Easter Goodies

Wow, so many to choose from and I can't narrow them down, so here is a basket full of my favorites. From dying easter eggs, to a practice run in the yard before easter and the beautiful Sunday in Capitola with family.

Special thanks to Charlie and Terry for having us over. We had a wonderful day and enjoyed spending Easter with you and your family. Your yard is so inspiring, beautiful and bountiful. I took home with me some tingling feelings that I will turn into dirty hands and happy plants.

Picture Notes:

1-4 Dying Easter eggs

5 Practice Easter egg hunt

6-7 Rocco and River enjoying Easter together

8 Mommy directing a picture that ended up with sun in Rocco's eyes

9 Mimi and Rocco

10 Pop eating with Rocco at the kid table

Sing It Baby

I love to listen to Rocco sing. We have been learning Twinkle Twinkle and ABCs. Just the other day he was singing down the isle at Target without a care in the world. It reminds me to share my true self and not care what anyone says or if they are watching.

TreadMill Run

My hobby is working out. I have been a member of a gym since I was 14 years old and started doing step classes with my Mom at Ronnie Lotts. Well for the first time in 22 years, I am not a member of a gym. But that is ok, I have a gym at work now and I love it.

Not a big treadmill runner, but I like the results of running. I usually run outside but my girlfriend Stefanie sent me this routine. Wow, I have done it twice now, but both times I am just shy at running the last three minutes, I usually stop running around 45 seconds. Next time, I will finish this and I will use Stefanie's power power power mantra. Takes about 30 minutes and a lot of sweat!

5 mins at 3.5 pace
1 min at 3.0 @ 4% grade incline
1 min at 6.0 @ 4% grade incline
1 min at 3.0 @ 5% grade incline
1 min at 6.0 @ 5% grade incline

now, repeat these increase intervals until you reach 15% grade. One minute walking, one minute running. Increasing your grade every two minutes (right after the minute run). If it gets challenging, cut the run portion in half - running for only 30 seconds.

whoa boy. i was beat! I had to do a mantra on the runs - "power, power, power"

Me after my run and heading back to my desk a sweaty mess, but I love it.

Dinner Items

Tonight we had tofu, broccoli and carrots over coconut rice. I saw the coconut rice recipe on Weelicious the other day and my mouth started to water. Sometimes rice just needs a little kick to keep it interesting. This was the magic touch. Again, this was easy because I look for quick easy and healthy recipes. I like to spend my time with Rocco rather than hours in the kitchen.

Coconut Rice (Serves 4)

1 14 oz Can Coconut Milk, unsweetened (low fat or regular)
1/4 Cup Water
1/4 Tsp Kosher Salt
1 Cup Brown Jasmine Rice

1. Place the coconut milk, water and salt in a medium size pot and bring to a boil.
2. Add the rice, stir until combine, bring back to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer.
3. Cook for 30 minutes, turn heat off and let sit covered for 10 minutes.
4. Serve.

Milazzo - Like Pizza with two zz's!

We love TJ's wheat pizza dough. We made ham and pineapple pizza on Sunday. Sometimes we don't use pizza sauce and just use olive oil with leeks, red onions, tomatoes and cheese. So many combinations options!

Wow oh Wow - made Alfredo sauce for my first time. Wow oh Wow is right. Had it over lobster raviolis with a side a green peas from TJ's. Both Rocco and Jared were in love. It was really good. This one doesn't go on the healthy recipe side, but it does go on Wow oh Wow that was good!

Bird Love

I love watching birds and I LOVE watching Rocco. Rocco painted this bird feeder that we hung on the tree right in front of the house. Here birdy birdy. My cats are old, they won't get you. :)

Library Visit

We go to the library just about every other week to get a new set of books to read at night. There are computers there for the kids and Rocco enjoys going on it. We are learning about waiting our turn and also giving turns to others. There are only two computers there for the little ones and it seems all the kids like to go on them so you usually have to wait to get on them.

Rocco is learning about moving the mouse, listening to directions and about numbers, letters and shapes. We take our turn and then I ask Rocco to tell the next kid in line that it is their turn. Then we explore the wonderful books the library has to offer.

Pie of Oats and Other Healthy Stuff

Made this for breakfast this morning. I haven't made anything new in a while and this week it was time to get to some new recipes. It had 6 simple ingredients and was a quick and easy item to make. I will defiantly make this again.

I added blueberries to the top of it during the last few minutes of baking. I think it would be yummy to add peaches, apricots, prunes and so many other ingredients with the banana. Rocco liked it and I have some left over for breakfast tomorrow.

