Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Day 424 | Marion Park

We met friends on the Hill for some playtime at a park we used to frequent: Marion Park.

Chase found a discarded Thomas ride-on toy that he managed to hoard for most of our time there and Robbe flitted from one thing to the next. Pretty standard scene for these two. 

Monday, June 29, 2015

Day 423 | Playground Pandemonium

Turns out there's a reason we don't frequent Tree Park in the morning (it's usually an afternoon activity for us). The reason? It's madness! I think there were at least six different daycare classes, consisting of 15+ kids each, at the park with us this morning.

At one point, Chase tried to blow bubbles but one hundred kids (perhaps a slight exaggeration) inhibited him from successfully producing bubbles because they were standing so close to him. Another time, Chase and I were pretending we were at the butterfly exhibit. By the time we finished, we were playing with about ten other kids (not exaggerating, some are pictured above) and every one of them was really confused about whether we were admiring real butterflies. 

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Day 422 | Book Boat

When Chase couldn't sleep during nap today, we offered up some books to keep him company. We reentered his room to find he had created this super fun and imaginative book boat by lining his crib with Berenstain Bear books.

That sealed the deal, he definitely wasn't tired enough to nap. 

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Day 421 | Birthday Party Blast

The whole family had a blast at a friend's third birthday party today. The rain couldn't bring this crew down!

Friday, June 26, 2015

Day 420 | Blueberries, Black Raspberries, and More


Best day ever!

70 degree weather for the perfect berry picking morning. There were blueberries galore, black raspberries for days, sugar snap peas (that could have been a little more delicious, let's be honest), and our first chance to pick cherries (they were tart, but that's ok, it still counts). We love Butlers Orchard.

As if that weren't enough, we ate a delicious lunch at Noodles and then stopped at Dairy Queen for an ice cream treat to power everyone through the drive home (we couldn't let them fall asleep, after all). After finishing his ice cream, Chase declared (in his most official voice) that "Ice cream in the car is the best!"

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Day 419 | Turkey Thicket

We made it back to Turkey Thicket today to pay our inaugural visit to the splash park there. Chase and John weren't particularly interested (could have been the cold, cold water and crazy intense jets), but Robbe got his money's worth (even though it's free).

A fun morning had by all...with a breezy and shady spot for a picnic to wrap it all up. Just lovely. 

Day 418 | A Brand New Library

As if we don't have enough library options in our neighborhood, a new one just opened up across the Maryland line from us.

The boys  and I took the metro to explore the new Silver Spring Library and it definitely didn't disappoint. Chase has declared it his new favorite library (an impressive award) due to their "little houses" he could play in and "lots of books." 

*Sorry this didn't get posted yesterday! I had the collage all created and then forgot to finish what I started (fairly typical these days). 

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Day 417 | Walk to the Neighbor

We met a new neighbor! The best part? They are walkable...I mean, really walkable. Chase and Robbe walked practically the whole way like this.

Monday, June 22, 2015

Day 416 | Brotherly Bonding

I was attending to some cleaning chores this morning and from the living room came the sweetest belly laughs coming from both boys. They had created a game involving the couch cushions and it was making everyone happy.

A few observations from this scene:
  1. Baby belly laughs are undoubtedly the best thing in the world.
  2. These moments of unsupervised playtime between the boys is becoming more common lately. Maybe I need to spend more time cleaning to foster it.
  3. We continue to spend so much time playing in our living room instead of in the basement where most of the toys are. Let's hope the couches can survive this extreme use.

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Day 415 | Such a Good Dad


I know this photo should be a photo of Chris with both boys, but this one was just too cute not to share. Sorry, Robbe. We'll catch you next year. :)
Since I went a bit sappy last year, this year, I'll make it short and sweet.

I'm thankful every single day that my boys are lucky enough to call this guy their Dad.


Day 414 | Date Night!

I'm going to take twenty seconds to post this photo as we head out for a date night!! Woot woot!

We're going to a real dinner. There will be drinks and an appetizer. And then we're off to Newsies, The Musical. I've been looking forward to this night for months. It's here!!

Out sweet baby sitter is putting both boys to bed...a first for anyone other than Chris and me. I've got utmost confidence  it'll be just fine. And the boys will probably have as good of a time as we will. Ok, probably not possible, but close!

Friday, June 19, 2015

Day 413 | Big Outing

I went all in today: skipping morning nap and metroing down to the National Building Museum for some serious playtime and picnicking fun. The outing was practically perfect and we all had a blast back at one of our favorite DC attractions for kids.

One thing I didn't enjoy on today's outing? The advice I was given by two strangers while we were navigating the metro. I know I should just say thank you (which I did) and move on (obviously haven't) but seriously? How incompetent of a person do you think I am?

Scenario 1: waiting for the elevator up and out of one of the metro stations. I'm waiting patiently (as are the babies) for the elevator to arrive (which, in case you're unaware, metro has the slowest elevators of all time). I've pushed the button several times because it's not lighting up but, after a few attempts, give up and assume the light is just broken and we continue the wait. Several seconds later, the driver of the train yells out his window. I assume it's not directed towards me. It was. He yelled again to tell me I needed to push the button for the elevator to arrive. What? Thanks, captain obvious. I've got it from here. Luckily, the doors opened at that very moment so I proved myself as a capable member of society. 

