fall is in the air

It is officially Fall here in Maryland, and as much as I love Summer, I really really love Fall... it's one of the few things I was looking forward to about coming back to the east coast. The crisp air, apple cider donuts, the leaves changing, apple cider donuts, apple cider donuts. Yeah, I'm kind of a fan. And we didn't really get Fall in Portland... once October hit, it was cool and rainy until the following June. Bleh!

So as all parents do this time of year, we welcomed Fall by taking Emma to the pumpkin patch. She LOVED it! We went to Summers Farm here in Frederick, and in addition to the pumpkin patch, they had this giant in-ground moon bounce, a little train ride, pig races, a petting zoo, putt putt, and loads more. Did I mention they also had the most deeeeelicious apple cider donuts I've ever had? I could have eaten a dozen but I restrained myself to 1. At least while we were still there. ;)

We let Emma pick out her own pumpkin, but she decided she'd rather bob for it instead of pick one up with her hands. What a goof.

What about you... What's your favorite thing about Fall?

link love - 10.5.12

Hi everyone, and happy Friday! I don't know if it's because the days are shorter now or we've been so busy, but the weeks seem to be flying by lately. I'm off to my cousin's wedding this weekend, and we'll be taking Emma on her first trip to the pumpkin patch. Hopefully Emma loves it as much as we hope she will. She's a gal who likes to get her hands dirty, so we're optimistic that acres of dirt, hay, and pumpkins will be right up her alley.

My free time has been spent immersed in all things photography this week, so I don't have my usual links ready for you. Sorry! But I do want to share some of my favorite photographer discoveries so far... As I try to figure out what my "style" is, I find myself drawn toward lifestyle (as opposed to posed) photographers whose photos capture the simple, every day moments with their kids. After all, that's my personal goal as I work to get better at taking photos of my family life. I hope my children will be able to look back on the photos I took of them growing up and see the story of their childhood... not just the milestones, but the little mundane things, too - the favorite toy, the way their room was, how their hair looked when they woke up from a long nap. These are the things I hope to capture, and these are some people who I think do an exceptional job at it...

I hope you all are as inspired by their photos as I am. Have a great weekend! :)

my grandmother

I got to thinking the other day that I don't recall ever seeing a photo of my mom with her mom... she died of breast cancer when my mom was in her early 20s. My mom was her rock through surgery, treatment, and ultimately death... and as much as I wish she'd talk about my grandmother, I understand why even after 40 years it's still too painful. Given that it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I decided to ask if she'd be willing to let me photograph her holding a beloved photo of her mom... surprisingly, she said okay.

I realized after I uploaded this photo that my mom was wearing the necklace she had made from her mother's engagement ring diamond. She gave me and my sister necklaces with that same diamond when we graduated from college, and it's one of my most cherished possessions. I love that my mom wore it for this photo.

my dream photography kit

That's right... 4 weeks into my first ever photography class and I'm already dreaming about all the fancy gear I want. I'm actually really happy that I'm learning on a camera that doesn't have a ton of bells and whistles. It's forcing me to really learn the craft instead of relying on my gear. But I'm guessing when the short days of winter roll around I'm going to be itchin' for a camera with better low light capabilities. Enter my dream/goal camera...

Canon 5D Mark ii

I've debated about whether to upgrade to the 7D (another crop sensor, like I already have) or the 5D which is a full frame, and while I might have some regrets if I only upgrade to the 7D, I know I would never regret getting the 5D. Even if I get really really good at photography someday, I can't outgrow this camera. I might run it into the ground, but I can't outgrow it. Which makes it a very good investment. Right? Right. :)

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L Zoom Lens

The lens I primarily use now is the 50mm f/1.4 and I LOVE it. I can shoot 90% of what I want to with that lens, but there will be times, especially on vacations, that I'll want a zoom lens - and this is the daddy of all zoom lenses. Okay, I don't know that - I've only been in Manual mode for like 3 weeks. But I do know it takes some amazing photos, and if I ever get another zoom lens, I'm pretty sure this will be it.

Black Rapid Camera Strap

I never thought I could have my mind blown by a camera strap, but that's exactly what happened the first time I saw these bad boys. They screw into the bottom of your camera, and the camera just glides along the strap when you want to take a shot. It looks so comfortable and far easier to work with than the Canon strap I currently have - especially when I'm out and about with Emma and fumbling with the strap can mean she's already run out of the frame by the time I'm ready to take her photo. (I swear, photographing toddlers could have been a challenge on Double Dare... I can't believe people do this professionally!)

Ketti Handbag

Once I have all my gear I'll need something to put it in! Camera bags are notoriously drab, so I was delighted to find these beauties by Ketti Handbags. They look just like oversized handbags on the outside, but inside they're designed to keep your camera and lenses nice and safe. And it's spacious enough to be my purse, camera bag, and diaper bag all in one. I'm just waiting for the exact right design to be released and then I'll pull the trigger.

Well that's it... the camera is definitely my priority in terms of order, with the lens being the last on my list - way down the road. Either way, mama needs a raise! :)

link love - 9.28.12

Happy Friday, everyone. I've been so busy this week that Friday kind of snuck up on me! What do you have planned for the weekend? My in laws are coming up for the day tomorrow, I'm meeting up with an old friend for dinner tomorrow night, and meeting up with another old friend on Sunday to take our girls to the National Zoo. Whew! Another jam packed weekend but I'm really looking forward to it.

Anywho... here's what I've loved from the Interwebs this week:

{LIFE} This really got my attention... We always try to be respectful and understanding with Emma, but this is a really good thing to keep in the back of your mind.

{FOOD} My friend Leslie posted this yesterday and it kind of blew my mind. I mean, there's no way this could be bad. It's unfortunately filled with lots of stuff Jared doesn't like, so I'll have to make it on a night when he's out of town. But it will be mine, oh yes... it will be mine.

{DIY} Hello first Christmas crafts of the 2012 season...

 {SEWING} I love the Flashback Tee pattern from Made by Rae, and I especially love this girly update.

{SHOPPING} I purchased my dream boots last year as a 30th birthday present to myself, so I'm definitely not in the market for new ones. BUT, if I was - these would definitely be the ones I'd get.

 

{LAUGHTER} This made me LOL.

Have a great weekend!! :)

Zachary's 1st Birthday!

This past Sunday was my sweet nephew's 1st birthday, and I was so excited to do the decorations for his party. Zachary looooves monkeys so my sister naturally went with a monkey theme. I busted out my Silhouette and got to work...

Our super talented cousin Emily made all the baked goods, and I added the name cards, wrappers, and toppers. I purchased a set of monkey clip art for the graphics and custom Silhouette shapes. I used the leftover dots from cutting the cupcake wrappers as confetti.

I got this super tall palm tree from Party City to display photos from Zach's first year. The bananas are a Silhouette shape and I used the Xyron to make them into stickers.

Happy Birthday, Zachary!!! :-)

PS... I'm trying out some new photo layouts from Pugly Pixel, and really liking them. The best part is they're FREE! Gotta love the Internet.

date night

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Before Sunday night, Jared and I hadn't been on a date in seven and a half months. SEVEN AND A HALF MONTHS, people! That is craziness. But with all the chaos of the move it just wasn't happenening... plus we both work a lot, and we get such little time with our boo boo. It's really hard to sacrifice any time we get with her, so it has to be for something really good. And this past Sunday was just the excuse we needed. Our favorite band, The Avett Brothers (more about our love for them here) was playing in Baltimore and we knew we had to go.

We ramped up a sitter over the past month so that Emma would be comfortable with her, we really liked and trusted her, but when the time came to leave we were so nervous. No one had ever put Emma to bed besides us! So for the first couple of hours I was definitely that cliche mom on a date night who was checking her phone every few minutes. All I wanted was that text saying she was sleeping soundly. And right as we were walking into the venue, we got it. Best text ever!

Once we could finally relax, we had SUCH a good time. I can't tell you how great it was to be out just the two of us, especially seeing our favorite band. We had great seats, the set list was nearly perfect, and it felt great doing something that was so quintessentially us. We've been seeing The Avett Brothers live since 2007, and this was show #12 for us... in that time we've gotten married, had a baby, and moved across the country. They've been a constant in our relationship and something that always brings us back to each other. I can't think of a better way to spend our first date night in what felt like forever.

Now that we've ripped off the babysitting bandaid, we're hoping to make it a regular thing. Any recommendations? What is your favorite thing to do on a date night?

cabin bound

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Sorry there's no Link Love today! We're heading up to the cabin for a long weekend and I got so busy getting things packed up last night that I ran out of time to get all my weekly finds together. There weren't that many anyway because I've been super busy with both work and my photography class - which is going awesome, btw. I've learned so much just in the first week! I can't believe I'm actually shooting in manual mode now. I honestly never thought I'd see the day. In lieu of links can I make it up to you with a cute baby? Here are a couple of my favorite shots from my assignment this week:

Oh, that face. What's a mother to do? ;)

Have a great weekend, everyone!

{made for dinner} Beef with Peas

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In our continued hunt for new weeknight dinner recipes, we tried out Pioneer Woman's Beef with Snow Peas (subbing regular peas for the snow peas so the meal would be more toddler friendly.) I was a little skeptical, but P-dub won us all over, Emma especially. (I swear, the girl loooves her proteins.) The flavor in the sauce is what really makes this, plus you don't have to marinate the meat ahead of time which is huge because we always forget anyway. Here's our adapted recipe:

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 pound Flank Steak, Trimmed Of Fat And Sliced Very Thin Against The Grain
  • 1/2 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
  • 3 Tablespoons Sherry Or Cooking Sherry
  • 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
  • 1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Ginger
  • 1 cup of frozen peas
  • 5 whole Scallions, Cut Into Haf-inch Pieces On The Diagonal
  • Salt As Needed (use Sparingly)
  • 3 Tablespoons Peanut Or Olive Oil
  • Jasmine Or Long Grain Rice, Cooked According To Package

Directions:

In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, and ginger. Add sliced meat to bowl and toss with hands. Set aside.

Cook frozen peas according to the instructions on the bag, and set aside.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet (iron is best) or wok over high heat. With tongs, add half the meat mixture, leaving most of the marinade still in the bowl. Add half the scallions. Spread out meat as you add it to pan, but do not stir for a good minute. (You want the meat to get as brown as possible in as short amount a time as possible.) Turn meat to the other side and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove to a clean plate.

Repeat with other half of meat, allowing pan to get very hot again first. After turning it, add the first plateful of meat, the rest of the marinade, and the peas. Stir over high heat for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Check seasonings and add salt only if it needs it. Mixture will thicken as it sits.

Serve immediately over rice.

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman.

activity blanket tutorial

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Emma has been obsessed with clips and zippers lately, so I thought I'd make her a little activity blanket so she could clip and unzip to her heart's content. (I can't even tell you how good it felt to bust out my sewing machine for the first time in months.) And, it was so simple to make that I actually made it during naptime on Sunday afternoon. Plus I used scrap fabric, and I love any project that puts even a little dent in my stash.

If you're just learning how to sew, this is a great beginner project because aside from the button holes it's just a bunch of straight stitches. And there's no need to be intimidated by button holes... most newer machines do all the work for you!

Here's what you'll need to make your own:

Materials:

  • Two 15.5 x 15.5 in. squares of fabric
  • Two 15.5 in. pieces of grosgrain (or similar thick ribbon)
  • Four 6 in. pieces of nylon webbing (or similar thick webbing, ribbon, straps, etc.)
  • Two 14 in. zippers
  • Two plastic buckles/clips
  • Buttons (at least 6)
  • Lighter (yes, you read that right!)
  • Coordinating thread

Directions:

Create your clip "activities" by sewing your 6 in. pieces of nylon webbing to each end of the buckle. Now here's the fun part - use a lighter to seal the cut ends of the webbing. Yes, it's a little sad that the most badass my life gets these days is taking a lighter to some frayed edges, but I take what I can get. :) Besides, it really is the best and quickest way to make sure your ends don't fray.

Next, lay out your "activities" on your front fabric to get the spacing right. I just eyeballed mine, leaving about an inch and a half between activities.

Pin only the zippers in place and remove the rest of the activities.

Sew your zippers into place.

Set the blanket aside for now and grab the ribbon for your button activities. Mark the spots for your button holes at 4", 7.5", and 11".

Sew your button holes. I used 1" buttons for this, and wouldn't go any smaller. (Note, if you use grosgrain and have some fraying when you open your button holes, use your trusty lighter to carefully seal the edges.)

Next, lay your activities out on the front fabric again, pin and baste into place.

Then, grab your back fabric and pin it to the front fabric, right sides together. Sew together using a 1/2" seam, leaving a 4-5" opening at the bottom.

Press your seams open, then turn the blanket right side out and sew a 1/4" topstitch around the perimeter.

Last but not least, sew on your buttons. I chose to sew mine on at the very end because I'm paranoid about Emma being able to get them off, creating a potential choking hazard. I figured two layers of fabric would be a sturdier hold.

And once all the buttons attached, you're done!

Emma is loving it so far, and I'm excited to see how her interest in it changes as she becomes better at manipulating each activity.

Let me know if you make one, and leave a comment if you have any questions!

link love - 9.7.12

Happy Friday! It's been a crazy busy week for me work-wise... why is it that short weeks always feel the longest? I'm looking forward to a couple of days off to hang with my family while I stay firmly in denial that football season has officially started. (Why can't the NFL be more like FNL? I could totally get into that.)

Anyway, here's what I'm loving this week...

{LIFE} Regardless of your political opinions, it's hard not to be moved by the relationship between Joe and Jill Biden. 30+ years together and they still act like giddy high schoolers. It's a rare example of a great (famous) marriage, and I can only hope Jared and I are still this in love 30 years from now...

{FOOD} I don't know what it is about this pasta, but I feel like it's the perfect transition into fall dinner and I can't wait to make it.

Ricotta Gnocchi with Eggplant Tomato Mozzarella Sauce courtesy of The Naptime Chef

{DIY} Emma has been obsessed with clips and buckles lately, so when I saw this I thought, "brilliant!" I'll probably do a combination of buckles and zippers because she's been loving those lately, too. And maybe some snaps for good measure. Because why do something simple when you can make it complicated? (Pretty sure that sums up my entire approach to crafting.)

{SEWING} I've been enamored with the Oliver + S patterns since before I even got pregnant, so I get pretty darn excited with each new pattern release. This latest set did not disappoint! Say hello to the pattern I'll be using to make Emma's Christmas dress this year...

{SHOPPING} I'm in desperate need of a new winter coat, but I tend to be really indecisive when it comes to big ticket purchases, so I'm starting my search early - like when it's still 80+ degrees out. This one from J Crew is a very strong contender:

{LAUGHTER} We've been plowing through past seasons of How I Met Your Mother this summer, so this one made me chuckle. I love the show, but seriously, who would tell their kids every detail of every relationship they had before their mom? It's a little silly. But if it means we get to hear all about Uncle Barney's hijinx then it's kind of totally worth it, right?

swim survival

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Before Emma was even born I knew I wanted to enroll her in an infant swim survival class. I had a coworker who did it with her daughter and the stories she would tell me of how her baby could float on her back before she could even walk blew me away. If you've never heard of it, infant swim survival teaches your baby to roll over to their back and float independently until help can arrive - it essentially teaches them how to save their own life in case of an accidental fall in the water, which is pretty critical for us considering we live 100 yards from a pool and the cabin has two ponds and a stream. Emma has been practicing these skills since she was almost 5 months old, and her ability to turn and float still amazes us - not to mention the peace of mind we have knowing our baby can self rescue. If you're thinking about signing your baby up for swim classes, I highly recommend going with a swim survival program.

{made for dinner} broccoli and pesto pasta

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We have a ton of cookbooks, but because of our handy binder system, we rarely ever look at them. But every now and then we get into a dinner rut and end up combing our cookbooks in desperation. One of our favorites is Jamie's Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver. It's full of simple recipes with fresh ingredients, and we have yet to find a dud. We discovered this one last week, and everyone loved it. The original calls for tagliatelle but we used gemelli to make it more toddler friendly. We also added garlic, because - well - pasta without garlic should be a crime.

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium potato
  • 1 head of broccoli
  • a large bunch of fresh basil
  • sea salt
  • 1 lb of gemelli pasta
  • 1/4 cup green pesto
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1/2 tbsp of olive oil
  • 3 ounces Parmesan cheese

Directions:

To prepare your pasta:

  1. Wash and peel the potato and cut it into very thin shavings using a speed peeler
  2. Slice the end off the broccoli stalk
  3. Cut little broccoli florets off the head and put them to one side
  4. Halve the thick stalk lengthways, then slice thinly
  5. Pick the basil leaves and discard the stalks
  6. Grate the Parmesan
  7. Mince the garlic

To cook your pasta

  1. Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil
  2. Add the pasta and broccoli stalks and cook according to the instructions on the box
  3. Meanwhile, saute the garlic in the olive oil
  4. 2 minutes before the pasta is cooked, add the broccoli florets and potato slices
  5. Drain everything in a colander over a large bowl, reserving some of the cooking water, and return to the pan
  6. Roughly chop half of your basil leaves and add to the pan with the pesto, garlic, and half the Parmesan
  7. Give it all a good stir and if the sauce is too thick for your, add a splash of the cooking water to thin it out a bit

To serve your pasta:

  1. Divide the pasta between your serving bowls
  2. Sprinkle over the rest of the Parmesan and the remaining basil leaves
  3. Serve with a lovely big bowl of salad, and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver's cookbook, Jamie's Food Revolution

{life list} progress!

And just like that, summer is over... fastest summer ever, right? We kind of had a lot going on, but still. Amid all the craziness, I did manage to knock a few things off of my Life List... #33 - Keep a plant alive for more than 3 months... Remember these terrariums? Yeah, I kept one of them alive for FIVE MONTHS! Can you believe it? I'm sure many of you are reading this and thinking "what's the big deal?", but I have the blackest of black thumbs, so this new record is kind of a big deal for me. AND, it didn't even die, we just couldn't keep it alive during the cross-country move. Who knows how long I could have kept my streak going! Admittedly, the other terrarium died a slow and neglected death, but I'm still calling this one a victory.

#37 - Watch Emma eat her first ice cream cone... I'm so bummed I didn't think to get a picture of this at the time, but Emma did have her first ice cream cone this summer (well, we shared one) and she loved it! For those of you curious about what it was, it should come as no surprise that we went with only the best for our little boo boo - Almond Brittle with Salted Ganache from Salt & Straw.

#49 - Rock my natural hair color (or have it be mostly my natural color)... Back in February, I hinted that I was getting ready to take the plunge into mousy brownville, and I did. And while I wouldn't say I hated it, my natural color just didn't feel like me. (Every fake blond reading this knows exactly what I'm taking about.) I gave it a solid effort, though. Despite wanting to dye it back immediately, I kept it for almost 4 months, during which time I sent my BFF the following message: "Let's make a pact to never dye our hair brown again. It's never easier, it's never less maintenance, and we both look way better as bottle blondes. Deal? - sincerely, your regretfully brown-haired bff." That pretty much sums it up. I'm happily back to blond, and staying that way for good!

3 down, 73 to go! And I'm signed up for my photography class (#53), we're knocking out the AFI top 100 (#76), and I found my perfect shade of lipstick (#54)- I just have to order it. Have you made a Life List yet? How's it going so far??

{life list} AFI's 100 Movies - 90 to 100

We're slowly but surely chipping away at my Life List goal of watching all 100 films on the AFI Top 100 list. We're rating each one as we go, and decided not to look at the other's review before writing our own to make it a bit more fun. Here's what we thought of 90 through 100...

{#100 - Ben-Hur}

What Jared thought... B+. Quite a long movie, but Judah Ben Hur is pretty badass. The sheer production and amount of extras for a movie from the 50s is very impressive.

What I thought... B. Oh, Judah Ben-Hur. Your story is good, but so, so long. The film itself was impressive, given the scale and action and year in which it was filmed, but it could have easily been an hour shorter.

{#99 - Toy Story}

What Jared thought... A. Obviously a classic and was mind-blowing at the time, being the first feature-length Pixar movie. Great storyline, characters, etc. Basically everything is great.

What I thought... A. Toy Story is a classic, and it's the first in a long line of Pixar films that so brilliantly combine a great story with cutting edge animation. I loved it the first time I saw it, and it was just as great all these years later.

