Smelling the ocean

Sebastian and mommy are visiting the Outer Banks for the first time (Tim was here when his brother Jeff married Lori 5 years ago), and that means Sebastian gets to experience the sand, wind and waves for the first time!  We were up early to catch the final glimpses of the sunrise, and Seb seemed engaged and enamored.  He's always loved  nature, and now he's sold on the ocean!  Unfortunately the storm (Ida) that occurred last week has left behind a lot of debris and gritty sand AND the water is way too cold to even remotely consider going in for a dip.  But it's beautiful and peaceful, and we're glad to have a break from the regular routine of life and spend time with family. :)

Aren't my two boys just the most handsome ever?!?! 

For the first time

Sebastian got a taste of something other than good ol' mother's milk. His smart daddy thought to grab my BlackBerry to capture this moment on video. He's still not entirely convinced, but we're getting there, poco a poco.  Mostly, he just wants to chew on his spoon or grab it like a big boy.  We're already convinced that he's going to want to feed himself sooner rather than later.


I was anxious to try some rice cereal with him, because he seemed to be very interested in watching Tim & me while we're eating these days. He doesn't want to miss a beat, and he's been grabbing for everything in sight. But, at the same time I felt a little bit guilty, because he's two weeks shy of the six month mark...which is the new-ish recommended time to wait for any type of solids.
My doctor mommy guilt was kicking in..., til the next day when I saw an 8 week old for a well child check, whose mother told me she started rice cereal a couple of weeks ago (insert YIKES here) and her son just LOVES it...and she did it because her mom told her to... you know, he'd sleep better! And that was right before she told me that she always puts him on his belly to sleep, because he LOVES to sleep on his belly and sleeps so well that way! Ugh... sigh... wiped away any feeling of guilt I was having pretty darn quick. And guess what - my word over her mom's? Not a stinkin' chance. Sigh... (again).
And yes, I did tell her that she was giving me chest pain.

a double take...!

That's what everyone keeps telling me they're doing when they see me - they have to do a double take, cuz they don't recognize me.  Why?!?  Well, four days ago, I went to get a haircut (something I hadn't done since June!!!), and came home with about a foot less of hair and what felt like 10 pounds less weight on my body!  I did it!  I chopped my hair!  I still have a hard time believing it.  I haven't had hair this short in probably about 18 years!  But I like it. And it feels good. 

I took some photos with my phone to document the big ordeal. 

Here it is... all braided and ready to be shipped off to Locks of Love. 

A view from the back.

And a view from the front.  My hair is still kinda damp in this picture. 

Another shot, the day after, when I washed my hair myself (still working on the appropriate amount of shampoo and conditioner) and actually let it dry before taking the picture.

And the side view...!

People ask me why I did it.  I don't have a great reason, except that I felt like it, I was tired of losing so much hair, a little bit of mommyhood kicked in, it was a bit of an impulse decision, and I felt good about donating my hair for a good cause. 
 
I have to admit, I was a little worried about the reaction from my two boys.  Tim was the ever-perfect husband, who greeted me when I walked in the door by pausing the meeting he was leading, standing up, kissing and hugging me and telling me how great it looked.  And Sebastian slobbered all over me, just like usual - his way of showing his love, and never seemed to be phased.  My fears that he wouldn't recognize his mama were completely unwarranted.  Silly me. 

Once people figure out who the mystery woman is, they are generally very complementary - cute, smart, sharp, sexy, academic, fun, love it, etc!  I threw them for an even bigger loop by wearing my glasses all week, because I think I have a corneal abrasion that I'm trying to let heal.  Short hair and glasses! 

Anyways, If you're thinking about a change in your "look," go ahead and do it.  Chop it off for Locks of Love!  It might take a little getting used to, but it's worth it, and you'll be glad you did.  Just like me.

