Just a note to self...

...for when I actually have time to scrapbook when the boys grow older. I've grown to accept the fact that I'm too "busy" these days trying to enjoy being mommy while they're still so sweet and tiny that I don't really have much time to creatively scrapbook or make things... But I also wish I kept track of little magical quasi-milestones as C was growing rapidly from his newborn days...

Anyhow, C has amazed me over the past few days. A huge jump happened in "growing up," especially blossoming into a good big brother. I had found an unopened mini kit kat (the type with two sticks) his lolo and lola gave him when they visited a few weeks ago, and he excitedly started unwrapping it. His baby brother, J, caught sight of what was going on, and started whimpering because he wanted one, too. I told J, "Sorry... This is C's... I don't have one for you, my dear." I turned around to look at the counter and see if I had an alternative snack to offer... But before I knew it, I heard C's sweet little voice say, "Don't worry, J, here, have half of mine."

I turned around and saw him promptly break the two mini kit kat sticks apart, and give one of the sticks to his brother. Now both boys were happily eating a stick of candy.

Holy moly, the little moment brought tears to my eyes. I hugged them both and thanked C for sharing and being such a good, loving big brother.

That happened yesterday. TODAY, while we were enjoying a coupon-discounted breakfast at Einstein's Bagels, I was going through an app about animals with both boys, with C telling me and J about each animal he saw-- describing its name/word (i.e. dog, cat, etc.), coloring, and sounds. Then, out of the blue, he started adding what letter it began with.... and THEN he started pointing at the letters of each name/word and identifying the letters. WOW! We had gone over letters and the alphabet before, just to go over them, but I never realized how well he was catching on.

Lately, I've caught him tracing letters on his own... And he's been making amazing Lego creations without much queuing or instruction from either DH or myself-- planes, homes, guns (I've come to the acceptance that it's a boy thing)... even ships and rockets he sees on Star Wars. The child is amazing.

J has also been developing like crazy... Now saying words like bath, juice, more, all done, drink, cookie (coocoo)... Climbing with an amazing amount of dexterity. Really putting a lot of thought into how to maneuver up and down steps. So brave about things that it's very scary. Loving getting soaked in water... And wrestling with dogs he can managed to get close enough to. The kid is an adorable little RIOT!

Big thing that happened was he got too crazy confident on the bosu ball that he fell backwards but actually broke the fall judo-style and protected his precious little noggin: he beautifully rolled onto his back, broke the fall with his arms slapping the ground in a v, and his head didn't even touch the ground at all. He looked at me and smiled. I'm not sure if he picked his up watching C do it while he did jujitsu, but I was amazed and gave him instant praise.

My boys are amazing and wonderful. I'm so thankful for them. There are days when it's hard to keep up with them, but I love them so much. I pray constantly that I can be anywhere close to the level of mommy that God wants them to have.

Chilly @ the beach

Love it when the local beach spot close by is empty... Even if it takes cold, grey days to get it that way. :)

our reading corner

Given how much J loves reading and C loves doing book and puzzle apps on his Nabi, I decided to make a little reading corner in our most used room, the dining room/kitchen. Using a small sling bookcase we had to hold a few of their favorite books, I simply added pillows, mats, and blankets we already had to create our cozy little reading (and cuddling) spot. The boys love it. :)

DASH Diet: Broccoli Cheddar Bake (slightly modified)

I like the DASH Diet because of its sensibility. Because my husband has hypertension, it’s very important for us to eat sensible meals. However, because we loooove food that tastes good, it’s also important for us to eat yummy foods in moderation. We don’t obsess over being healthy, but we like to integrate healthiness into our meals as often as we can.

The DASH Diet is an interesting dietary concept. When I first heard about it, it was presented to me as a hypertension-friendly diet. When I attended the Five Day Comprehensive Diabetes and Management Program (for medical professionals) at the Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute (an *EXCELLENT* program about diabetes management for medical professionals from all levels of patient care—outpatient, inpatient, home health, you name it… well worth the time and money you invest into it, if you’re looking for a great and useful CEU program to take), it was also mentioned as a great well-rounded dietary practice.

The Mayo Clinic has a DASH Diet recipe collection online that we love to peruse every once in awhile. The recipes are not only delicious: they’re easy and affordable to make, which means they make a great addition to any busy family’s arsenal of homemade meals.

One favorite is the broccoli cheddar bake. My parents love it so much that sometimes they leave the ingredients out on the kitchen table for me to see whenever we visit—their not-so-subtle way of suggesting I make it while I’m at their house (then again, they were never known for being subtle… haha!).

We modify it from time to time by adding cauliflower to the mix (and substituting it for half of the broccoli). We also tend to make it with more broccoli than called for.

Broccoli Cheddar Bake

Ingredients

• 4 cups chopped fresh broccoli (we often do 1/2 broccoli and 1/2 cauliflower if you want to mix it up)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 cups egg substitute (or substitute 6 eggs)
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly coat a baking dish with cooking spray.

In a nonstick skillet, combine the broccoli, onion and water. Saute over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Keep adding water to prevent the vegetables from drying out, but use as little water as possible. Drain and set aside when the broccoli is done.

In a bowl, combine the egg substitute, milk and 3/4 cup cheese. Add in the broccoli mixture and pepper. Stir to mix well.

Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Set the baking dish into a large pan filled with about 1 inch of water. Bake uncovered until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.

2012.08.01 outside #photoadayaug

Outside @ Buccy's before a short but fun surf. :)

C's Custom Present Wrapping