Gobble, Gobble, Gobble

Wow! It has been since July that I updated the blog. I would say that working on 12 hours of grad school, a very challenging year at work, being a mom and a wife and selling real estate, my blogging time has been limited. That does not mean that we don't have tons to share. We still cook every night, so I will share some photos of our meals at the end.

Since July, we have moved back to our house in Peachtree Corners and WE LOVE IT! We have so much space, and Blake has the Man Basement. There is so much that I want to do to it over time, but we are just happy to be back. We love having our Ingels, Trader Joes, Super H and Whole Paycheck within a few miles of our house.




As for Lottie, she is so much fun these days. She has started crawling, and my guess is that she will be walking with a few weeks. She loves to swing and eat. She eats all of the time, but we are sticking to only healthy foods. She eats every fruit and veggie and she loves spinach and egg white omelets. She is in the 50th percentile for weight, 90% for height and 90% for head. She is one big-headed string bean.

Lottie's first real word with contextual meaning was "ball", and now she says it all the time. She loves to play with balls. We bought her a bunch of that kind that are in the play areas, and she throws them everywhere. She has one inflatable green one that she likes and she likes the soft volleyball at Choo-Choo and Big Daddy's house.

She loves to rock out to one song, and only one. It is the Black-Eyed Peas song, "I gotta feeling". She bops her head and flails her arm. It is too cute. She even rocks out the head motion when I sing to her while changing her diaper. It is very funny. Watch the video below. Notice the head.



The older she gets, the more fun she becomes. I am so thankful on this day for my family, my dog, and my friends. Lottie is so blessed to have wonderful grandparents who love her more than anything. Today Boppy and Pops introduced her to their chickens and their rabbits. We also had our first experience in the hot tub. Oh man! She loved that. Splash, splash, spalsh. She also got to spend some quality time with her great grandpa, Bud and great grandma, Margie. I think this was such a neat thing for all of them. They were so cute. Grandpa loves to crawl with Lottie and dance with her too!



As a mother, I feel incredibly blessed to have a nurturing and caring husband. I am blessed to have parents who will do anything for me and my family. I am blessed to have two amazing sets of inlaws that have taken me in like their own. I am bless to have a best friend who loves me unconditionally. Overall, I am so blessed and thankful on this Thanksgiving.

This was a "Chopped" night. Blake made giant shrimp, ricotta and spinach ravilois with an asaragus puree AND and amazing proschuitto stuffed chicken breast with a balsamic mushroom glaze. YUM.

We will always throw out Thai food in there. This was a fall twist on curry. Spicy Pumpkin Chicken Curry.

We have started using Quail eggs in our cooking and we really love them.



Grilled Duck breask with seared scallops and quail eggs. I made this one!

Blake's Negamaki. Yum~ This is my favorite appetizer that he makes.



We got a fabulous cookbook greated by the two greatest chefs I have ever worked for. Chef Ron and Chef Bernard. This was a Curry Clam Hot Pot, and it was amazing!

Meredith Cooked...Mark it down in history!

Yes, yes, yes... The heading is true. I cooked tonight. When we come to Florida, we ALWAYS eat well. Between Blake, Phil and Jeannie we have plenty of amazing cooks in the kitchen. I started feeling the pressure last night and volunteered to cook. Blake chose for me to make my Panko Crusted Chilean Sea Bass with a Key Lime Buerre Blanc and fresh tropical fruits on Japenese Sticky Rice. Man, pouring on the pressure. I was thinking towards lasagna, but we went for the Seabass. We went to a great little seafood market here in Florida and got some amazing Seabass for next to nothing (as far as Seabass goes). Blake picked up some gator tail meat since he has been craving the for some time. I went ahead and whipped up the meal. The buerre blanc was more liquidy than I like, but over all I am happy with the dish. The fish was cooked near perfect.














Chilean Seabass in a Key Lime Buerre Blanc with fresh tropical fruit.





























Blake's Gator Tail bites with fried jalapenos with a trilogy of sauces.

Last night (after the amazing prime rib night), Jeannie made a one pot meal. Ginger, curry chicken with potatoes and carrots. It was awesome! In addition, she whipped up one of her famous salad that are to die for. See below.















Jeannie's Famous Salad!














One pot Ginger, Curry Chicken with potatoes, mushrooms and carrots.


Blake's mom buys unique cookbooks on Amazon. Best Idea Ever. Well, she got a Moroccan cook book for Blake and we were off to the grocery store. He made a traditional meal, which was fantastic. It was lamb and beef meatballs with a yummy sauce and over easy eggs on top. YUM! Rock on Morocco!



We need ideas... Bring them on!!!

