Annnd I'm Back!

So last time we chatted, it was 11 days ago.  11!  Unacceptable.  Yes, we've been busy.  but no, we haven't been that busy! We've made a ton of progress.  I already mentioned that we've done some painting, but I didn't get a chance to show you before and afters.  So that's why I'm here!  I painted our small upstairs bathroom yesterday, too.  Really I'd just been itching to do it.  We bought a small, $2.00 can of paint - it wasn't the color I originally had chosen, but it was a nice shade of grey, and for $2.00.  Is it even possible to beat that?  I'll help. It's not.  Anyways, I'll get to it!

It seems like so few pictures for the amount of work it was.  Thanks again to mom and dad for helping us with this fun little project! I think "the guy who comes with Nana" had a blast sword fighting with the little one...

BMan loves giving Daddy high fives!

Don't mind the clean and unfolded laundry in the background (that's pretty much standard 'round these parts!) but I mean check out the wild hair on this crazy little man!

It's Thursday?

It's been a busy week!  We bought all of our paint last weekend (get ready for some before and afters coming up in the next week!) and this entire week has been a blur.  We've been so busy but one of our big successes has been eating a Paleo-inspired diet AND working out.  Big changes for this household.  We had been eating "better" for a while, but this past week, we've eaten eggs, protein and more fruits and veggies in this past week than we have in the past month.  Our counter and fridge drawers now are full of color and all kinds of healthy things:

I tried to work out every week day this past week, but I did miss one day.  We're both feeling great and I know I have much more energy.  Which may also be related to....Mr. B-Man moving downstairs to his own room and getting even closer to sleeping through the night.  Last night we only had two wake ups, they were both for about 5 minutes and B-Man ate 8 ounces throughout the night.  We're getting closer!

The playing at daycare and swinging in circles on the floor with Daddy probably also helps tire the little guy out!  

Have you ever seen a cute smile?! How about a giggle?

Just Another Saturday

Seems like B and I have a Saturday morning routine.  He usually sleeps until about 6:30, and then we usually let Daddy sleep until about 7:30.  In that hour...we laugh, we play...and most importantly?  We eat!  This morning I couldn't help but take a whole bunch of quick shots of little BMan sitting in his high chair, covered in food...wild hair...and the sun rising over the trees behind him.

And that last one there...is attractive, my dear.  Then Daddy woke up, and as I write this he's making a big breakfast of eggs, onion and bacon.  Mix it all together and what do you get?  Probably one of the most delicious omelettes you could ask for.  

So, a few weeks back I had said that it was time.  And I'm happy to report I'm doing better.  We've been eating better, moving a little bit more.  And I've lost 4 pounds.  So not great, but it's a start.  Next week, Eric and I are going to try out a Paleo-inspired diet.  We're trying to cut out a lot of carbs and sugar that we both know we eat too much of on a daily basis.  It will be interesting for sure, but I'm hopeful that I'll have lots of recipes to share.  We are so inspired to get moving on this new eating habit that we even went shopping last night.  No, not shopping shopping.  Grocery shopping.  That's right, at 7 o'clock last night we headed out to Stop and Shop (and were pleasantly surprised at how much food we got and for how little!).  I've typically avoided Stop and Shop because I have this perception that it's too expensive.  Well, it wasn't yesterday!  We got lots of meat, fruits and veggies for the week and only spent about $50.  So we're excited around these parts.  And as I turn my head, I see a hubby making breakfast with two mixing bowls and a sock on his head.  I wish I had a picture for you all, but let's just say the things we do to keep little ones happy, away from momma so she can blog and amused are always entertaining round these parts.  

And with that, we say have a fabulous weekend, friends!

Chicken Taco Chili for One

One of my co-workers sent me a recipe for taco soup (thanks, Liz!).  I figured this past weekend was the perfect time to make it...I don't think Eric like anything in this recipe other than chicken...and onion, but certainly not on its own.  What better time to make myself a nice warm meal that I knew Eric would have no interest in? I started out planning to make taco soup for my lunch on Sunday...so even though these are the ingredients I started with...

