First Day of SCHOOL

I never thought the day would come that I would be able to let go of my "baby", Ben - but here we are.  He is 3.25 years old, growing up so fast, and almost suddenly, requiring a little bit of structure and "real-life" experience that I am not able to provide for him at home.

With Callie's youngest heading off to Kindergarten in the Fall, combined with the fact that working from home is becoming a bit of a struggle, we decided to begin our search for a preschool for Ben to start attending a few days a week.  And we found the PERFECT place.

While his "official" start day isn't until February, the school encouraged us to come in for a few practice days to help ease the transition.  Yesterday was the big day!  

Ben only spent the morning there, (I picked him up before lunch), but in his first few hours he got to:

• Meet the school bunny, Superman
• Play outside
• Meet new friends in the room
• Use the potty (5 times, apparently - I think he uses it as an excuse to wash his hands, but I'll take it!)
• Participate in circle time - which I'm told he sat for the entire time (shocking!)
• Dump out every bin containing every toy in the class room all at once (not shocking)
• Learn about cleaning up toys before taking out new toys

I heard that he had a bit of a tough time after I left (tears, and "I want Mama"), but he adjusted quickly.  I know it will just get easier for him.

And his account of the day - "School is awesome!" 

NYE 2014/2015

10 years ago, on NYE 2004, Greg and I were newly dating.  I cannot exactly remember where I was that evening - I think I might have been out with my friend Robin and her (boyfriend at the time, now husband) Garrett somewhere in Fremont - but I'm not 100% sure.  I do know, however, that Greg was working that night at Canyons and my plan was to meet up with him at some point.  I don't even recall if we were together at midnight that evening, but details I DO remember, vividly, were these: 

Meeting him at the Zen cafe in Mountlake Terrace, him being excited to see me and introduce me to some of his friends I hadn't yet met (as his GIRLFRIEND!  OMG!), and him leaning in to whisper in my ear, 

"I have a feeling that 2005 is going to be a REALLY good year".

(Swoon. And it was).

We have had some epic NYE celebrations since then, (with one particularly hilarious/ridiculous evening at Dan and Jeannette's cabin near Snoqualmie Pass back in 2005 or 2006 - Rachel joined us that year.  She has lots of fun stories.  Ask her).  For the following 4 years (at least) we spent the night at Dan and Jeannette's house in Lynnwood, including one hilarious evening when they both passed the F out on the couch while Greg and "helped" with a 6 month old Laryd when he woke up in the middle of the night.  We gave him a bottle, thinking we were being amazing and helpful, but the bottle we gave him had been sitting out on the counter from his last feeding and it was likely spoiled.  Oops?

Ever since Ben was born, we have spent the evening alone at home and asleep well before midnight, but THIS YEAR WE MADE IT!  Amazingly!

Kristin and Craig came over (bringing a delicious salad, a super nice bottle of wine, and pop-its for Ben)!  We ate, drank, nearly completed a puzzle, and played games!  We had such a fun time and I cannot remember a time when I laughed that hard!  Both Greg and I had sore throats from laughing the following day.

It was a great time - and a great start to 2015.  I have a feeling it's going to be another great year.

Meal planning: Week of January 5th

Review from last week:

The chili we had always makes so much, so we had it for 2 nights and then again as nachos for lunch.  Also not pictured, I made the creamy lentil soup as planned and had it with another butter lettuce salad (recipe from last week).

Our NYE dinner was delicious and very rich - these creamy rosemary potatoes had 8 oz of cream cheese, some butter AND half and half.  They were almost too rich!  Almost.

I went off-plan and made Boursin and bacon stuffed chicken breasts.  Such a nice looking meal :)

On Saturday, Greg and I went to our 4th Ethan Stowell restaurant: Rione XIII.  As expected, it was perfect:

Lamb Pappardelle
Fried Artichoke with Aioli
Fried Risotto Balls with mozzarella and tomato sauce
Fennel Sausage pizza
Chocolate cake with salted caramel drizzle and ice cream 

Sunday was a productive day!  In the morning, Greg and I took Ben to the Children's Museum (renewed our membership).  When we returned, Ben napped and Greg watched football while I:

• Reorganized my kitchen storage - I finally pulled all of my smaller appliances down from the cabinet they had been stuffed into and put them in an easy-access drawer.

• I had 3 bananas that were overripe, so I made banana chocolate walnut bread.

• My friend Charisse had sent me a recipe for sausage potato corn chowder that I HAD to try, so I made that for lunch.  It was perfect.

Plan for next week:

Monday: Leftover soup

Tuesday: Blue Apron Meal: Beef Bolognese with Fresh Pappardelle Pasta & Brussels Sprouts

Wednesday: Blue Apron Meal: Pulled Chicken Tacos with Jicama & Avocado Salad

Thursday: Blue Apron Meal: Thai Shrimp Soup with Coconut, Lemongrass & Red Curry

Friday: Pan-seared Chicken with leftover broccoli casserole and potatoes that I froze from Christmas :)

Saturday: Saturday is MONSTER JAM, which is likely to be a long and exhausting day, so we will either have take out or, if Greg is up for it, fish and chips!

Sunday: Fish and chips (if not made Saturday) or Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash 

2014

As far as I'm concerned, 2014 has been another amazing year.  Life is full of ups and downs, but I really prefer to focus on the GOOD.

2014 was the year that:

• Ben started talking.....a LOT...and it's been amazing being able to fully communicate with him every day since.

• Ben started SINGING - which is possibly one of my favorite things he does these days.

• we didn't go away on a "real" vacation (although we certainly tried)!  And it ended up being okay!  It allowed for a lot of quiet times at home and more quality family time than we have had in years.  

