Kumquats and such

Somehow my husband has the energy to come home and get up early on the weekends to take care of Reagan, prep some delicious (read: tasty and very difficult) meal for dinner, and do a million jobs around the house.  We've been working on the yard for the last couple weeks and here's a few snapshots of his work: Filling in the bare spots in the backyard 28 bags of mulch, 2 bushes, and several daffodil bulbs planted Close up of one of the 2 bushes we planted yesterday New flowers in the flower bed (the one Brian Moore made!) And not that this has anything to do with how wonderful my husband is, but somehow my raspberry bush is confused (perhaps because it's October 31st and nearly 75 degrees?!)  There aren't many, but the ones that have popped up have been quite tasty. And since I've been neglecting my puppy adoration duties via the blog, here's a picture of the nut job chasing a football

This week has been a rough one, sleep-wise for Reagan.  Which in turn, makes it a rough one for me.  She's sleeping in 2-3 hour intervals (but sometimes wakes every 45 minutes) and compared to what I've heard from other mothers, Reagan "should" be able to sleep at least 6-7 hours a night by this point.  Today, I headed to the J'ville mall and picked up On Becoming Babywise , in an effort to develop some type of sleeping routine that works for both of us. Throughout all of this, my dear friend Lynsey has been my sounding board, a listening ear, and a truly great help.  I would probably have had a serious breakdown by now if it wasn't for her.  Not only does she have a sweet little boy to take care of, but she also takes hours out of her day to respond to my text messages and allow me to vent over the phone.  Additionally, Lynsey sends Reagan (or me) at least one card a week; when she's out running errands and sees something she knows I'd like, she sen...

Ok, first of all, the title probably gets you thinking that I'm about to divulge some dark secret that makes this blog worth reading...think again!  Secondly, I don't harbor that kind of Catholic school guilt, so don't be expecting any exciting reads coming up:) ...as an attendee of Catholic school from 3rd - 12th grades, I have first-hand knowledge of a wide range of school fundraising efforts.  In grade school and middle school, our "playground" was actually a parking lot and our basketball gym doubled as our cafeteria.  In high school, if you wanted to take Latin class (or a few others that escape me at this moment), you better walk yourself out to the trailers next to the school.  Let's just say, even though it was a private school, we weren't exactly rolling in the money.  Which brings me back to the title: when we were growing up, we sold everything you can imagine in that "Girl Scout door-to-door cookie selling" fashion.  You name it we s...

A couple years ago, when we lived in Washington, DC, we looked forward to "restaurant week" with an eagerness typically reserved for big vacation.  It's the one week (actually two - one fall, one spring if I remember correctly) a year that you can eat like the rich for a fraction of the normal price.  Big name restaurants offer a set menu with a couple options per course for right around $30.  You can't beat it. Well, Wilmington is celebrating their very own restaurant week right now.  We were looking forward to testing out one of the places on the list; however, this morning I said to Jason, "Hey, let's just make a great meal.  We don't need restaurant week!"  So we did just that. Our menu: Spicy greens with a mustard vinaigrette Black eyed peas with kale Braised short ribs Lemon layer cake Watercress with a homemade dressing (EVOO, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, minced shallots, salt & freshly ground pepper) Kale and black eyed ...

Yes, I know it's not quite Halloween yet, but we're already practicing:)

Someone discovered that those funny things on the ends of each arm belong to her today!  Yup...Reagan discovered her hands today.  In the last couple days, she's also started grabbing (rather than swatting) at her giraffe and monkey toys on her play mat.   On a separate note, Reagan has also learned how to actually spit (in cuter terms: to blow raspberries) and has been laughing hysterically every time she does it. It's kind of hilarious.   Here's a sample of what I see all day.

We had a quick trip up to Charlottesville this weekend to enjoy some tailgating, time with family and friends, and football.  On Friday evening, we drove to a hotel just west of Richmond (about an hour from Charlottesville).  We got up early, and hit the road to UVA by 7:45.  Grandma, Grandpa, Geoffrey & Kristin were already there waiting for us, so we headed to the alumni lot and got some great parking spots. When we got Reagan out of her car seat, she greeted the UVA clan in her UNC attire...which she had pooped on:( This picture was taken pre-poop.  So we changed her into a neutral color and she finally got to meet Kristin!   Reagan was also really excited to see her Uncle Geoffrey again. Once we were settled, Cody came by to see Reagan too. She got to hang out with Grandpa... and sing with Grandma! And they bought Reagan some great UVA gear at the book store.  And she got over her fear of Great Aunt Lori this weekend!  Hopefully I ...

versus We'll be at the game this weekend!  And yes, Reagan has her Carolina gear all packed and ready to go!

In high school, I ran cross country for a few years; in college, I ran as part of the ROTC program; and for 7 years, I ran because my job required it...but I never actually enjoyed it.  In August of last year, I decided that now that nothing "required" me to run, I might just start liking it, so I began training for a half marathon.  I was plugging through the training plan (taken from Runner's World) and mostly enjoying myself.  I even did a couple 8 mile runs and had fun!  Then, in November, I found out I was pregnant, and although I didn't stop running, I did stop any semblance of serious training. So throughout the first 6 months of my pregnancy, I was able to continue jogging/waddling and REALLY started to enjoy running.  I think it was the absence of pressure to meet any time/distance goals.  I was outside, getting fresh air, unconcerned about my route, and just going with the flow.  Now that's the way to run. As of a few weeks ago, my doctor...

My friend Laura recently established a  website  to sell her photography projects.  She takes gorgeous pictures of naturescapes and other objects.  As Christmas creeps upon us (as it always does), please keep her beautiful photos in mind as you struggle to find the perfect gifts for your loved ones.  Here are a few examples of her work: These would make a perfect gift for anyone who appreciates the beauty that surrounds us, and it would be one less thing you buy at one of those terrible big box (i.e. Walmart, Target, etc - yes, I love them too) stores.  Please take a second to check out the site!

Everyday, Jason wakes up at 5:20 and heads off to work.  So on Saturday morning, he slept in...until 6:45:(  I awoke to a cheerful husband heading off to Lowe's.  Shortly after, Reagan and I woke up to start our day.  Jason returned from Lowe's with soil, mulch, grass patch kits, and a Yoshino Cherry tree!  The plan was for us to put Reagan down and then plant her tree together.  Well, anyone who has had a baby, knows that plans never work out.  First of all, we forgot to get tree/shrub potting soil.  Secondly, once I returned with the soil, Miss Reagan woke up from her morning nap.  No worries, I toted her around while Jason dug the hole, leveled out the bottom with potting soil, planted the tree, and mulched the area.  Basically, I was the supervisor.  He did a great job, and now we have a beautiful tree (for our beautiful girl) in our front yard!

There are not many things happening in J'actionville, but we do get a stream of carnies who roll in to town once a year to officially kick off my favorite season with the Onslow County Fair.  I love fairs...almost as much as I love fall.  When I was little, it was because I liked to gamble my money away on ridiculous games and even more ridiculous prizes.  When I was a bit older, it was because I loved those rickety rides that terrified you not only by the spinning and dropping, but more so by the three-toothed, neck tattooed guy operating the machine.  Now, it is because I can't wait to get my hands on whatever disgustingly greasy food the fair is currently offering.  This year the offerings included: curly fries topped with cheese, chili, and bacon bits; cheese steak with peppers & onions; corn dog (my personal favorite); pizza; and of course, funnel cake!  The fair also offered items that we did not indulge in: deep fried ______ (fill in the blank w...