January so far

For some reason I feel like it's been January forever. Like Christmas was soooo long ago. Maybe it's because of the weather change, or because I have just never really liked January, I don't know, but man it's dragging so far. Today I'm sad because Steve will be going back to work tomorrow after two heavenly weeks off. 

He was actually supposed to go back today, but Sunday morning at about 3am he got called out to fix outages north of here (near Talkeetna) and then worked 24 hours, getting home early this morning. So he had today off but slept nearly the whole time and now it's nearly tomorrow and soon he'll be back at work for good. Is it okay to have a little pity party? In some ways it will be nice to get back to Riggs' and I's 'normal' routine but it has been so nice to be together as a family every single day for two whole weeks. We sure will miss him!

We've been spending most of our time relaxing around the house, playing guitar, reading, eating yummy food and soaking up the time together. I have just loved seeing Riggs and Steve get to spend more time together, and to be honest I've loved having the help with Riggs. 

When we've felt like going out, we've mostly been hitting the gym together. It's been so nice to work out together while Riggs plays in the daycare center provided by the gym. I only wish I could make use of the steam room and sauna but that won't be possible for another 6 months or so. I admit, I do go into the steam room for about a minute, I just can't resist. But I'm always out before I even start to sweat, so I think baby is most definitely fine. 

On a totally random note, I finally got around to making some spaghetti squash and I am just so proud of myself. I'm not a big squash person, but Steve loves it and I love trying to find healthier options for our family when it comes to meals. So I finally stopped grumbling about trying new things and went out and bought some spaghetti squash.

Then it sat on my counter for about a week before I finally mustered up the motivation to actually cook it and make a meal out of it. And guess what? It was super easy and delicious! Even Riggs loved it! Yay!

So there you have it, a rambling little recap of my boring life so far in January. Haha. Stay tuned for some weekly pregnancy updates and whatever else happens to pop into my jumbled mind this week. Happy Monday!

rhubarb cobbler recipe and 10 reasons why you should make it

1. 

rhubarb is everywhere. 

at least five people you know have it in their backyards (probably) 

farmers markets are full of it.

some stores carry it from local sources.

2. 

rhubarb is healthy

3. 

rhubarb is tasty

4. 

'rhubarb cobbler' just sounds amazingly mouthwatering

5. 

cobbler is a fun word

6. 

you don't have to make pie crust 

(but you could if you really wanted too!)

7. 

your toddler can help you make it 

and it will still look and taste amazing

8. 

you basically must smother this rhubarb cobbler 

with high-quality vanilla ice cream

9. 

ice cream always makes people happy

10. 

there's nothing like ending your day with a bowl full of this stuff: 

the buttery cobbler topping, the sweet-yet-tangy syrup, the perfect-sized chunks of rhubarb, 

and the slightly melted ice cream mixing with all those other flavors.

 

so have you rushed off to where ever you can find some rhubarb to make this cobbler yet?

it's sooooo good. and I snuck some strawberries in, you probably could too.

the recipe is from Ree at The Pioneer Woman AKA the source of a million easy and delicious recipes with gorgeous pictures and hilarious side-notes.

Rhubarb Cobbler

Prep Time:

 15 Minutes

 

Cook Time:

 35 Minutes

 

Difficulty:

 Easy

 

Servings:

 12

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 cups Chopped Rhubarb
• 1-1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract (optional)
• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 cup Vegetable Shortening Or Lard
• 1/4 cup Butter
• 1/2 cup Whole Milk
• 1 whole Egg

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl, combine rhubarb, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, and almond extract if using. Stir and set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and baking powder. Stir together. Add shortening and butter, then cut together with a pastry cutter.

Beat egg and milk together. Pour into flour mixture and stir with a fork until just combined.

Pour rhubarb into a buttered baking dish. Tear off pinches of dough and drop it onto the surface of the fruit, creating a "cobbled" texture. Sprinkle additional sugar over the top.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

guilty pleasures during naptime

I don't know what you do during your child's naptime, but apparently I sneak into the kitchen and make French Toast to eat in peace and quiet without having to share a single bite. Horribly selfish I know, but so incredibly good.

I made a little mini-batch out of some crusty sourdough bread that we had and I slowly cut each piece up and savored every single bite. It was such a treat and something I'm sure I'll be doing again soon in the near future.

I did save a piece for Riggs to eat when he woke up from his nap, and he stuffed it in his mouth as fast as he could. On a completely different subject, he finally has enough hair that it looks so crazy when he wakes up in the morning or from nap time. It's so funny, we just love it.

Yesterday we played out in the sun, and I'm looking forward to more time outside today and the rest of the week. My heart is weighed down a bit by the devastation and loss of life in Oklahoma after the storms rolled through earlier this week. Sometimes it's so hard to sit in the sun and the peace, watching my baby play happily while knowing others are suffering so greatly somewhere else in the country.

It's also made me think of all the people that are suffering all around the world on a daily basis. I've been praying specifically for those affected by the storms in the Midwest, but I've also committed time each day to pray for all who are suffering throughout the world. And at those times during the day that I just feel so happy and blessed to be where I am with the people I love, I say an extra prayer then too for those who are struggling.

weekending (one day late)

We had such a nice weekend...

Saturday we woke up to soft snow still falling silently down on the trees and yard.

There was about an inch or two, but the sun came out by noon and it quickly melted away.

Riggs entertained himself in the morning while I vacuumed and tidied up.

We went for a late breakfast at the Green Store.

Steve and Riggs waited patiently for their food:

 When we got home we put on our jackets and went for a walk down the street.

Riggs brought turtle, of course.

Then Riggs did some Jeep stuff with Steve.

We were so happy to feel the warm sun.

After Riggs took a late-afternoon nap, we went into town for some pizza.

Humdingers is amazing, and we have been craving it nearly everyday.

I got the 'drive in' - which was literally like a cheeseburger on a pizza - sooo good!

Then we went to the river to throw the ball for Tutka.

He loves swimming in the river and chasing fetch after fetch

It was beautiful with the light dusting of snow.

 Sunday we went to Anchorage in the morning.

Riggs and I went to church at my parents church while Steve got a massage.

Then we did some errands and hurried back to enjoy the blue-skies and sunshine in our yard.

Riggs played with the rocks nearly the entire time.

Even Steve got in on the rock throwing action.

Guess who got to put all the rocks back?

Well it wasn't me. I thought it would be too.

But Riggs was just as happy to throw them back in

as he had been to throw them out!

 We were bad and got pizza at Humdingers again.

It was soo good.

We picked it up this time and took it down to the river,

where we scarfed it down in the sunshine.

Tutka was a tired pup by the time we made it back home.

Riggs and I are missing Steve today, but we are so thankful for the sunshine.

Do you (Alaskan's) have any plans to enjoy the sunshine today?