And we're done!

My 1001 days have ended. My little blog was neglected over the Holidays, so let me update a few goals!

16. Read 50 books (40/50) 
I read the "Wolves of Mercy Falls" trilogy over Christmas. These were really good! It is a young adult series, a love story about a boy & a girl, shape shifting wolves, really captivating! I would definitely read more books by this author. 

51. Steam clean the carpets - Complete
I snagged a basic steam cleaner off Craigslist for $15. It did a pretty good job and it was easier than I expected. I still would like to get our carpets professionally cleaned. A preschooler, 2 cats and a dog + extra kids/dogs visiting = a lot of wear on our rugs! 

52. Hang curtains in the living room & bedroom (Half complete) 

I hung up curtains in our living room. That was actually the first time I've ever had curtains:) I love them, it really adds an extra something to our space. We didn't find perfect curtains for our bedroom yet...but I'm looking. You can see a bit of my living room curtains behind my adorable boys ------> 

55. Assemble first aid kits to put into both cars - Complete
I didn't actually ASSEMBLE first aid kits, but I bought them at Target! I put them in each vehicle & thankfullly haven't needed them yet. I'm sure it will be useful for skinned knees at the park this summer! 

59. Pay off credit card debt - Complete
I'm calling this complete because we are in a debt consolidation program, and have been successful on it for 18 months. In summer 2014, we will be debt free except for student loans. Credit card bills were previously running our lives, and it has made a huge impact on our lives since consolidation. We are completely credit card free & I love it! 

76. Cook tacos for Glen 
This probably seems rather random to most people. Glen grew up eating Mexican food, which his mom cooked with her own unique twist. I rarely cook Mexican because it's constantly being compared. His mom makes really yummy tacos, frying each prestuffed corn tortilla individually. I made up a batch for dinner one night, and they were "just as good as moms..." but really better! :D 

So that is that. I'm going to post a separate update tallying my goals and my thoughts on this challenge! 

Swagger

Over the Holiday weekend, I finished reading "Swagger" by Lisa Bloom. This book was recommended to me, and I don't usually read much non-fiction but this one caught my interest. I had read "Cinderella Ate my Daughter" last fall & this seemed like a similar book.

I have to say, I loved it. A lot. Lisa Bloom pretty much tore into the American culture, aspects from education to parenting to music to prison. It was compelling, gripping & motivating. I actually stayed up late to finish it because I didn't want to put it down. That usually only happens with books like "Harry Potter." :D

After I finished the book I wanted to share it, make others understand. I'm pretty sure I annoyed my family with the facts & ideas shared in the book. I absolutely recommend this book, whether you are a parent, a teacher - just read it.

16. Read 50 books (37/50) 

Pixar "Up" Party

I've been meaning to post this, since..February! Haha. Caleb is now 3.5 so let's say this post is in honor of his half birthday:)


I wanted to do something fun & original for Caleb's 3rd birthday. It was his first official party so it was very special to me. Caleb had been obsessed with the movie Up, and I decided it would be a perfect theme. I hit up Google & Pinterest for inspiration, and the best party was created!

The movie Up is about Mr. Frederickson - who uses balloons to fly his home to Paradise Falls. I blew up balloons and used a needle/thread to string them together. I criss-crossed them across the ceiling


.

Disney has these AWESOME printables available on their site. I printed them out at Office Max, and enlisted the help of my husband to assemble them. They were A LOT of work! There is a lot of small cuts and folds, but the end result was so worth it! We put Russell and Mr. Frederickson on the table, and hung the house above.

I covered the coffee table with easel paper, put out some crayons & birthday stickers. This was a fun activity which stayed on my table for a few weeks!
 

We had the Up soundtrack playing on the TV, with a slideshow of a combination of Caleb's photos & shots from the movie. The cupcakes were my favorite part! I got the idea from Bakerella. I used colored toothpicks to hold the donut holes up. They were just so cute!

Party favors were Up Golden Books which I ordered from Amazon. I tied a balloon around each one. We also gave out Kool-aid playdoh kits (which were leftover from our Valentine's day party!). 








