Daily Rhythms and Fall's Beginning.

Life at the Basset house has been a mixture of comings and goings - as mentioned in my last post, we have two cars making the trek up north to Edmond most days of the week now. Our cars are second homes; littered with jackets, toys and books, a cup or two, and plenty of crumbs from eating on the go.

But, we've fallen into a rhythm. The bug knows that on days when Mama comes in to wake her up that she gets to go and see friends. Her sweet version of their names {well, at least one of them} are her wake-up song..."Ashy...Ashy". 

Our commute soundtrack lately has been The Sports Animal on the way there and a little NPR to nap to on the way home. Voices have trumped melodies as the means to a calmer drive. This mama is not complaining. 

 Daily adventures with our buddies have consisted of plenty of hide and seek, 

acorn/stick man making, 

Grat, our acorn friend, and H.

Grat in his Mega Blok bed.

pirating ships and hunting for buried treasure, 

Captain Firebeard

Captain Mac Sparrow

dancing to Star Wars,

 and lots and lots of building with Mega Bloks and Legos.  

And in the midst of it all- we have found ways to usher in our favorite season.  In order to kick it off right, we started with going to daddy's first football game. Mama and baby had nothing to wear that fit- so I had to fix that {and of course this happened the day before}.  Here are the results of my sewing experiment.

And, if you are okay with non-exact sewing and want to attempt this on your own, this is basically what I did. {Sorry there are not pictures for every step- maybe on my next try I will do better at that}

1. Gather an old adult sized t-shirt and a dress that currently fits your little one.

2. Use the dress as a sort of pattern by laying it over the t-shirt and tracing a triangle slightly bigger than the outline of the dress.

3. Cut the two pieces a part from the t-shirt. (Save the t-shirt's bottom hem as a means to tie the top of the dress)

4. Put right sides together and pin. I then used the dress again as a guide to where the armpits would be.

5. Sew triangle pieces together. (You can then add lace ruffles  or other embellishments to the bottom to make it more girly)

6. Cut slits along the neckline to string through the bottom hem that you saved.

7. Hope that it fits and tie it on your sweet girl! 

8. Enjoy supporting your favorite team or daddy- Not a required step, but certainly fit the bill for us.

For me- I just took one of daddy's too big t-shirts and tailored it in for myself. (Just cut the sides to fit  you and sew them back up! However, I learned the hard way that the arms make this just a bit tricky...)

Fall has begun and we are relishing in it already. Homemade Chex Mix smells fill my kitchen- making me miss my daddy, pumpkin flavored things are at the top of our sweets list (even for the Hubs!) and I'm making sweet potato anything any chance I get. 

Another plus side to still being in Norman is still being able to take in the atmosphere of Sooner Football. Yeah, I know we've lost one- but, we still are Sooner Born and Bred in this house.

Happy Fall!

Miles.

This week, the little bug and I have put in some serious miles. Miles in and out of the car.



The bug and I began logging our miles this week like daddy. With our house still being on the market, I accepted an opportunity to look after a family friend's kiddos a few mornings a week. Hello, to earlier mornings and rush hour traffic. Hello, to sweet faces and new adventures.

The first day I was unsure of what to expect. It has been awhile since I've had to make the morning drive to be somewhere. I felt like I was on edge the whole time as it was stopandgo stopandgo. MC was not quite sure why she had to be in the car for so long after she had just woken up, I'm sure. { I could tell by the grunts and demands from the back. } However, FisherPrice Sing Along CDs have been our saving grace. She loves to sing what she can or clap and move her hands. Add some snacks and some water (Wa Wa) and we're good to go. Then, on the way home she is out like a light in five minutes- tuckered from all of the play and excitement.
If any of you out there are reading this and have had to commute with littles- what are your go -to's?

On some of the mornings, I am lucky to miss the big "rush", and as I returned to the thick of it this morning, I embraced the drive with a new attitude. (Remembering from a month or so ago that I do not want to be controlled by fear) So, a version of this song started playing on the radio...and, I started thinking and praying for the people in the cars around me. The ones that would immediately change lanes without indication, the ones weaving in and out of lanes, the ones leaving a safer than safe distance from the car ahead of them. The patience that I am now realizing that I have more of than most, came through. Peace came over me and I did not think of any of the number of things that could go wrong on a longer commute. I began to wonder about how many of these people I will pass and "travel with" on a frequent basis. Such a crazy thing that you might be next to someone over and over and never meet them.

