Happy Birthday!

Today is rainy and gloomy, but a year ago it was warm and sunshine poured down from the sky as my contractions started, a sign of the two new lives soon to enter the world. Today, a year ago Duncan and Owen were born!

I want to take a moment and reflect on the things I love about you both:

Duncan

• Your hearty laugh
• The way you bump heads with me and smile, making a little cooing noise
• Your sparkly smile
• Your one dimple
• Your independent spirit
• The way you clap your hands all the time

Owen

• The way you love to be with me everywhere I go–even if it’s a few steps away!
• Your pudgy soft baby cheeks
• The way you crawl so fast and so funny, like a little puppy!
• Your big blue eyes
• The new “growling” noises you’re making
• Cuddling up with you when you’re tired

Happy Birthday my sweet boys! The year has been a whirlwind of change, growth, joy, and delight for us all. I’m so thankful to the Lord for you both!

*If you’re new to my blog, you can read their birth story here if interested.

Welcome . . .

to my website! Actually, phase one is only done (the writing section) and design and photography sections still need to be finished. Thanks to Jessica, Ted, and Megan for the help and suggestions about where to buy domain names, etc. If you have any problems viewing or using the links, let me know. They’re all working on my end, but as this is only the second website I’ve built, I’m still in the learning process! I’d love to get your feedback as “end users”.

Last Year . . .

at this time I looked like this:

Hard to believe it’s almost been 1 year!

Breakfast in a Glass: Mango Fruit Lassi

This is a delicious, creamy, nutritious drink, perfect for a spring morning. Mangoes have powerful antioxidants, are high in iron, vitamin A & E. A great way to eat a mango is in this drink:

1 ripe mango

1 C. yogurt (vanilla)

1/2 C. milk

1/8 tsp. cinnamon (I just sprinkle it in)

1-2 TB. honey

1 ripe banana

1/2 C. OJ

Sometimes I throw in some ice cubes too. Blend and serve!

Interesting . . .

It’s interesting to me that people assume that because I have twins, I’ll therefore have no other children. I can’t tell you how many complete strangers have asked me something to the effect of, “You’re not going to have anymore children, are you?” or “Do you think you’ll have more?” with skeptical looks on their faces. The latest was by a otherwise pleasant man in a Jo-Ann Fabric store. My mom’s been asked this question multiple times, as well, about me by acquaintances (co-workers, etc.)–-even the week they were born! It’s like, geesh, people, first of all I just had twins so let me enjoy them and I don’t need to decide how many more kids I’ll have in the future the week I just birthed twins! Secondly, just because I had twins doesn’t mean I’ll never have anymore children. And thirdly, I don’t see how this is the business of people I’ve never met before!

Have you other twin moms been asked this a lot? What about people with “just” a single pregnancy? After your first one did people bombard you with this question, or is it a twin thing? Just curious . . .

Easy, Tasty, Fresh Spring Meal

I don’t know about you, but I love new tasty and easy recipes. Even better if it’s a dish that uses seasonal ingredients. I LOVE Salmon. It’s not a “fishy” tasting fish, can be easily used with different flavors, and has wonderful health benefits. Last night I tried a new recipe for Salmon: Roasted Salmon with Zucchini, Lemon, and Dill. It was soooo delicious and simple. All we added was some brown rice as a side, and there you go, dinner! Hope you enjoy!

(Image from www.marthastewart.com)

Bagel Works

From the outside, it looks like just another eatery in a strip mall. But once entering Bagel Works (Bel Air location) you are met with charm, delicious food, and great service. The decor is warm and inviting, evoking Harford County’s agricultural past with farming implements hanging on the wall. The whole place has such a small town feel. We talk to strangers (mostly because they’re interested in Duncan and Owen) and run into folks we know.

You can get take-out or sit in the dining room. We seat ourselves and start mulling over the menu. This is the third time I’ve been here (Josh has been here countless times). I’m working my way through the menu. I’ve tried the Mushroom and Cheese omelette and the Lord Baltimore omelette (Josh’s favorite, which he never strays from) on past visits. Today I try the Apple Cinnamon pancakes with a side of crisp bacon. Perfectly delicious! And I’ve fallen in love with their vanilla lattes. It’s the perfect way to begin a Saturday full of running errands. If you’re in the area, give Bagel Works a try!

More Adventures of Duncan & Owen

The boys have a new ride! I did tons of research before settling on the Baby Jogger City Classic double stroller. So far we LOVE it. All of us. The boys were getting too big for their Snap ‘n Go double stroller and since we’ll soon be switching out the infant car seats, we wouldn’t be able to use it anymore, anyway. As moms with twins know, strollers are so important. If I had one baby, I’d just pick him up and walk into the store and get what I need, but with two little guys, a stroller makes quick trips so much happier. I also took the stroller out on my usual walking route and it was a dream to push. Glides so easily and handles the bumps beautifully.

They’ve also been enjoying lots of fun times outside in the beautiful weather.

They both love the swing (thanks great-grandma Eller). That’s Owen enjoying it above.

Duncan’s taken to driving . . . well sort of.

Check behind before backing up!

I love that serious “little boy” expression!

Chicken, Avocado, & Grapefruit Salad

Chicken

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1tbsp Pampered Chef Citrus & Basil Rub (I just used plain Basil)
1 tsp olive oil

Dressing & Salad
1 large grapefruit
1 tsp. grapefruit zest
1 tbsp orange marmalade
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4-6 radishes
1 avocado
6 oz baby spinach
1/2 C red onion

Combine olive oil and seasoning in bowl and rub on chicken breast.
Grill chicken until done and let cool.
Zest grapefruit, cut in half and remove sections.
Dump juice from rind into bowl, add zest, marmalade, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Set aside.
Slice radishes and onions and dice avocado.
Toss all salad ingredients in bowl with dressing.

This week I tried out this salad and I loved it! It was very fresh and delicious. Josh doesn’t like grapefruit (or citrus in general) so I just didn’t put the grapefruit on his and he used a different salad dressing. But I loved the flavors!

(Recipe from The Pampered Chef, Season’s Best Recipe Collection)

D&K

My good friend Libby wrote about D & K Surplus Grocery several months ago. Well, I went a few weeks ago and got some great deals. I got all of this for about $24! All name brand and organic products at ridiculously low prices. Hardly anything was over $1! As you can see they had Pacific Chai, Kashi, Nature Valley, Newman’s Own, Wheat Thins, and all sorts of other products. The Planters trail mix was just over a $1 for that huge bag! I got 1 oz. of dried Basil and Oregano for $.79 and 6 oz. of Rosemary for $2.99! The only thing you’ve got to watch is expiration dates.  Most of the expiration dates expire this April, which is why the discount. But that hardly matters for most of these items. The only thing I noticed was the Kashi cookies were a bit on the starting to go stale side, but they were so cheap it didn’t matter.