Today's Food Art: Dinner - Pita Pizzas w/ Spinach

So this recipe normally calls for 4 inch pita bread - but I had some pita pockets that I could use up. This was, yet again, a DELICIOUS meal! Too bad Rich didn't get to enjoy it with us! :-( Isla loved it too.

I used pizza sauce instead of tomato sauce. It was super simple to make:

Basically spread some pureed spinach on the pita. Then the sauce. Then the mozz cheese. Toss it in the oven at 400 for about 5 minutes... and voila!

Blanching and Freezing Carrots

I'm trying something new today! I have all of these carrots from my garden, and there is NO way I can use all of them before they go bad. I have decided to freeze them.

I got the "recipe" on this site. Seems pretty cool and I will continue to use it: http://www.pickyourown.org/carrotsfreezing.htm

I'm wishing I would have done this for all of my veggies... There's always next year! ;-)

Today's Food Art: Lunch - Butternut Squash Grilled Cheese

Today I made Butternut Squash Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for lunch. So yummy and simple. Rich LOVED them! So much nutrients in this delish dish! Forgot to take a pic.

Aslan and Sparky

Isla and I are making some changes... For the GREAT!

Now that Isla and I are getting into our groove of being together 24/7, I thought we could start up our blog again! Of course a lot has happened in the last six months, so I will catch up as BRIEFLY as possible ;-)

Isla Betty, in short, is doing everything she is supposed to be doing (and more) as a 16 month old. Walking/running, jibber jabbering,  playing, puzzling, playing, stacking, playing, climbing/standing on things she's not supposed to... You know, all of that normal stuff. :-)

We both have met lots of new friends in MOMS Club! I enjoy the MOMS' company and also putting together the MOMS Club of Belle Plaine Newsletter!

We are still using and loving FuzziBunz, too!  Cloth diapering has saved us so much dough! It's great!

And now I am spending all that money we saved on my new-found love of cooking! We base our menus on Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook "Deceptively Delicious," using the hidden technique of adding pureed fruits and veggies to all of our meals! So far Rich and Isla LOVE my cooking! YAYY! :-) My next step is to get her second cookbook "Double Delicious! Good, Simple Food for Busy, Complicated Lives" now that I am working part time (with Isla) at the Chaska Community Center Daycare.

We got a kitty, too! Here's a pic...

He's MUCH bigger, now... But that's the only photo I had on the computer at the moment. :-) He and Sparky are best friends. He's extremely cool... coolest darn cat I've ever met! Most agree.

Pneumonia

Well, poor Isla has been thrown another zinger. We've been in and out of the hospital again this week... They seem to have finally found what is going on, though. She has had a fever for the last 5 days... for 72 hours of that it was above 102 (peaking at 104.5). Throat tests, blood tests, chest xrays... and finally a discovery. Pneumonia. She just took her last dose of antibiotics, but had a fever again this morning. She feels a bit better after Motrin, but we hate giving her that stuff all the time. She hasn't been eating too well, but she will drink her bottle. So that is good.

One day office lady, next day teacher!

I am proud to say that I am now a SAHM! Thursday, March 17 was my last day "on the job" at Bergquist.

Isla and I are already having a great time learning about all the things around the house, singing and dancing to our favorite tunes, and spending quality time together! She is pulling herself up on everything and is doing so quite strongly! She enjoys testing her limits by going after the doggy food as often as possible. ;-)

On Thursday after saying goodbye to my coworkers, Isla and I spent some time at PetSmart learning about the animals that can live in the home! She really enjoyed the fish, birdies, and the doggies at daycamp!

We are very excited for this spring and summer to learn about flowers and veggies as we start our garden!

Uncle Braden came to visit this weekend. We had a blast watching SuperWhy - Isla's favorite PBS show! She hears the music and starts giggling and clapping. So cute!

Daddy was home from Thurs through Sunday. It was great to spend some time with him after he was gone for three weeks for work! 

She now has four teeth coming through! They all just started coming in... within a month!

Poor baby has been struggling with ear infections and other crud for the last few weeks, too. :-( Had a fever this afternoon, but she cooled down shortly. We're going in tomorrow to the doc again.

Along with staying home with Isla, I am in a band! Our first performance is May 7 at an old coworkers benefit that I am also organizing. We are PUMPED and almost ready to go! :-)

I'm also super excited for Kelly and Brian's wedding in June! Kelly has requested my assistance with some things and I am happy to help! I do have a little bit of spare time, after all! ;-)