The Grass is Always Greener Until you Become Adults

Every time I sit down to think about blogging, I think about my cousin Katie. Katie is the most poetic and eloquent writer I have ever known. When I read what she writes, I feel like I fall into the deepest part of her soul. I feel like I can feel what she is feeling. She and I were born on the same day, in the same hospital, with the same doctor. This was quite an amazing experience for two little girls who would soon become best friends. Katie and I spent holidays together at grandmas house when we were children. I think Katie always envied me and I always envied Katie. Katie was the star soccer player, and I always wanted to be. I was the star basketball player, and Katie always wanted to be. Katie could (and still can) bring a room of strangers to tears with her piano and singing skills, and I can’t carry a tune in a bucket but I have always wanted to be musically talented. Right as Katie began to get the attention of the room, I would make someone laugh and steal that attention away. Katie always wanted to be the funny one, and I always wanted to be the talented one. As we grew older, we became better friends but we always thought we wanted what each other had. I guess life works that way. Katie was my idol, and I was hers.

As we became teenagers, we spent some time at each other’s houses in Cary and Atlanta. When we were not together, we were writing each other hand written letters or talking on the phone. Once we got into high school/college, we drifted apart, not with intention, but just naturally as friends sometime do. Katie and I became grown ups, and I think that is when we both remembered how influential and important we were to each other. We picked up right where we left off at 15 years old. I love Katie more than words can express. I envy her, but not in a jealous way. I envy her with pride. I am so proud of the woman she has become. I am proud of her talents and her strengths. I am proud of her determination and patience. I think she is a model for what a woman should. Katie is a picture of GRACE.

I think that Katie and I will both agree that we have been blessed with amazing and perfect lives. Katie is married to a wonderful man named Steve, and I married Blake who I loved way back when. Katie and Steve live in Ohio, and they made the decision to go on a journey to adopt from Russia. Their story has moved me. I would do anything in the world for Katie and Steve to be able to meet their little precious one they have desired and dreamt about for so long. I can’t wait until that day. Feel free to follow their journey with them at http://steveandkate.wordpress.com/. You will be able to see why I have so much pride in my cousin Katie. Now that we are grown and both blessed in so many ways, I see that I don’t want to be Katie and Katie doesn’t want to be me. We are just so happy to have each other just the way we are. The grass is always greener until you become adults, then you just become to the fertilizer that makes each other’s yard beautiful.

Blake's Yummy Yumminess

Blake has done some amazing cooking, even in the cottage where he had a 4x4 all in one range, oven, sink, fridge, and the oven didn't work. He cooked every night all summer except for 2. I didn't get pictures of everything, but he made big steam pots, pasta dishes, Asian cuisine and much more. Below are some of the meals that we have had since we last posted.

The man behind all of the master plans.


















Grilled Kielbasa
Sausage hash on a bed of
asparagus puree











Cornish Hen with a sweet plum sauce, braised red cabbage and asparagus fried rice.












Chilled Mediterranean Shrimp Salad Martinis













Mussels steamed in a white wine herbaceous butter sauce.


















Braised Cabbage and Shrimp Fried Eggrolls with sweet Tomkat sauce












Southwestern Grilled Flank Steak on Truffle Whipped Potatoes and a dash of Sriracha













Blackened Swordfish on fried rice with fresh steamed broccoli

















Sweet Mongolian Chicken with Broccoli and Sesame Seeds











Tamago omelet with mini hand rolls and Miso Soup












Jeannie (Boppy's) Amazing Prime Rib which we will learn to make. Flavored with Rosemary, Garlic, Onion, Salt and Pepper and Cayenne. YUM!!! Served with Merlot Au Jus, fresh beets and Yorkshire Pudding.









Good Ole' Mongolian Beef













Jeannie and Blake's Home made Cinnamon Rolls













Sweet and Spicy Ginger Sesame Chicken













Chicken and Asparagus Fried Rice with a perfectly fried egg












Meredith's 28th Birthday Meal. Steak. Lobster. Asparagus. She is such a sleeper!












We love this label. Tonkatsu Sauce "How to use is tasty" Makes no sense.












Blackened Cornish Hen with Mushroom/Spinach Ravioli and southern green beans.












Italian Shrimp and Tomato Pasta













Cheesy Escargot Toast Bites

Catching up on Lottie and the Fosters

I can't believe it is almost the end of my summer break from school. This summer flew by. I also can't believe that I have not had a spare minute to update our blog since I started in April. Blake and I spent the summer in Carolina Beach along with Lottie and Choo-Choo. Between graduate summer school, real estate, being a wife and being a mother to a 5-7 month old, I have just been swamped. Now, I am catching up in Florida. Grad school is out until August 26th, Lottie is being loved on by Boppy, and my teaching school does not start until next week. I have completely forgetting how to relax. I slept this morning until 8:30 for the first time since December 14th, 2008. Boy, was it nice!

As I mentioned, we spent the summer at Carolina Beach. Blake’s company is based there and my family house cottages there. We stayed in the loft upstairs which threw a curveball for Blake’s cooking. Don’t worry, it didn’t stop him from making some amazing creations.

Now onto Lottie. She is 7.5 month now. Her hair is getting so long. I truly can’t believe it. Since I last posted she has started eating solid baby food which is tons of fun. We are still working on teaching her to actually pick up food and put it in her own moth. As of now, she just smears everything around. I have started making her food at home because I calculated the cost of premade, Orangic foods. I was spending $47 a week, plus $45 in formula. That is way more than necessary. Making my own takes that cost down about 75%. Can you believe that?

