Spiders and bears, oh my!

Recently the Little Man has developed an irrational fear of bears and spiders. I have NO idea where the spiders fear came from, but the bears.... well, I think it has something to do with one of my LEAST favorite books:

I seriously hated reading this book long before the great Bear Scare began a few weeks ago, now I loathe this book because last night, LM was up from 12am-4am this morning freaking out about bears and spiders. He is convinced the bears live in our basement, despite untold numbers of times that we've reminded him that bears (and spiders) live in the forest and we live in a city.

Please excuse my grumpiness... I'm over tired and under caffeinated* However, if there were ever a time I'd like to engage in a little book burning a la Fahrenheit 451, it is today.

That is all. 

*I quite coffee recently in preparation for Operation Dr. F, Knock Me Up!

Happy Saint Patty's Day!

From our leprechaun to yours

:

Cloth Diapers

Nope, still not pregnant...but I do still have a little boy in diapers and I'm pretty positive we're going to do cloth diapers next time around because, well I'm just sick of paying for regular diapers and there are terrible for the environment. So, naturally I've just purchased my first cloth diapers and am going to try them out on the Little Man. I'm thinking they might even help with potty training since he'll feel that he's wet. Can't hurt, right?

PS. I not so secretly really want these:

    

We forgot what it was like...

This weekend was Dr. F's March golden weekend. A golden weekend is that magical weekend when he doesnt have to work/isnt on call Saturday or Sunday. This only happens one time each month and its glorious! We took full advantage of the weekend by getting our taxes done (the refund is going straight to his lenses for ophthalmology). Yep, every. single. penny. and then some. Dr. F cleaned up the back yard in preparation for next weekend's plans of landscaping/gardening and hopefully some outside dinners on our patio as soon as the weather cooperates. We even took a family walk along the river and went grocery shopping all together. Little Man even transitioned to his big boy bed: 

We really debated the toddler bed/bed rail dilemma, but decided that the toddler bed was the way to go because it means we get to keep our guest room for another year and Dr. F doesn't have to move his office to the basement quite yet. So, LM's bed is now set up in the nursery and our middle bedroom (which will be his in a year) can still be used in the aforementioned ways. The icing on the cake is that I found this beautiful bed on Craigslist for super cheap and I love it and its gender neutral. LM looooves his new bed and we've only had one instance of him getting out when he wasn't supposed to. Hooray!

Last night the weekend culminated in an amazing and very easy dinner. Dr. F made burgers and grilled them outside. I made sweet potato/reg. potato homemade french fries...and the results were too good not to share:

Fries: use an assortment of sweet and reg. potatoes. something about the variety is delicious!

Cut the potatos into "fries" then soak in cold, salted water for about 20 min. (this helps make them crisper)

Melt about 4 tbs of butter. Toss soaked fries (which you have removed from the water and dried) in butter.

* you know its gonna be good when there is butter involved!*

Season fries with a mixture of 1tsp garam masala and 1/2 tsp of chili powder.

Bake for about 40 min on 400 until fries are crisp (you may want to toss the fries 1/2 through for even cooking)

Lime Mayo for dipping:

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve:

3/4 cup Lite Mayo

2 tbs lime juice (I just squeezed a whole lime)

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/4 tsp paprika

salt and pepper to taste

The result? OMG amazing!!! 

We topped our burgers with ketchup and Trader Joe's guac. We even felt really indulgent and cracked a bottle of wine. It was pure heaven! Since I've been working (almost 8 mos now!) we basically eat left overs every night because I cook dinner the night before for the following day. It is very important to me that we eat home cooked meals, so "left overs" it is. But not last night! OH the joy it brought us to eat a freshly prepared, delicious dinner. It made me wish for the days when I stayed home and cooked every night. Dr. F was pretty on board too.... one day I'll stay home full time again...and I CAN'T WAIT!!

weddings weddings everywhere

Ok, I've officially lost it.Last night Dr. F and I got invited to our 10th wedding in 12 mos (seriously! we're going to have to take out a second mortgage to pay for all of these gifts) and guess what, he was asked by the couple to be the officiant! It is a huge honor and means so much to both of us. So of course, this morning I find the couple's website on the Knot and realize that their wedding is going to be in FT. LAUDERDALE AND KIDS ARE NOT INVITED! Normally this would only induce a slight panic, because OMG how are we going to pay for flights, hotel for 2 nights and a gift?!OH WAIT FOR IT.... if our plan goes according to plan, we will have a 4 mo old baby whom I will be nursing and cannot leave for a weekend!* yes, this is the plan, no I'm not pregnant yet, but we have a plan, damn it* I would be ok leaving LM for a weekend with my mom and dad, but I can not leave a 4 mo old. Furthermore, there is no way in h.e.l.l. I would leave my baby with a hotel babysitter/stranger for the adults only reception.

At this point, logic kicks in and I decide that I'm just going to send Dr. F a text, while he's in the hospital, that we should change our plan and try to conceive right about now so I wont have to leave an almost 4 mo old baby with his/her grandparents, haul a breast pump as my carry-on, and generally freak out.

I think this is an excellent plan. Of course, he texts back that "we'll talk about it later." I knew he'd say that.

Mama's got a brand new ride

...well, maybe. See, our cars are old (a 96 and 99) hand-me-downs, which our parents have so generously gifted us over the years. And I don't mind one bit. I have never cared about having a new or fancy car. I just want it to get us safely and reliably from point A to B and back again. I am also sick of continuing to put money into one car in particular (The 96...its 15 years old for crying out loud!) when I think we should just save the repair money and get a newer, used car (see, told you. i really don't care about bells and whistles!). I also hate the fact that we might have to spend even more money....lately it feels like our money is gone before we even have it. *thank you, student loans!* Our car is once again heading to the shop this weekend, after we spent $200 last weekend for new brakes....and I'm planting the seeds of buying a new (to us) car with Dr. F. I've started doing some research and have come up with a few options that I think might work for us: The Chevy Equinox or the Honda Pilot. The big downside of the Equinox is that it doesn't have 3 rows of seating * but it is rated #1 on US News and World Report.

Chevy Equinox

Honda Pilot

So, I'm turning to you in case you have or know anyone who has either of these cars...or a different car that you love, for advice. We are not opposed to minivans in general, but with the spectacularly terrible job of snow removal that Philly does and the need for Dr. F to make it to the hospital in terrible weather, we need AWD/4WD. I'd be grateful for any advice!

we plan on having a few kids (more than 2) so 3 rows of seating is important, because I want this car to last a long time... but should that factor in to a purchase when we only have 1 child now? I mean, we're probably going to have to replace the 99 sooner rather than later and can get a 3 row car then...

Who would guess...

that this munchkin is home today with a double ear infection and pink eye?