sits outside the door. Kate opens the door, sees Dante sitting there and busts up laughing...then closes the door..opens..laughs...(and it goes on and on)...its hilarious!

Bucatini Puttanesca

So here is my attempt at a recipe post....not up to standard for The Pionner Woman....but an attempt nonetheless


Bucatini Puttanesca....a staple at out house...but as we call it...Olive spagetti.

Enjoy!

The Recipe:

1 1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic - minced

1/2 cup black olives, such as Gaeta or nicoise (I use Kalamata), pitted and sliced

1/2 Italian style green olives- pittled and sliced

3 Tbsp capers

1/2 tsp red-pepper flakes, plus more for garnish if desired

1 can (28 oz) best quality tomatoes, half pureed, half roughly crushed (I just used crushed tomatoes...Im not sure what the best quality thing is about??)

1 sprig fresh basil, plus more for garnish

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 pound bucatini pasta (a thick, hollow spagetti - I haven't been able to find these so I just use regular spagetti)

Freshy grated parmesan cheese

The ingredients

Place olive oil and garlic in a large saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the garlic begins to sizzle but not brown, about 30 sec. Add the olives, capers, and 1/4 tsp of the red pepper flakes.

Add the crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 min.

Add the basil sprig, oregano, and remaining 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes and cook for additional 10 min.

Cook pasta noodles as directed on pkg. Drain noodles, toss with slight amount of olive oil and then add noodles to sauce and toss until pasta is evely coated. Garnish with fresh basil and grated parmesan (and additional red pepper flakes if desired...its already pretty spicy though).

Bon Appetite!!

Love for Nie

Last night I went to a benefit concert for Stephanie Nielson or "NieNie". I have posted about her before and have links to her blog and her sister's (CJane) on the side of my blog if any one is interested. They truely are an inspirational family.

What a perfect way to spend a GNO (Girls Night Out)....enjoyment for all and supporting great cause.

Mindy Gledhill led the concert and was accompanied by improv musicals from the Thrillionaires. They are hillarious. There was also a surprise appearance from Ryan Shupe who rocked the house with his fiddle playing and a performance from David Osmond (if you watch American Idol...you saw him last week during auditions).

It was a great night

We laughed

We cried

We loved a family we only know through a blog but feel somehow connected to

We supported their recovery along with so many others

The feeling in that auditorium was amazing

Thanks NieNie for connecting us all. You have impacted so many lives. You have inspired me more than I can say to be a better mother, wife, daugter, and friend.

My wins from the silent auction......

A doll bed for Kate and a hat for me!

Is this bed cute or what!!!!

Modeling my new hat.

Kate thought that the bed was just her size