Confessions of a stay-at-home mom...

I don't have much to report on this week. Sometimes I have a great adventure to tell you about. Other times, a successful recipe, garden feat, or milestone reached by one of the kids. Then, there are times, like today, when things are very ho-hum and monotonous. I suppose it's good to keep it real, wouldn't want you to think that every day is a New England fairytale around here. The reality is- I'm the mother of two and married to a resident- I would hope that you'd know better anyhow! Both of these can be extremely challenging.

We are in for a busy month. Adam is working in the SICU (surgical intensive care unit) and that is kind of like walking around with a dark cloud over your head; the storm is inevitable. He is working nights this week, which makes life hard on all of us. He doesn't get any sleep and the patients he is in charge of are extremely volatile. By the time he gets home, he is exhausted and mentally drained. He is sleeping up in the loft during the days so I don't have to worry about keeping Gavin and Olivia quiet. Fortunately, he only has six shifts like that this month. But, he has a lot of call nights and will be pushing 80 hours each week- it's kind of a drag all around. We are having the struggle that many couples face when one parent is staying home with the kids and one is working. He is ready to zone out when he is home, and I am ready to chat and be stimulated by something other than Dora the Explorer. It's frustrating. By the time we have dinner, play with the kids, get them to bed- there is just not much time left. I might need to sign up for a class or something, otherwise, I might lose my mind. I love being with Gavin and Olivia during the day and feel really lucky that I have this time. But, there is something missing. Maybe it'll be better once the weather cools off and I can get back into the kitchen. I haven't been cooking much during this never-ending heat wave. Life is always much better when there is good food involved! Of course, it will also help when Miss Olivia starts to have a more predictable schedule! This too shall pass... 

I'm ready for fall. It's my favorite season, especially since living in New York. The weather report says we have another day in the 90s and then it will start cooling off. Gavin and I worked out in the garden this morning. We pulled the cucumber plants that had died off and took care of some weeds. I have some more weeding to do and will then plant some more lettuce, greens, and carrots. While I enjoy gardening, I am ready for the season to wind down. I am excited for some fall hiking. Adam's dad is visiting later this month and we hope to take him somewhere fun. We are also planning an October vacation, either to Cape Cod or to Philadelphia and DC. Isn't it fun that we have both as options? These travels and day trips really help keep my spirit high. It's nice to have things to look forward to and offset the days where I'm feeling ho-hum and too much in my head. And, with that, it's time to get Gavin down for his nap and get this messy house cleaned up.

Summer of tomatoes: Homemade Marinara Sauce

I haven't written many posts about my garden this year. Honestly, I haven't been spending as much time out there since Olivia was born. Fortunately, the work I put in early in the season has paid off and the garden has been producing nice results. I find it interesting to see how the difference in weather impacts how plants thrive from year to year. Last summer was much cooler and wet, which was great for growing snap peas and lettuce, but caused tomato blight. This summer has been long and hot- great for tomatoes and peppers, not so much for peas and lettuce. It might be the simple, little world I live in right now, but I find this fascinating. Anyhow, this has been the summer of tomatoes. I planted cherry, grape, and roma plum tomatoes up a trellis against our fence. These plants are unbelievable- nearly 7 feet tall! I also planted some larger varieties in the garden plot which have also produced a nice yield. Needless to say, I have more tomatoes than I can eat. So, I make sauce. It is very easy to do and makes me feel good not to waste tomatoes. I have been making this weekly and freezing the sauce we don't use. Once you make the basic marinara sauce, it can be easily adapted to make tomato cream sauce, puttanesca, or vodka sauce. Here is my very basic method and recipe. Feel free to play around with it, adding whichever ingredients you like!

Marinara Sauce:

2lbs fresh tomatoes
1 sweet onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs olive oil
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 cup fresh chopped basil
kosher salt
black pepper

Add tomatoes to a boiling pot of water. Boil for about 30 seconds, remove with slotted spoon, and then place the tomatoes into a bowl of cold water. The skins will now peel off easily. After you remove the skins, quarter the tomatoes and remove the seeds. Give the tomatoes a rough chop, place to the side.

In a dutch oven or heavy bottom pot, saute onion in olive oil over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes, add garlic. Saute for 2 more minutes and then add tomatoes. Remove the thyme leaves from the sprigs and add to the pot, along with the chopped basil. Season with salt & pepper, according to your taste. Simmer on medium low for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing the sauce to reduce to your liking.

Once the sauce has cooled, puree in a blender.