• Hilary, John and Violet came to visit during the hottest week of the year: highlight - Ben and Violet's first sailboat ride and an adult night out: Book of Mormon and dinner at The Capital Grill

• Ben traveled internationally (to Whistler)

• Greg's mom Marcia came out to visit us for 2 weeks - an amazing, relaxing and lovely time!

• The "real" parenting began.  Having a child the communicates with you means that we are now dealing with negotiation, reasoning and offering him endless choices.  It's exhausting and satisfying at the same time.

• Greg's niece (although I PROUDLY like to claim her as my own) was accepted into nursing school!

• we cooked and ate a LOT (and probably drank a little too much wine).

• I started back up with a somewhat regular yoga practice.  Still working to get there 3 times a week, but I'm on my way!

• Greg really came into his own at work.  He is constantly getting props for a job well done and is on the short list to train each new person that they hire.  I'm so proud of him.

• we threw Ben's first birthday party!  After slacking the first couple years, I got it together and it remains one of his favorite memories.

• Ben finally got to jump on the trampolines at Elevated Sportz 

• we discovered Ethan Stowell ;) 

• Lisa and Evan got married!

• Kristin and Craig got married!

• Baby Raleigh was born! Baby Paige was born! Baby Emmett was born!

• Becca and Jess got engaged

And last but CERTAINLY not least:

• my mom beat cancer :) :) :)

Photo catch up

Greg took Ben to the park one afternoon and Ben requested he take his photo.

Spent a fun afternoon day-drinking with Jeannette while Greg helped Dan with some work outside.  Ben and Laryd played so hard outside in the rain/mud that it required a complete change of clothes for Benny - including this sweatshirt that Greg didn't enjoy ;)

Instead of making the trek to Bellevue for the nightly 7pm showing of Snowflake lane during the holidays, we took the advice of my friend Maureen who suggested we check out the church about 3 minutes from our house.  They had a nightly light/music show that ran all evening, free cookies and hot chocolate, and this train display set up that was nearly impossible to drag Ben away from.  So fun.

While in line at QFC one day, I saw a Taste of Home magazine that had these marshmallow snowmen on the cover.  I snapped a picture and recreated it at home for Ben.  He was into it.

A Christmas Eve trip to the Children's Museum with Mama before our membership ran out.  After the new and super fun water exhibit they added, we are going to get another membership this year.  Ben loves it and asks me every.single.day if we can go back.

We let Ben open one gift on Christmas Eve (mostly so we could relax and watch a Christmas movie while Ben played) and he lovvvvvvvvvvvvved it so much.  It was one of the last gifts I purchased him (after his Grandma and Grandpa Ingle sent him Christmas money!  Thank you again!) and I couldn't resist!

Playing legos with dad, snuggled up in the Monster Truck blanket Aunt Karen bought for him!

Really enjoying his new art easel!

Went to visit the Cougans and took and impromptu walk with Rachel and Raleigh....we got a bit lost in their new neighborhood and ended up hauling Rawls in his stroller up these stairs.

Ben - so cool.

Selfie with Ben waiting for a table at Red Robin.

A pink bath!

A few pictures I stole from Erica from our Christmas party last month:

This one cracks me UP:

All the babies:

All the mamas:

Pez Dispenser

Ben: Mama? Santa Claus is hungry. Can you give him a snack please?

(Read: Mama. My pez dispenser is out of pez - fill it up please so I can eat treats!)

Meal Planning: Week of December 29th

Review from last week:

I ended up not making the warm winter sweet potato salad when I realized I had regular potatoes, not sweet potatoes. Instead, I made pan-seared chicken and topped it with arugula, lentils and bruschetta sauce, that I made while watching Home Alone 2.  Side note - I totally thought that Home Alone 2 (and 1, for that matter) were kid friendly....but the part where Kevin is throwing bricks at the robbers off the roof and they are smacking one of them in the face, (which I found hilarious as an 8 year old) was traumatizing for Ben.  The look on his face was one of TERROR - shit. 

The Pho place near our house closed at 3pm on Christmas Eve, so I bought it to have for lunch and we had a random mix of snacks for dinner instead: Celery with cream cheese, Trader Joe's Frozen Chicken Pot Pie Bites (I would not recommend - they were just okay), lentils and bruschetta, and chips...

Greg wasn't feeling crockpot honey sesame chicken, so instead he made us deep fried cod (yum).  To go with it, I made the first of the recipes from a book Lisa and Evan bought me for Christmas, A Boat, A Whale & a Walrus by Renee Erickson: Butter Lettuce Salad with toasted pistachios, green herbs and pecorino-romano cheese.  It was AMAZING, and has me eager to try more recipes from this book (which is also a piece of art - I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves food as much as I do....should that person exist).

Lagered chili was tonight - made it with ground top sirloin.  Shout out to Greg who hussled out to the store to pick up chili powder that I had run out of and needed ASAP! :)

Plan for next week: SOUP!!!  I have stumbled across so many soup recipes that have sounded so amazing this week, so I wanted to cram them all in at once.  (Which is convenient, since I'm home from work and have the extra time to get a pot of soup cooking)!

Monday: Leftover chili

Tuesday: Something from the freezer/leftovers (or creamy lentil soup)

Wednesday: NYE!  Kristin and Craig are coming over for dinner and board games!  We were going to make beef tenderloin, but stumbled upon a pre-cooked lamb roast (by Tom Douglas) at Costco and decided to give that a try.  (Is lamb our new NYE tradition)?  To go with it, creamy rosemary potatoes.  2014 Ingle holidays brought to you by The Pioneer Woman!

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Sausage, Potato and Corn Chowder

Saturday: Out to dinner and a movie :)

Sunday: Leftover chowder, or leftover chicken potato florentine soup I have in the freezer.