{#98 - Yankee Doodle Dandy}

What Jared thought... B-/C+. Honestly don't understand the reason why this is considered one of the top 100 films of all time. I feel like any movie on this list, regardless of knowing any background or not, you should be able to just watch and say, "That was a great movie!" I've watched musicals and whatnot with Sinatra or Bob Hope from that era, and I think any of the ones I've seen would match right up with this one.

What I thought... C. The only thing that saved this movie for me was the back story - if I didn't know that it was based on a true story, or that James Cagney was basically the James Gandolfini of his time and for him to do a movie musical was kind of ridiculous (making his performance all the more impressive) - this would have gotten an even lower grade from me. I love musicals, but there are much better than this (hello, Newsies!) and I'm not sure why this even made the Top 100.

{#97 - Blade Runner}

What Jared thought... B. Very strange movie, but the special effects made for a very realistic-looking world of the future.

What I thought... B. I have to preface this by saying I'm not super into sci-fi, but the story here was interesting. Harrison Ford and the special effects (which I could usually care less about, but were very impressive for early 80s) saved this one for me.

{#96 - Do The Right Thing}

What Jared thought... B. I don't like Spike Lee (it has to do with a run-in at a Bruce Hornsby concert at the Blue Note in NYC…don't ask), but I did think this was a good movie. I have a hard time saying I enjoyed watching it, because I feel like it's purposely a rather hard movie to watch, but it was well acted and written.

What I thought... B. I liked this move more than I thought I would. It was thought provoking, if a little film school self-indulgent.

{#95 - The Last Picture Show}

What Jared thought... B. I'm showing my cinematic ignorance here, but I feel like this could have just as easily been a play, rather than a movie. It was more depressing than I thought it would be, but I did like it.

 What I thought... B-. This was just okay for me. The acting was superb, and it was great seeing a young Jeff Bridges (who I love) do his thing, the story just didn't hook me.

{#94 - Pulp Fiction}

What Jared thought... A. I absolutely love this movie. Samuel L Jackson is nothing short of brilliant, in a role that pretty much defined him (in my opinion). I've watched this movie at least a few dozen times since it came out and I enjoy every bit of it, except that I've always disliked the song that Mia puts on before she OD's. But that's a very small criticism for a great movie.

What I thought... B+. I hadn't seen this in years and it has held up as simply a great f-ing movie.

{#93 - The French Connection}

What Jared thought... N/A. I honestly do not remember watching this movie, so I couldn't have liked it very much. I know Gene Hackman was in it, and he was great as Lex Luthor and in Unforgiven, so maybe I should just go with a B and call it a day.

What I thought... B. I had to watch this in film class in college and remembered nothing of it. I should have tried harder to stay awake back then because it was actually a pretty good movie… a good and gritty detective movie like they rarely seem to make these days.

{#92 - Goodfellas}

What Jared thought... A+. I've loved this movie since the first time I saw it in high school. I've read the book (which I actually think is better) as well, and the movie definitely does it justice.  It's eminently quotable, and the acting is off the charts great.  Ma, I can't leave it there, it's a sin.

What I thought... A. I don't know why this is ranked so low on this list. Such a fantastic movie… brilliant acting, and I'm a sucker for a good sympathetic antagonist like Henry Hill.

{#91 - Sophie's Choice}

What Jared thought... B/B-. To quote Seinfeld, "Oh that Meryl Streep, she's such a phony!". A very good, if utterly heartbreaking movie. I feel like the middle part dragged out and then all of a sudden WHAMO, they go for the gut punch. Maybe that was intentional, maybe not.

What I thought... B. Ugh. WRECKED. That is how I felt after this movie. Completely and utterly wrecked. I was still crying when the movie ended and I kept saying to Jared, "It's just so awful! Can you imagine?" I cried the next day just thinking about it. Aside from the soul destroying story, this movie is yet another example of why Meryl Streep is the master and all other actresses must bow before her. She's simply flawless.

{#90 - Swing Time}

What Jared thought... B+. Fun movie, great dancing, and a great story. Not much else to say.

What I thought... B+. I could watch Fred Astaire dance all day. I think there's something so fascinating about watching someone do with great ease what you are so completely incapable of doing. I have two left feet and the only time I'm relaxed enough to look halfway decent dancing is when I'm quite drunk. Anyway... this was a fun movie and I found it impossible not to be charmed by the legendary Fred and Ginger.

Have you seen any of these movies? I'd love to know what you thought!

how I make breastfeeding work as a working mom

Yep. I'm finally going there. I've debated for a long time whether or not I should write about my experience with breastfeeding. It's such a personal subject, and every woman's experience is different. But by some miracle I've been able to exclusively breastfeed Emma while working full time for the past 14 months and we're still going strong... so I hope that in sharing my experience and what has helped me along the way I might be able to help other working mamas.

(Disclaimer: if you are my father or father-in-law, we're getting into specifics here, so while I appreciate you reading my little blog, this post may not be for you.) :-)

It has been my experience that our relationship with breastfeeding our babies is always evolving. As our baby's needs change, so must nursing. I think this is one of the most challenging aspects of nursing - you finally feel like everything is working, and a tooth comes in or your supply changes and suddenly you're stressed and find yourself questioning whether or not it's time to wean. These moments aren't made any easier by the comment you get over and over and over again from well-meaning friends and family: "Oh you're still breastfeeding? That's great." Equal parts supportive and judgy, the "still" always feels so loaded, even if it's not. I am neither hero nor freak of nature - I'm simply a mom who's trying to do what's best for her baby. So without further adieu, here's how I've made it work over the past 14 months...

