Spring gardening

Farmer Jim has been hard at working preparing for Spring planting.  He upgraded to a larger grow light hung from the ceiling in our laundry room (last year he used a small old fish tank light and some rigged up set up on buckets or something) and from what I can gather, is trying some different fertilizing methods.  He's also giving a try at starting some larger plants from seed, like tomatoes and squash instead of buying them from our local garden center.  After Riesling is is in bed he heads down to his little work bench, puts on some soft tunes, and gets his garden on. Seriously sh*t is start to get crazy over here...

 That big guy in the back is a fig tree.  We bought it last year at our local orchard.  It was looking mighty sad at the end of last year, pretty much it looked dead.  Jim and I both thought it might not make it through the winter but it made a killer comeback and is thriving now. 

Honestly, i lost track of everything but i know there is plenty of kale, swiss chard, spinach and few varieties of squash? not to mention the tons of lettuce. I think we're almost ready for salad?

Its my daytime job to transport certain trays outside to the mini greenhouse when the temperature is warm enough. I have found this to be easiest during Riesling's nap. Once everything is in the ground i think it will be easier to incorporate her in the gardening tasks. I know she is going to be all about it. Even last summer she was trying to pick her own peas.

I can't wait for garden fresh dinners all week long. For now I will jut have to enjoy he process and these adorable little baby bok choy. They are my favorite right now.

Love Bug

When my dad was visiting last month for Riesling birthday he started calling her "Love Bug."  It's really the perfect fit for her little personality right now.  She is particularly into giving hugs.  She will just stop in the middle of playing or reading a book and give reach in for a hug.  She makes this cute little awww noise and tilts her head and chin to the side.  It's the cutest thing pretty much ever.  She will then just continue on with whatever she was doing and stop a few minutes later for another hug.

She loves snuggling up in your lap, even for a brief second, but it's like the happiest second of her life.  She grins and looks so pleased.  It's funny to watch her try to back up to sit down on your lap, and even funnier when she doesn't judge it quite right and misses.

She is also big on hugging all her toys, books, stuffed animals, pieces of paper...you name it, she'll hug it.  Also ridiculously adorable. Her newest thing is leg hugs.  These seem to be particularly prevalent after she has been away from you for an extended period of time.  Extended periods of time in a baby world is amount 10 minutes. I'm telling you this kid is all about showing her affection and making sure those around her feel the love.

This apparently she is also means other children, even those whom she has never meant before.  While we were visited our dear friends, The Levin family, a few weekends back she was all about their son Jacob.  He's a stunningly handsome 5 year old so I thought she was just all about the older boy thing.  She wanted to hug him any chance she got.  Well today I took Riesling to a story time at our local Barnes & Noble for the first time.  She must have hugged a dozen babies, toddler, and preschoolers.  She's so sweet about it but the kids seem to be caught off guard and don't know how to react.  Most just give this weird glare over their shoulder trying to see if their mom is around to save them.  Only one little baby cried.  Oh little Love Bug what am I going to do with you?

Letters from Riesling

Hello Friends & Family,

Sofee dog has certainly become my best friend.  She is so soft and cuddly to lay with on the floor or in her bed.  I don't mind sitting right on top of her if space is tight but she usually moves over to make room for me to squeeze in next to her.  I love to hug her and pat her head.  I pick up her bone or toys and run around with them.  Recently we started playing ball together.  Sometimes I throw it and she runs after it.  Sometimes I throw it and it hits her in the head.  

My favorite thing is taking her for walks.  I just love being outside with my best friend.  I started getting a sneaky suspicion that my Daddy was taking her for walks with out me.  I would be involved in reading books or doing puzzles with Mommy and the next thing you know I can't find Daddy or the doggy.  I call out for them and no one is around.  This is no longer a problem though.  I discovered the white bucket next to the front door where the leash is.  Now I like to carry the leash with me at all times so there is no way Daddy and Sofee dog can sneak out without me.  Good plan, right?

Love always, 

Riesling

Spring!

It just feel sooo good to say that word.  Spring is here!  Last year we were enjoying really mild weather with warm temperatures and lots of outdoor time with our sweet lil newborn.

 

We even had her out in only a onesie on her 1 month birthday. Jim saw these pictures and said, "What kind of parents do that?"  It was seriously so warm last year at this time (and I don't think she was really outside for much longer then it took to take these pictures)

This year it's still pretty darn chilly and we had snow just 2 days ago but I guess I should stay positive and focus on the fact that it is in fact officially SPRING!  Even bundled up a bit, Riesling is loving spending time outside again.  She is so interested in exploring every leaf, stick and speck of dirt.  She will just plop her butt down in the biggest pile of mud in the yard and not even blink.  I think we might have a little tomboy in our future.

Watch & Listen

I saw this on a friend's blog and thought it was kinda fun....

