Lazy Sunday Afternoon

After church on Sunday, John and I went out to brunch and then retreated home to our cozy apartment.  Friday's warm weather was just a tease, and we're back to weather in the 20's and 30's!

On Sunday afternoon we all enjoyed a little relaxation at home, especially Lydia.

First, she did a little eating...

Then, she did some lounging on her baby lounger...

 

Fully refreshed by her meal and lounge time, Lydia was ready to pose!

Lydia's New Ride

On Friday we enjoyed a sunny 65 degrees!  Although we're back to temperatures in the 30's and 40's, it feels like Spring is just around the corner.  All this sunny weather has made me really want a jogging stroller.  After researching strollers for a few days, I had a hard time justifying spending a lot on a single stroller, when more than likely we will need a double stroller before too long (Grandparents: no, we are not expecting another baby any time soon!).  Yesterday morning I found this beauty on Craigslist: a barely used pink and brown BOB Revolution.    

The color wasn't my first choice, but I successfully bargained for nearly 70% off retail price!  Before we committed to the purchase, Daddy and Lydia did a little online research as to the safety of purchasing a used stroller. 

Once Daddy gave the go-ahead, the whole family trekked up to the Bronx to pick up our new BOB stroller.

 Once we were home, Lydia tried out her new ride.

She loved it! Actually, she thought it was hilariously funny and couldn't stop smiling and giggling.  I think she felt like she was on a throne!

The Winter 2011 Knit Collection

We are pleased to introduce the Winter 2011 Knit Collection, designed by Grandma!

This lovely pink cardigan is the perfect transitional sweater, taking baby from Winter into Spring.  A delicate knit and tiny pearl buttons add a touch of elegance that can be dressed up or down.

This lavender chunky knit sweater features a sweet button just under the neck.  Perfect for cozy afternoons at home or stroller rides around town.

No baby's wardrobe is complete without a stylish bolero.  The light pink hue hides spit up and a multitude of accidents.  The large knit washes well and is particularly flattering on larger babies.

Baby will be the talk of the town in this turquoise number.  Detailing at the yoke and an etched silver button provide a nice contrast to the sweater's bold color.  Baby will love this sweater for play dates and any occasion where "casual cool" is the order of the day.

The Winter 2011 Knit Collection is one of a kind.  Contact Grandma for all inquiries!

Lydia Rose

It has been almost 2 months since my last post and life has been very busy in the interim! On November 29th we welcomed Lydia Rose: 7lbs 2oz, 19 inches long. 

Lydia's arrival was without complication, and she came out with a healthy cry and a big head of dark hair, just like her daddy's.

Our first few weeks as parents were wonderful, but also overwhelming.  We were blessed to have my parents in town for the delivery, and John's parents visited during Lydia's first week of life.  I have never been so grateful for the encouragement, support and prayers of our parents.

Lydia has delighted us from the very first days of her life with her hilarious facial expressions.

 The expression below was a "vintage" Lydia look during the first few weeks.

 When Lydia wakes up from her naps, she goes through a stretching "ritual," which is about two to three minutes of sleepy stretching and yawning- it's hilarious.

  

Lydia continues to be a very smiley, animated baby. She lets us know what she wants when she wants it!

Just Waiting...

So, we're still waiting for Baby Girl's arrival!  I was having so many contractions last week that I was sure she was going to make an early debut.  However, the last few days have been very quiet, and I've felt very energetic.  Now, I'm thinking maybe this is going to be a late baby!  Our due date isn't until November 24, so we still may have an on-time arrival.

Two weeks ago, my friend Vangie paid a visit and brought me these adorable baby booties and hat.  She knit them herself.  The booties are so cute, they almost makes me want to learn to knit, but I'm not sure if I have the patience for it.

In other news, my parents are in town! It has been so much fun to have them here.

Mom has been spending most of her free time feeling my belly and trying to get the baby to kick.

Dad has been working hard keeping up with things at the office and eating cookies.  Lots of cookies.

While John has been working, I've enjoyed spending time with my parents and going on walks.  The weather has definitely turned colder, and I'm thrilled that I can still zip up my winter coat!

Deep (and I mean DEEEEP) Dish Quiche

Last night we hosted our home fellowship group for Bible study and prayer.  I decided I wanted to make something a little different for our snack/dinner meal.  Several months ago my mom had given me a recipe for a "makes-its-own-crust" quiche, and I decided to give it a try.  I've always been intimidated by making my own pie crust, so I thought this recipe would be an easy alternative

About half-way through the baking process I was shocked to see this in my oven:

This photo doesn't capture the quiche's true size, but this quiche is at least 3.5" deep!  I quickly called my mom and asked her if she had indeed made her recipe in a 9x13" pan.  She responded, "Well, maybe I split the mixture between 2 pans..."  Our guests definitely had a good laugh when they saw the massive quiche. It was delicious and I'll be making it again... but in 2 pans in stead of 1!

In case you're interested, I've posted my mom's recipe below.

Egg Mixture Ingredients:

12 eggs

1 ½ cup all purpose flour  

1.5 tsp teaspoon baking powder

1.5 or so teaspoon salt

Pepper

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 quart half and half (next time I may just use milk)

Filling Ingredients:

Chopped sautéed onion, sauteed in  3 tablespoons butter.

1 lb pork sausage, browned and drained of grease (next time I'm going to try ham or bacon)

1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 package chopped frozen spinach, defrosted and drained

Instructions:

Use mixer to beat eggs and flour, add the other Egg Mixture Ingredients and stir until blended. Taste to make sure not too salty. Yes, take a taste of the egg mixture.

Distributute onions, sausage, spinach and cheese etc in bottom of a greased pan (1 very DEEP 9x13" pan or 3 8" square pans). Pour egg mixture over top.

Bake at 400°F for 30 – 35 minutes (longer for deep dish version), or until the top is nice and brown and the center of the quiche does not wobble too much. Do not overbake. Top with extra cheese to make it more attractive before serving.

Allow quiche to rest for 5 – 10 minutes before cutting to serve. 

Journey to New Jersey

Last Saturday, John and I were invited to a friend's birthday party in New Jersey, about an hour's drive from Manhattan.  We decided to make a day of it!  We met up with another couple from church, rented a zipcar, drove out to New Jersey, went apple picking, attended the birthday party, and topped the day off with a trip to the grocery store (yay for "cheap" groceries in New Jersey!).

It was a perfect, sunny fall day.  The scenery was gorgeous.  I can't tell you how strange it was for us to be on a rolling country road, just an hour away from our apartment!

We took our time wandering the rows of the apple orchard.  There were so many different apple varieties: Jonamac, Jonagold, Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Cameo, Gala, Yellow Delicious, Winesap...  I think we picked a few of each type!

At one point, John stopped to do a little "research" on his phone.

John and I had a competition to see who could find the biggest apple.  John won, but only because he's taller and can reach where no one else can.

The orchard had a little outdoor market, where we bought acorn squash and fresh apple cider.

Our harvest!

After our apple picking adventure, we continued down the road to our friends' house.  We had a lovely afternoon/evening with our friends.  We had about 8 different types of barbecued meat for dinner!  I wish I would have taken more photos at the party, but I only snagged this one of our little friend.