Summa Summa Summertime

In addition to raising a baby this summer I have also been raising something else I am almost as proud of...my garden!

This is the before and after of part of the garden.  My dad planted it while I was still pregnant and named the little garden shown "Elliot's Garden."  There is a little sign and everything.  Anyway, the garden really took off and I have spent the last several weeks harvesting zucchini, green beans, cucumbers, jalapenos, and tomatoes.  And even though I have spent a lot of time on the Food Network and Pinterest trying to find recipes to use up all the zucchini, I have quite enjoyed my daily trips out to the garden.  I also attribute some of my weight loss (46 pounds since delivery!) to having tons of fresh produce around.  So in the spirit of keeping summer alive here is the recipe I use for homemade tomato soup.  I found it online a few years ago and just wrote it down, so unfortunately I cannot give its author due credit.  But, it is fantastic and if you have tomatoes on hand I definitely recommend it.  I used cherry tomatoes this last time and was able to eliminate the sugar all together because they are so naturally sweet.  Also, the cayenne pepper gives it a bit of a kick so if you are not into some spice I would only use half the amount suggested.

Fresh Tomato Soup

• 8 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
• 1 sliced onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 4 cups broth (any flavor)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• sugar to taste
• 1/2 cup milk (optional)

Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, cayenne, basil, thyme, & bay leaf with broth in stock pot.  Bring to boil and gently boil for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and discard bay leaf.  Run mixture through a strainer, reserving the liquid.  Place remaining chunks in blender and blend until smooth.  In the stock pot, melt butter over medium heat.  Stir in flour to make a roux, cooking until it is a medium brown.  Gradually whisk in a little tomato mixture so no lumps form.  Stir in the rest.  Season with sugar.  Add milk if desired.

Oh, and I also discovered a way to use up my cucumbers and some other things.  My new favorite thing is infused water!  There are several different ways to make it and the combinations are limited only by your imagination, but this is how I do it: fill a pitcher with ice; add the desired fresh produce; fill with water and give it all a stir.  Let sit at least 15 minutes in the fridge and then serve.  I call it party water!  It is a great way to keep drinking water when you get bored with it and want to reach for a frosty diet coke.  My favorite combinations are cucumber and lemon, nectarine and mint, and cucumber and mint.  Try it, you won't regret it :).  Happy hydration!

Time waits for no man...

...or in this case, woman.

Well, the time that I have been dreading and that seemed so far in the future that it would never occur is upon us: my return to work.  I am sad and anxious, and also worried that I will be gone so much she will not like me the best anymore.  I am assured by all that she will always love her Mommy the most, but I am convinced she is going to feel abandoned.  In actuality I know it will be harder on me than it is on her and that makes me feel better...a little.

The last 12 weeks have been the best of my life and I am going to cherish this summer forever.  It was truly a wonderful experience to spend every morning waking up to her cries (even when I was so tired I could cry!) and then spend the day with her and usually with Erik, our new little family figuring each other out.  And while I am sad to see time slip away so quickly, I realize it was necessary to take our bambina from this little bundle...

...to this big girl.

I am so excited to keep watching her grow!  I will be spending the next couple of days enjoying every minute of our time together.  Say a little prayer for us on Thursday!

What a Girl Wants

It has now been two months since the bambina has entered our lives and she has become pretty good at communicating what she wants (and doesn't want!) with us. For example we know she wants:

to lay on her changing pad and chit chat with anyone who will listen,

to go swimming whenever possible,

to sit like a big girl,

to have a comfortable place to rest,

to be silly,

to spend hours playing,

to share secrets and naps with her bestie,

to coordinate her outfits,

and to discuss celebrity gossip with her aunt.

However, she does not care for:

being dressed in a huge, puffy (and I assume itchy) dress for her baptism,

being shoved into her car seat in the same huge, puffy dress for the long (5 minute) ride to church,

the first dip,

being dressed like a nerd (eww, Mom, it looks like I tucked my shirt into my jeans!),

or wearing the adorable, hot pink, baby flip-flops that Mommy carefully selected and pictured her wearing while traipsing about town on our errands, accepting compliments left and right from passersby.  In fact, she rejects all shoes, which might be part of the reason she is screaming in her baptism photos...hmm.

But one thing for which I am grateful is that no matter what, sometimes all a girl wants is her Mommy.

Happy two-month-day Baby Girl!  We are so glad you came along!