I didn't end up using all of them.  First off, the recipe called for ground turkey, but I knew I wanted to use up some of the left over chicken that I had.  I had 1.5 breasts of chicken that were pre-cooked and seasoned with Adobo seasoning.  Also, the recipe called for kidney beans, and I didn't have any on hand so I planned to use chick peas instead.  I didn't end up using the chicken broth or chick peas for this recipe.  I ended up making more of a chile than a soup...but it was delicious none-the-less!  My full list of ingredients ended up being:

• 1/2 of an orange pepper
• about 1/8 of a (large) red onion
• one can of corn (strained) 
• one can of stewed tomatoes
• about 3/4 of a packet of Ortega taco seasoning

Oh and did I mention I had a little helper with me?  He helped me by having apples and goldfish in his high chair.

My chicken was already cooked, so I tossed it into a pot on medium-low heat and put some of the juice from the stewed tomatoes in there, as well.  While that was heating up, I moved over to my veggies.

 This is really as much onion as I used...sliced and then chopped it up, and did the same with my orange pepper.

 Once I had the fresh veggies chopped, I dumped the rest of the can of stewed tomatoes in wiht my chicken, added the orange peppers and onion combo, and drained the can of corn and added that in, as well.

 I turned the heat up to medium-high for a few minutes, just enough to let it start to boil.  Then I actually turned it down and simmered for about 15 minutes and then put some right into a bowl for me.  It was absolutely delicious! I put the rest into a container and even ended up eating it for lunch yesterday...perfect!

I'm not sure what this face was about...but it seems like the perfect way to end this little recipe!

What a weekend

My oh my!  Where to even start.  Eric had to work this weekend so it was just me and the B-Man all weekend.  Luckily, B took some great naps, especially on Saturday...so I was able to clean out our garage!  Is it weird that I'm excited about that? No? Good.  Because I am.  I cleaned more than I've cleaned in a looonnnggg time this weekend! We still have a ton of stuff in the garage...but, now we could fit both cars into the garage if we wanted to!  I also vacuumed the entire house, did approximately 17 loads of laundry and folded about 15 of those.  We had half of our things in a storage unit, and a couple of months ago, we found rat droppings...so we knew there were rats in storage, so I washed every piece of clothing and every single bag that I possibly could this weekend.  I found 5 pillows, Brady's baby monitors (hello baby sleeping in his new room...next weekend!) AND I even found the nuts and bolts so that we can actually assemble the frame, etc of our bed.  Yep, we've got our bed on a boxspring on the floor right now.  BUT...let me tell you, Sunday afternoon...I texted Eric.  And all I had to say was that it finally feels like home.  Light a fall scented Yankee Candle...in a newly cleaned house...that's finally organized...where my baby boy is running around like a a little man...and it'll start to feel like home.

Can anyone else see that crazy curl on the right side of B's head?

I mean...if you can walk around like a crazy pants almost naked in your new home...I think you're settling in :)

In other news, even though we're settling in, B-Man has been having a bit of separation anxiety.  I won't even go over what happened at daycare last week...but when Eric left for work this morning, and B-Man and I were still at home...we had a full on melt down.  I'm talking flailing on the ground, shrieking, kicking, blue in the face...oh yes, I do not kid.  All because Daddy had the nerve to go to work.  Pff.  And the only way to calm my precious angel baby down?  Allow me to show you...

That's right.  Empty every last sandwich bag from the box.  No interest in eating them, walking on them...nope.  Just interested in pulling them out.  So what did this momma do next?  I shoved them all back in the box.  And he was at it again.  I'm tellin ya...who needs toys of any kind when you have your own yardstick, full access to mixing bowls and sandwich baggies?  Not this little man!