Scenario 2: on the train ride home. Chase requests a window seat (for obvious reasons) so I park the stroller out of the way near the doors and take the boys to a window seat a few rows in. We pass a few stops and I realize my wallet is peeking out of the stroller (near the doors...eek!) so at the next stop, I tell Chase to sit nicely for a second while I take Robbe and grab my wallet. In the two seconds (no joke) of me walking towards the stroller before I turn right back around, a woman says to me, "you forgot one of your babies." This has to be a joke, right? I can only shake my head, even now. 

Needless to say, we made it home (with both babies) even though society seemed to think it was questionable many times. 

Ha!


Thursday, June 18, 2015

Day 412 | Emery Playground

I didn't start the morning off thinking we'd be visiting another new park today (or be blogging about another new park for that matter) but that's the way it turned out. And boy am I excited we ended up at the Emery Recreation Center playground today. It was amazing!

A few of the highlights:
  1. A big hill in the middle with two slides coming down from it=super fun!
  2. A double-decker play structure with some really unique attractions (think slide with three turbo boosters, an "elevator" pole feature, two bridges, etc)
  3. Really interesting and addicting wall-mounted games that I haven't seen anywhere else. There was a construction-themed one where you had to manipulate four different gears to get all the marbles through the different machines. Very cool. 
The only downside? It was too hot to stay for very long. We'll be back when the sun isn't quite as brutal. 

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Day 411 | No Shoes

We ventured out to visit a new park this morning. Pretty standard excitement until we arrive at the park after a 1.25 mile walk to find out that Robbe has only one shoe. After a quick sweep of the area and no shoe to be found, I embraced the only acceptable solution: of course my tiny toddler will play at this park without shoes on.

I have to say, it didn't phase him as much as I thought it would and we all had a great time. And the best news? We found the shoe on the walk home. Yippee!

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Day 410 | Summer Reading Success

We completed the DC Public Library summer reading program...for the second year in a row. It's a pretty big deal. The boys and I worked very hard reading specific kinds of books (nonfiction, wordless, about animals) and doing specific activities (singing a favorite song, practicing the alphabet, counting fingers and toes) to earn some fun prizes (placemats, chipotle kids meal, free book).

And we did it all in two weeks. We're good. :)

Monday, June 15, 2015

Day 409 | Blueberry Picking

Nope, we haven't made it back to our favorite berry farm for blueberry season yet...we've been picking from our own bushes!

Twice now we've harvested 10-20 berries. Not too bad for brand new bushes (thanks Grandma and Grandpa G!). Any idea who's the most excited about our very own pick-your-own berry bushes? That's right: Chase.

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Day 408 | Lookie Lookie!

I picked these beauties from our backyard today! I'm beyond happy about this. Can you tell?

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Day 407 | Beating the Heat

How do we escape the current DC heat wave? Retreat to the Air and Space Museum and its 65 degree air conditioning, of course.

Highlights? Any walk-through plane exhibits, opening and closing the suitcases on display, and walking/running around aimlessly. 

Friday, June 12, 2015

Day 406 | Mr. Nate

We had a semi-unexpected visit from our friend Nate (Mr. Nate to the boys) today. Woohoo!

Just wish it could have been longer and could happen more frequently. 

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Day 405 | Twinsies!

On our way to the splash park and dug out our matching Brewers hats. Robbe even left his on the whole time. I did, too, but that's not as impressive.

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Day 404 | Rock Throwing

The boys had a blast throwing rocks into Sligo Creek this morning. Chase actually overcame his fear of getting dirty to pick up rocks. Can you believe it?

And Robbe even got in on the action until he got a little too attached to one specific rock and couldn't bear to part with it. 

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Day 403 | Salsarita Pasta

Do you remember when Trader Joe's made real meals for their samples instead of just warming up one of their frozen products? I do. I miss those days.

This is one of the recipes I got during a shopping trip years ago. It's a goodie and so so simple. 

Salsarita Pasta
  • 1.3 lbs (approx) chicken, cut into small chunks 
  • Italian seasoning
  • 1 large jar of salsa (on the runnier side, I use Pace Picante)
  • Noodles of your choice (I use whole wheat penne)
  • Parmesan cheese
Directions
  • Coat chicken with Italian seasoning. 
  • Sauté chicken with a little olive oil over medium heat until cooked through. 
  • Meanwhile, cook pasta in a pot of boiling water. 
  • After straining the pasta, stir in the salsa. 
  • Add the cooked chicken to the pasta and stir. 
  • Let the pasta/chicken cool. Serve room temperature with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. 
It was a crowd pleaser at our house tonight: Robbe had three servings. 

Monday, June 8, 2015

Day 402 | Pretend Play

Chase has been really getting into pretend play lately. I'm digging it. The scenarios he comes up with (play museums, fixing Thomas, and researching things, mostly trains, on his "computer") are pretty interesting and super impressive.

