And she crawls!

Yep, Maggie has made it into the elite group of humans who can move from one place to another without assistance. She's officially crawling!

Last Saturday, at the annual Easter egg hunt, Maggie appeared to have put all the motions together as she made her first tentative movements in sync. She waited a few more days to do it again, and simply rolled her way anywhere she wanted to go. But now, her movements are more precise, on hands and knees. She sets her sights on her goal, and off she goes.

What happened to my baby? She's growing up so fast.

Oh, what a crazy, wonderful, busy, life-altering 7 months it has been!

Mama guilt hit me full force, when I realized that so many of Luke's milestones were documented carefully on our blog. I think I have posted TWICE in the seven months since Miss Maggie joined our family. Boo! That makes me upset that Maggie's adventures have not been as carefully outlined as those of her brother.

But after some thought, I understand that Maggie joined a very different family than Luke did. Maggie was born into a real, true, busy, and happy family. A family that has lots of time to spend together, but not so much time to write about our family life. And that's okay.

I would like to write more often, and I will try to do so at least every week or two. But NO MORE GUILT! I don't want to live that way, and I don't want my kiddos to live under the chains of guilt either.

Maggie will not remember these seven months when she is grown. She will not know that getting the balance right was awfully difficult. She will not remember that she nursed through the night, every night, for all these months. But I think she will understand that two little ones under the age of two was busy for her mama, and she will understand that documenting milestones for her brother was possible because I wasn't busy caring for and playing with her at that time. My blogging time has been funneled to my Maggie time - and I wouldn't have it any other way! What a sweet and happy girl she is! I love to play with her, and watch her grow and explore this world of ours.

So I hope I'm back in the blogosphere, even if my posts are short, and not well-edited.

And as a little treat, check out this face. Way too cute!

My Very Own Best Vegetarian Chili Recipe!

Okay, this is a lame post to make as my first one back in over six months. (I am giving myself a break since we had some major changes in our lives, including the addition of a new family member and a move to a new home!) Anyway, I have been making this chili recipe since Maggie was born in September, and I need it written somewhere on the web so I can pin it. All my favorite recipes are now on Pinterest, and my new menu planning system requires that I be able to easily access my favorite recipes quickly and easily. So here it goes! My very own best vegetarian chili recipe!

Ingredients:
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 poblano or fresno pepper, finely chopped
3-4 carrots, diced
2-3 stalks celery, diced
1.5 cups kidney beans, rinsed and soaked
1 cup pinto beans, rinsed and soaked
1 cup black beans, rinsed and soaked
1 cup lentils, rinsed (optional)
1 15-ounce can diced and fire roasted tomatoes
1 28-ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes
taco or chili spice mix (more on this... I make my own)

I have also added frozen corn, soaked chickpeas, and red lentils from time to time.... there is no wrong way to do this! One word of caution: While I have used canned beans for this recipe, I usually try to soak my own beans. I do this for several reasons. First, the added sodium in the canned beans takes what can be a very nutritious meal and adds unnecessary health risks. I am already using canned tomatoes, although I do look for an organic, low-sodium option. Second, buying dried beans significantly reduces the cost of this recipe. If you buy your dried beans in the bulk section of your grocery store, you are doing even better for your wallet.

Directions:
Saute veggies in pot. Add tomatoes when carrots soften. Add beans. Cook on med-low heat until beans are tender (about 45 minutes).

Delish! Make a double batch and freeze for a crazy night when you need something cheap, easy, and nutritious.

Happy cooking (and pinning)!

New Blog!

Check out my new blog, Money-Saving Mama at www.money-savingmama.blogspot.com.  It's brand new and I need followers, so hurry on over there!  Thanks!

Welcome to the World!

Margaret Frances Kelly

born September 5, 2011

9 pounds, 5 ounces

...and the reason I have not blogged in two months!

We are in love with our baby girl!

Due Date!

Today is the big day - our due date with our baby.  I don't expect we will be meeting each other today, or even tomorrow, so we decided to mark the special day with a family date.  We went to Collingswood, NJ, for a craft fair and a trip to the kid-friendly Pop Shop diner.  I also got to meet baby Emily, the one-week-old baby of a good friend of mine.  It was a very nice day, with lots of positive baby and family vibes.  So even though we won't be meeting today, it was nice to mark the occasion with some special activities.

Confessions of a blog addict...

I don't know how this happened. I never thought it would happen to me. Yet, here I am, totally addicted to blogs! The blogging part is way fun, and I can't forget that, but the collecting of various blogs and following them is my real love. I love peering in to other people's lives, seeing the things they cook, the way they live, their organizational techniques, their fun crafting ideas. I just can't seem to get enough!

One day, when I have crossed off all the things on my to-do list, I will spend some time highlighting my favorite blogs. However, that list keeps getting longer, as I find more and more things I want to do by finding more great blogs out there. What a dilemma!

