Jesse bug

My three month old Jesse bug gets cuter and more fun by the day. I'm guessing he is 17 or 18 pounds by now as he fits in 6-9 month clothing. I thought I was going to get lucky and not have to buy a piece of clothing for him since he could use all of Owen's stuff. I guessed wrong!

Aside from the random off day here and there he is generally down by 6:30-7:00 at night and gets up once to eat. He is starting to stay up longer in between naps and have more of a pattern to his naps (2 hrs in the a.m., 2 hrs in the afternoon, then sometimes a short early evening nap to make it to bed time), it's still kind of amazing to me that 1 1/2 is his ideal awake time before he'd like to go back to sleep.



His clumsy grasp is becoming more efficient. I love watching his hands move in slow motion to grab on to a toy. One of his favorite things is to grab his "lovey" (a small square blanket) and smush it into his face. Watching him play on his tummy is another favorite of mine to watch. He has such bright expressive eyes and if you watch them long enough, I swear you can tell what he's thinking. He continues to be very strong as he loves to stand and when he's on the floor he's constantly pumping his plump little legs. He LOVES watching Owen, which has become problematic when it comes to nursing, but I can't blame him, Owen is pretty fun.




Besides his growing ability to grab at things, Jesse also started laughing (14 weeks)! Like everything else in his developing life it's still a bit uncoordinated and usually results in giving him the hiccups but man is it fun to have him respond to us this way! He is also very chatty. Right after he wakes up is one of my favorite times with him - his face breaks in to a huge smile and he usually goes off on a long cooing story as if he was saying "Mama! It has been so long since I've seen you! I have so much to tell you!"
I can't wait for the months to come as he continues to become more interactive.

 

Owen and Papi

My parents spent two weeks of their summer vacation at our family cabin in Mazama and I decided that a 4 hour trip over the mountains by myself with two little kids in tow didn't sound that scary after all. So with snacks and toddler entertainment placed strategically next to me in the front seat I struck out with my two little guys to join my parents at this delightful destination.

We spent four boiling hot days with my parents at the cabin where we enjoyed a multitude of heat induced naps, delicious meals, and outdoor adventuring. There was of course the classic Carlson head dunk, a tradition started by my Father with my brothers when we were little. The Carlson head dunk involves submerging ones head into an icy body of water to hail in the coming of all things summer or to simply honor any outdoor adventure. Growing up this tradition usually took place in mountain streams or rushing rivers found during our summer hikes; however, seeing that Owen isn't in to hiking yet, the kiddie pool at the back of the cabin sufficed for his head dunking initiation.

I find that each trip over to the cabin continues to hold so many precious moments- they are in the bones of the cabin and the sounds and smells of the forest around. This trip proved to be no different. Every waking moment Owen had he wanted to spend with his Papi. They wore floppy sun hats and sunglasses together, sat on the porch observing the birds and animals around, and went for walks in search of deer and ant hills. There were canoe washing lessons and Owen's first boat ride on Lake Perrygin and first river fording holding tightly to Papi's hand. Owen could not get enough of his beloved Papi and I don't think I'll ever be able to forget watching the fun they had together. I walked away from those four days so grateful once again for this place my Grandparents have provided where memories can be made, busy hearts and lives refreshed, and our family bond ever deepened.

 

 

A fisherman's 4th of July

We spent another 4th of July up at the cabin on Lake Roesiger. Despite an iffy forecast the day turned out to be beautiful which was a huge blessing as by 4:00 p.m. there were 18 kids plus their parents running around the cabin grounds. There was lots of splashing in the lake, many poor traumatized fish caught, a few fireworks to admire, and lots of good food and good company to make it a fabulous celebration of our great nation.

As any good fisherman knows you never quite tell the truth about how big the fish was.

 

Delicious Summer Salad

I love summer because the recipes for dinner are simplified. Gone are the heavy winter dishes that warm our bellies on crisp nights and in come meals centered around the bounty of fresh produce, BBQ's and seafood that summer holds. A few weeks ago I discovered a new meal that is quickly becoming a favorite in our family and thought I'd share it in case someone else needs some summer recipe inspiration. 

Shrimp and Avocado salad with crispy tortillas

-recipe from Real Simple

Ingredients6 corn tortillas sliced into strips

5 TBSP olive oil

kosher salt and pepper

1 1/2 lbs shrimp peeled and deveined

1/2 tsp ground cumin

2 TBSP fresh orange juice

2 TBSP fresh lime juice

Romaine lettuce thinly sliced

1/4 small purple cabbage thinly sliced

1 avocado sliced

1/4 C roasted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the tortilla strips with 1 tablespoon of the oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Spread in a single layer and bake, tossing once, until golden and crisp, 7 to 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the shrimp with the cumin and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the shrimp until golden and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

3. In a large bowl, combine the orange and lime juices with the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the romaine, cabbage, avocado, and shrimp and toss to combine. Serve the salad topped with the tortilla strips and pepitas. 

Notes: 

- If you don't have time to toast the tortillas you can replace with tortilla chips (I suggest Juanitas)

- I think I will use this basic vinaigrette recipe next time and instead:

 

1 TBSP Dijon mustard

Lime and Orange juices (see recipe above)

1 TBSP lemon juice

squeeze of honey

3 TBSP of olive oil