The Family That Dines Together

Doc and were so excited that our first furniture purchase together has finally happened!  We eat dinner together every night Doc is home at our dining room table.  On nights he has call or is working, we try to take him dinner and visit him at the call room (not as sexy as Grey’s Anatomy tries to make it).  Eating meals together has been important to Doc and I since we got married, and now we spend at least 30 minutes eating a healthy home-cooked meal every night.

I am happy to say that after 6 years together and nearly 4 years of marriage, we have finally returned my family’s table to them and have our own.  It is “small” size in this photo but pulls out and has a leaf stored that makes the table easily comfortable for 8.  My favorite thing is the bench seat.  It’s perfect for a family full of kids, which we will one day be.  Little Bird LOVES the bench and sits there for meals.  It gives her a little more mobility without her getting up, and she’s less likely to tip it backward.  For our first and last major purchase for a good while, I think it was wonderful to get something that makes way for the future full of happy children we know is out there for us.  Hopefully happy, healthy children.

Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins

I am thankful that today IS a day like any other day, unlike that day 10 years ago.  I am thankful that I can do normal things today and that 10 years after the attack meant to destroy our nation, we are still here.  And when I am feeling blessed and thankful, I bake.

So today I tried out a recipe from AllRecipes.com for Pumpkin Zucchini Bread, only I made muffins.  I used half whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour and they still taste amazing!

 

It was a wonderful little fall treat to celebrate the cooling weather and the fact that I have a wonderful family who is blessed to have the freedom to believe what our hearts guide us to, speak our minds, and permit each of us to have equal rights.

It’s Hard to Feel Sorry For Yourself

When you think of all the joy you have experienced in your life

Doc and I are working on putting together our second Adventure Book and Little Bird’s Year Two Book.  As we were looking through pictures over the last several years, both of us just could not escape a feeling of intense gratefulness.

How do you see pictures of every good adventure you’ve had and not feel like you have nothing to be sad about, nothing to worry about, and nothing to burden your mind?

We all have rough patches in life.  We all go through hardships and trials.  But those are such small matters when you look at everything you have experienced with people you love.  Just because we know when a rough patch will be coming with Rowan doesn’t mean that we won’t come out of it blessed like we have in the past.  It just means we have time to prepare.

My husband and I are more in love now than we were when we got married.  We are happier together than we knew possible.  My daughter is a joy – even when she’s teething.  We have a beautiful life we are building together.  I have no reason to feel sorry for myself or my family.  I have no reason to be sad.  So until life gives me a real reason, I’m choosing to smile at the beautiful weather, run outside and play with my daughter, and love the joyful moments my family has been blessed with right now.

Peach Pork

Doc and I had tons of family in town this weekend and decided to celebrate all of that love by cooking for everyone!

We had been to our friend’s, Wolf and Louisa’s, a few weeks ago and had the most amazing grilled meal at their place.  Louisa sent me the link and we were off and running! 

We ended up having this amazing “Cook This! Not That!” Recipe that had peaches, bleu cheese, balsamic vinegar, and pine nuts in a sauce to cover grilled thick-cut pork.  Sides: Corn, Rosemary Roasted Potatoes, Asparagus.

With the weather turning cooler, we plan on using the grill a lot more!  I thought I’d share this recipe with all of you because it was such a delicious meal and was super easy to make.

I ended up making twice the amount of peach sauce I needed, so I froze it and will be using it next time I need a quick meal.  All I will need to do is grill the pork and VOILA!