Belly Cast

I ordered my belly casting kit from Amazon eight weeks ago, and have been so excited to do it.  Finally, tonight (at 38 weeks, 1 day), Chris and I completed the cast.  It was a bit uncomfortable sitting still for so long, but the end result is great!  The plan is to stamp baby's newborn footprints at the top of the belly, just as they were all during the pregnancy.  Other decorating ideas have yet to be decided.

PHOTO COMING SOON!

Homemade chili - delicious and freezer-bound!

(Source)

I made the Barefoot Contessa's chili with beef brisket. Not sure I needed to use brisket, and probably could have gotten away with ground beef at a better price, but wowzers, is it good! Just a couple spoonfuls as I was cooking it might send me into labor! I won't give away the whole recipe here (but you can click on the source link for the official Food Network recipe), but I will say that I had to use 2 TABLEspoons of chili powder, 2 TABLEspoons of cumin, 1 TABLEspoon of cayenne, and 1 TABLEspoon of red pepper flakes.  No, not TEAspoons! I'm amazed the baby hasn't been born already with all that spice!  And here's one more for the freezer.

Hoo Are You? Week #1

I found a fun new linky party today.  Each Monday, Night Owl Crafting hosts Hoo Are You?, which is a linky party featuring five fun questions.  The idea is each blogger participating will post the questions and her answers on her own blog, then link her post back to the original post on Night Owl Crafting. Each blogger is meant to explore the other blogs as a way to get to know other bloggers and link to their websites.  This sounds fun to me, so here we go!  Week #1 for me!

Here are this week's questions!

1. Do you exercise regularly and what do you do?

Umm, no, not official exercise.  I wish I did.  I can't find the time (as I sit here blogging)!  But I do run around all day after a toddler, and soon, I'll be running around after two kids, so I think I'll do my heart some good that way.

2. Do you have any weird sleeping habits?

At 38 weeks pregnant,  yes!  I require many pillows just to be comfortable.  There's an hourly switch from left side to right side, and so most of the night is spent turning over and over.

3. How often do you vacuum?

I should do it way more often, but Luke hates the vacuum, and I simply find it difficult to do it at a time when he's not home.  It's rare for me to be home without him.

4.Do you accessorize and if so what is your favorite thing to accessorize with?

I don't accessorize much, but I do love scarves.  I have a ton of them, and could always use another!

5. What is your favorite drink during the summertime?

I LOVE margaritas, but right now, that's not an option.  Lemonade or virgin margaritas (complete with salt on the rim) is a nice substitute.  I also really love fresh-squeezed orange and lemonade.  Yum!

Messy Kitchen

Oh, and since all that cooking has been going on, I am now procrastinating.... I am blogging and facebooking and Interneting while the mess sits inches from me, staring at me and just waiting to be cleaned.  Ugh!  I do love cooking and organizing, but dishes and food mess is just gross!  It will be here another 15-20 minutes in case anyone wants to come over and take care of it for me.... anyone???

Big Batch Cooking Weekend!

In preparation for baby Kelly, I am batch cooking.  We need a freezer full of healthy things to eat.  I have been doing lots of recipe searching, grocery shopping, cooking, and freezing.

This weekend I made ratatouille, three trays of Mexican lasagna, a double batch of bean soup, and a triple batch of taco soup.  Chris also made 22 of his delicious turkey burgers! Coming up this week: pulled pork, vegetarian chili, beef brisket chili, and beef and black bean fajitas.  I will be posting all the recipes on the blog soon.  In the meantime, you can find them on my Pinterest recipe board.  When I post these recipes on the blog, I will include any changes I made to the recipes, as well as little tips for doubling or tripling the recipes.  

Not Just a Housewife Giveaway!

Oh, how I love Stacey at Not Just a Housewife!  She provides me with endless inspiration for home projects, recipe ideas, kid crafts, and a lot more.  I would say hers is the blog I visit most often.  She has a huge following, and each Tuesday, she hosts a linky party with nearly 300 links!  I am always stopping by throughout the week to catch any new additions.  I usually find the blogs I love most through her linky party.  And so, I'm sure you can see why I love her blog!

But today, I am in love even more!  Why?  She is hosting a giveaway of the Black and Decker steam mop. I've had my eye on it for a while, but since cleaning the floors is often the last item on the cleaning list, I did not take the plunge and buy it myself.  When I saw the giveaway, I had to enter!  I do so want that mop!  You can also enter her giveaway, which ends soon, by clicking here or the image below.  Good luck!

Mexican Lasagna Recipe

I love me some Artsy Fartsy Mama!  Her blog is full of fun, easy recipes.  I have now made two recipes from her website, and we all loved both!  Today, I will highlight her Mexican Lasagna.  I have made several small changes to the recipe to suit our own tastes.  The recipe I include below is my version of her recipe.  Her original recipe can be found here.

