pear and gorgonzola salad

Being that I am no longer preggo

 I am returning to my former

 fishetarian ways.

 {a real term...um, even if Blogger doesn't think so!}

So...I'll be sharing more {red}meat-free recipes

on occasion.

This is a 

great. summer. salad.

Pear and Gorgonzola!

(Pretty sure I got this recipe from Self.com...except they used apples, not pears.)

You will need:
baby spring mix
can of sliced pears
crumbled gorgonzola cheese
1/4 cup crushed walnuts
1/2 cup sugar {this is to make the walnuts "candied" - heat sugar and walnuts in saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until coated. Transfer to a sheet of tinfoil to cool.}


Dressing *whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.
2 tb olive oil
2 tb white vinegar
2 tb raspberry vinaigrette

Toss salad ingredients with dressing and serve!

Tastes lovely with a glass of white wine on an evening in late summer. :)

Well, the babe is sleeping and Bachelor Pad is about to come on...

life is good.  

 It's the little things these days!

:)


For more lovely summer posts visit Sarah's lovely blog by clicking below:

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{good morning beautiful}

despite the lack of sleep, 

despite the lack of personal time,

despite the frequent spit-up down my shirt,

despite the eardrum-piercing screams,

despite the endless diaper changing,

moments like these 
make me forget it all
and only remember 

I love you.

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{note:  baby does not sleep in the bed with us...but every morning for an hour he and mama snuggle.  best hour of the day}

month one: {survival mode}

We survived a month as new parents!

Phew!

I'd like to say it has been a breeze...but no, it's been tough.  Here are a few of the many, many things that helped me through the first month:

swaddling blankets - A lot of double-swaddling goes on to get Baby Cormac to fall sleep!
comfy nursing chair - I spend a LOT of my time here either feeding, reading to baby, pumping...um, and blogging!
lots of healthy food that can be consumed/prepared quickly and with one hand - if I didn't have this I would never get a chance to eat!  
baby swing - complete lifesaver.  We have the Snuggabunny which was a gift from Hubby's parents.  I highly recommend!  Let me just say that nothing gives a new parent more satisfaction than when they lay their infant in that swing after spending what seems like hours rocking them to sleep and having them continue to sleep blissfully.  Hubby and I have done plenty of silent celebrations and high fives after these successes!  :)
Milacon {gas relief} drops - Cormac developed acid reflux after 2 weeks...causing him a lot of pain and plenty of screaming at mama and daddy! These drops, as well as doc-prescribed Zantac, are helping our little family get through this bump-in-the-road
Hubby - without him I would have surely gone insane.  Thank you for working all day for us and still coming home every night! :o)

Here are Mac's 1-month-old photos. 
 Because I am cheap...and LOVE taking pics... I took them myself. :o)  
Just don't grow up too fast, Mac!

One month stats:

Weight: 10.3 lbs {50th percentile}

Height: 22.5 cm {75th percentile}

Head: 15.5 cm (50th percentile}

Here he was:

and here he is:

L O V E, 

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mama confessions: tummy time

No, not baby's tummy time...

I am talking about the "new mama tummy" 

that is left over on my abdomen now that I have birthed my darling baby boy.

CONFESSION: It does not matter how skinny you were, or how many ab muscles were visible before you got pregnant.  You will have a "baby belly" for a while after you give birth.  How long it sticks around might differ for each woman...but we all have it initially.  {Or if you somehow escaped this, just don't tell me!}

I knew about the "new mama tummy" up front, yet it still shocked me post-delivery how pronounced my postpartum gut was.  Literally, I looked like I was still 20 weeks along. Yes, I burst into tears various times looking down at my new tummy during the first week after Baby Cormac was born.  Even though hubby swears he loves me more now than ever, the vain part of me misses the abs I did millions of crunches to achieve.  

This is NOT my tummy...but I liked mine!

Source: 24.media.tumblr.com via Jeanett on Pinterest

Though the belly has slowly been shrinking during the past three weeks, it is still there.  I am somewhat at peace with it now.  It is a gentle reminder of my wonderful pregnancy journey...the making of Mac.  It housed him and kept him safe.  It grew and grew as he did. But being honest...I'm not at peace with it enough to want it to stick around any longer than necessary.

