Dinner Last Night: Salmon with Asparagus, Swiss Chard, and Red Pepper Almond Sauce

This is the first meal I've made in a while - with my husband traveling as frequently as he has been, weeknight dinners seem to fall low on the priority totem pole.  However, he was home over Memorial Day weekend which was an occasion in itself - calling for a special occasion meal.  Thus, salmon steaks with asparagus, swiss chard, and red pepper almond sauce.  YUM!  This red pepper almond sauce is definitely a recipe to keep in your back pocket for say…anything!  

image/realsimple

Work Out Songs

I'm starting to kickstart my exercise post baby (yes, it took this long…, what can I say, my husband's been traveling non stop for work) and need some inspiring, pump-me-up songs for my workout playlist.  Any suggestions?

image/bippityboppityboo

10 Reasons Why I Love You: 6 Months

{6 months}

1. Sitting up - I don’t know when this happened exactly, it feels like it was literally overnight.  One minute you were content laying down, the next, you were sitting up, unassisted, happy as a clam playing with your blocks or activity ball.  Occasionally we still put the boppy or a smattering of pillows behind you, just in case, but girlfriend, you’ve got great balance!  

2. Your latest trick is waving at yourself. You turn wrists out, and delicately close and open your fingers in on your palm, admiring this fascinating motion all the while. You do this with such finesse, it’s almost a fanning motion, as if you’re too hot and you’re cooling yourself down for the day.  

3. You have your first two teeth!  The shadow of your two bottom teeth appeared just a few days ago, and then all of a sudden, they were real teeth that broke through!  No more gummy smile!  Whenever we ask you to show us your teeth, you almost immediately stick out your tongue to cover your little chompers.  It’s our own little game of hide and seek teeth.

4. You are a raspberry blowing machine!  You love making noises with your mouth, blowing noises and spit all over the place!

5. How have I not written about this earlier!  Every since you were a tiny babe, you’ve loved to kick your feet.  Whether it be nursing, on the changing pad, dangling off the edge of our lap, or laying back in your stroller, you kick those little toes like it’s your J.O.B. It’s something I’ve come to expect when holding you, or cuddling you.  Kick, kick, kick, we’ve even worked those three little words into some of our silly songs we sing together, mommy’s ever inventive lyrics. :)

6. One of our new favorite games is having you sit up on our bed, and mommy intentionally falls onto the covers around you, sending you into fits of sweet, baby giggles.  You laugh and smile and giggle like it is the most fun you’ve ever had.  It’s the sweetest music, I could listen to you giggle all night long.

7. You’ve went on your first swing!  The bucket swings are quite the ticket at our local park, at peak hours there’s even a line for swings, if you can believe that.  Doting parents that we are, we patiently wait in said lines, and indulge in pure giddiness as you gently swing back and forth, offering up a few smirky smiles, even baring those teeth buds a time or too in enjoyment.  

8. Our solid food journey continues.  You've dabbled with rice cereal, bananas, sweet potatoes, apples, and pears at 5 months.  Ultimately we tried oatmeal and you've never looked back, kid.  Oatmeal makes everything taste better in your eyes, mama might beg to disagree...  

9. I brought you in to school for my “Star of the Week” presentation for my first grade class.  You sat in my lap and cooed and babbled so sweetly, the kids sat there in awe of your little feet kicking, hands waving, and sweet gummy smile.  One of my students even asked so sweetly, “How does she do her hair like that?” referring to how your hair sweeps to one side. I chuckled and smiled, explaining that I brush her hair every night after her bath, but it tends to sweep to the right on its own.  So sweet.

10. Daddy loves to encourage you to crawl.  You sit up with gusto, but you’re not quite ready to turn tummy time into crawling, though you love to watch him crawl around all the furniture, kicking your feet in delight.  Sometimes, he puts you on a blanket and drags you alongside him across the hardwood floors, so you’re “crawling” together.  You love it!

Weeknight Baking: Rhubarb Crisp

I love me some rhubarb.  The tartness of it, the fruity bite it has that can't quite compare to any other fruit.  I only wish its short season lasted a tad bit longer.  Last weekend, I picked up some fresh rhubarb at the Farmer's Market while browsing with my family on Mother's Day, which paired quite nicely with some overripe raspberries for a nice little crisp.  Growing up I always thought crisps, crumbles, and the like were crazy complicated.  Truth - cut up some fruit, toss with cinnamon and sugar, chop up some butter, and top with oats, and voila!  Simple, easy, and delicious.  BAM!

image/delectablyfree