all things silky

Beckham has this little silky blanket he got for a baby gift that he started using at every nap/bedtime the last couple months... resulting in his love for all things silky.

whether it be my gym shorts, his puffy vest, my shirt... if it's silky he grabs it with enthusiasm, makes his "excited noise" (which I couldn't figure out how to type!), and shoves his fingers in his mouth.  no matter what time of day, he is delighted to see his blanket and loves sucking his fingers.  I've also noticed that he as started rubbing the silky part on his face at times... something he might still like to do when he's in his 20's (that one's for you dear sister Amber :))... but I'm thinking that must just be a girl thing... or an Amber thing!

ok, since I embarrassed Amber, I'll admit that when I was a baby and sucked my fingers like Beck, I rubbed slobber all over my cheek... gross!!

zonked

going to the gym and the grocery store wore this little guy out.  his hat falling over his eyes, putting him into a world of darkness, must have been what got him to sleep, because he rarely falls asleep in his car seat anymore.  he was even snoring a little.  :)

super bowl festivities

everyone knows Indy hosted the super bowl... which is now over, but it's not too late to post about it.

Indy transformed part of its downtown into a super bowl activity zone.  one thing they put up was a zip line, which I volunteered at a couple times.  to my delight, they starting letting the volunteers go down the zip line after their shift... so of course I had to go for a ride.

the zip line, in all her glory.. standing about 100 ft tall.

harnessed up and ready to climb the stairs to the top.  brittany and I work at the same place and volunteered together.  I would say we were both excited, yet a little nervous for the initial step off at the top.

the view from the top.  as you went down the zip line, the people below all cheered and some snapped pics, which added to the fun of the whole experience.

safely on the ground, looking back at the zip line tower way in the distance.

chad and I also went down town on friday night (the busiest night of all!) to go to the NFL experience and walked around the very crowded streets.  it was fun to be amid the action and see so many people fill the streets of Indy.  outside of every nice steakhouse and hotel gathered crowds of people, hoping to get a glance at someone famous.  a couple times we stopped for a minute, thinking that someone was going to step out any minute, then realizing it's not that important and kept walking.  why is it such a big deal to see a famous person?  it's kind of a funny concept to me...

inside NFL experience.  you could stand in a long line and get up close and personal with the Vince  Lombardi trophy... we decided to take it in from a distance.

monumental circle where the roman numerals stood.

the concept of all the hoopla that goes into one game is interesting to me too.  so much time and money for one sunday afternoon?  I guess the city of Indy is technically a better place to live now, due to all the super bowl projects that took place, and now many people have visited Indy who maybe never would have... but it still seems like a lot of work for one football game to be played so one team can win a trophy.  but I took part in it all and it was fun, so maybe that's the simple point of it all... it's fun and entertaining and we like to be entertained.

... but now it's back to normal life for downtown Indy, where you can park for less than $20 and the restaurants actually have reservations available...  :)

kuddos to the hubby

earlier this week found me feeling a little sick.. the achy and chills kind of sick when it hurts to move and I just wanted to be on the couch under a blanket. 

we were supposed to go on a fun date downtown monday night, but since I didn't feel great and downtown is crazy with superbowl festivities, chad came up with the great idea of cooking me dinner instead.  and not only cooking me dinner, but planning the meal and getting the groceries as well.  sounds perfect to me.

he's done this for me before and everytime he suggests it I love the idea and reminded him once again that anytime he wants to plan the meal and cook dinner, I'm all in.

so while I sat on the couch huddled under my blanket watching Miss Congeniality :), Chad made the following delicious meal for me.  it was very thoughtful and delightful to have the night off, as much as I do love being in the kitchen.

grilled portobello mushrooms stuffed with tomato.basil & fresh mozerella

lentil.noodle.veggie soup with parmesan

yum!

it all started...