Here are just a few other shots of our party!

75. Host a theme party - Complete!! 

The Artist

"The Artist" is a film about a silent movie actor, George Valentin. The film shows how his life changes during the arrival of talking pictures. "The Artist" was released in 2011, and won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2012.

The movie is {almost entirely} a silent film. At first, I had my doubts to whether this movie would grab me. But it was mesmerizing. The music was fantastic, perfectly capturing each scene. The movie is classic, perfectly recreating the era of George Valentin. It was a simple, timeless story that was just wonderful. I was amazed at how much I connected with the characters, considering it was a silent movie.

This is a very different film, but I think its definitely worth watching! I watched it alone, and I hope Glen will watch it again with me:)

11. Watch 5 movies that have won “Best Picture” Academy Awards (3/5) 

Wine & Sushi

4. Visit a NC winery 
Yesterday was our 5th wedding anniversary. My mom has Caleb for the weekend, so we took the opportunity to visit Chatham Hill Winery in Morrisville. We did a tour of the winery & saw all the barrels of wine plus their fancy machines. It's actually a rather small place with only a handful of employees, but they produce a lot of wine. I learned that it takes about 3lbs of grapes to make 1 bottle of wine. We got to taste 8 of their wines. I bought a bottle of Peach wine, which is very sweet but it was something different I enjoyed. 

16. Read 50 books (36/50)
This morning I finished reading "The Girls." This was a fiction novel about conjoined twins, written entirely from their perspective. It was a fairly simple story, but the voices in the novel were fascinating, involved & well written. 

45. Update Caleb’s baby book 
Last week I took a few hours & finished updating Caleb's baby book. It had a lot of empty spaces, but most of the information was on his blog. I'm glad to say its finally done! I do have a few more pictures to put in from his 3rd birthday - but that's the easy part! 

31. Try sushi (again) 
For our anniversary dinner, we ordered take-out sushi from ShabaShabu in Raleigh. I've had sushi once before and wasn't a big fan. I definitely felt I had to give it another try. We ordered California roll, tuna roll, bagel roll & salmon roll. I tried all of them. The California roll was my favorite, but I still am not a sushi fan.  I ate a bit, then Glen finished my plate:) Oh well, at least I tried! 

Catching up!

I'm rather behind on posting on my blog. I'm running out of time to complete my goals! I've been rather busy enjoying my summer with my family. But this is what I've accomplished so far!

83. Do 20 art projects with Caleb. (20/20) 

• Last week Caleb & I painted with bubbles. I mixed together paint & bubble mixture in a cake pan. We used a straw to blow bubbles in it, then held our construction paper on top. The bubbles pop on the paper making an interesting effect. It was fun making the bubbles, but overall a disappointing project. Maybe my mixture wasn't strong enough - or our color wasn't bright enough. Worth revisiting in the future. 
• Earlier in the Spring, Caleb made robin foot art. He LOVES painting with his feet. This was one of the first projects that he really added his own embellishments. The pictures above show the robin Caleb did all by himself, and the one I put the touches on:) I love both of them! 

64. Buy a present for Glen just because 

• This summer Kangaroo Express (the local gas station/convenience store) is selling Roo Cups. The cups are $7 and you can refill them all summer long with slushies & soda for .25! I thought this would be a fun treat for Glen. I reserved the cup on their website, and hurried in to snag my cup. (Last summer they sold out in a flash!) Caleb & I made a trip to the bank to withdraw $10 in quarters. I surprised Glen with a roll of quarters & his very own Roo Cup. He has been enjoying stopping on his way home from work! Sometimes Caleb & I snag his cup and share a slushie too:) 

44. Rearrange and hang wall art/family pictures

I wrote this goal when we were living in Wilson. In our home there I had a big pile of frames that were "homeless" sitting behind our couch. Since moving to Raleigh, I've found homes on our walls for all of our art & photos. Our immediate family is featured in the living room, extended family along the hall and there is a mix of art/photos in our bedrooms. Recently I moved Caleb's toys into his bedroom - leaving a huge empty wall space in our living room. I moved some frames around & created an art line to display Caleb's crafts. I love it! The large family picture is from our Spring shoot with Melissa Berg Photography. I plan on updating at least 1 of the 2 frames on this wall with Caleb's 3 year pictures. I gotta get on that! 

