California Salad

In the first few weeks of living in California, we pretty much lived on this salad...we could not get enough of the strawberries, they were always so good! Well last night, we had our favorite salad along with our last bottle of wine from our favorite California winery...If California had a taste, this would be it.  All that was missing was our warm, terra cotta tiled patio.

YUM.

California Salad

Organic baby spinach

Organic strawberries

Avocado

Candied pecans

Crumbled goat cheese

Poppyseed dressing

Dear Jack

Dear Jack,

Just a little note to ask you to please take your time growing up. There really is no rush.  Sometimes I just want to bottle you up as you are, but then I remember that I love seeing your joy as you discover the world around you. Everyday I am amazed at how much you are changing and how your little brain is just taking it all in. You are so smart and you love to figure out how things work (just like Daddy). Your sweet personality is shining through more than ever in that adorable smile and belly laugh.  Your laugh, by the way, is the best sound ever and we are so lucky you have such a great sense of humor, because that means we get to hear it all the time! Although I've told myself many times before that "this is my favorite stage," this one really is my favorite (for now).

Love, Mommy

Rosy cheeks

Yesterday was HOT! I put Jack down for his nap in just a diaper and hoped that I wouldn't find him naked up there in a mess once he woke up.  Thanks goodness for the snaps on his fuzzibunz which at least makes it a little more difficult for him to undo!  Despite the heat, he was happy as a clam when he woke up, with rosy cheeks and damp, sweaty hair.

Only in Rhode Island

This was taken in the parking lot of Home Depot last night. 

[No car magnets were adjusted for this photo.]

Not a bad weekend

Well, my weekend didn't exactly go as planned...Rob still got to hang out with Jack for two whole days, but it wasn't because I was having a fabulous time with my girlfriends in New York.  No, it was because I came down with the most awful stomach bug ever. Rob got to take care of Jack and me. I woke up on Thursday morning and knew instantly that there was no hope of boarding that train the next morning.  I was so disappointed to miss the trip that I've been looking forward to for months, but by the second half of the weekend, I was feeling better and the three of us managed to enjoy it right here at home.

I had the chance to see Jack eat spaghetti without having to clean up the mess!

I had the chance to enjoy dinner on the water, because by Saturday evening, I was feeling well enough to actually eat a meal. I managed to eat half of bowl of chowder.  Jack had cod nuggets, but he would only eat them if they came from Rob's plate.  If we handed him one from his own plate, he refused to eat it!  He has become quite the picky eater.

I had the chance to go to Coggeshall Farm where Jack got to come face to face with all sorts of animals.  The farm is on a gorgeous piece of property and you can actually get up close and personal with the animals.  Jack wasn't to sure about the donkey, but he loved seeing the pig and sheep and hearing the roosters.  It's a great place to take Jack for even just an hour to visit with the animals.  We will definitely be back...I think we may even get a membership.

And I had the chance to see our Irises bloom.

Not a bad weekend. 

This weekend...

I can not wait to see these gals in NYC this weekend!

Sorry Kara, I wish I had a recent pic of the five of us...but you were busy getting married when we took the pic above! :) 

It will be the first time that I'll be away from my little guy. 

Rob is going to have him all to himself for two days! 

 I am sure they are going to have tons of fun together and Jack probably won't miss me nearly as much as I will miss him...sniff, sniff.

Dog and chipmunk

We had a little excitement in the neighborhood a few days ago.  We were just starting our walk and we were chatting with our neighbor when one of the neighborhood kids came running over and yelled, "Dog's chasing a chipmunk!"  We laughed and just kept on talking for a few minutes, until we continued on and sure enough, there at the next house was the tiniest of chipmunks being chased around a car tire by a CAT named Dog.  Around and around they went. We stood there watching the display of nature with some of the neighborhood kids for a few minutes. We couldn't bear to let the inevitable happen, so finally, Rob stepped in and saved the poor little guy from Dog.