Yields about 2 cups of marinara sauce

Weekend trip to the Gold Coast of Connecticut

Last week, I found myself craving the beach. Upstate New York is beautiful but I sometimes feel a bit land-locked. Sure, we have the Hudson River and some very nice lakes, but after spending most my life in Seattle, I miss that salty air. I suggested to Adam that we take a day trip to the coast of Connecticut and he agreed but thought we should just stay the night. With a quick visit to priceline.com, we had a reservation at the Marriott Hotel & Spa for just $60. I love that website and highly recommend it if you're looking for a hotel reservation. It's especially good for last minute bookings- I've used it four times and have always gotten nearly a 50% discount.

We left Albany on Saturday after Adam's morning round of golf and arrived in Connecticut around 3pm. We would have arrived sooner but little Gavin got carsick twice. That poor kid does not travel well by car. We have gotten used to it and pack plenty of clothes, towels, etc. As I said to Adam, what are our choices, deal with a puking kid or not go anywhere? My will to travel is strong enough to handle a little vomit! It just takes us a little longer to arrive at our destination. 

We visited the area of Fairfield County in Connecticut. They call it the "gold coast" of Connecticut because of its very wealthy population. We stayed in Stamford, which is the most urban area in the county, about five miles from Greenwich. Greenwich is where many celebrities and socialites own homes, including the Giffords, Ron Howard, Mel Gibson, and many others. Yet, we didn't have any celebrity sightings while we were there. Adam was especially disappointed! We enjoyed driving through the neighborhoods and seeing the beautiful homes. Greenwich is a very cool town, low-key but has a swanky vibe. As much as I would have loved to sit outside at a bistro with a glass of wine, we had two little sidekicks with us and chose to spend our time at the beach.

After driving through town, we stumbled upon Greenwich Point Park. We got to the gate and were told that we needed to go to the civic center that sells one-day passes. So we had to drive back into town, find this little shack outside the civic center to purchase a pass. Apparently, Connecticut isn't the most welcoming bunch when it comes to visiting their parks. We were laughing at how stupid this seemed all the way back to the park. I mean, really, can't they just take our money at the gate? They seriously have someone work at the gate and turn people away? But, according to some blogs and websites I've read, they really don't want tourists. They don't need the revenue in swanky Fairfield County! But, I tell you what, this is one beautiful park! It's right on the Long Island Sound and looks across at the Manhattan skyline. There is a rocky beach with lots of trails for walking, biking, and running. We spent a good hour watching Gavin throw rocks and then drove to the other side of the park where there is a really nice sandy beach. We spent some time walking in the water and playing in the sand. It was so relaxing and a great trip with our kids.

We have now visited all of the New England states. We have seen a lot and there is still much to explore. I feel lucky to be able to take these mini-vacations on a whim. I'll admit, travel is different with two small children, but we really have a good time! Here are some pics!

Adam, Gav, and Olivia, looking for the best skipping rocks in Norwalk, CT

This little guy would rather throw rocks than pose for a pic with his mama, so I had to scoop him up!

My sweet girl

Gavin and his absolute favorite past-time

My two favorite guys at Greenwich Point Park

I blinked, and a month went by...

Olivia has been with us for a month already! Adam and I say to each other, almost nightly, "How in the world do we have 2 kids?!?" It's definitely been an adjustment but we're starting to settle into a routine. Gavin is completely secure with his role and has started to help me take care of Olivia. He tells her to quiet down and sticks her binkie in her mouth when she cries! He likes to list off all of our names when we say we're about to go somewhere, "go to the store with Gavin, Daddy, and Mama!" With a little coaxing, he has added "Livia" at the end.

Olivia is proving that she is not only physically strong, but also very emotionally strong willed. The girl is a bit high maintenance! She likes to be held- pretty much all of the time! Adam joked that it's no wonder she was a week late coming out, she might as well still be inside of me because she clings to me so much. I wouldn't mind so much if this wasn't the hottest summer I've ever experienced! The humidity has been relentless. We have had only a handful of cool days- and by cool, I'd take 75 or 80. It's not been ideal weather for snuggling a newborn.

Sleeping has been going ok. She is pretty fussy in the evenings and I'm not sure if it's a mild case of colic or if it's just how she rolls. Between the hours of 4pm and 9pm, she makes her presence very known. We're pretty much convinced that it's not Olivia that is difficult, but that we were super spoiled with Gavin. Once we get Liv swaddled up, she tends to sleep anywhere between 2 and 5 hours at a time and she even once blessed us with 6 straight hours. All things considered, can't really complain too much.

As requested, here are some baby pics- it's hard to narrow them down but I did my best.

Tummy Time

Bathtime

Sweet little duck

Cute little bunny

Hanging out in her fairy crib

Kid Rooms

I have been busy getting Olivia's room set up all girlie and proper for her. I had a whole, old-fashioned, blue and white theme planned but my mom took me to Potterybarn Kids while she was in town and we were welcomed into the pretty little world of pink! Once you have a little girl in your arms, fairies and princesses are very hard to resist. My mom spoiled us and purchased all of her crib bedding and it is really adorable. Here are photos of little Liv's room- it's pretty much complete, aside from finding an area rug and a bookshelf.