... back in October.  in Phoenix AZ.  after a long hike on a warm evening that left Brandy and I in the mood for something cool and yummy... nothing other than delicious frozen yogurt.
we had the babies with us, giving me no choice but to give Beck his VERY FIRST bite and allow him to enter the wonderful world of fro-yo.  and of course he Loved it... which I was secretly hoping he would, so that it could be a fun treat we share together, giving me an excuse to stop and get it for myself.  :)

so since then we have made several visits to various frozen yogurt places while we're out and about running errands, our latest being to a new place called yo joy.  and if you're from Indy, I would highly recommend it.  it's in a strip by the Target on Michigan and I think it's my favorite of all the local fro-yo joints.  try expresso with vanilla and pumpkin. :)

beckham's face of delight after enjoying his frozen yogurt.  he actually waved his arms in the air while saying "mmmm" after every bite, which I couldn't catch in a photo but was quite funny and cute.

pizza goodness #2

friday night found us enjoying homemade pizza again.  we made a couple different kinds...

a typical pizza "chad's" :) - sausage, peppers, provolone, mozzarella:

a slightly more unique pizza "mine" :) - chicken, feta, and tomatoes:

I have been really enjoying pizza topped with arugula or salad lately so this one got topped with arugula  after it was baked. (I like to put a little olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper on the arugula)

some things I like to do when making homemade pizza:

1. make homemade pizza crust!  it's always more tasty that way.  I have gotten dough from trader joe's and whole foods that is the best substitute for homemade if you want a simple option (cheap too - its only $1 at TJ's).  the dough is by the produce section and can be frozen, which is helpful.
2. bake the pizza crust until it starts to brown before adding the toppings.  I find this is the best way to get a thin, crispy crust.
3. season the toppings as you go, whether it's sauted veggies or chopped fresh tomatoes.  a little salt, pepper or garlic will really enhance the flavor of the pizza.
4. add chopped fresh herbs/greens to the top of the pizza whenever possible, after it is baked.  cilantro, basil, arugula, and green onions are our favorites.
5. be creative with the sauce.  use spaghetti sauce for pizza sauce (if I'm not up for making my own :) ) - I think it has more flavor than jarred pizza sauce.  we like things spicy, so adding some hot sauce to marina or bbq is tasty.  I also like to mix pesto with marina for a combo sauce.  using just olive oil and garlic for more of a flat bread pizza is a great sauce option too.
6. try to use whatever you have on hand for the toppings and cheese - no grocery store runs unless absolutely necessary!  it's a fun challenge and a great way to come up with unique pizza creations.
7. think ethnic - greek, thai, mexican...

diaper bag clutch

I'm one of those people that likes to be crafty or repurpose things, but just does it here and there and never really for anyone else.  and I can't always think of how to do something myself, so if I have a picture or tutorial, I'm much better off.

enter:  the world of pinterest.

after seeing a tutorial for a diaper bag clutch on pinterest, I decided it was time to dive into the world of DIY gifts... and make mom proud by finally using the sewing machine she got me 3 (gasp!) christmas's ago (yes, of course I have a pile of clothes I intend to repurpose with my sewing machine, maybe I'll now have the motivation to tackle it!).  I followed this pinterest tutorial and it really wasn't too hard.  since it was the first time I've sewed in years, if you have any sort of crafty bone in your body you'll be fine. :)  I like this clutch b/c it's a fun way to hold a couple diapers and wipes in a diaper bag or purse.
.. and I should mention that I did have a little help from my sister amber (the moral support was much needed), so it wasn't Quite a solo project.

the materials:  an old shower curtain for the outside fabric, a couple fabric scraps for the inside fabric, and a bird cut out of an old tank top

take one.  of course I was going to make a "practice" clutch before making the one I intend to gift.  the curve of the flap wasn't so great the first time and I got a little over zealous and accidently sewed the bottom of the clutch. :)  I think I'll keep it despite it's imperfections and sew the button on the flap, making it a finished work. 

take two.  although I kind of wanted a break after first one (which it didn't really take that long to sew, maybe 1/2 hr), I'm glad I jumped into the second right away b/c I think it helped in improving from the first time.  

I actually accidently sewed the material on inside out so that the "duller" side of the fabric is showing, but I decided it looked good enough to not make a third clutch!  it's actually growing on me and I think I might prefer the softer look.  accident success!

I'm curious to see the feedback I get from the recipient.  if it's positive enough, maybe I'll make another :)