Recipe from Kath Eats Real Food

1) Bananas

Slice 2 bananas. You can add these however you like – in with the wet ingredients or arranged in a pattern on the top (and/or bottom!) of the dish. (You’ll need an additional mashed banana for the wet ingredients below)

2) Combine the dry ingredients:

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

3) Combine the wet ingredients:

• 1 egg, beat
• 1 mashed banana
• 1.5 cups skim milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

4) Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix well.

5) Line an 8″ pan (square or round) with parchment paper (for easy removal and cutting!).

6) Layer some banana slices on the bottom. Pour batter into pan. Top with remaining banana slices.

OR just use cooking spray – or a pie dish (which is harder to get out in one piece but saves having to use parchment)

7) Pop into a 375* oven for about 26 minutes.

After 26 minutes, increase heat to broil, sprinkle oatmeal with 1 heaping tbsp brown sugar and broil for 3-4 minutes. = bubbly caramelized sugar topping!

Makes 4 portions about 275 kcal, 6 grams fiber and 11 grams protein each. We saved one portion to reheat tomorrow!

Double Sweet Spot

Me and Rocco at the yogurt shop in Campbell. We might have been here before once or twice before. Here is Rocco enjoying the moment making faces in the mirror. We get yogurt and watch the train. Who can ask for more?

Family In The Daily Life

As you can tell these are from the same nap day as the post below.

Max laying in one of his favorite spots over looking the yard and being joined by Rocco. This makes Max happy.

Rocco getting his boots on while sitting on a bench made by his Great Papa Davenport and helping Daddy in the garden. Even though Dad says they are watering and Rocco says they are mowing the lawn. While working in the garden, they did find a wasp nest!

And my most favorite picture of the day is Rocco water the plants. This reminds me of when I used to water my Grandma's plants. She would love to watch us water her yard. This picture makes me smile because the white and yellow pots are both from my Grandma Shelley's yard. Thanks Grandma for being such a beautiful, strong and loving part of my life.

What A Good Nap Looks Like

I love bed head. Is it wrong that I don't wet it down right away and take the time to enjoy it in all it's beauty.

Following Mynx

Rocco was on the hunt the other day to follow Lander around. (aka Mynx) Lander would lay down and Rocco would come up right next to him and by the time he laid down, Lander was up and gone.

Lander is not like Daktari. He doesn't come around if company is over. He doesn't like to play in Rocco's spiderman fort like Daktari does. He doesn't lay right in the middle of where Rocco is playing. He really has never given Rocco much time to get more than a few pets in.

But that day, he did finally stay long enough for Rocco to lay down, get a pet it and once again that was about it.

Sun and Fun on the Boardwalk

We went to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk last weekend with some friends. It was a great day to be outside and enjoy the sun and friends. Rocco really enjoyed the rides. Last time we went there, he wasn't to sure about the rides. I think we rode one of them.

This time Rocco rode the car, boat, air plane, whale and merry-go-round. He loved every minute of it. Rocco had a ice cream moment with Mariana and Mommy while everyone else rode the big kid rides. We ended the day putting our feet in the ocean. I think this was the best part of the day for Rocco. He smile was from ear to ear. Need to get my beach gear ready because I see long days at the beach this summer.

Kitchen In The Yard

Rocco loves to go into the kitchen drawer and play with anything he can get his hands on. This little tool made it outside and was being used to cut the grass and trim the bush.

Spoon History

Ask Jared and he will say he remember these spoons. They used to hang in his Nana's kitchen when he grew up. Well, now they are in our kitchen and Rocco uses them for special dinners and ice cream nights.

Yes there are three spoons in this picture and I must admit one of them is mine, but who can pick just one spoon from the jar when there are so many fun ones. Two for Rocco and one for Mom.

Thanks Great Nana for the fun spoons!

Reading Snap Shot

Story time inside the spiderman tent and one in Rocco's bedroom.

Birthday Party Crash

Rocco has attended Tyler's birthday party the last two years. Every year he has a great time and it always seems to end the same way. You can see this by the pictures below.

This last year was Rocco's first time playing pin the tail on the donkey. (although it was pin the number on the race car) He listened to the instructions with the other kids and while the oldest cousin was about to follow-up the instructions with a live demo, Rocco decided he already knew what he was supposed to do and went and put his number 9 right, I mean right where he was supposed to. You couldn't get any closer to bulls-eye than that.

He also did the jumpy house without Mom for the first time as well as the pinata. Although he didn't break the candy bank, he did eat his first piece of a mimi chocolate candy bar. The verdict is in, he likes it. Lots of firsts at this birthday party. Although the ending I have seen before.

Feb 2010 and Feb 2011