I found some inspiration while at the Potterybarn from things that I really couldn't justify spending money on.  I found that shelf at Michaels for $8 and painted it pink. The letters for her name came from JoAnns. The lamp was inspired by a pink rose covered lampshade that was $100 for the shade alone. I couldn't find roses so I went with yellow flowers. I found the base at TJ Maxx. The things you can do with a hot glue gun and a little craftiness!

Fairy crib bedding and tulip wall decals...

The pictures on the other wall have animals and say "Imagine" "Wish" and "Believe"

Here is a closeup of the lampshade I made...

Before Olivia came along, we needed to move Gavin to a "big boy bed" because we needed the crib mattress. I found Gav a platform bed that is navy blue with three little drawers. He loves his dinosaur sheets and his latest past time, jumping off the bed.

"Cheese"

He was really happy that I washed his blankie today...

This is what Gavin does during "quiet time"

Grilled Mahi Mahi Tacos

As much as I love summer and all of the fresh produce that is at hand, I have to admit that it's been hard to commit to cooking dinners regularly. Obviously, part of that is having been insanely pregnant at the beginning of summer and then being busy taking care of a new baby. But, really, I just can't get excited about food and meal planning. It's been a really hot summer which sort of suppresses the appetite and Adam and I find ourselves doing the whole, "I don't care, what do you want?" song and dance. Eventually, we just make PB&J sandwiches and go to bed. However, last week I decided I had to make something good and I remembered my mom mentioning fish tacos using frozen mahi mahi. I decided to give them a try and am so glad that I did. It's a great meal that takes very little time and is absolutely delicious. I didn't think to take a picture, so you'll have to use your imagination. Here is the recipe, enjoy!

Grilled Mahi Mahi Tacos, adapted from Bobby Flay

Ingredients:

- 1 pound mahi mahi

- 1/3 cup canola oil

- 2 limes, juiced (or 1 really juicy lime, if you're lucky enough to get one)

- 1 tablespoon chili powder

- 1 jalapeno, chopped

- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves

- flour tortillas

Garnish with whatever fixings you like. Here is what we put in ours:

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

salsa

sour cream

chopped cilantro leaves

diced avocado

Directions:

Prepare grill- will want a medium-high heat. Meanwhile, place fish in a shallow baking dish. In a bowl, whisk together, oil, lime juice, chili powder, jalapeno, and cilantro. Pour over the fish and let marinate for 20 minutes.

When grill is ready, remove fish from marinade and place onto grill. Grill for 4-5 minutes on the first side, flip and grill for another couple of minutes. Fish should be flakey but not dried out.

Place tortillas on the grill and grill for 20-30 seconds. 

Serve! 

Adventures in Chaos

Olivia is two weeks old today. It sort of feels like the time went fast but also feels like she was born a long time ago. The past two weeks are almost a bit of a blur. Julie went home on Tuesday morning and I am officially flying solo with the kids during the day. So far, things are going pretty well. I have decided that I am just going to appreciate that my new life really is "adventures in chaos." I have to approach each day with an open mind and minimal expectations of getting much accomplished. I have already made a few observations on how to best function thus far- I thought I'd share them with you.

1. Get a morning shower while I have a chance- this is more important than 10 more minutes of sleep.

2. Embrace two cosmetics: mascara and lipgloss. The mascara does an ok job of making me look less tired. More importantly, the lipgloss diverts attention from my sleepy eyes by drawing attention downward! I realize that nobody is here to see me but when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I feel just a bit better!

3. Spend zero time on planning what to wear- there is a 95% chance I will be puked on or pooped on before noon. And, if those two things do not happen, there is still at least a 5% chance that Gavin will spray me down with the hose when we play outside. While on this subject, make sure to keep up on laundry as all 3 of us seem to change clothes at least twice a day.

4. Do at least one thing for myself each day. Whether that is watering my garden, writing this blog, reading a magazine- I have to maintain some form of balance. Adam encouraged me to go meet my friend for a glass of wine last night. I hesitated but realized that he too wants to make sure that I get out of the house and get a chance to be me and not just Gavin and Olivia's mommy.

5. Finally, when it feels like shit has really hit the fan- look at the picture below, sigh, and count my damn blessings!

Welcome Baby Girl Olivia!

Well, after some dragged out anticipation, our baby girl arrived July 8, 2010. We named her Olivia Hudson deMars. Because she is our little NY baby, we decided to pay homage to the Hudson River Valley. We spend so much time tromping around this area that it only seemed appropriate. Years from now, we can tell her stories about her first years spent in New York. While she is still a tiny little thing, I can already see her in her own set of pink snowshoes.