Baking for Jesus

I had to chuckle at myself a little bit, because as I was making these scrumptious scones below, I told Sebastian that we were baking for Jesus... which in reality, we were.  He was helping out, playing in his bouncer, and giggling at his silly mama, when I did the zester dance (a little jig while using my zester to gather rind from clementines). 
Anyways, the reason we were baking for Jesus is because these yummies will be for sale at an indoor missions yard sale tomorrow... to support Ralph & Deb Muenstermann - this is the couple whose MST (Missionary Support Team) we serve on - and they are preparing to leave in January for Youth With A Mission's Discipleship Training School in Kona, Hawaii, followed by ministry in Germany. 
So, take a peak, and try the recipe yourself, cuz they are delicious!  And, if you're in town, get on over to ACTS Covenant Fellowship tomorrow morning to buy yourself some.  I'm sure they'll go fast!  He he!

Here's the recipe, in case you're tempted! 

From Cookies, Irresistable Biscuits, Brownies and Bars by Hilaire Walden

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder

1/3 c sugar

pinch of salt

5 Tbsp butter, chopped

grated rind of 1 large orange (I used 3 clementines, cuz I didn't have an orange)
1/3 c raisins (I used craisins, cuz I thought it just sounded better...and I'm pretty sure it is)
1/2 c buttermilk
milk for glazing

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Grease and flour a large baking sheet.

2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Add the butter and rub in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3. Add the orange rind (or other citrus) and raisins (or craisins). Gradually stir in the buttermilk to form a soft dough.

4. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 3/4 inch thick. Stamp out circles with a floured cookie cutter.

5. Place on the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with milk.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden. Serve hot or warm, with butter or whipped cream, and jam.  (I ate mine all by itself and it was scrumptious!)

Cook's tip: For light, delicate scones, handle the dough as little as possible. My friend, Peter, came by in the middle of the process and confirmed this tip.  He said he made scones last week, and the butter should be cold.  He said, "there's something to that!" when I told him the tip said to handle as little as possible. 

YUMMY!

Here are the details of the indoor yard sale, if you feel compelled!

Missions Indoor Yard Sale and Pancake Breakfast

ACTS Covenant Fellowship in the fellowship hall

Saturday, November 14, 8 am- 12 noon.

Ralph and Deb are having a moving sale and have invited friends to also sell their things with all proceeds going to missions. Come join us for shopping or for a pancake breakfast (8:00-10:30 AM). Some items available include: toys, baby gear and clothing, plants, kitchen and decorative household items, some furniture, men and women clothing, unique handcrafted jewelry, and baked goods. If questions, call 717-664-4036.

Directions from Lancaster City: 1927 Wheatland Ave. (take Columbia Ave, turn right on Eisenhower Blvd. at DQ, go 3 blocks).

Vote for the cutest lil' pumpkin!

So, I don't consider myself the type of mom that would enter my kid in all sorts of contests, but this photo makes me super happy, and I can't resist giving Sebastian a chance to be the cutest kid around!  Besides, this is not a contest that involves being the next Gap baby or on the front cover of a magazine... it's just plain being cute...and I might win something like a nasal aspirator (woo hoo!!!) or a car seat from Safety 1st.  See - good, wholesome stuff for a cute, cute baby. 

From now until November 19, you can vote daily for my entry in the Safety 1st "Too Cute to Spook!" Halloween Photo Contest. If one of my photos earns the most votes in its category, I win a grand-prize package!


Click here to view my submissions and vote for my photo.  Unless the layout changes, Sebastian should be the first picture in the second row.  Vote, vote, vote!  If you bookmark the page, you can easily find it to vote everyday til the 19th. 

Please spread the word by forwarding this information to family and friends so they can vote, too! Thanks so much.

A recipe worth posting

Last night for dinner we had Moroccan-Style Stuffed Acorn Squash.  It was apparently a big hit, because Tim's comment was "this is a recipe worth posting on the blog."  I have to admit, it was quite delicious... and it was super easy.  I served it with collard greens that I sauteed with ginger, garlic, red onion, red and green bell peppers, olive oil, a little salt and pepper, and some crushed red pepper.  I love Fall and all the scrumptious foods that go along with it! Try this yourself - you won't be disappointed!