30. Wear a dress/skirt everyday for a week 

• I adore wearing skirts in the summer. It is cool, light & makes me feel very feminine. I started out July wearing only skirts/dresses, and have not worn much else this month. I snagged some skirts at a great sale at Belk earlier this season - so I have a decent selection. 

16. Read 50 books (35/50) 

• Last month I read "The Girl who Played with Fire." It was an amazing read. I was amazed at the detail & complexity of the novel. I've started reading "The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" but have been lacking momentum on finishing it. 

98. Accomplish something noteworthy that wasn’t on my list 

I've been pondering on what I would do to consider this goal complete. I think this is a pretty good choice. Glen & I became foster dog parents last week! A friend of mine in GA had posted on her Facebook about a neglected pup who needed a foster home. Glen & I talked about it and decided to take on the task. Joey came to us after living in a small outdoor pen for years. He has never lived in a home, enjoyed belly rubs or taken a walk. He has been great with us so far - he's already house trained, and is learning basic commands. I'm excited to work with local rescues to find Joey's forever home. Joey does have heartworm, and may have some other health issues pop up. You can read more about his story & contribute to his health care here. 

What I've been Reading

Divergent & Insurgent
My friends have been raving about a series by Veronica Roth. I heard it compared to The Hunger Games, but to me they were extremely different. Divergent is about a dystopian society in which adults choose a faction to live in. Their faction is decides how they live, and is more important than their family. The heroine of the story is 16 year old Beatrice Prior, who discovers this is not such an easy decision and her society isn't as perfect as it seems.

There are two books out in this series, and a third is to be published in 2013. I finished both of the books in a few days, I couldn't put them down!

The Fault in Our Stars
This book came highly recommended from the Twitters. It is a young adult novel about 16 year old Hazel who is fighting a battle with cancer. This story dealt with a lot of deep topics, and the emotions of the characters were intense & interesting. It was a good read, but didn't 100% captivate me.



Next on my "to read" list is the Fifty Shades of Grey series. I have heard very, very mixed reviews on this series. I'm curious to see what all the fuss is about!

What are you reading lately?

16. Read 50 books (34/50)

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

16. Read 50 books (31/50)


I just finished reading The Invention of Hugo Cabret. I had seen the movie after the Academy Awards. The movie was captivating, and several of my friends mentioned reading the book. I borrowed it from the library and was not sure what to expect! The book is over 500 pages, a graphic novel and from the children's section. Hmmm. I finished it in a little over an hour and was left with a MEH feeling. I felt the novel was rushed, and didn't include a lot of details. The graphics inside are beautiful and extremely detailed, but they didn't capture me as strongly as words. Perhaps watching the movie first ruined it for me. The movie was amazing, lots of detail, again just captivating. 


I guess my final piece of advice is, see the movie. :D 

The Lightning Thief

16. Read 50 books (30/50)

I just finished reading "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan. It's part of a young adult series, Percy Jackson & The Olympians. This is the first book in the series. My husband, sister & oldest nephew have all read this book and raved about it! I had seen the movie, and was only slightly interested in the book. I decided to give it a whirl & it was a great book! I think the movie ruined it for me a little. The movie absolutely butchered the book (as usual), so I was expecting something different. Overall I really enjoyed the book and am excited to see how the series pans out. I think I will enjoy the next book much more going into it with zero expectations. 

Six Can Tortilla Chicken Soup

18. Try 25 new recipes(25/25) COMPLETE!!! 

This recipe was recommended to me by a friend. This recipe could not be ANY easier! It was so yummy! I did use canned chicken, but I imagine it would be much better with leftover chicken or a rotisserie from the store. I didn't make any changes to the recipe, but a lot of the reviews added cream of soup which sounds good too!