So isn't it hilarious that I thought I was going to be so early with her and wound up going 5 days past my due date!?! In hindsight, I can also laugh at myself. The best part about her going so long is that she is such an easy baby so far. She is eating and sleeping like a champ! She did turn out to be sort of a big baby though. She weighed in at 8lbs, 8oz and measured 20.5 inches long. I had a long and brutal labor with her but she eventually arrived and immediately put a smile on my face. She is perfect and we are so much in love.

Gavin is adapting well. He is finally acknowledging her presence but I don't know that he actually understands that she is staying with us permanently. I think he'll be a good big brother. So far the funniest thing Gavin has done/said is help wipe her during a diaper change. He said, "oh, yuck! disgusting!" The next few months should be interesting.

My little sister Julie extended her stay and has been a big help. She leaves on Tuesday morning. My mom arrived a day before the birth which was nice. Having them here was great and I think helped Gavin cope. It's really hard to have our families and friends so far away. I will do my best to keep this blog updated with photos, videos, and stories so that it helps to close some of the distance.

Here are some photos of our past week. Enjoy!

"No more paparazzi please!"

Big brother and little sister... pretty darn cute!

My mom, Julie, and I had fun playing dress up with Olivia!

She got a little tired of it!

We took Olivia on her first day trip to Hudson, NY.

So far, life is going great as a family of four!

Hiking the Indian Ladder Trail

Well, as I thought, I'm writing this post about our hike last week and not about our newest family member who is still just chillin'. My due date is tomorrow so hopefully it won't be too much longer. In the meantime, we are doing our best to show Julie a good time. Last Friday afternoon, we took her to Thacher Park to hike the Indian Ladder Trail.

Thacher Park is built around the Helderberg Escarpment, which consists of limestone cliffs that rise several hundred feet. It is believed to be the world's oldest, exposed limestone and many of the rock formations bear fossils. We did not start going to Thacher Park until late last year and by then the Indian Ladder Trail was closed. It is open from late-May until mid-October. I was going to wait until the baby was born to go check it out but I am frankly running out patience. The hike is not that challenging- more of a nature walk with some unsteady ground. The hike was about 2 miles round-trip and was really fun. The limestone cliffs are really impressive. Enjoy the photos!

Julie at the top of the Helderberg Escarpment

Adam and Julie at the top of the Indian Ladder Trail

Adam and Gavin descending the metal staircase that takes you about sixty feet below the cliffs

Limestone Cliffs

Trail leads you under 2 waterfalls

Julie posing underneath the cliffs

One of the fossils we found

Making our way through the trail

Little family photo- perhaps our last one as a family of three

Gavin had a great time and is turning out to be one adventurous little boy

June 25th- still pregnant!

I am still so very pregnant. I know that I am not actually due until next Saturday but I am just so frustrated! Many people warned me that just because Gavin came 3 weeks early does not mean that this one will. But, WHY NOT?!?! I'm not terribly uncomfortable but am just sick of the anticipation. I am also freaking out that the baby is getting too big! When I went into the hospital a couple of weeks ago with false labor, or perhaps wishful thinking, the midwife who attended to me made a comment that the baby is really big. Really big, and by the way, you're not even close to going into real labor. Have fun growing your huge child! Seriously, I can see the headlines now, "Woman Births 20 Pound Sumo Wrestler." Clearly, I am freaking out.

My little sister Julie arrived on Wednesday. It has been nice to have her here and it's taken some of the stress away, knowing that she can be here with Gavin when I finally do go into labor. We haven't done too much considering my condition and not wanting to be too far away from the hospital. Adam will be home over the next few days so we're planning on taking a short hike tomorrow morning or maybe early this afternoon if it isn't too hot.

The humidity was pretty intense yesterday. We went for a short walk around the neighborhood and I swear that Max looked like he was going to die of heat stroke when we got home. That dog has major weight fluctuation. He gets fed the same amount every single day and does not get table scraps. It is the strangest thing. Anyhow, I don't think he can handle any more walks when the weather is above 80 degrees. I actually sprayed him down with the hose to cool his body temperature.

Oddly enough, until the past couple of days, I hadn't really thought much about what it's going to be like when the baby arrives. It's strange to think of bringing home a tiny little baby. I am so used to my big toddler. I'm excited and nervous. Do I have the patience to balance the needs of a newborn and also Gavin? I know that all of my concerns are completely normal. I just need things to happen so I can stop stressing myself out!

Well, not too much else to say. It's early still and everyone else is asleep. I think I will make blueberry muffins before it gets too hot to use the oven. Hopefully, my next post will be about our new baby. However, I have a feeling it will more than likely be about our hike!