We haven't had a cable for almost a year now so it's all Netflix for the Robinson household.  We previously went over 3 years without cable (except bunny ears) and no Netflix so not terribly difficult to give it up again.  We definitely get obsessed with one series.  Right now we are currently watching:

The Walking Dead (streaming on Netflix).  We started watching this series 3 separate times before we actually starting getting into it.  Everyone is always raving about it but I just didn't think the first season was that great.  We're on Season 2 now and liking it more.  Although last night's episode was full of drama, no real action, and not a lot of advancement in the story.  So my verdicts still out on this one.

Game of Thrones (DVD).  Waiting for the next disc in the mail is like torture.  Even more painful is trying to avoiding looking at billboards and online advertising for Season 3, which is starting soon.  This is such a great show, although I admit I often am confused by the long list of characters, family names, and relationships to one another.

Currently Reading:

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.  I have been reading this same damn novel for months now.  I knew I should have never started it.  I don't have a lot of time for reading and getting through an 800 page Russian novel is taxing even it's the only thing you have to do.  But, Jim had read it a little while back and was interested in watching the new movie.  I hate watching a movie before reading the book so I decided to just dive in.  I'm about half way through what I consider to be a fancy version of a trashy romance story and have made it my goal to finish by the end of March (lofty goal indeed!).  I'm actually enjoying the story but sometimes the stream of consciousness just gets a little heavy and I find I'm unable to read it for long periods.

Currently Listening To:

Lots of Pandora, mostly the 'Radio for Kids' station.  They play some random stuff....Beatles, 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds', followed by the Jackson Five, then a Disney movie theme song, some Jack Johnson or John Mayer, and a crazy version of Wheels on the Bus. 

Monday...

"Little darlin' it's been a long cold lonely winter..." 

~George Harrison

Snacks

I'm soooo ready for warm weather, a little sunshine, and a tasty fresh garden salads. The produce aisle has been looking (and tasting) pretty sad lately.  I know it's late in winter when the novelty of squash and root vegetables has worn off and even the apples start tasting like mushy cardboard.  So what does one do? Turn to processed comfort foods of course. 

I noticed myself sliding down the slippery slope....Honey Chex for breakfast, overdosing on tortilla chips, tempted to buy frozen mac n cheese for dinner.  Don't do it!  Spring is on the way (Jim has mini lettuces and bok choy sprouted in the basement as we speak).  Until then I'm trying to make the best of what's available.  A few of my favorite healthy snacks lately include:

Grapefruit

We were on a real clementine kick for awhile but the prices spiked and the sweet juicy factor plummeted.  Grapefruits have recently been running around $1.00 each at our local grocery store.  It might sound a little pricey but Jim and I always split one so $.50/person for a mid morning snack is not bad at all. Not to mention it's juicy, delicious, packed full of antioxidants, and can even help lower your cholesterol. 

Carrots & Hummus
I usually enjoy an almost daily snack of blue chips & hummus but I found myself eating WAY too many chips so I've made the switch to carrots and throw in a few chips as a reward at the end. Hummus has a good amount of Omega-3 fatty acid and carrots improve your vision, nourish your skin, and lower your risk of heart disease.

Celery Ants on a log are one of those childhood foods that should not be forgotten.  I got these great containers on Zulily awhile back.  They have a separate little tray designed to keep your granola from getting soggy in your yogurt but works really great for this snack too.  

Celery helps support your immune system, regulate your blood pressure, and is an anti-inflammatory.  I increase the health factor by adding in flax and chia seeds.

 Celery on the bottom and peanut or almond butter topped with sliced almonds, chia seeds, ground flax seed, and raisins.  Just dip the celery in and enjoy. I make this  a lot for Jim and I to take to work.

 
What are your favorite snacks to beat the winter blues?

Girls are just the sweetest

It only took a year to convince Riesling to keep a bow on her cute lil head for more than 5 seconds...

2/27/12

4/4/12

So worth the wait...

3/7/13

Random thoughts for a Tuesday

I can't decide what hurts more: winter thumb cuts or ear pimples.


We were dog free for a few days.  Without my little Sofee vacuum around I realized how much food I actually drop on the floor in a day.

I'm scheduled for a much needed haircut tomorrow.  I'm thinking bangs but I might regret that.  Maybe just chop it off?  Or a boring trim?

Have you heard the new Foxygen album?  I'm thinking about using my iTunes gift card from LAST Christmas to buy it.  I'm so indecisive about investing in music. 

I made these last week and can't stop thinking about them.  It's like Rice Krispies crack.

Every year Jim and I declare that we a late February/early March vacation is essential to surviving winter in the Northeast, yet we NEVER plan one.  Why is that? 

I love seeing good friends that make you feel like family.  Doesn't it look like we switched babies with the hair color & complexion mix going on?  Little girls are just so darn sweet.