I love trying new recipes, but hadn’t done so in a long time. Two babies back to back (or other life changing events) will do that to you.
Now when I try something new, I have to pick things that I think (hope and pray) the kids will eat too. It’s a gamble. The food fickleness runs deep in my two year old.
I was so excited to try a new butternut squash and apple soup – I made a little center piece for the table. It was only up for about one hour. As soon as Max woke from his nap, I took it down. Otherwise I’d be chasing down those apples all over the house!
I snapped a pic of the pears I’d just bought too. The bright green contrast with the white bowl was just so pretty to me.
I love having raw, fresh fruit and vegetables piled up in my kitchen. And I love working with them – washing, peeling, chopping. I think it’s just the earthiness of it.
The Halloween fun started early around here. There are a few neighbors with kids Max’s age plus our hood has a great ‘trick or treat’ block within walking distance.
The area has so many trick or treaters that half the people set up a table in front of their house instead of opening their door every 5 seconds.
For the houses that did open their door, Sarah wanted to move in. She would attempt to walk in to every house we visited and would get upset when the trick or treat part was over and we had to move on. It was so adorable.
And Max had so much fun he didn’t want to take off his monkey costume at the end of the day. He wanted the fun (and the candy) to last forever.
Last year it didn’t happen. But this year we did it. We got out to a pumpkin patch!
We went to a new one – Mr. Bones – right here in center of Los Angeles. And we went during the week so it wasn’t busy and the kids could run and run and run… and they did! I think Max ran the whole time we were there! They had so much fun! And I had so much fun watching them have so much fun ;-)
Los Angeles is such a big city sprawled out for miles, it seems impossible to get around without a car, so I dearly love that I have a few places I can walk to for running errands. No pun intended.
My groomer for the dogs is walking distance. It’s an adorable little place down the way. I just load up the kids in the stroller, leash up Pixie and Stella and take them in for a good scrub down and some pampering.
The Pediatrician’s office is also walking distance. They probably wonder why I always show up in my work out clothes and all sweaty – ha! I make all the routine appointments early in the morning and we trek our way there via foot and stroller – making it part of a morning work out.
Max’s haircuts are a short walking distance away too. It’s a cute little Barber Shop that is still old school in style and service.
It gives living in Los Angeles a tiny bit of small-town feel.
A sense of humor is a must when you have kids. Even if you don’t have kids – you need a sense of humor (and the ability to laugh at yourself) for dealing with life!
I was on the Huffington Post when I came across this story and video. Easing the tension that his six year old daughter’s temper tantrum (Oh no I thought tantrum’s were done by age three!) was creating in the house (because they told her she couldn’t have McDonald’s for dinner) this Dad improvised a little lip sync to lighten the mood. And Mom recorded it.
If you look up information on how to deal with tantrum’s – it’s best to ignore or distract them, but be there for them emotionally when they are done. This Dad was lightening the mood for the rest of the family since it had been going on for an hour.
I’ve tried mimicking Max during a couple of his tantrum’s (when they are just starting) and it makes him laugh! He thinks it’s funny if I repeat what he says and does and it breaks the tantrum. He starts to giggle and let’s me hold him and tickle him until he’s laughing so hard he forgets what he was upset about.
I think I read somewhere this Mom and Dad have 5 or 6 kids? If so, they’ve definitely “been there” before. Love it:
