Thirsty Thursday

While at the beach this summer, I tried out this really great recipe (sent to me by my dear friend, Tina) and I thought I would start posting some of my favorite recipes..so today is thirsty thursday and here is my recipe...

Pineapple Sangria
1 bottle white wine (chardonnay is recommended)
3 cups of pineapple juice
1 cup of pear brandy
pineapple soda (or sprite if you can't find pineapple soda)
fresh pineapple
oranges
mint

Mix the wine, pineapple juice and brandy in a container and add the fresh cut up pineapple. Put in fridge overnight to let the flavors do their thing. When ready to serve, put ice in a glass, fill glass about 3/4 full with wine mixture, top off with soda, add a sprig of mint and a slice of orange. Yummy yummy yummy! Enjoy!

Have a safe Labor Day!! :)

10 things you may or may not know about me :)

1. I love naps
2. I don't like food that I have to pick off of a bone..yuck!
3. I am a reality tv. crazy person
4. I love the spring and fall but could do without with winter and summer
5. I get horribly carsick...all the time :(
6. I hate to do laundry
7. I say I can't wait to get out of this little town we are in but actually love being here but shhhh...don't tell anyone :)
8. I love the thought of being a morning person but just haven't quite been able to convince my body of that
9. I love music
10. I have no regrets...if i hadn't followed the path that I did, I wouldn't be the person I am today or living the life I am living!! :)

1 year check-up

Madeline had her 1 year check up this morning. She weighs 26.3 pounds and is 31.5 inches tall. Her Dr. says Maddie has some seriously tall genes in her family because she is waaaay off the charts for height. Thats what you get with a tall mommy AND a tall daddy! Madeline got 2 shots (chicken pox and MMR) and had blood drawn :( for a lead and anemia test. She was so brave and is now home and resting comfortably in her crib. Time to get this place in order for the bday party on Saturday!!!!! I'll post pictures soon! :-)

Girlie stuff

I will start by saying that I love being a mom to a boy. I have always loved having a little boy around to play rough with and explore things with and play trains with and just experience everything that is boy. Zachary is my favorite little guy and this week I am missing him a ton while he is visiting my parents in the mountains.

In Zach's absence, I have been able to give special one on one time to my other very special little peanut. My baby girl. Until yesterday (her very 1st bday), Maddie didn't really have any girlie toys. She was happy playing with Zach's hand-me-downs and of course his trains (but I think she did that just to annoy him). She is happy being toted from place to place and doesn't ever mind doing whatever.

For her birthday, we bought Maddie her very first dollhouse. This morning, I put it together and we spent the better part of the day playing "dollhouse". Of course, my idea of playing dollhouse and her idea are two totally different things and it will probably be a while til we are on the same page (if ever). But, I didn't realize until this morning exactly how much I love being a mom to a girl just as much as I do a boy. Playing dollhouse...putting a special clip in her baby fine hair before we headed out for errands today and just doing all things girlie was SO much fun.

We are so lucky and blessed to have the two wonderful children that we have...but today I realized just how blessed we are to have all the experiences that come with a boy AND a girl!!!

Happy 1st Birthday, Madeline Suzanne!!!

We can't belive that our baby girl turns 1 tomorrow!! It has been such a wonderful year adjusting to life as a family of 4 and we are so happy and blessed to have Madeline in our lives!! Happy Birthday to our favorite little girl!!! :)

You may have noticed the two new buttons on the side bar of this blog. One says "Praying for MCKMama and Stellan" and the other says "Bring the Rain". These are two blogs that I happened upon a few months ago and have been following. Both very easy reads from two fabulous women. I won't spoil it but go check them out when you get a chance. Oh and if you are anything like me, make sure you have some tissues ready. These women have been through a lot and remind me each day that if they can get through their struggles, I certainly can get through mine! Enjoy. Just click on the pictures and they will take you to the blogs.

Greatest Olympian of ALL TIME!!!

After watching every race Michael Phelps was in and reading a ton about him, I thought I would post an article that sums up just what this unbelieveable athlete has accomplished! Not only is he a huge inspiration for our country, an outrageous goal setter and a cutie patootie, according to Forde at ESPN, Michael Phelps has saved the Olympics. I couldn't agree more! He sure is my hero right now!!!

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3539324

And I don't know about you, but I just loved watching his mom and sisters watch him...it was so cute! He is surrounded by a lot of encouragement. One lucky man. And humble...which is good. I could go on and on and on. I'll just say it one more time...

I AM CRAZY ABOUT MICHAEL PHELPS!!!!

productive days...

So, those of you that have been to our house know that our garage is well...um..a little...well..a lot messy. And although we try our hardest to organize and reorganize and clean and throw things away, it seems that the garage is the one area that is always left out when we do major cleaning spree's a few times a year.

That has all changed..well, I hope it has. We have made a huge effort today and while Dave is out with Madeline restocking our big black trash bags, I thought I would share. How do we accumulate so much stuff???? I mean, seriously, where does it all come from?

Oh and then there are the potatoes. It seems that when I grocery shop, there are a few things that I always think we need...1. butter 2. pasta and 3. potatoes. I buy new potatoes despite the fact that there are perfectly good potatoes in the garage (dark cool area..good for potato storage). And then, when something smells like it curled up and died in the garage, I get tasked with the o' so fun task of cleaning up the potato funk mess. Honestly folks, i don't know how Dave lives with me sometimes.

So, potato funk cleaned up, garage smelling like daisies again and a whole heap of trash later..here I am at the computer with a glass of water and a free minute.

Oh, looks like the oldest and youngest member of this Engel clan are back...time to go back to the garage. Wish me luck!!

just because...

This is the song that we danced to at our wedding....


Power of Two
Indigo Girls

Now the parking lot is empty
Everyones gone someplace
I pick you up and in the trunk Ive packed
A cooler and a 2-day suitcase
Cause theres a place we like to drive
Way out in the country
Five miles out of the city limit were singing
And your hands upon my knee

So were okay
Were fine
Baby Im here to stop your crying
Chase all the ghosts from your head
Im stronger than the monster beneath your bed
Smarter than the tricks played on your heart
Well look at them together then well take them apart
Adding up the total of a love thats true
Multiply life by the power of two

You know the things that I am afraid of
Im not afraid to tell
And if we ever leave a legacy
Its that we loved each other well
Cause Ive seen the shadows of so many people
Trying on the treasures of youth
But a road that fancy and fast
Ends in a fatal crash
And Im glad we got off
To tell you the truth

Cause were okay
Were fine
Baby Im here to stop your crying
Chase all the ghosts from your head
Im stronger than the monster beneath your bed
Smarter than the tricks played on your heart
Well look at them together then well take them apart
Adding up the total of a love thats true
Multiply life by the power of two

All the shiny little trinkets of temptation
(make new friends)
Something new instead of something old
(but keep the old)
All you gotta do is scratch beneath the surface
(but remember what is gold)
And its fools gold
(what is gold)
Fools gold
(what is gold)
Fools gold

Now were talking about a difficult thing
And your eyes are getting wet
I took us for better and I took us for worse
Dont you ever forget it
Now the steel bars between me and a promise
Suddenly bend with ease
The closer Im bound in love to you
The closer I am to free

So were okay
Were fine
Baby Im here to stop your crying
Chase all the ghosts from your head
Im stronger than the monster beneath your bed
Smarter than the tricks played on your heart
Well look at them together then well take them apart
Adding up the total of a love thats true
Multiply life by the power of two

I want to flush the potty...

Had I known at 19 that I would revisit this cartoon and it have a whole new meaning for me...well, lets just say we've got our own little "plucky duck" at home :)

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It's ok, I'll admit it...

I AM CRAZY ABOUT MICHAEL PHELPS!! :)

That is all today.

more of my favorite things

It's Monday! So..here is another list....

1. reconnecting with long lost friends
2. a clean house with the windows open and a comforting breeze blowing through
3. sleeping children
4. facebook
5. Dave

"I just want to make sure you've got it"

This is what my loving husband just said to me with a smile as an answer to my question "why are you following me". He said, well, I don't know if it's ok for me to take a shower yet, "I just want to make sure you've got it". Huh?? Is he kidding???

In the land of the "stay at home mom", it is very common for 2 things to happen.

1. the very hardworking (and that doesn't go unnoticed) daddy always looks to you for guidance when alone with the children. ie: what should I feed them, what time do they go down for naps? Do they need a bath etc.

2. the very hardworking (and still appreciated) daddy acts as if the mommy is unable to function in his absence. This seems to only happen on the weekends and after long bouts of work travel.

Now, although i think my husband is the most fabulous father and husband and although i appreciate every little task he does regarding the children, it drives me absolutely CRAZY when my job as mom is somewhat challenged!

Now, I know that my husband just really wants to help because his job keeps him out of the house more than either of us would like and it is cute for me to see him trying to become the "alpha" parent. But lets face it, it aint gonna happen! :) For those of you who know me, you totally understand my complete and total refusal to ever give up control. Call it type A, control freak, anal retentive but it is what it is and I am who I am.

Ahh...I love Sunday mornings!!! Oh and there is the water in the shower...I hope I'll be ok!! :)

(and I say all of this with nothing but outrageous love and admiration for my husband...he's the greatest!!!)

Who knew one was in there...

Huh?! you may be asking. I am referring to the budding vegan deep within my soul. Ok, don't get all fussed, I am certainly not about to give up meat...or CHEESE for that matter but after spending 2 weeks with the Engel family...3 1/2...of which are vegans, I have started to embrace that little vegan within. Now for those of you who don't know, a vegan is:

–noun - a vegetarian who omits all animal products from the diet.

Does it have to be all animal products?!?! Yikes. Ok, on second thought, maybe I am just embracing a healthier eating omnivor within :).

But seriously, I ate relatively healthy while I was on vacation and am feeling great now that I am home. Yummy soups (one of which I made from scratch with only vegetables, vegetable broth and whole wheat noodles...sounds pretty vegan, right?), ton of salad, fresh seafood..yum! and a whole bunch of other yummy stuff. Ok, not all of it was good for me but hey, I was on vacation.

And my new favorite food is...drumroll please...edamame!! YUMMMMY. Kids...well the child I have that will still eat (Maddie) loves it as well!

So who knows where this new culinary perspective will take me in the kitchen but I am excited to find out!!!

And for the record..I LOVE CHEESE!!!

Engel Family

just us girls

My sister-in-law, Georgeanne thought that Maddie and I looked so cute in black and white that she wanted us to go to the beach to take some pictures. This was our attempt at being all professional, like all the cool matching photos we see in all the Outer Banks vacation magazines. Great concept. Sun in the eyes though made it hard not to squint and I didn't want to have my sunglasses on because that would be silly. But here are a few of the zillions we took. Me and my baby girl!!! :)

just a taste

Just a taste of the photos to come!

My babies in the baby pool
The view from our deck
Cheers!!

A few of my favorite things

In an attempt to make this blog a little more interesting and fun to come and see, I am gonna try (the operative word here is, try) to keep up with posts. So, today starts the "My favorite things on Monday".

1. the comfort of my own bed
2. a cuddly baby at 6:30 am
3. no humidity
4. the sun shining in the living room window
5. being home

A Facelift...finally!!!

So...now that we are home for the rest of the summer, the first item on my agenda was to finally update my blog to have all the cool things I've been dreaming up over the past few months. And before I post anymore pictures...that is what I am doing! It is a work in progress and I will post when the work in complete but in the meantime, please let me know what you think!!!

Thanks,
Alexis