To you on the road- may you know that you are the Lord's treasure on your drive. He loves you and wants you to feel safe in His arms.



As teachers and students returned to their own journeys this week, it was a bit odd not being with them. There is part of my heart that misses the start of the year and the excitement it brings. I loved organizing, labeling, and planning fun things for the bright and eager faces that would greet me at the start of a new year. I never could sleep the night before the first day.


But, this new gig and journey is pretty awesome. The miles might seem tiring on some days, but the things that we are doing are already creating wonderful memories. I am still getting somewhat of a "teacher fix" by the ways that we are playing and learning each day. Here are a few of our adventures from these first few days together:

Paint with water while little A sleeps.

Our grasshopper home for "Camo" the one we caught today in the backyard. They have an amazing backyard for nature hunts and exploring!

Mr. Camo himself.

I love logging miles for time with these kiddos and am honored that I was asked to do so. Plus, MC loves her new friends. Let the good times roll!

Sweet Summertime.

Summertime really is a sweet season. It is truly as sweet as the berries and melons that flourish in the heat it brings.

This has been our second summer with our own little sweetness and it has been a different sort of sweet than the first.

Last summer we were lucky to get outside to run errands and maybe grab an EARLY walk or two during the week. The 100s came in early June and just wouldn't quit. With an infant, those temperatures just don't add up to a lot of time to soak up the rays and do much of anything. There were plenty of naps and short dips in the pool, and perhaps one trip to the zoo.

So- we welcomed this summertime with an opportunity to show it to a toddler with curiosity bursting at her seams. The 100s didn't really come until mid-July this year, and the mornings still offer a decent amount of time for getting out and playing in sand tables, feeding the ducks that go "wuack, wuack" {Quack, Quack in MC speak}, and a few trips to the zoo and splash pad. We routinely hit up the library for story time and the farmer's market {grazing on some of the finds as we hunt for the rest of our goods}.

Our little family is truly blessed that we get to spend most of these summer months together. With two teachers, and now just one, summer is definitely a time for us.

Here are just a few of our sweet memories from the past month as summer slowly begins to wind down...

Sidewalk Chalking

Ever so often she would stop her own doodles and come try and help me with mine.

Who can resist a chalk-dusted diaper bottom?

Melt.

Birthday Celebrations filled with sweet treats

Happy 3rd, sweet Grace! You're awesome and we love you.

Discovering the dress up drawer.

All chosen by her. Hmm...a fishing bunny that likes to cook and wears ladybug wings for fun?

Pillow Forts and Camp Stories

Showing off the tent to daddy!

A free trip to the Sam Noble Museum to explore with Nana. Sweet!

And, helping in the kitchen to make our own sweet treats...{definitely not one of our Paleo adventures, but like I said- we splurge here and there. ;) }

She was beyond excited to see the cookbook and help dump in the ingredients!

I love her look of concentration just about as much as I love the tufts of hair she finally has in this picture!

And now, it is August. August used to bring up so many emotions; excitement, anxiety, expectation. All brought by the upcoming school year. That time has come for daddy. Time for him to hit the grind and for mama to start her new adventure. It feels odd in some ways not having somewhere to prepare and things to plan, and for this I am humbly grateful. Not everyone gets the opportunity that we are attempting, and I don't want to forget the blessing that it is. My heart is with all of the teachers that are starting and that have already started in the upcoming weeks. Your job is unlike any other- harder than many and more rewarding than most. You are on the front lines of our future, and I hope that you know how valued you are and how important- no matter what some people may think. Your work brings fruit. Just as sweet as those summer berries and melons.

Chocolatetown Chip Cookies 

3/4 c butter

1/2 c granulated sugar

1 c packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 c all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 c chocolate chips of your choosing {we personally prefer dark chocolate}

Cream the butter, sugars and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well. Sift together the flour, baking soda and slat; add to the creamed mixture. Add the chips and blend well. Drop by teaspoonfuls {or more if you like bigger cookies, like we do!} onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 8 to 10 minutes.

{Best made with helping hands, especially little ones, like my friend Meg has inspired me to do}

taken from Hershey's 1934 Cookbook, the revised 1971 edition. ;)

Practically Paleo

A few months ago, my husband decided that he wanted to change his eating lifestyle.