S'more Cookies

18. Try 25 new recipes (24/25) 
I tried this recipe & the result was fantastic!!! The cookies just look delicious, and taste even better. It was a pretty easy recipe. I would definitely make them again!

S'mores Cookies
Yields: approximately 2 dozen cookies
Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

11 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 ½ cups flour
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
3 regular sized Hershey’s bars, broken into pieces
1-2 packages graham crackers, broken into squares

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line baking pans with parchment paper.

Lay out graham crackers side by side on the pans as close as possible (they should be touching). If you want your cookies thicker you will use more dough and less graham crackers.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, sea salt and cinnamon to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter with white and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixer and combine on low speed.

Fold in the chocolate chips and marshmallows. Chill dough in refrigerator for 1 hour to overnight.

Place tablespoons of dough on graham crackers about 1 – 1 ½ inches apart. I averaged about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough per graham cracker square as seen in the picture above. Press down slightly with fingertips.

Bake for 5 minutes then remove from oven to press Hershey’s bar pieces on to the top. You can place as many pieces or as little as you want depending how much chocolate flavor you want.

Bake for 5 – 7 more minutes or until dough is beginning to turn golden brown at the edges. Remove to a wire rack to cool. For clean cutting make sure cookies are completely cool and cut with a sharp knife.

November Checks!

83. Do 20 art projects with Caleb. (9/20)

Caleb & I made a "Christmas Star" for the top of our tree. I cut a star out of foam, he painted it with glue & sprinkled glitter on top. It was super messy! He was REALLY excited about this project & I love seeing his mark on our tree!

11. Watch 5 movies that have won “Best Picture” Academy Awards (2/5)

Over Thanksgiving weekend, we watched "Driving Miss Daisy". Its one of my Dad's favorite movies & somehow I have never seen it. I really enjoyed it. I expected more of a playful drama, but it was a very moving film.

16. Read 50 books (29/50)

I just finished reading "Cinderella Ate My Daughter". I'm not sure what motivated me to read this book, I don't often read non-fiction. It was a very easy read, and a fascinating subject. Obviously this book is targeted towards parents of girls, but I took away a lot of information about how marketing affects our children.

39. Don’t spend any money at BRU

I'm calling this completed for October! I spend quite a few of our dollars at Babies R Us. Its easy to spend money there...I'm always there! I tend to pick up something on clearance, or a new toy or something random for Caleb. (or a soda for myself!) In October I didn't buy a single thing! Go me!

18. Try 25 new recipes(23/25)

I made a Nutella cream pie for Thanksgiving! It was yummy! I don't think I've ever made a cream pie before, and it was rather easy. I'll be making this again for Glen.

Tonight I tried my hand at fried chicken! I used Pioneer Woman's recipe. It came out satisfactory, but I'll definitely be trying this again to perfect my technique.

Mmmm pizza. And spiders. But not together.

21. Enjoy a Mom’s Night Out 4 times (4/4) COMPLETED!

Last month I went out with some of my friends to the new Mellow Mushroom in Cary. It was a delicious meal, and with the exception of some less than awesome service, we had a great time. I love going out with the girls and being able to chat & relax.

43. No texting while driving

I know, I know. Texting while driving is REALLY bad. This month I made it my goal to not read, or send, text messages while driving. It was not that hard, a lot of the messages I send/receive while out are not necessary. I utilized red lights and staying in the parking lot a few extra minutes to get out my messages! This is a habit I plan on maintaining:)

60. Mail out 10 thank you notes (4/10)

I sent out 2 thank you notes for birthday gifts I received. :)

61. Have ten date nights (8/10)

My parents watched Caleb for the evening, while Glen & I ventured out to the NC State Fair. We ate lots of yummy food and enjoyed walking around without a crazy toddler!

Last month we grabbed a pizza, and headed to the park for a picnic. We finished up our evening with some yummy yogurt from The Skinny Dip. It was such a relaxing, chill date!

