Bee-boppin' and Burgers

The other night, we strolled to 5 guys for some juicy burgers. David loved the burgers, but maybe even more, loved the music.

New Hair and Baby Einstein

If you've spent time with me and David in the past month or so, you'll know that we equally love Baby Einstein. I have my sister to thank for introducing it to us when David was a wee baby. Similar to other wonderful baby toys like the jumperoo or exersaucer, Baby Einstein guarantees at least 20 minutes of focused entertainment for David. For me, that means I can accomplish one thorough task and today it was dishes!

In other news, Tripp gave David a stylin' haircut on Saturday. Have a look at the new little man!

David's riding his horse with a new hair cut from Laura Grant on Vimeo.

Fall wallpaper

image from poolga.com

First, let me say that these iphone backgrounds are gorgeous (I've posted about these before) but check out poolga.com if you haven't already. Before you say to yourself, 'I don't have an iphone, I can't use these!' think again!! Got a printer? The ipad version of the images is high enough resolution to print and keep in a small frame. I would say if you don't have a printer you could send the image to print at wallgreens, but I think they have reservations about printing artwork (sometimes). Otherwise, there's always the $1 color prints at kinkos.

Per usual, I'm getting around to changing my desktop background for the next month's calendar just before months end. However! I discovered that smashing magazine's desktops come without the calendar! So, so need to change 1/mo., just 1/season which is much more fitting! If you're looking for a fun October wallpaper, go here and peruse. Lots of spooky options, so most are definitely seasonal. Having a halloween gathering? Get one of these spooky beauties up on your screen for a little decor ambiance.

example of wallpaper option without calendar, great right?!

Butternut squash mac + cheese

Pinterest tells me that I can embed pins into my blog... let's just see about that...

Source: marthastewart.com via Laura on Pinterest

25 ways to wear a scarf

Incredible! And if you're a rabbit trail clicker, Wendy has some adorable tutorials for hair on youtube.

He has made me glad

'For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.'
Psalm 92:4

A friend of mine recently brought me a bouquet of mums that literally touch my heart everyday. I've had to transfer the mums to a new vase so that the big bundle could reach water and they're still just gorgeous. Last Sunday, as Tripp and I prayed with the worship team, I had a lump in my throat as I tried to recount my gratitude for the Lord's work in my life. I was struck with the thought that if I went down that road, thanking God for all that I could think of, I would fall to pieces. This week, I continued to feel this way as I met with God in prayer. I just wanted to share in this post that I am thankful for all the gracious things the LORD has done in our life. We deserve damnation, but God in his unthinkable grace gave us life. His work, His hands, His blood and we stand near and sing for joy.

If you're in a place today where you're not sure what to do in your life, reorient yourself to see He is working. If you can't see it, recount your gratitude to the Lord. Consider your salvation... go down that road and just see where it leads.

Jacky + Cayte Visit October 2011

Jacky + Cayte Visit October 2011, a set on Flickr.

Uncle Jacky and Aunt Cayte came to Chicago for an Autumn visit with us! We walked as far as their feet could handle, ate like Kings (heehee), and enjoyed everything pumpkin - from picking to making pumpkin spice fudge and pumpkin spice lattes.

This visit was especially memorable for the friendship I saw grow between David and his Uncle Jacky. From dancing to wiggling to feeding to swinging, Jacky was David's best bud. I have a feeling that these two will probably be inseparable during visits from here on.

And from here, I'm so thankful for the friend I have in my sister-in-law Cayte. She's one of the most comfortably honest women I know, which always draws the comfortable out in me. I breathe easy with my buddy Cayte around and I'm thrilled we have a lot more 'family time' to come. Thanksgiving 2011 is first on the list!

Kale apple smoothie

I came across this delicious photo and recipe for a kale apple smoothie on realsimple.com but created a 'what I had in the kitchen' rendition this morning. I'm pretty proud of my rendition and wanted to share because I think this might be easier - and could possibly inspire your own rendition.

About 1 cup of kale leaves removed from stalk
1 apple slightly peeled and cubed
Remnants of a left over fruit salad (mainly pineapple)
1/2 c. water (enough to blend)

Mix and blend until as smooth as possible. Consistency is like thin apple sauce, so drinking through a straw is more appealing.

I have a good feeling that you could basically blend anything with kale like a pear or a plum and achieve a delicious and healthy smoothie.

Now bonus, David liked it too. 

Throw-it-together Chicken & Rice Soup

This weekend we had the pleasure of a visit with Peter, Hana and Ezra Herzog. The visit was almost cut short when Tripp discovered his bronchitis was more serious than he had thought. After visit #2 to the doctor, and this time Walgreens Take Care Clinic, he was successfully drugged and the Herzogs felt comfortable enough to stay another night. Once deciding this was going to be a low-keyed weekend, Hana came up with the idea to make chicken soup. People, it was more delicious and simple that I could have imagined. I had bought the fixings to make a white bean and chicken bake, but we turned all that into glorious Throw-it-together Chicken and Rice Soup.

this photo is obviously not the soup we made, but it had
broccoli and was pretty

Ingredients:

8 Chicken legs
2 heads of broccoli
8 small tomatoes (next time I'd triple this)
1 onion rough chopped
2 cloves of garlic rough chopped
handful of fresh thyme stems
dash of dried rosemary
olive oil
salt & pepper
water to cover contents
1 cup white rice
1 can cannelloni beans

How to:

Put the chicken legs & onion and olive oil in pan and brown for about 10 minutes. Add all the other stuff and bring to a boil. Add rice and simmer at least 1 hr or as long as you can stand. Take out bones. Eat or put in fridge overnight and as you reheat soup will thicken and get even more delicious.

Seattle

Seattle, a set on Flickr.

I'm giving Flickr a try so that I can share the mass amounts of David photography here instead of facebook. SO! Giving it a try first with our trip to Seattle back at the end of August.