Breastfeeding did not come easily for me. In fact, I know very few women who didn't experience some element of difficulty when they first started nursing. Yes, breastfeeding is best - but it can also be really really hard. Emma wanted to nurse 24/7 and I just couldn't get a good latch, so nursing was extremely painful. There were a lot of tears and a lot of crappy moments feeling like a failure as a mama. To get through it until I could come up with a better solution, I ended up pumping on the most painful side. So each feeding consisted of a bottle and whatever she wanted from the less painful side. Around 2 months, and after help from an amazing lactation consultant, craniosacral therapy for Emma, and time to - well - let things toughen up, nursing finally got better. Those were two of the most difficult months of my life, but I'll be forever thankful that I stuck it out. And because I was already pumping I ended up with a decent stash of reserves so I had more than enough for that first day back at work.

The transition back to work wasn't nearly as bad as I had feared. I am very fortunate to work for a company and bosses that are not only understanding of my desire to breastfeed my baby, but are also extremely supportive - and yes, there's a difference. When I worked from the office (I just started working from home a couple of months ago) I had a private room to pump in that no one else ever used, and I found it fairly easy to plan my 10-15 minute pumping sessions around meetings. My biggest stress regarding pumping at work didn't have anything to do with privacy or feeling like it was impacting my performance - it was whether or not I was pumping enough. It's an obsessive task, all the counting of ounces, making sure the bottles have just the right amount. At 3 months, Emma was taking three to four 4.5 ounce bottles while she was at daycare and thankfully when I first went back I could easily pump that much and then some.

My oversupply gradually turned into just enough, and then not enough. By 6 months my pumping output had become less predictable and even though Emma was taking a bit less at daycare (three 4 ounce bottles), around 9 months I added a 4th pumping session right before I went to bed just so I could round out the next day's bottles. I know what you're thinking... what a chore! But I wasn't ready to give up nursing and make the switch to super pricey formula so I did what I had to do.

Aside from supply stresses, the other major challenge I've faced being a breastfeeding working mom is travel. I usually travel about once a month for work - sometimes day trips, sometimes overnight. And as a result I have pumped in more places than I care to count... airport bathrooms, airport nursing rooms (yay SFO and SEA!), airplane bathrooms, client bathrooms, client nursing rooms (yay Accenture!), train bathrooms, hotel rooms, hotel lobby bathrooms, and rental cars. I'm pretty sure having an automatic toilet flush underneath you before you're done is the worst feeling I've encountered in a public bathroom, but pumping milk for my baby while people are doing god knows what in the stalls next to me is a very close second. Pumping in bathrooms is always a last resort, and sometimes you just have to do what you have to do... plug your nose, think of a happy place, and seal everything up as quickly as possible.

I've been fortunate to never have a single issue getting my milk or pump through TSA, and I've taken a decent amount of milk through. If I'm going for a day trip I just pack the little cooler and ice pack that fits in my pump bag (I have the Medela Pump in Style) and use either my pump bag or my laptop bag to hold my wallet, keys, etc. so that I don't go over my 2 carry on limit. For overnight trips, I'll use the same approach and use the little plastic storage bags for milk since you can fit a lot in the cooler, or I'll pack a slightly bigger cooler in my suitcase.

Storing milk overnight can be a bit tricky depending on your hotel. I'm a Starwood gal and have always had good experiences with them either having a fridge I can fit my milk in or bringing a mini fridge up to my room. A lot of people don't know the mini fridge is an option at most hotel chains... you just have to ask!

When we moved and Emma started her new daycare, I decided to do something that has completely changed my relationship with pumping... I decreased her to 2 bottles a day, and I'm just sending what I pump. I sometimes don't even look at the ounces. I'm lucky if I get 2 ounces out in a pumping session, and that's okay. She's getting almost everything she needs from food, and still isn't tolerating plain milk very well, so I'm happy to continue supplementing her nutrition with breastmilk. Plus, with working from home I've found it's nice to have those 2 forced breaks to step away from my computer.

At this point I'm just following Emma's lead... My original goal was just to get to a year, and I'm the first to admit I didn't think I'd still be nursing at this point. I keep expecting her to lose interest, but so far she's just as eager for her 4 daily nursing sessions as she always has been. Her daytime sessions are short and sweet, but her morning and bedtime sessions are still around 15 minutes. And now she eagerly signs for milk and it's the cutest thing ever. How can I say no to that? Yes, I'd love to stop having to pump, but every time I have those moments of feeling like it's not worth it, I think about actually nursing Emma - not pumping - and how wonderful and rewarding it is and I just can't bring myself to wean her before she's ready.

You may think after reading all of this - wow, she's put in a crazy amount of effort just to be able to breastfeed her baby - but for as selfless as pumping can feel, still being able to breastfeed and have that bond with my baby feels wonderfully selfish. Yes, breastfeeding is hard... it can be emotionally and physically draining, but it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and I'm grateful every day that I stuck with it.