Now, It's not that we have ever been over-the-top junk food eaters, in fact, I felt overall proud with our general eating rhythm of life. I would buy organic for things I knew it was most important for, switch out turkey for beef, not season things with extra salt, etc...

{Although, I must say that we have been known to seriously chow down on some pizza, burgers and fries, chicken tenders, etc...on a pretty regular basis. Not to mention anything with chocolate in it.}

Now, you see, nursing a baby is a miraculous thing on so many levels. It is not only the best for your baby, but it is downright good for mama. Without much effort, and because a mama's body burns so many calories a day while nursing, I lost the baby weight pretty quickly. In fact, I now weigh less than I did before MC was born....woo hoo! However, the calorie intake is probably not something I wanted to stay consistent with either, so needless to say, I was definitely on board with changing our eating "way of life."

Paleo for those that may not know is often referred to as the "Cave Man diet". It is a live off the land, eating "real" sort of life. It is not just making eating a healthy habit, it is a mindset shift too. Paleo is a diet free from dairy, sugar, gluten, and legumes. Now, what you might be thinking is--then, what do you eat? Well, we eat plenty. Plenty of good meats (as minimally processed as possible), fresh and frozen veggies, and things that are nut-based. We've switched milk for almond milk and the bread that we sometimes buy (with a coupon) is now for the ducks. Baby still drinks whole milk and partakes from cheese and some grains here and there, but she eats what we eat  for the most part too.

Here are some of the meals that we have had since our Paleo journey began a couple of months back.

Pork chops with fresh herbs from our garden and Farmer's Market broccoli

Basil pesto chicken with tomatoes and banana,strawberry, and grape fruit salad

Turkey burgers with mustard and fixins and carrot fries

A sample lunch- bell pepper "sandwiches", carrots and tomatoes, and a clementine orange.

Let's not forget dessert - frozen chocolate banana pie. (Cocoa powder is Paleo friendly and the crust is made with toasted almonds. Recipe here.)

Some of these recipes are taken from some of the wonderful Paleo resources out there and some are just from my own cookin' thinkin'. There are tons of options out there for every meal- I have even made Paleo doughnuts recently! Here are some of my favorite blogs to follow and {borrow} from:


Everyday Paleo
PaleOMG
Fast Paleo



Now, Paleo isn't for everyone, we know that. There are also different levels of it from what I have seen out there too- some people are consistent while cutting a corner or  two and some go to the extreme. I'd like to say that we are "Practically Paleo" in every way. With the practically being just that, sometimes we have "cheat days" and enjoy a slice of pizza or a chocolate milkshake. I still eat yogurt consistently and will eat cheese every now and again. However, with the main changes we've made we feel happier, healthier, and have more energy to keep up with this one....

I hope to start a section on here devoted to that part of our life- just as soon as I navigate how to add tabs and things to this humble little blog. Hopefully our experience helps you in your food choices too!

A little bit of Independence

I love the 4th of July. It is a true celebration of our unique country and an excuse for parades, good food, friends/family, and fireworks. Our 4th was filled with all of those things-

The National Guard band- we have a few friends that are a part of this great group!

Our friends- part of the Feroli fam.

Greeting Daddy on the parade route - his band was the 65th entry with even more behind them!

I finally got to sneak into a picture, but MC was starting to get a bit hot and tired by this point in the parade.

The Du Plessis crew from South Africa- they surprised my mother-in-law and came to spend a week. We loved hanging out with them by the pool. MC and I got to meet them all for the first time and Adam got to meet his cousin, Jordan (in the middle), for the first time.

Now, the 4th of July has come and gone, but the Independence is truly just beginning. When you have a toddler- independence comes in many forms. Testing boundaries, exploring sounds and sights, practicing things that will become engrained as habits. 

Mama got a little taste of that independence today as the bug didn't feel the need to nurse this morning.  I have only guided weaning by dropping  feedings as I saw she was ready, but today instead of showing her usual interest first thing, she wanted to play and just hang out instead. No motion or indication, no fussiness, just a good morning greeting with some snuggles before breakfast. 

I know the baby phase is quickly passing us by and with each day she is exerting her independence more and more. I teared up a bit at her lack of wanting our morning ritual together and know inside that the bedtime one will soon follow. I am thankful for the bond that we've created over these past 16 months and look forward to what this new found independence will bring to it.