Catching Up

        I can't believe how long it has been since I have posted anything on here. I feel like I have not stopped running around for the past few weeks. Maybe that's because I have a baby on the brink of walking who never stops moving which results in a constantly moving Mommy. To say I'm slightly exhausted would be putting it lightly. But through my exhaustion comes boat loads of happiness so I really can't complain. Although I am currently fighting a mean case of strep throat I am still moving and getting ready for the busy week ahead. 

     Maybe I should play catch up on recent events before I go into what is up and coming. Two weeks ago, Jesse got the entire weekend off. He is currently going through the selection process for the U.S. Army Parachute Team, The Golden Knights. He is on the home stretch now and I know we are both ready for a little R&R. Anyways, so he had the whole weekend off which hadn't happened at all and we were so thrilled to spend two whole days and nights together! It's amazing how much you can take time together for granted when you always have it. We went on a much needed date to watch my beloved Florida Gators take on LSU in football. We lost, but it was still a great night consisting of mojitos (my all time favorite), deep fried pickles, and pumpkin beer. Weird combination I know but believe me when I say it was fabulous! The next morning we woke up and drove an hour into the country to Gross Family Farms for Kai's first visit to a pumpkin patch. It was such a wonderful day. We strolled through the patch in search for the perfect pumpkin for our first family Jack o' Lantern. Kai enjoyed sitting amongst them and trying to pick them up and roll them over. After we found "the one" we headed over to an area of only very small pumpkins and let Kai pick out his own. The day was ended with some homemade ice cream, it was too hot for cider or hot chocolate like I had envisioned when I first came up with this idea. But there is always next year!

Where's Waldo? :)

      Like I mentioned before Kai is BUSY. The only time the child stops is when he finally passes out for his nap or bedtime and even then he goes out with a bang. Practically running around in circles until the very last ounce of energy in his body is used up. He will be walking any day now and I can't help but get nostalgic when I look back on the past 11 months. How fast the time has gone and how beautiful every moment has been. I wouldn't trade any of it for the world. It's funny to look back to the day he was born and remember how overwhelmed I was with love and how I thought I couldn't possibly love him any more than I did that day, only to have been surprised every day since then with a stronger more inexplicable love than the day before. Wow. I always knew the love for your child is strong but I never really KNEW. If that makes any sense. 

Did I mention he is busy??

    Two days ago was Jesse's birthday and I spent the majority of the day cooking and baking. Being in the kitchen is probably my favorite place to be aside from anywhere with my family. I enjoy it, and I know it may seem a little 1950's/ anti-woman's progression but I'm not there against my will and that's certainly not where I am expected to be so don't read too far into it. Anyways, last minute Jesse was able to come home for dinner instead of me bringing the food to him and he brought along the rest of the guys going through selection. It was really nice to have him home and to be able to get to know the people he has been spending the past two months with. And I made a glorious dessert.... Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes. Yeah, I know. GLORIOUS. I got the recipe from Martha Stewart's Cupcake Cookbook. She is wonderful. I love Martha and I don't care who knows it! They were delicious and the night was a success.

Here they are in all their glory.

                                                      

          And here is the recipe: 

Martha Stewart's Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes Recipe
Makes 30


Ingredients:
42 cream-filled sandwich cookies, such as Oreos, 30 left whole, and 12 coarsely chopped
2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
Pinch of salt




1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.


2. With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla.


3. Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand.


4. Divide batter evenly among cookie-lined cups, filling each almost to the top. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, about 22 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or up to overnight). Remove from tins just before serving.

Well my busy boy is up from his nap, till next time!