Babies will be babies

Lets be honest if you have read my blog.....at all, you will have gotten the gist that Bridget, like any other baby, likes to put stuff in her mouth. 

More often than not it's something that's less than appetizing. 

Maybe she's lacking some iron in her diet.

Let's Talk about Poop

In particular, baby poop.

Don't worry I don't have any graphic pictures.

We have been traveling a lot, and I don't know about you but I tend to get backed up when I travel. 

Apparently so does Bridget. 

Generally Bridge has been a good pooper, but lately she started pooping rocks (Not literally). The poor girl works so hard to get those solid little stools out.

I figured when we got back home things would regulate back out, that didn't necessarily happen.

I was trying so many things to try and soften things out, I was giving her more and more water, lots of vitamins and minerals,  trying different foods. 

Then I got wise, on accident because I am so smart. I am trying to eat healthier so I started making steel cut oats for breakfast. Oh man it's so good. The very first day we had oats for breakfast Bridget pooped the nice pasty poop 3 times! 

You mean to say fiber helps you poop?..... duh! 

I don't know about you guys but sometimes I complicate things that don't need to be complicated at all. I do this all the time, not just with parenting. 

For some reason I don't think of the simple solutions, because I can't possibly be healed just by looking at the snake on Moses's staff. 

Too easy.

Now lets talk about these steel cut oats. 

They are so yummy and incredibly good for you. 

I put it in my rice cooker to soak overnight, just plug it in and keep it on warm NOT cook.  

In the morning it is perfect and ready to eat:

I add peaches and cream. 

(Am I the only one who can't get enough peaches? Hands down my favorite fruit.)

You could put apples or any berries, so good.

Bridget gobbles it up! And she poops 3-4 times everyday. Sure we go through a lot of diapers but we celebrate bowel movements around here, so we couldn't be happier!

Birthday Weekend Recap

I have the greatest husband! 

If you missed it, Trevor wrote me a blog poem. Read it HERE. 

That in fact was the third poem he has written me, what a romantic.

It doesn't stop there. He planned the whole day on my birthday complete with an hour by hour agenda! 

He started the day out making a delicious french toast breakfast.

We made a picnic lunch and hit the road.

We soon came across nothing...

Where were we headed you ask?

The Spiral Jetty!!! In the Great Salt Lake.

I was so excited. 

We knew it was early in the year so it would be under water but it was still really neat.  Can you see it? We will definitely go back when it has resurfaced. 

We had a blast and took a ton of pictures. 

(Bridget was a bit on the tired side.)

Not far from the Jetty is the Golden Spike historical park... we couldn't not stop.

We went into Salt Lake for dinner eating at Frida Bistro. 

It was oh so good! 

After a scrumptious meal he took me to Bruges Waffles and Frites for dessert. 

yummy.

Rating out of 5

Frida Bistro: 4 

(Food has wonderful flavor, very tasty. It is pricey. Left feeling satisfied not full.)

Bruges Waffles and Frites: 4 

(I have been to Bruges, Belgium so I am a little biased but they do a fantastic job. My dessert stomach was hoping the waffles would be bigger, but my thighs said to stop complaining.

Thank You Trevor for such an awesome birthday!!!

Getting Ready for the Little Man

We had a baby shower for my cute friend, Jennie. 

She is having a little boy in May. 

I seriously can't wait! 

She doesn't even look pregnant...rude.

Here she is with a few of her college girlfriends.

 The Food:

Crepe Bar.

 And for the activity: 

Iron on ties, bow tie, mustache onesies!

I made these cakes, don't they look divine?

Well if it be possible, they taste even better.

It's my sister Aleena's made-up recipe so I thought I would share.

Start out making vanilla or french vanilla cake mix.

Then add the powder from a vanilla pudding. 

You will need to make a strawberry puree.

Super easy, just blend strawberries and add sugar until it's sweet but not overly sweet.

Spoon the cake mixture into your pan and about a heaping tablespoon of the puree.

Swirl together. 

If you don't want the cakes to overflow when they bake be sure you only fill each square half way.

I baked them for about 22-25 minutes. Be sure you don't overcook them. 

Let them cool a bit before you remove them from the pan. 

Now for the frosting. 

I actually made a ganache. 

Don't be afraid, it's super easy. 

You will need a double boiler. 

(Again, don't be afraid... easy.)

If you don't have one, make one.

Take a pan and put a few inches of water in the bottom. Place a glass bowl on top.

Pour your chocolate chips in the glass bowl and melt. I used white chocolate chips.
Add cream about 3 tablespoons at the beginning and just keep adding until it's a good smooth consistency, a little runny.

Pour a spoon-full on top of the cake and spread around the top letting the excess dribble over the edges. You don't need to completely cover the sides of the cake because the ganache is pretty rich.

The ganache hardens and holds it's shape so it stays nice and pretty.

(If you want to make chocolate ganache be sure to use milk chocolate chips and NOT semi-sweet.)


Dice Cakes (I call them dice cakes because when Aleena first made these cakes she decorated them like dice)
-vanilla cake mix
-vanilla pudding mix
-strawberries
-sugar (enough to sweeten the strawberries, maybe 1/4 cup)
-white or milk chocolate chips
-heavy whipping cream (again maybe 1/4 cup)

Trust me these cakes are sooooo good!

Restaurant Review: Savory & Sweet

Trevor and I have been loving the Orem/Provo area, especially when it comes to little eateries.

We lived in Draper before and unfortunately it has mostly chain restaurants, which is fine but I personally feel the little family owned restaurants just taste so much better.

There are I think three crepe restaurants in the area, we have been to two. Both very good but comparatively we love Savory and Sweet (on Orem Center Street.)

They load their savory crepes, and with a side of roasted potatoes, you get a ton to eat.

I am serious:

savory&sweet

Trevor and I have tried most of the savory crepes (we ate there every week for a month) but our favorites are the Chicken Cordon Bleu & the Southwestern Steak.

And as far as the desert crepes: brownie sundae holy Bathsheba it is gooooood!

Prices are comparable, there is one thing that is $9 and the rest is between $6-$8.

They also serve breakfast all day which looks divine!

(on a scale 1-5)

taste: 4.5 - 5 (depending on what you order)

appearance: 5

quantity: 4

price: 4

atmosphere: 3 (cute, but not super cute. The other crepe place is super cute)

family friendly: 4

Needless to say we highly recommend it.

A new chapter in "The Tales of Miss Bridget"

An adventure with solids:

 Bridge has been showing some clear interest in solid food. 

With her teeth and the fact that avocados were on sale and I decided to give it a go.

She actually did pretty good.

She swallowed maybe two bites. 

But she sure enjoyed the new texture in her mouth by pushing it out and sucking it back in and blowing bubbles.

And so it has begun.

Recipe

Here's a great recipe for the bum runs...

ENJOY!

I know I did. Ask me again in a few hours.