Foods Lottie Loves:

BEETS- her favorite
Peas
Apples
Pears
Mangoes
Bananas
Carrots
Blueberries
Peaches

Foods Lottie Hates:

Green beans
My Veggie medley
Avocados

She is a pretty good eater. Lottie has always been a spitter. As she got older, she began spitting up more and more. At her last appointment (7 months), the doctor decided it would be best to get her some blood work to see if we can get to the root of the problem with the spit up. She was spitting up about 30 times a day. We are anxiously awaiting the results. I will update you when we know something.

Swaddless in Cumming

Well, we finally did it! We said good bye to Lottie's swaddle. Bless her little heart, but I do think that he new found freedom is something that she is taking a liking to. We woke up this morning and it looked as though she has frozen in her place while making a snow angel. There was not much that could have been more precious. We tried this several weeks ago and gave in. We are on night two and I know that we can make it. In the end, she will be much better without it. Now comes the big question.

Should we take the pacifier away and let her have her thumb or let her keep the pacifier and never develop the thumb sucking habit? I am just so torn on this. Part of me says, you can always take away the pacy. The other side says, I have to keep up with pacies, pick them up off floors, take them out for photos, etc. Needless to say, Lottie had one day with out the pacy and I am including some pictures of the results. She also has been working on holding up her head. Sometimes she just forgets and falls flat on her face. It is so cute. She can keep her head up for about 5 minutes in the morning, but I took this video of her watching Baby Einstein in the late afternoon. Enjoy!

The Unconventional Lunchbox

So this week, Blake has made some yummy food. I work with a great group of people who are constantly reminding me how wonderful a husband I have. I guess I tend to take my leftover lunches for granted. I really don't like sandwiches. In fact, I think they are super boring as the eating experience is simply boring. I have tried everything to like them more. I have added fancy meats or toppings, but it doesn't work. I could make a sandwich out of Filet Mignon and still feel bored about my eating experience. If you think about it, eating is a pretty important part of the day. Other than breakfast, it is the most social portion of my day. At lunch, I eat with all of my work friend. For dinner, we make each night a date night even within the confines of our own home. So, if I am going to eat, it will rarely be a sandwich.




All that being said, I thought I would share an example of my lunch. Blake packs it the night before so I am ready to go in the morning. This is steak, rice and Brussel spouts with a peanut-cilantro sauce for dipping. Blake is rather meticulous with the spacing of each element. Also, he takes into consideration that I will have to microwave my meal for at least two minutes so he cooks the steak less to account for the cooking time in the microwave. I guess he does kinda rock.

A few other meals he made this week:

He made a giant Bison and spinach ravioli. It was delicious.



He also made chicken francese with garlic butter beans



This was the twice-baked potato that he whipped up one night to go with the Ribeye

Roly Poly

So, when I went back to school one of the things that was I was most upset about was to miss all of Lottie's “firsts”. Well, today I got to see one before I left. I LOVE that she decided to roll from her tummy to her back the first time when I was home. She was laying on her Baby Einstien play mat on her tummy. She was working on holding her little head up. She was doing so well. I looked at her and she was going strong but starting to fuss. I slipped into the closet to grab some socks and was out withn 15 second. I looked over, and there she was. She was on her back and had the most precious smirk on her face. She was thinking “take that tummy time, mommy”. I loved it. Though I did not see the actual action, I know I was there when it happened.

It is amazing what we consider a feat in different stages of our lives. When we are infants, we are commended for rolling over, burping and holding our heads up. As we grow older, the expectations increase. We are commended for earning new degrees or receiving awards for being the top in the state or country. I just love the innocence if being a child, and being a parent, reminds me of how important that innocence is.

Yesterday was Lottie's 4 month doctor's appointment. I had to miss it as I have exhausted all of my sick and personal days at work to have my maternity leave. Blake took her in. He said he was the only man anywhere near that office. I can imagine how adorable he was. He even put her into my favorite dress and topped her off with a pink bow. This man is amazing. Lottie had to get her next rounds of vaccines which is brutal for the parents. She was laying in Blake's lap just staring into his big green eye when “Whap, whap, whap” the three shots stuck into her thighs and then it was over. She screamed her head off and turned beet red. I think the hardest thing about this is the peace that is in their eyes right before they get stuck. But we got it over with for 2 more months and this is one of those times that I was happy to be at work.

I can't say that I am not jealous of the relationship between Blake and Lottie, but on the other hand, I feel like the most blessed person in the world for my daughter to have such a bond with her father. I think when I was home, it was easy for Blake to just watch Lottie grow up with outside eyes. My absence during the day allows both of us to create our own bonds with her. I am not stealing her attention away. They are so in love. Each day, Blake shows me a new trick that he has done with her and the sparkle in both of their eye's when they look at one another is truly priceless. I am so thankful to have the family I have. I don't know how I became so lucky to have such a supportive, capable, providing and honest husband. He is definitely the backbone of our family.

Lottie is 12lbs.
She is in
<25% for weight (but the doc says she is fine and not to worry or try to bulk her up),
50% for height
a whopping 65% for her head.