71. Meet an online friend in real life

My best mommy friends live in my computer. For real. Most of my current friends are those I met online, and they are the most amazing group of women! I have many "crazy internet friends" that I hope to meet someday. Last week we were able to meet one of my friends at the park, along with her two beautiful girls! It's so much fun to put a face to the name I've known for so long.

83. Do 20 art projects with Caleb. (8/20)

Today Caleb & I made a scary spider!! I got the idea from Pinterest. Here is our finished product! I tried to get a photo WITH Caleb but someone was not being agreeable, and it wasn't the spider:)

100. Buy something from Etsy

I ordered a Christmas present off Etsy from this shop, Crochet Hatsy. I can't go into any more detail because its a SURPRISE!! :)

18. Try 25 new recipes(20/25)

I had some Italian Sausage ready to be cooked the other day, and was not in the mood for our usual meal of pasta & sauce. After hitting Google, I made up an Italian stir-fry. It was super easy & a nice change! I added in shredded carrots, and used a can of diced tomatoes instead of fresh.

69. Babysit Autumn so Nancy can have a date night (complete)

My BFF was celebrating her 3rd anniversary this week. Glen & I watched Autumn for a few hours so they could go out and eat some yummy sushi. Three years ago, I was pregnant with Caleb & Autumn was not even a thought yet. We both now realize that a date night is super important. Bring Autumn over anytime - we love her:)

Wake me up when September ends

...for some reason that song is in my head...

Anyway.

1. Visit 4 points of interest in the Wilson area (3/4)

Since we don't live in the Wilson area anymore, this is a little bit harder to complete. Last week we visited the Neuseway Nature Park in Kinston. This place was AWESOME! There was a Nature Center which had animals to view, a touch tank and an underground cave with more animals. We saw a parrot who sings HAPPY BIRTHDAY, a cute little fox and a huge snapping turtle! The next stop was the Health & Science museum. They had a huge replica of a stomach that the kids could climb in, and a tunnel heart. I went into the tunnel and it was scary! Not repeating that experience:) We finished our day playing on the huge, totally awesome playground (in the rain). The Park also has a small campground I would love to stay at someday.

16. Read 50 books (28/50)

I read "The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to your Spouse." It was a really easy read, and I couldn't believe how spot on the concepts were. I think Glen's love language is physical touch, and mine is acts of service. I 100% recommend this book to any couple! Gary Chapman also wrote a love language book for kids, I plan on reading that soon!

18. Try 25 new recipes (20/25)

I made these Cookies & Cream Bars a few weeks ago. Super easy & yummy! I smashed my oreos with a can, I think I'll use a food processor next time for a smoother look.

I saw this recipe for Pepperoni Pizza Puffs the other night, and immediately went to the kitchen to whip up a batch. They are really quick to make and an easy snack/lunch. I think they were too salty, I'll probably play with the seasoning next time I make them.

95. Write to 25 companies & request coupons (10/25)

I emailed 3 companies & requested coupons. I received 2 "no" responses already, but maybe the 3rd will send me some goodies!

Where did August go?

I'm not sure where the month of August went, it flew by in a flash! I feel like I didn't accomplish much on my list this month, and what I have done is floating around in my head, not in a post like it should be. Let's see if I can remember everything!


8. Visit the zoo 3 times (2/3)

My sister & I took all 5 kids to the zoo this week. It was an ideal time for the zoo. It wasn't too hot, and most kiddos were in school. It was a really quiet day, no school trips were terrorizing us! We had a great day! All the kids learned something, and I did too! I learned -

1. Ostriches knees are "backwards." (That is, in comparison to other animals. I'm sure an ostrich thinks his knees are just fine.
2. Turtles have a backbone that attaches to their shell. Their shell is actually a bone, and grows with their body. (I knew it grew with them, but I would have not thought of it as a bone.)
3. A male gorilla is approximately 6' tall, weighing 350lbs. This is the same size as my brother in law. Coincidental? I think not. (sorry beth :) )

I also feel that I should mention, I find zoos rather depressing. I love the chance to see and learn about all the animals, but I hate seeing the animals penned up in such un-natural places. For instance, an eagle we saw in a 20 square foot cage flies up to 200 miles a day in the wild. Maybe he likes being lazy and being fed, but I really bet he wishes he could spread his wings and get out a little. Anyway.....