 

UPDATE! I realized from Andrea's comment below that while I blabbed on and on about my experience, I didn't include a ton of tips aside from the travel stuff. So... here are my top 5 tips for making breastfeeding work as a working mom:

  1. Be unapologetically stubborn - With yourself, with your job, with every thought and comment that makes you question if this is all worth it. It will take work, and there will be highs and lows, but if this is what you want, it's definitely achievable.
  2. Find a good lactation consultant to work with - Us moms tend to have a tough time asking for help, but this is one area you don't have to (and shouldn't!) go it alone. But not all lactation consultants are made equal and it's important that you find one that you're comfortable with and that is supportive of your goals. Even if you're not having issues with breastfeeding, they can be invaluable in getting you prepped to go back to work - from making sure your pump is working for you, that you're using the right shield size (I had no idea I wasn't), and that you're pumping the right amount for your baby.
  3. Find something to do while pumping that nurtures your soul - Your pumping sessions don't always have to feel like a chore. You're not a dairy cow! Whether it's having a piece of chocolate, reading a good book, or doing some stretching after you're done, treat your pumping sessions as an opportunity to do something that's just for you and you might actually start looking forward to those breaks.
  4. Reevaluate your baby's needs as your supply changes - This is one of the most stressful aspects for pumping moms, and it's important to make sure you're considering your baby's changing needs as you experience decreases in your supply. It could be that your baby needs less, and you should attempt to send smaller bottles to daycare before you start stressing out and adding unnecessary pumping sessions. The website Kelly Mom was immensely helpful to me as I navigated these changes.
  5. Remember that everything is a phase - This is probably the best parenting advice I've gotten so far: Everything is a phase... the good stuff, the bad stuff, the teething and biting, the distracted nursing. Treasure the good times and don't panic during the bad times because they're all fleeting. This has been especially helpful for me to keep in mind as a working mom - the pumping won't last forever but neither will breastfeeding. Try not to stress too much about the former, and cherish the latter.

What about you? What has your experience with breastfeeding while working been like? Are you going back to work soon and have questions? Let me know!

Homemade Kettle Corn (it's so easy!)

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Don't hate me for sharing this with you. I've made it approximately 17 times since discovering the recipe a couple of weeks ago. Jared and I have been making microwave popcorn from plain kernels using this approach for ages, but now that we've discovered you can make it on the stove there's no turning back. It's a far superior method - especially when you add sugar to make it Kettle Corn!

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. (We use a deep non-stick pot with a heavy glass lid.) Add the popcorn and sugar. Give the kernels a quick stir and then cover with a lid. Once the popcorn starts popping, carefully pick the pot up and give it a quick shake every few seconds until the popping slows down, between 3-4 minutes. Remove immediately from the heat and pour the kettle corn into a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately. Do not make the mistake of removing the pot from heat without transferring to a bowl. Due to the high heat of the pot, if you don’t transfer the popcorn it will caramelize and perhaps burn. (Also, do not attempt to make a batch of this in a dutch oven. The original poster tried this and it caramelized too quickly and burned.)

(Note: if you're not a kettle corn fan, you can use this same recipe to make plain popcorn - just leave out the sugar. That's how Jared makes it, and once it's done he drizzles some melted butter on top.)

This recipe makes a good amount for 2 or 3 people to share, but you can halve everything for a single (albeit generous) serving. (Making a quarter of this recipe is probably a good "watching my weight" size.) Enjoy!

Recipe from Kitchen Explorers on PBS.com

 

Our First House: Before & After

(Note: most of the before photos are from the original listing when we bought the house, and all of the after photos are what our photographer, Terry Iverson, took right before we went on the market.)
Front Before
Front After

{Changes made}

Nothing major... just landscaping maintenance and getting the trees trimmed back

Living Room After

{Changes made}

Nothing major... ahead of going on the market we took down our massive TV and decluttered the bookcases and mantle

Dining Room After

{Changes made}

- Painted the same color as the living room to make it feel more like one big space

- New curtains and hardware

- Ahead of going on the market we gave the main section of the buffet a new coat of paint so it would shine at the showings

Kitchen before
Kitchen after

{Changes made}

We upgraded all of the appliances except the dishwasher. You can't see it in this photo, but we also upgraded the refrigerator from a white side by side to a stainless steel with french doors with a pull out freezer drawer. It was roomy and wonderful.

We also replaced all of the cabinet hardware, which made a much bigger difference than I anticipated considering it only cost us about $100.

Landing Before
Landing After

 {Changes made}

Got rid of that hideous yellow and painted the whole area a nice neutral color

Sun Room before
Sun Room after

{Changes made}

This is one of the most changed rooms in the whole house, and you can get all the details here!

Guest Bedroom before
Guest Bedroom after

{Changes made}

It's amazing what a coat of paint will do! We got rid of that icky dark blue and painted the room one of my favorite colors ever, Benjamin Moore Woodland White. It's this super soft pale green and I love how it completely transformed the room.

We also replaced the outdated window treatments with simple roman blinds.

Guest Bathroom before
Guest Bathroom after

{Changes made}

You can't see it in either picture but we replaced the gross crooked builder grade round bulb light fixture with something much prettier (and level!)

