No Title Here... Too Tired To Think!!!

I cannot believe I have been this lazy/busy/spaced out/forgetful/exhausted/etc/etc ~ what ever you want to call it! I have not updated my blog in how long? A month+ maybe?! I have an extensive amount of things to blog about... So here goes!


Who Needs Mom + Dad?
David + I took the boys to the park one day and found out that our babies are becoming pretty independent. Baylor would just take off from us, crawling as fast as his little arms and legs could take him. He just wants to explore the world around him! Hunter was not to interested in leaving us at the time. He likes to sit beside you when you're down on the floor. Here's a video of Baylor crawling towards daddy for once instead of the opposite direction!



He was so proud of himself that day! He would stop for a moment, look back at us to smile and take off again! So sweet yet, so terrifying at the same time.

9 + 10 months
Here's the run down for you:
~In the past month Baylor has started to stand on his own without support. He is almost to the point where he is standing without pulling up on something! I swear they're going to walk before their first birthday.
~We now know how to climb the stairs without hesitation or failure!
~Dancing is what we love to do!!!!!
~Hunter now has his helmet that helps round out his little noggin.
~Both were sick about a week ago.
~Baylor now has 5 teeth with 3 more coming in! Hunter has 4 + his bottom 2 molars are coming in... poor babies

At their 9 month check up (4/12) Hunter was 17.5 pounds + 28.5" long. I took him in on May 4 because he had a 101.5° fever. His weight.... 18.5. Little bugger gained a pound in less than a month! He does eat well. Baylor, at their check up, was 16.22 pounds + just shy of 29" long! They are growing up so fast.

9 month pics

Baylor

Hunter

10 month





Steps? What Steps?
There is just no stopping these two from getting around when ever + where ever they want. Without any hesitation, Hunter and Baylor decided to just climb right up the steps. I am truly happy that they are exploring and wanting to take on new things, but climbing?! This really freaks me out.




Shake Ya Groove Thing!
Hunter + Baylor have mastered the art of dance. The first time I saw Hunter dancing, I honestly didn't know what I was looking at. He was on top of this toy that sings and teaches hands, feet, colors, etc, just moving back and forth so quickly. And then he did it again, + again... I finally realized my little bugger was shaking his groove thang! Of course Baylor didn't come without a dancing gene or two...




This is My Playground!
I think play dates should happen a bit more in our near future! We met up with Heather Hodge and her little fella, Wyatt, for a quick afternoon visit at the park a while back. It was nice getting the boys out and hopefully a little more acquainted with future friends!

Wyatt

Who said anything about wearing them?

Last week we met up with Suzanne Doyle and her little munchkin, Michael. I cannot believe he is going to be 2 this July! Here are some pictures of the boys swinging. Baylor was actually enjoying it this time!



What Are We Going To Do Without This Thing???

Looking good huh?! Hunter has bumped and scratched his head on so many things around the house, his poor little noggin takes some abuse once the helmet comes off! He has to wear it 23 hours every day. So, needless to say he's pretty used to this thing now! But, I will say, his little smile looks so much bigger behind this blue monstrosity, it's unbelievably irresistible!

Easter
Celebrating the holidays is a little harder for us this year because we can't just pack up and go. So, I asked that our fams come to us for Easter this year. My mom, Ken, sis and brother actually packed their butts up and came to us! It was really nice to have them here too. It felt kind of special being the one this time in charge of the food and drinks... like I'm really an adult, with a family of my own.
I delivered poached salmon, herbed spoonbread and a tomato, corn salad to the table. I also made an angel food cake from scratch with homemade whipped cream and strawberries. Mmmm... I'm craving Easter lunch again!

Easter cookies Jackie + I baked ~ John Paul helped us decorate (note the peace sign!)

The setting


The food


The shades

Sweet love surrounding the table...


I do plan on keeping up with my blog. I have just been so busy lately with two parties to plan. I will post my how to's very soon!

XOXO

Family, Food + Fun

It's been a LONG week! First, David was in Miami for a bachelor party ~ now he is in Texas for three days (insert long lonely-hardworking-mommy sigh here), we attended our very first 1yo birthday party, I cooked an awesome meal from my new cookbook, and we had two fabulous visitors yesterday! Let's start from the beginning.

I Praise You, Single Mothers!
It is hard work when you're alone all day with two little ones. But, doing this day in and day out, really alone, is even harder! David was gone from Friday to Sunday soaking up the sun's magical rays while I was here, covered in drool, cooking for the boys, feeding the boys, cleaning up poop and food, putting them down, getting them up...... Where's MY 3 day vaca?! I do hate leaving the boys, even for a feeding. But, I really think I need some R+R. David did, however, meet us at Leighton's 1st birthday party Sunday! It was so sweet watching her shovel cake down her gullet and comb it through her hair! Here are some photos and video...

Proud mom + dad, Heather + Jason

Hunter + Baylor have their very first swing! We haven't been able to find a park with swings for babies/toddlers... FINALLY! I have been dying to put them in a swing. Honestly, I have! And they had sooo much fun! I loved it :)




Mmmmmm.......... Yummy-deliciousness!
Did I mention in my last post that I love my new cookbook?! I made the poached salmon dish that Sam Bealle made last week. I really liked it, but it was a bit too heavy for us. I think I will make this with trout like Sam because it was so much lighter! I also made the herbed spoonbread and blackberry cobbler! Mm, mm, mmmm! David plowed through them all and especially loved the cobbler. Please forgive my partially eaten plate! I, as always, forgot to take a picture of the dish. And I plated it so beautifully!