16. Read 50 books (27/50)

I finished the final 2 books in the Hunger Games Series. I really enjoyed the series, but the final book was way political for me. I feel like it lost some of what I loved most about the first 2 books. I would definitely recommend this series!

23. Try 2 new foods from different cultures (2/2)

Glen & I went out for Afghan food for our anniversary! We visited the Unaabi Grill in Cary and had a really great experience. We started with a sampler platter of turnovers, which were all very tasty. Some of the fillings included green onion, pumpkin, potatoes and spiced meat. We liked ALL of them. My meal was seasoned chicken with a red sauce, served with rice. I ate every last drop and it was very, very, very good! Glen had a unique meal of dumplings served with a mint yogurt sauce. It was 100% unique and he really enjoyed it. I'm glad we stepped out of our box and tried something new!

50. Print & hang our wedding pictures

Boo-yah! Finally done! We're been married for a mere 4 years, so I decided its time to print a wedding photo :) I took advantage of a few free photo deals from Walgreens for my prints, and got BOGO free frames from Michael's. I love getting some good deals! I hung a collage of our wedding in the hallway, and an 8x10 in our bedroom. I am super excited to see these pictures up, I love remembering all the details of our wedding day!

84. Take him to a park 50 times (50/50)
Done, done and done! We went to the park a bunch of times this month. We've been to the Airport park for a picnic with friends, the park with Caleb's cousins, a playdate at the lake park and a morning park trip with Daddy!

I think that's it for now! Have a fun Labor Day weekend!!!

Food, books, and more food!

16. Read 50 books (25/50)
I have been getting major use out of my library card lately. I LOVE the library:) Here's what I have been reading!

The Hunger Games - loved it! Even though it is "young adult" the storyline as awesome. I have the 2nd book in the series waiting to be read!
The Help - Hard to put down. The writing style was fascinating, varied and really touched your heart.
Still Alice - Heart wrenching. I loved the perspective that this book was written in.
Groundswell - A perfect beach read! It was a fun chick book :)



23. Try 2 new foods from different cultures (1/2)
Beth took me to "Old Siam" last week. It's a Thai restaurant. The menu was rather intimidating, there was nothing familiar! I ordered the Panang Curry Chicken dish and it was SOOO good! It was made with coconut milk, served with veggies and jasmine rice. I nearly cleaned my plate before my tummy was too full. I always thought all curry dishes would be really spicy, but this had a great balanced flavor.

18. Try 25 new recipes (18/25)
I tried this muffin recipe using some yummy fresh blueberries. The streusel was the best part, but the muffins were pretty good overall.


While visiting my sister last week, she made a yummy dinner, Thai Peanut Pork. I couldn't wait to try it at home! The original recipe is linked, my changes are below. It is super easy and has such great flavor! (and tasted absolutely nothing like a real Thai dish)

Thai Peanut Pork (by Becky)

1 lb boneless pork chops
1 pkg frozen stir fry veggies
1/2 bottle Garlic Marinade (I used the Kroger brand)
3 tbs Peanut Butter

Cut pork chops into small slices. In a medium size bowl, mix marinade & peanut butter. Add pork, and marinade for a few hours.

Heat large skillet on medium high heat, add pork (with marinade) and cook until done. If desired, add in extra marinade & peanut butter. Mix in stir-fry veggies and cook until heated through.

Serve over rice.

Midway through July!

Time is just marching on this summer! We've been making the most of the hot days, still getting out and having some fun! It feels good to check some things off my list.

