Our First "Mato"

When my parents were here for Memorial Day, Mom, Charlotte and I went to Home Depot and picked out some flowers to spruce up the back patio and front porch. Mom thought that it would be a good idea to get Charlotte a little tomato plant as well. I was pretty sure that I would kill it before a tomato ever appeared.

However, for the first time in my adult life, I have actually kept plants alive. All of the flowers that we planted have done really well. I have enjoyed having them bloom and grow, it has been fun to watch.

Charlotte's "mato" plant (she leaves off the "to") has had green tomatoes on it for what seems like FOREVER. We keep watching to see if they turn red, but they just stay green. Well, we came back from the beach to discover a red "mato"!



Today she just had to eat it. And as any good photographer mom does, I captured the first bite. Maybe it was still too green inside? Not sure, but she ended up eating the whole thing.



We need to get some better stakes to keep it from falling over. (when I told Char this, she asked if they were hungry) We have about 20 little green grape tomatoes growing, so I'm hoping that they'll all turn red shortly!

A Week at the Beach

We are back from our wonderful week at the beach. A few months ago, my parents asked us if we wanted to join them at the beach. They had rented a condo and had extra room. I didn't have to be asked twice! The beach is my favorite place in the world.

Judd drove Charlotte and I down to Tybee on Monday evening. Then, he flew back on Tuesday morning to Atlanta to work Tuesday and Wednesday. Wednesday afternoon he flew back to Savannah to spend the rest of the week with us.

Each day looked the same: beach in the morning, swim in the pool, lunch, nap, back to the beach in the afternoon, pool, showers/baths, and dinner. After dinner, ice cream was consumed 3 out of the 5 nights there. We ate in the condo for most meals, which is fabulous to be able to do when you have a toddler. Judd and I snuck out one night for a dinner by ourselves. We all went out to dinner at the Crab Shack the last night there. Charlotte went to bed LATE every night. She was able to sleep in her very own double bed every night and did really well in that big bed all by herself.

I won't say that Charlotte LOVED the beach, but she spent quite a bit of time down there digging in the sand and floating in the water. She just wasn't so sure of the ocean. She is definately a pool girl.

This trip got me very excited about future family trips to the beach. I wish my sisters and their families had been able to come on this trip. I can't wait until we are all there with all of our kids running around.

Tybee Island

Greetings from Tybee! We are here with my parents soaking up the sun and wearing lots of sand!!

Evolution of an outfit

July 15th, 2010

9:00 AM: Put shirt and shorts on for the day

6:00 PM: Decide to go out to dinner to celebrate Daddy's birthday, before we eat our yummy chocolate cake.

6:05 PM: Charlotte comes into my room while I change. She spies my silver sparkly belt that I bought for a Halloween costume one year. She demands that I put it around her waste.

6:07 PM: Judd inquires whether or not she is wearing that belt to dinner. I reply, "Probably". (she wears it to dinner)

6:10 PM: I tell Charlotte to pick out some shoes, she picks out her red flip flops that don't at all go with her light pink shirt and shorts.

7:15 PM: We return home and I ask Charlotte if she wants to play outside for a few minutes. She says that she would like to ride her bike, but she needs her "helmet". We don't actually have a helmet for her yet, so I get her new sunhat that she can pretend is a helmet.

7:18 PM: She sees her yellow rain boots, decides she needs to have just one on the wrong foot. Kicks off her flip flop and puts the left boot on her right foot.

7:19 PM: I can't stand it, I just have to go inside and get my camera to document this outfit.

7:25 PM: She decides to "drive her car to work"



7:26 PM: But first, she has to give Daddy a hug goodbye.



So now you know why my child looks the way she does if you happen to see us out in public and she looks like this.

Morning at the Park

Judd hit the road again yesterday afternoon to go to North Georgia for a Guys Weekend with his friends. He needed to go to spend time with the guys, but the timing couldn't have been much worse since he just got home from a long trip late Wed night.

I took Charlotte over to Piedmont Park this morning for an outing. We have been going to the same parks lately, and I thought it would be a nice change. We walked around, we played, and we stopped at the Farmer's Market for a snack. (They have a "Green Market" every Saturday morning at the park)

She is getting so big!


Who wants some ice cream????


"Mommy, we are going to get a snack after I swing!"


Just being goofy.

Root Beer Cake

Not quite a year ago, I was given the cook book "Baked" from a friend. I have made a few recipes from the book and they have all turned out fabulous. I asked Judd what he wanted for his birthday - chocolate cake, cupcakes, or cobbler. When he said he wanted chocolate cake, I knew just what I would make - the Root Beer Bundt Cake from the Baked Cook Book.

It is really easy and REALLY, REALLY yummy. Charlotte and I got to work on it yesterday. We mixed up the cake around lunch time and iced it after her nap.



In the process, she had her first taste of root beer, ate many, many chocolate chips, and could not keep her fingers out of he frosting. Baking with a 2.5 year old is pretty challenging. You have to just know that you are going to be cleaning up a much bigger mess than you would have normally made, and at one point I was so distracted by her that I almost put baking powder in rather than baking soda. But, she loves helping, so it is worth it in the end. (I think)



Here's the recipe - just click to enlarge, then print!

It takes a village

Judd's back! whew. Charlotte and I are both happy to have the man back in our lives.

They say that it takes a village to raise a child. Whoever "they" are. I'm really starting to believe this. But, I'm sure whoever "they" are also meant that it takes a village to support the mother of that child.

Judd's trip, while long, went by fast for me. We were invited over to two different friend's houses for dinner, had two over night visitors, other great distractions like play dates, and the lovely Jen that took Charlotte for the afternoon last Sunday.

I didn't feel alone - I knew there were people I could call. I feel very lucky to have the friends & family that I do - they are wonderful, thoughtful people.

So, thank you everyone that helped us out. I hope you will let me return the favor when you need it!