We also gave the wainscoting another coat because whoever originally renovated this bathroom only gave it one coat and you could see the bare wood peeking through. Shame shame.

Nursery before
Nursery after

{Changes made}

This room still makes me so happy. :-) You can read about all the changes we made here.

Master Bathroom before
Master Bathroom after

 {Changes made}

Ah yes, the saddest master bathroom of all time. It's so tiny! It's definitely the thing I miss least about our first house. We were pretty limited in what we could do here, but we did give it a lighter paint color (Benjamin Moore Pearl River).

We also took the shelves out of that nook to the right of the shower and installed towel hooks and a basket, that way we could keep the walls clear and make it feel just the tiniest bit bigger.

Master Bedroom before
Master Bedroom before
Master Bedroom after

{Changes made}

Let's be honest here, one look at the bedroom before and it's not hard to believe that the owners before us got divorced. From the paint, to the ceiling fan, to the TV where the vanity should be, it was all just plain bad.

The first thing we did was paint the walls the same Benjamin Moore Pearl River gray that's in the bathroom. We also gave the whole wall with the closets and vanity a fresh coat of white paint. The top to the vanity was bare wood before and it really came together once we painted it white.

We also replaced the old wooden ceiling fan (it had a plastic unicorn head at the end of it's pull string, I kid you not), the window treatments, and installed sconces on either side of the bed.

Basement before
Basement before
Basement after
Basement after

 {Changes made}

The basement was a huge labor of love, and I'm glad for it because by the time we moved we were spending the majority of our evenings down there.

We immediately replaced the Costco washer and dryer with my dream front loading washer and dryer. They almost made doing laundry fun.

We also tore out all of the remnants of old walls that used to be down there as well as the ceiling tiles. (I love how hours and hours of work end up getting packed into one small sentence.)

We installed carpet tiles when I was 8 months pregnant, and turned the space into a multi-use family room, with tv, crafting, and play areas. Jared even had a keezer (it's like a kegerator) down there! It wasn't fancy, but functionally the space really worked for us.

Backyard before
Backyard before
Backyard after
Backyard after

{Changes made}

The backyard was Jared's pet project for the 2+ years we lived there. He worked his tail off weekend after weekend, and it shows. He ended up creating so much more space for us back there, including areas for grilling, a garden box, and a fire pit. We moved before the weather got nice, and I would have loved to see it one more time in full bloom.

Whew! That's it! 2 years of hard work packed into one post. If you have questions about resources or anything else, just shoot me a comment or email.

doing something about it

It should be pretty clear from this post and this post that the past few months have been some of the toughest of my life. And part of what has made this so challenging for me is the lack of control I've felt in all of this... we moved for Jared's job, for Emma's future - and what I wanted sort of got lost in the shuffle. I was okay with that because what I want most in life is for my family to be happy. But I'm no martyr mama. And it was high time I get back to doing what nurtures me as an individual, not just as a wife and mother. So I've been making an effort to get out more and explore our new city. Emma and I had a girls day last Saturday and went downtown to check out the shops, walk along the creek, and grab some dinner. We even happened upon a crazy bike race with those old fashioned tall bikes with the big front wheels (they're apparently called Penny Farthings.)

Another big part of nurturing myself has been getting back to blogging. It's such a simple thing, but it really helps me to feel grounded, focused, and connected. And despite my hiatuses during the move and after Emma's birth, my intention has always been to keep growing and improving my little corner of the Internet. So... I'm very excited to announce that I've signed up for not one, but TWO classes this fall that will undoubtedly help me do just that! I've been wanting to take both for at least a year now, and in the past few days I finally bit the bullet and signed up.

The first is Clickin' Moms Shooting 101: The Best Darn Beginners Course Ever. You may have noticed that my photography has only slightly improved since starting this blog, due to my meager attempts at teaching myself how to operate our camera in AV (and sometimes Manual) mode. And now that Emma's running circles around us, I find myself missing all the perfect shots because I'm still fumbling with the settings. This class is supposed to be one of the best online courses out there, and from the reviews I'm optimistic that it will be money well spent. From everything that we have going on this Fall, to projects I have in the works, I really want to get my photography skills (or lack thereof) in better shape so I can feel more confident sharing photos with you. It's also #53 on my Life List, so yay!

The second class is one I'm still pinching myself about, and I'm pretty sure I won't be able to sleep the night before considering how excited I already am... I signed up for BLOGSHOP!! It's the amazingly fabulous Photoshop for bloggers class taught by Bri from DESIGNLOVEFEST and photographer Angela Kohler. I missed it when they came to Portland, so when I saw that they were coming to DC I knew I had to jump on it. I'm a self-taught Photoshopper so I'm bound to have about a million a-ha moments during those two days learning all the tips and tricks that will make my blogging life a whole lot easier. And I get to learn all those cool graphic-y things I see on other people's blogs and wonder how the heck they did them. I'm super intimidated and have nothing to wear, but I'm hoping everyone else feels that way too and I won't stand out like a sore thumb among my classmates' supreme hipness.

So that's that! My photography class starts in a few weeks, and Blogshop is at the end of October. On top of the hiking, camping, and beach trips we're excited to take as a family this Fall, it feels really good to have a couple of things on the calendar that are just for me. :-)