Today as I was cooking dinner, I overheard him telling Robbe about the movie he was watching (including inserting the DVD). In case you can't tell, they were watching the movie on a cutting board. 

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Day 401 | Curtains

Today's goal? Finish the curtain project I started earlier this week. As of writing this, I am about 90% finished. I had to stop with one edge left to pin and two edges left to sew. Practically nothing in the scheme of things. I'm still hopeful I'll finish tonight but I have to get back to it!

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Day 400 | 400!


I made it to 400 posts! Woohoo! To keep with tradition, here's an update on the team.

Name: Sara
Favorites: walking (thanks to the extra motivation from my fitbit), the rain (which has been constant the last few days, but I don't mind at all), strawberry gin and tonics (I'll do a post about these some day), clean bathrooms (I just wish I didn't have to be the one to clean them).
Biggest hurdle to overcome: finding time for crafting. Since my built-in crafting mornings are gone (thanks, summer vacation), I'm having a hard time finding time to sneak crafting in. I already have afternoon nap and post-bedtime pretty over-booked so something has to give.
Dreams for the future: finding closure to the school situation. We're still up in the air (very up in the air) about where Chase is going to be going to school come the fall. It's silly to be so preoccupied with this for a three year old but it's a big deal. Five day program or two day? Closer to home or further away? We're confident we'll have some choices come the fall, but in the meantime I continue to feel conflicted about the best option for our sweet boy.

Name: Chris
Favorites: our new minivan. That's it. He loves it.
Biggest hurdle to overcome: making it through the rest of the month of June working his normal schedule before it's smooth-sailing into the month of July and vacations.
Dreams for the future: meeting our new neighbors. The house next door was listed to be rented as of June 1. So far, no movement over there. Who are they going to be? When are they going to move in? Can we be best friends? So many questions!

Name: Chase

Age: 3 years
Favorites: minivan spotting (he's really good at it...and differentiating between makes, too), building with legos, reading, baking with mommy, being independent, eating sushi
Biggest hurdle to overcome: he's been "so sad" lately because our vacation is "still so far away." We all feel that way, buddy. At least we know that he enjoys his time with family in Wisconsin.
Dreams for the future: own an outside car (see explanation here)

Name: Robbe
Age: 1 year
Favorites: blowing raspberries on any visible skin, saying "hi" and waving to everyone, reading the My Big Animal Book, playing with wiggle bug (a toy), food (any food), communicating (nodding yes and learning sign language)
Biggest hurdle to overcome: teething. Yep, still working our way through this challenge. He's up to seven but three are about to pop and continue to mess with the poor guy.
Dreams for the future: a full day to pass without some sort of hardy spill. This guy trips, bumps into things, dives head first, and misjudges distance constantly leading to some minor, some more serious, stumbles. Don't worry, little man. Someday your feet will catch up with the rest of your body.

Friday, June 5, 2015

Day 399 | Another Day, Another Craft

Two crafts in a row! I'm on a roll.

I've decided to make curtains. For the first time ever. Also, it's been several months since I've pulled out the sewing machine (think: Halloween costumes) so let's hope it doesn't hold a grudge. 

Today's task? Making a pattern and cutting the fabric. I've decided to add a bold-patterned stripe to my curtains (for Robbe's room, by the way) so the pretty simple task of sewing one piece of fabric has become much more complicated. But still shouldn't be that tricky...it's just sewing straight lines after all. Right? I'll report back when the project is complete to let you know if I underestimated the skill involved. 

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Day 398 | District Onesie

I found some inspiration for a new craft: a onesie with the outline of the District on it and a heart where the sweet baby lives.

Same technique as here and here. I'm pretty happy with the final product. I hope the baby loves it just as much.  

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Day 397 | Slam Dunk

The colder temps and rain forced us inside for some quality open-gym playtime today.

This was Robbe's first visit as a walker and he took advantage. His favorite activity? Yep, practicing his slam dunk. Maybe we'll have an athlete on our hands after all. 

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Day 396 | Storytime

Storytime, we're back!

With Chase in school on Tuesdays, we've neglected our neighborhood library storytime. Not anymore. 

The boys enjoyed the stories, songs, and mostly the instruments (see how excited Robbe is?). 

Monday, June 1, 2015

Day 395 | Oatmeal Cookies

Remember when I mentioned Chris's favorite cookies? Time to give my own top pick a shout out.

I'm a sucker for the oatmeal chocolate chip variety and think I just stumbled upon the perfect recipe. I know, I'm excited, too. They are super soft and are perfectly delicious (think texture and sweet/salty balance). You won't be disappointed, I swear!

Here's the original recipe, but you'll find the modified recipe that I used below.

Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
 Directions
  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
  • In a large bowl, cream together the butter, applesauce, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the oats and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. 
  • Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
*I'd like to point out that I didn't substitute applesauce for butter to be healthier (note the amount of sugar in the recipe), so don't put me in that box. I had only softened one stick of butter and didn't want to fight with a cold stick trying to get it to the same consistency. And, I think the applesauce made the recipe. They are so much softer and fluffier than I've been able to get any other recipe. Yay for happy accidents!