Spaghetti Squash?

To tell you the truth, I'm a big eater.  I like a lot of lean protein, I honestly could never be a vegetarian even though I love vegetables and tofu.

But, the other night Andrew said he was going to make us dinner.

"YAY! Honey, I'm so excited!  I can't wait to have what you're making!" I proclaimed, so excited for a relaxing evening.

"Ok, I'm making Spaghetti Squash," he said as he got out the large knife to slice it through the middle.

"Mmm, that sounds good, what's the main dish going to be?" I asked over my shoulder, preoccupied with stacking blocks with The Tiny.

"This is going to be the main dish, you cook it then it gets to be like spaghetti," he said as he slid the two freshly sliced golden yellow halves of spaghetti squash into the oven.

"Oh,"  I said, not wanting to say anything that would discourage him cooking, but also a little worried about how hungry I can get about dinner.  "Wow, that sounds pretty good...so you just like put pasta sauce on it?"  I said, trying hard to muster a fake warmth in my voice.

"No, I found this recipe for making it Mediterranean style with just some chopped tomatoes, onions and olive oil sauteed," he said over the sound of him chopping said onions.

"Oh, wow, that sounds so good.  You could also put some pasta sauce on it, I think there is a jar open in the fridge..."   Why does this guy live and put up with me?

"No honey," he said, with a knowing smile, "I'm following a recipe and I am going to make it like it says."

"No, no, you're right.  I'm going to love it."  I said, feeling bad.  Good thing I read this book so I at least shut my mouth at one point, even if it should have been earlier.

After baking the gourd, I must admit it was smelling pretty delicious.  He pulled them out and started running a fork through the stringy, steaming flesh that smelled like it had already been buttered.

He prepared the sauce with home jarred olives, which I had to force myself from not consuming the whole jar before dinner was ready.  They were fantastic.

Once every last piece of the sauce was sauteed to soft perfection and poured over the soft squash strings, we sat down and Andrew blessed our meal.  As we ate, we kept saying, "Wow, this is GOOD!"in between bites.  It was light and filling, warm and hearty, tasting and healthy.

"Andrew!  You have to make this again for us!  This so so delicious, you did such a good job!"  I exclaimed as I finished the last bite, full.

"I think you're right, so it sounds like you trust my cooking?"  He said, smiling.

"Yes, babe.  You are an amazing cook!"  I said back, hoping I hadn't done too much damage to his efforts with my worried comments.

 

I am still a work in progress, trusting God to grow in me what it takes to be a wife who blesses my husbands' socks off on the daily.

"A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds.  Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it.  Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long." Read more here to be inspired. 

So, if you have never had spaghetti squash, get on it!  

Andrew's recipe here

Finn's Second Swim Class

"Hello my teacher, I love you..."

Peep the farmer's tan.  Don't judge, we've been practicing at home in our pool with a rash guard.

I'm pretty sure The Tiny think that the pool must be just made for him, and that all the other babies are his besties, and that the teacher is there for his entertainment because swim lessons are just about the happiest moment of his life.

What's cool now is that when we take him in our pool, hold his little body vertical to the water and dip him down to dunk him (so he can see the water) he now closes his eyes tight and holds his breath, ready to go under!  It's the craziest thing, watching his silent face travel in a curve back up from under the water, mouth closed, calm and relaxed.  We used to dunk him just up and down before and he would come up sputtering and red eyed, but now he comes up happy.

"You just dunked me in the water, you say!  How cool!"

"Check my teeth!  I think they're pretty cool, mom on the other hand, not so much..."

Towards the end of class, the teacher looked at him and said, "Wow, I think he may just be ready for the intermediate class!"

*Inner monologue moment*  "Amy, calm your psycho-teacher-self, take a deep breath, it's no big deal.  He's not getting a gold medal, he can't even kick..."

Phew, regained composer. Look normal, keep talking.

It's great in these summer months because when Andrew gets home from work, it is the perfect time for us to go up to our pool and swim.  The sun is low and forgiving, the pool is empty, and the boy can practice all his tricks.

Happy swimming to you and yours!

Jazz in the Park

A picnic blanket, plastic forks, a salad, some toys, breadsticks, a hat and 4 jars of baby food were snugly packed into our bags, and after we parked, those bags were slung over whatever hook on the stroller we could find as we wove our way between the others walking in crowds, down the twisting path onto the field.  As we picked our way along the field, The Tiny reached his head out and around to hear and see the jazz music as we passed running kids, adults cheersing one another about the fact that it was Friday night at sunset, and families setting up mini tables getting ready for their dinner in the park.

We picked a small, irregular shaped spot on the grass and unfurled our multicolored blanket, tossing some baby toys on it before anything else.

Once our friends arrived, we dug into the food and talked about our weeks while our tinies shared toys and crawl space.  It wasn't that long ago that us three mamas all had the same sized rounded bellies, our little ones kicking from within.

Families danced, and children ran in circles to the music with the warm summer air all around, and each baby got snatched up from their play to get cuddles and tickled before they could return to their friends.

 

 The three proud papas cuddling their tinies as the night wound down.  Just before we shook the crumbs off our blankets, and finally fished the pacifiers out of the diaper bags.  Just before jammies were put on, and we made the final quiet stroller ride, up through the darkened trees, winding back to our cars where we would pack up tired little babies and head them home, as they smiled at us from behind their pacifiers, showing us that they had a wonderful evening.

I love summer nights, especially when it's sharing food with friends at a free concert in the park.

Block Party and a Tiny Pirate

"WELCOME TO THE FAMILY!"  was shouted into all four mics as we walked into the block party, smells of barbeque in the dusk air, made golden by the setting sun.

If you haven't seen the Shantyanne's play, you should.  Their pirate music is a crowd's delight.

Eventually, with a loud applause at his entrance, The Tiny took the stage, to play both the keyboard and the very elusive and high skill required maraca.  His music skills blended so perfectly with the Shanntyanne's that he got his own pirate name, Scurvy Finn Jimmy, and there was a line of parrots to perch his shoulder.

 "I spink dis is also a micra-fone.  Or maybe a food.  I don really know, but I spink I is real talented pirate musishun."  -Finn Jimmy.

Even with all his fans, I must say that momma and papa were his biggest fan of all.  Our lil guy hit about 14 milestones all in this last week.  Our fast crawling, teeth bearing, "Pa-Pa," saying, finger food eating boy has hit a stage that Andrew and I are both in love with.  I know, I pretty much say each new month is my absolute fav, but 8 months truly is such a joy.  Those chubby cheeks, and non-existant wrists (just a line between two rolls), his corn cobb toes, farmers tanned chubby thighs, his new humor with those sly eyes catching a glimpse  at us when he's trying to make us laugh, and his killer dance moves?  HAH!

After the music was over, and the food was eaten, we packed up our Shantyanne and headed home through the summer air.

Back home where we put a boy in the tub, then to bed.  Then the mama and papa could have quinoa, vegetable and chicken salad.

I love summer.

Have a boisterous weekend!

Our little ham...