Here's the recipe (from this website)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 large acorn squash, halved and seeded
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 cup garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1 cup uncooked couscous

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Arrange squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes, or until tender. Dissolve the sugar in the melted butter. Brush squash with the butter mixture, and keep squash warm while preparing the stuffing.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, celery, and carrots, and cook 5 minutes. Mix in the garbanzo beans and raisins. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender.

Pour the chicken broth into the skillet, and mix in the couscous. Cover skillet, and turn off heat. Allow couscous to absorb liquid for 5 minutes. Stuff squash halves with the skillet mixture to serve.

Leaves

Walking home from church on Sunday, we stopped in Buchanan Park to introduce Sebastian to leaves. He had his first taste of leaves - both figuratively and literally - and seemed to think it was just grand!

 

Newsflash!

Check out the latest news!  I've won a very special award! :) 
Click on the link below:
CNNBC video

Lil' pumpkin is 5 months old!

Despite my best efforts to stop the clock, or at least make it tick a little slower, Sebastian turned 5 months old yesterday!  Hard to believe!  And even harder to comprehend all that has happened in his short life so far and how much he has changed our lives and brought us JOY in the midst of shorter nights, lots of spit-up, rare fussiness and scares of croup. 
Not only is he growing in size, but he's also developing more and more motor skills, vocal skills and social skills every day.  He likes to try to sit up on his own these days even though he just can't quite support himself for more than a second.  He also rolled over from back to belly last weekend while my friend Tricia was here visiting.  She brought him this toy, and he gleefully chased after it right into a roll.  And then he did it again.  He's also singing and talking lots and loves to laugh his head off when Tim blows bubbles on his belly.  And he really enjoys meeting new people.  He doesn't seem to have fear or inhibitions about strangers, which makes him a lot of friends and I think will be part of his personality as he grows older... just trusting that God will protect him as we teach him good judgment.  We just got him an exersaucer from Craig's List, which he is thrilled about.  He gets to sit up AND play with toys... both of which make him very happy.  It seems ginormous, but at least doesn't seem to have the footprint that I've seen some have. 

Being outside or looking in a mirror or glass seem to be his favorite things to do, especially when he's fussy.  We'll see how it goes with the weather getting colder, because anytime we can't calm him down these days, we walk outside with him and he immediately chills out.  I know I've mentioned this before, but it's an amazing thing to watch.  Just cross over the threshold and instantaneously you have a whole new baby on your hands! 

I had wanted to take Sebastian to a pumpkin patch for some Fall pictures for quite some time now, but we hadn't gotten the chance.  We were hoping to do it this weekend (yesterday), but the forecast was rain, rain, rain.  So, I took advantage of my Thursday afternoon off and tried to take him then, which meant that Tim missed out on the deal, but I had my mom along for some help.  We got to the pumpkin patch and were told that it was closed - only open on weekends - and we could come back on Saturday if it wasn't pouring.  But, I didn't trust the weather report... so for lack of a better option, I took him to Stauffers of Kissel Hill, a local grocery store and garden center, and plopped him down in the middle of one of their displays and did my long awaited photo shoot.  Take a peek at the cutest lil' pumpkin around:

Happy Fall and happy 5 months old!

the first hike

Last Sunday we took advantage of the gorgeous fall weather and made our way south to Tucquan Glen, where we enjoyed a wonderful hike. We'd taken lots of walks with Sebastian since he was born, but this was his first real hike on a trail. He is so incredibly in awe of nature and so content when he's outside... it's actually our best solution to fussiness. If he's ever fussy and we can't easily calm him, we step outside, and he immediately calms down. Immediately.

Needless to say, Seb was enchanted with the forest. Happy, happy baby! And Grandma Martin was able to join us for the afternoon. It was so refreshing to be outside in nature, listening to the sounds of leaves crunch beneath our feet and water rushing down the stream and over the rocks. Ahhh...!