Ingredients:

• 12 small corn tortillas
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 can diced tomatoes (I use Trader Joe's fire roasted diced tomatoes)
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 can black olives (buy sliced, or dice on low in the food processor)
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 jar enchilada sauce
• 1 can refried beans
• 1 packet Mexican-style shredded cheese
• sour cream (to taste)
• guacamole (to taste)
• salsa (to taste)

1. Brown the beef, drain, then return to pan with diced tomatoes and taco seasoning.  Let liquid mixture reduce while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
2. Prepare casserole dish with a thin layer of enchilada sauce, so the tortillas won't stick.
3. Layer the 6 tortillas over the sauce.
4. Add layer of refried beans. For me, this involves spooning out many small spoonfuls across the layer of tortillas.
5. Add half the olives.
6. Add half the corn.
7. Add half the beef mixture.
8. Add half the cheese
9. Pour on a thin layer of enchilada sauce, adding more at the edges where the tortillas might be bare.
10. Repeat steps 3-9 for the second layer of lasagna.
11. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Have salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole on hand as toppings.

Wow, is this a yummy meal!  Super easy and fast. 

Fun Afternoon at Smith Play Place

We were looking for something fun to do nearby, and we came across the website for Smith Play Place. Wow! What a special place! The building itself is a huge old home, built in 1899 specifically as a play house for children.  It features three floors full of toys, giant trains, tricycles, and climbing equipment. And that's just the indoor area.

The outdoor playground is huge (advertised as the size of six football fields), and is designed for the youngest toddlers through to the older years. We stayed mainly in the "tot lot" and Luke sure did have fun climbing and running around. Since the whole play yard is carpeted in rubber mats, I could sit my big-old-pregnant-self down while Luke ran around, and I didn't have to worry at all.

While we did not visit it, as I was on my own with Luke, they also have a giant enclosed 40-foot slide! Luke would have loved this, but I could not let him go alone, and slides during the third trimester seem like a bad idea.  We will visit the slide sometime soon, though, and I am sure all will have a wonderful time.

Today was a special day at Smith because last night, 14 butterflies emerged from their cocoons in their netted cage. Luke saw the butterflies up close and personal, and we had just read The Very Hungry Caterpillar this morning before our trip! How fun!

With all these amazing things for kids to do, it is even more amazing that admission to Smith is FREE! There is a suggested $5 donation per family.  Even that is incredibly cheap considering the fun that awaits children at Smith.

For families living in the Philadelphia area, Smith is a must-visit spot for children. Pack a picnic and enjoy the sun and fun. What a great day we had at Smith Play Place!

*All images obtained from Smith's facebook page*

"Mawh, peeese!"

This is baby-talk for "more, please!"  Within 24 hours of learning the sign for please, Luke began to say it as well.  It's super cute to see and hear him ask for more food, playing, tickles, or anything at all, especially when he does so with such nice manners!  Not bad for 16 months.  I'm impressed.

For anyone thinking about using baby sign language, I would highly recommend it.  It's a lot of payoff, for not a lot of work.  I learned about 20 or 30 signs myself, and began integrating them as they seemed to fit into our lives.  So easy, really!

First ever photo of the cousins!

Yep, that's it!  Technically, the two people you see are sisters, but the bumps they are sporting are most definitely cousins!  One is a little older than the other, by just a couple months, but by the time we are back at the beach and pool next summer, they'll be playing together in the water and sand, and we will have lots of photos of them together.  This is just the first of many....

Linked up at Paisley Passions!

I just shared one of our recipes over at Paisley Passions! Look for my Sausage & Leek Hash recipe on the "Fun with Food Friday" Linky Party. And don't forget to visit some of the other great recipes posted there!

If you missed my recipe when I first posted it, you can find it here, or click on recipes at the top of the page to find a (small) list of my favorite recipes. I will be adding more as time goes on.

~Nancy

My first thank you

The other morning, Luke sat in his high chair waiting for breakfast.  As usual, I began by filling his cup with water.  When I gave it to him, he said, "thank you!" It was the first time he said it without prompting or simply repeating it.  I was so excited to hear my little guy using manners already!  So now we are working on please, both the word and the sign.  I didn't feel like I taught him to say thank you, but I guess it all goes in.  It's probably just repetition and imitation, and now I am so glad I use manners myself!

Mother and Daughter Reunited!

Habiba and Alma have been officially reunited!  This is great news, although I am not sure if some permanent damage has already been done.  When I think of the more than three weeks they were apart, it makes me want to cry for them.  I just imagine my Luke being away from me for that long, and I simply can't even fathom how hard it must have been for them.

At least there is some happiness for them today!  Best wishes to the pair as they go on with their lives together!