This is Baby Jonah and his Mama, Tryna. They accompanied Benjamin and I to the Museum of Florida History downtown. Between the fully reconstructed Mastadon bones, animatronic giant armadillo, and steamboat exhibit, Benjamin had plenty to delight and amaze him. Benjamin is still talking about the “Museum of Flo-rida HIStory!” We will need to go again.
Last night, my brother and our friends, Thomas and Kellie were coming over for dinner. I wanted to try to recreate the sauce from the Stuffed Tilapia at El Siete Mares in Waco but I’ve never created my own recipe before. So I was nervous and hesitant.
But I forged ahead and created my own recipe for Baked Tilapia with Spicy Cilantro Cream Sauce. It was seriously delicious. Not a bite remained.
As you can see, our plates are emptied of the scrumptiousness.
I posted the recipe on Feast! and started a series of “Fish Friday” recipes.
Filed under: Children
Dear Benjamin,
When we tucked you in tonight you were a one-year-old, but in the morning you will be TWO. You have changed so much in the past year.
Remember last year when you were just learning to walk and Daddy got you bundled up to play in the snow?
You were such a little baby!
Now you use a fork and spoon, sleep in a big boy bed, have a giant vocabulary, carry on hilarious conversations with us (and with your stuffed animals), sing songs with your precious little voice (“I’ve been working on the railroad” and “Father Abraham” which you call “Father Abrahood”), give the best hugs and kisses, say your prayers (“Our Father,” “Hail Mary”, and “Glory Be”) almost completely by yourself, love going to the Jr. Museum, the Brogan Museum, Marmee and Grandaddy’s house, Ooma and Oompa’s house, New Leaf, and the park. Your favorite things are big trucks, dinosaurs, bugs, Bigfoot, stars, cats, puppies, raisins, cookies, bacon, running, backhoes, helping Daddy in the garden, jokes, tickle fights, singing, bath time, pretending to cook, reading stories, Beauty and the Beast, cement mixers, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” yogurt covered pretzels, digging in the dirt, riding in the grocery cart, stickers, coloring, and jumping.
Can this big boy really be the same little baby we had?
You continue to amaze us, entertain us, and delight us. Your sweetness and joy enliven our days. We are so grateful that you are our little boy and are humbled by the blessing you are in our lives.
Two years ago, on February 8th, you arrived in Waco, Texas on a rainy Sunday night and changed everything. We thank God each day that you joined our family.
Love,
Mama and Daddy
For the birthday party this year we decided to keep it simple with just family and I’m glad we did. It was perfect.
Daniel’s mom got these adorable farm animal decorations. Benjamin loved them.
We did a farm-themed birthday and I made a carrot cake with carrots from our garden! I used the Pioneer Woman’s recipe with sucanat substituted for sugar. Yum.
Benjamin was so excited about having a birthday party. The night before he had trouble sleeping and crept out of bed to tell Daddy, “You’re gonna be two-years-old! You’re gonna have a birthday!” He’s still mastering pronouns, the little stinker.
Uncle Garrett, Aunt Vanessa and Uncle Travis, Marmee and Grandaddy, and Ooma and Oompa were all there to celebrate with us. I wish I’d gotten a good picture of the whole birthday crew! What was I thinking?
Uncle Garrett held the Birthday Farmer up so he could blow out his birthday candles which he was able to do all by himself!
Filed under: Candlemas
I want to acquire some new skills. Primarily, sewing. I found an e-course on quilting that seems pretty great on Rachel Denbow’s blog. I would love to make Benjamin a quilt for his bed. And I want to turn my wedding dress into a christening gown for future babies.
Now that I can successfully knit a scarf I need some new ideas of what to knit…and probably some assistance. Knitters, where do you find easy patterns? Are hats a good thing to work on next?
We had a great Candlemas feast this week with my brother and my mom.
Benjamin chowed down on some Butternut Polenta and Sausage and Apples. Read about it at Feast!
Filed under: Books
Due to Katherine and Sonya’s recommendations I borrowed Kathryn Stockett’s The Help from the library.
I really enjoyed it. Startling to realize that how recently the Civil Rights Movement occurred.
I’m also still reading Kristin Lavransdatter. It’s so good. Please read it.
Benjamin is currently loving this one:
He calls it “Caps” and loves to make the Monkey sound and shake his fist like the peddler.
What are you reading these days?
Filed under: St. Brigid
Benjamin and I started out St. Brigid’s Day by coloring this picture I found here, at Waltzing Matilda. This Catholic blogger, Charlotte, makes these coloring pages for all sorts of saints and holy days. This is actually the second one we made. He sent the first one with Daddy so he could look at it at work.
After the Jr. Museum with a new friend and her little boy, Benjamin fell asleep in the car on the way home but never went back down for a nap. So, we just soldiered on with a long walk with Tryna and Baby Jonah, a trip to the grocery store, and started cooking our little feast.
Chickpea Soup, Irish Oat Bread, and Honey Butter. Yum. Read more about St. Brigid and see the recipes at Feast!
To remind me for next year, there are some children’s books about St. Brigid that I want to get to read to Benjamin. Titles: The Life of Saint Brigid: Abbess of Kildare, Saint Brigid’s Cloak, and Saint Brigid and the Cows.
Carrots for Michaelmas: Musings of a Catholic Wife, Mother, and Occasional Redhead 