Supper this week

I think it's time to re-inaugurate sharing the weekly meal plans! It's always satisfying to have a plan in place, even though I will happily set it aside when my husband says occasionally at 5 pm, "Let's walk to Moe's!" Here's this week:

Monday:  Refried bean enchiladas

Tuesday:  Not-sagna pasta toss (a Rachel Ray favorite)

Wednesday: {Thai}

Thursday:  Chicken Paprika and rice 

Friday:  Tilapia and rice 

Saturday: Spaghetti alla carbonara (this will be an experiment! I love a good carbonara and plan to consult Southern Living and a recipe online that I pinned).

What's going on in your kitchen this week?

Instagram July

If we're already following each other on Instagram, this post will seem like a repeat. :)  Nevertheless, here are some of my favorite instants from July!

Homemade Popsicles...

And first tastes of cantaloupe...

There's no place like home...or Stewart's :)

She slept through this entire visit with great-Grandma on her bed at the retirement home.

Some of my mother's cooking :)

There are no words...

First "ife peam cone" at Dairy Haus

A very special first birthday party!

...And a very special reunion :)

Some fun new shoes...

Outdoor loveliness.

My mother's beautiful pantry...

Communists make scrumptious ice cream ;)

...And mothers-in-law make scrumptious breakfasts.

A new tutu, and pretty as a princess :)

There were many moments we didn't capture, but it was fun capturing these!

Seven months old

Poor Ruthie! This post was sitting in my draft folder and originally titled "Six months old." Already getting second-child treatment...

How well Ruth Caroline fits in with our little family! The thought of caring for two children in addition to my husband and home was a bit sobering at first, but now we can't imagine life without her. 

Oh, my precious blue-eyed Ruth! I'm glad the screaming days are over--that you can be happy playing on the floor for a bit, that mommy taking a shower no longer warrants an official complaint session to the powers that be. But I loved all our hours of cuddling while nursing, in the Moby wrap, with books...you're getting so big now! 

At your six month appointment, you were in the 75th percentile all around for height, weight and head size, weighing in around 16 pounds. And you must have had a growth spurt because now, clothed, you weigh about 18 and a half pounds!

I never understood the significance of measuring head size until that sobering one-month appointment when the pediatrician asked us if prominent eyes ran in our family, then sent us off to an opthamologist, who sent us off to a surgeon, who sent us off for X-rays and an MRI. You got your taste of the medical system quite young for one so healthy, baby Ruth...and we praise our Father that we seem to be at the end of that story with no further testing or treatment needed.

You're rolling and sitting up so well these days! You can sit unsupported for quite a few minutes, and half the time transition back to your tummy with no trouble. I think you'll walk sooner than your sister did at 15 months, because you already like practicing standing and jumping in an exer-saucer. You're not quite crawling yet, but I'm in no hurry to have you grow up, sweetheart!

We decided to take a more traditional approach to solids this time, and your first food was organic baby oatmeal mixed with some of mommy's milk. For the first month, neither carrots, peaches, bananas, avocado or cereal were very interesting to you, but we had a breakthrough with green beans recently, and I think you're finally really ready for food.  And we're still doing a bit of baby-led weaning, too...

You're starting to clap your hands, too, Ruthie! I suspect you may be more keen on sign language than sister was. But she definitely had you beat for hair.... 

What a blessing you are to us, precious one.

Ugly Horse, faithful steed

Back before Christmas, I mentioned working on a gift for our little nephew...with Ruthie's birth, it didn't get done in time, but I finally finished it this spring for his birthday! And I present to you some poor-quality iPhone shots of Ugly Horse!

Mom made us all stick-horses as gifts when we were growing up, and I was excited to continue the tradition. I had a vintage wool skirt in mind for the head, some frisky red cotton for his mane, and planned to embroider his eyes, nostrils and mouth. All very exciting. :)

Then I made my primary mistake--drawing up my own pattern for his head. I thought I'd give him a nice thick neck like a real horse...

And then Christmas morning came! Aunt Heidi came into town with a homemade stick horse for Gemma in tow. She followed a pattern for hers--

When Gemma opened it, I had to catch my breath. So Victorian! So girly! So beautiful! Why hadn't I followed a pattern? 

I went to Joann to find some fun materials to make a bridle and reins, and they helped some. I stitched them together with a snap on the underside so the bridle can come off, which makes me happy. And that is the tale of Ugly Horse...at least it was for a boy!

Two-and-a-half

Darling two-and-a-half...

When all skirts are tutus, and singing means going "sing oh sing oh sing!"

Darling little chatter-box, who goes on and on in sentences, but still calls "milk" "milp" and "Grandpa" "Bapum" and "I love you" "I yot you!"

Precious child, those "I yot you"s now come unsolicited, and you delight our hearts. We marvel to hear the little thoughts forming in your mind being expressed in your speech. Yet, as we see the imago dei steadily blossoming in your little life, we also see more and more clearly how that image has been marred by the sin we have all inherited. O, Lord, make us faithful and make our weak efforts effective by Your Spirit to the salvation of your never-dying soul!

You recognize your numbers and all your capital letters, little one. You're learning to count objects, and you know your colors and shapes. Just today, when asked what your favorite color is, you said for the first time,"I yite purpoo and yeyyow!" When I ask about Sunday School, you always tell me that you sang holy, holy, holy and learned about God.  You're about halfway potty-trained.

Uncle Derek is "Uckum Guk" and Aunt Liz is "Aunt Yiz" and Aunt Heidi is still Hockey. :) Your sister really loves you. You're always trying to give her her pacifier, and she just stares at you adoringly.

It thrills my heart to sit with you and read Little Bear and Blueberries for Sal and your collection of Beatrix Potter books-- though some of her stories are rather odd!  

We love you our little one, our big girl, our Gemma Grace.