I am SO excited to run again! 

Source: google.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I am counting down the days until I hopefully get the doc's okay to resume running.  It was so much a part of me, and then about 3 months into my pregnancy I knew I had to stop, as just did not feel right.  


I love to run not just for the physical benefits but for the spiritual and mental perks as well!  So, in less than 3 weeks I will run again {and do many crunches!} and hopefully my "tummy's" time will soon be up...so to speak.

Until the next pregnancy.  

Years from now.
 :o)
g

{london broil and apple salad}

Since giving birth I haven't been much of a cook.  

{pizza, again?  yes, please!}

Side note: HUGE thank you to those who brought us meals to eat in the first couple weeks with after Baby arrived.  You are angels, and it was all delicious!

But now that I am used to only getting 5 hours of sporadic sleep each night, I figure it is time to slowly resume my passions.  One passion is preparing dinner for our family.  But since every moment of my day I am ruled by the Cormac Clock, it still has to be simple!   

{I love simple}

Hubby has been begging for a salad, so here is one I kind of made up:  

spring mix of lettuces

apple chunks

candied walnuts

goat cheese {of course!}

white wine vinegarette 

{I whisk together equal parts Italian white wine vinegar, EVOO, and add random favorite spices, such as basil and thyme}

Because I am a total cheapskate deal-finder when it comes to buying groceries {I have a strict budget!} when I want to make steak I usually forego the expensive strips or filets, and go with a London broil.  I highly recommend this, as you can get some nice thick cuts, with minimal fatty parts and no bone, for around 10 bucks. {downside: meat is a lil tougher than the more expensive cuts.}   Broil it, or, grill it, as I did.  I was able to get four good sized, thick servings out of this cut for only $9.50!

Okay, didn't really use the blackberries for anything in the meal.  Just have to eat something while cooking!

Mmmm....carbs!

Heated this baguette in oven after basting with apricot butter:

Finally!  I can drink wine again! 

 This was a Layer Cake Malbec, Argentina 2007.  

'Twas a tad too spicy...so I won't recommend.

Dinner is served...

That was fun...and exhausting!

Had to stop twice while preparing to breastfeed!

Tonight will be 75 cent chicken pot pies.

I'm not even kidding.

What are you making for dinner tonight?

g

{no foot too small}

Source: dididaniphoto.blogspot.com via Kristin on Pinterest

**Happy Friday, friends!**

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our little cowboy

A few years ago, after I read the book All the Pretty Horses, 
I knew what I wanted to name our son, should we ever have one.

I love Cormac McCarthy's writing style.  Being a literature nerd I had always thought I would name my children after characters in novels I enjoyed, or authors that really spoke to me.


This novel does in so many ways.  It is a story about two men and a young boy escaping across Mexico on horseback.  I am moved by McCarthy's masculine, yet romantic, writing style.  I loved ATPH because of it's male bonding, adventure, heartache, and truth.  I am also a huge fan of westerns, both books and movies.  I love the raw grittiness, as well as the wide opens spaces they are set in.


While I doubt our little Cormac will actually grow up to be a cowboy, I do hope for him an adventurous spirit and honesty.  I hope he enjoys the outdoors.  I hope he falls in love and fights for that love if need be.

Though he might not grow up to be a cowboy...we did get him a horse.  

Well, a rocking horse.
{purchased from Pottery Barn Kids.. thanks Mr. & Mrs. Natarajan!!}

 ...and a cowboy hat.

What he does with them is completely up to him!

For now I get to take bazillions of pictures that I can 

torture him with later...like any good mother would. 

"A goodlookin horse is like a goodlookin woman, he said. They're always more trouble than what they're worth. What a man needs is just one that will get the job done."
{Cormac McCarthy}

"He said that those who have endured some misfortune will always be set apart but that it is just that misfortune which is their gift and which is their strength." 
{Cormac McCarthy}

"You have my whole heart.  You always did."

{Cormac McCarthy}
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