16. Read 50 books (21/50)
I read 2 books in the "Thirst" series. They were alright. It is a young adult vampire series and at first I found it fascinating. The story got old fast. The first book ended on a cliffhanger, which is the main reason I read the second. My end review - remarkably unremarkable. :)

I read "Girl in Translation" during nap time yesterday. I couldn't put it down. It's about a young girl who immigrated to America from Hong Kong. The book was very well written and I really liked how the story unfolded from her perspective.

18. Try 25 new recipes (16/25)
I finally chose an enchilada recipe to make. It was really good. I plan to try it again using red sauce, I used green. I also want to add beans. Glen liked it but was not super impressed. He prefers his Mama's enchiladas. I'll beat them soon.....haha!

I also tried roasting some fresh summer squash we were given. It was a pretty presentation and I loved the flavor!

54. Organize my recipes into a recipe box
I'm obsessed with Google Reader and Pinterest. These obsessions have led me to "starring" or "pinning" recipe ideas. I have dozens of them. When I'm ready to try one out, I print them and the recipe ends up in a vertical letter tray. This letter tray tends to have a stack of printed recipes, and it just looks messy. I finally went through the stack, threw out the undesired recipes and wrote the rest onto index cards. I was surprised how many recipes are now in my box!

83. Do 20 art projects with Caleb. (5/20)
Last week we met our friends at Klaystation for some pottery painting. Caleb painted a trivet for his grandma. I think it turned out pretty cute.

We also practiced gluing with foam shapes. This was our first time using a glue stick and Caleb thought it was pretty cool!

84. Take him to a park 50 times (48/50)
So close to complete! We visited Laurel Hills park over the weekend. We enjoyed swinging on the swings, then took a walk to the little pond. Caleb got to see dragonflies, frogs, fish and turtles. It was a lot of fun.

Yesterday, Caleb & I stopped at Kiwanis Park. The park itself was super
small, but there was a fun surprise there! The fire department was doing a demonstration for a group of school kids. It was awesome! We got to see the ladder truck in action, a firefighter rode the ladder as it went up 100 feet in the air. Really cool!

This morning Caleb & I met our playgroup at the Wake Landfill Park. It was a really hot morning but it was fun to get out!





Also...if you look at my traffic feed on the left - notice I have a regular reader from Russia! Hello! Leave a comment and say hi! :)

18. Try 25 new recipes (14/25)

Stuffed Tomatoes
My garden is giving us lots of fresh tomatoes this year. I wanted to use a few up for a side dish but was lacking inspiration. This recipe was a good side with grilled chicken & potatoes. I omitted the bacon (only because we were out), I think that would have made them have a fuller flavor. Glen thought they were spicy - that's because I added lots of black pepper:)



Bubble Up Enchiladas
This recipe fell flat, but probably because I didn't use the right ingredients! I didn't have enchilada sauce so I used taco sauce/salsa. It was too spicy but I definitely think this dish has potential. I will be trying it again because it's a really quick meal!

Check, check & check!

Over Father's Day weekend we took a trip up to New Jersey! It's been nearly FOUR years since we've visited and it was far too long. While there I got to see ALL my family! It was really fun to see everyone and meet my newest baby cousins.

While we were in South Jersey we visited the Cape May County Zoo. It was an interesting experience, it was a steady rain shower most of the time we were there. But it was a free zoo so we made the most of it! Caleb liked seeing the animals, the giraffe were his favorites!

I also had the chance to catch up with my best friend from high school. We met at a playground and chatted while Caleb played. I had not talked to Sarah since Caleb was born so it was really fun!

On the way home, we listened to the audio book of "How to Train your Dragon." It was an entirely different story than the movie and it was really good! Since we've been back, I finished 2 other books.
- "Dexter is Delicious." (meh, not bad for a series, but I'm not so interested in anymore Dexter.)
- "Room" (Loved it. Such a fascinating story from a child's perspective. I highly recommend it.)

6. Visit our family in New Jersey - COMPLETE
8. Visit the zoo 3 times. (1/3)
16. Read 50 books (18/50)
74. Get in touch with an old friend - COMPLETE