Blackberry cobbler in the making

And then there was cobbler!

Add a little vanilla bean ice cream and you're set!

I Love It When Family Comes To Visit!
My Aunt Lisa and cousin Sydney came over Wednesday to have a little visit ~ all the way from Anderson, SC! It was Syd's spring break and she said she wanted "to visit Sarah Ann and the boys"! How sweet is that? We had a really great day with them and the boys warmed up nicely! It seemed to fly by...




Update ~~~
There are 7 teeth between the two.
Both crawl like big boys and stand using what ever they can to pull themselves up.
Both took a few steps behind their walking toy this week!
They talk and laugh with one another constantly!
Separation anxiety is becoming a part of the norm.
Still napping 3 times a day (not sure if I'm happy about that or not!).
They love black beans, avocado, yogurt + oatmeal.
Using mom + dad as a junglegym ~ of course!

Here are some cute pics of Baylor + Hunter

hon,hon,hon... je m'apelle huntair.... (black bean soup mustache)

Happy St Patty's Day!

Day at the park

"I think I smell something."

Look at those teeth!

The messy business of teething buscuits

We have a couple of doctor appointments coming up so there will definitely be a few more updates in the near future.

XOXO

Love + A Really Good Pallet

I'm in love! And no, it's not with another man (or woman). It's with my new cookbook, The Blackberry Farm Cookbook.
The author, Sam Beall, was at Williams-Sonoma this week and I was fortunate enough to stop by and take part in his demonstration and book signing! He spoke to us about the dish he was preparing, which was amazing, but also about Blackberry Farm where he not only works, but grew up and still lives. This 9,000+ acre farm looks and sounds so pristine, naturally beautiful and unlike anywhere I've ever lived... I cannot wait to plan my first visit! All year long they have events ranging from food and wine tastings, to cooking classes, to photography classes, to 4th of July parties, etc.
Sorry, back to the book and demonstration! This cookbook is packed with amazing photos of the farm and it's restaurants, stories from the chefs and farmers, and of course seasonal recipes. At BB Farm they only use what is naturally grown on their farm and fished out of the rivers. I think this is what drew me to the book, and farm. I am becoming more and more of an advocate for the farm-to-table lifestyle. I love the thought of buying local, natural and handmade products/produce and am trying to incorporate this 'way of life' into our lives.
Sam brought ingredients from his farm and they tasted and looked so rich! He packed up the eggs, cornmeal, radishes, parsley, etc. The only thing he purchased in town was the trout, which is local for Atlanta. (In the cookbook, he uses salmon which he mentioned was the only thing they use that is not local for them in TN.) But, this dish was amazing with the trout. Could be a possibility for Easter... along with my angel food cake.

Here are a few (Iphone) pics from the night.



He prepared his Oil-Poached Salmon, or trout, with Radish Salad & Parsley Coulis along with an Herbed Spoonbread/cornbread (he said spoonbread is a southern name for cornbread). Can I be honest with you? I have never in my 28 years of being born and bred in the south heard of spoonbread!?! Have you? Maybe it's a regional-southern thing...


It was so light and heavenly! I could have had a few more tasting plates...


Having my book signed


I hope to make this trout/salmon dish this week along with a few other things such as: Lemon Cucumber Soup; Blackberry Cobbler; Heirloom Tomato Terrine. I may even try a few of the meat dishes for David ~ Peach Glazed Baby Back Ribs, Buttermilk-Brined Fried Chicken With Sage......... and this is just the Spring/early Summer section!!!

A Little Slice of Heaven

I finally did it! I have produced the perfect angel food cake!!!! Thank you, thank you America's Test Kitchen! Not only do they have great recipes that have been put through the ringer, but they also provide videos. This was a major help to me. The last time I tried making this type of cake (um, two years ago?!) I obviously did not fluff the eggs enough. Plus, I think the recipe was kinda botch...

Take a look at my homemade angel food cake and whipped cream. (Please excuse the lighting. It's terrible in our kitchen)

Mmmm... This yummy-deliciousness is definitely going on my table for Easter.




This recipe is very, I mean VERY, time consuming. Sift all of this, add this by the tablespoon, beat forever (literally 10-11 minutes), cool for what seems to be a lifetime... But, oh so worth it in the end though.
Next up, blueberry scone!

Trying to Find That "Something"

One thing I love to do is.... drum roll please.... Take Pictures! Shocking, I know. But, I also love to try and manipulate these pictures with Photoshop. I have run across a few websites that really inspire me (especially this one) to not only take more photos, but to also use my tools, such as Ps! Here are few photographs that I have taken and altered a bit. Let me know what you think!

1) Flower in my "garden" at our old house down in Buckhead.


2) Fence line on my family's farm. This is one of my favorites so far.

The 'after' was not done with just a B/W button. The colors are actually a deep blue and soft yellow.

3) Ferris wheel at the oh so lovely Atlanta Fair...


I love the after. I think the techniques that I used age this particular image a few decades! If I'm loving it still in a few months, I may put this on a wrapped canvas and use it for the boys' party!

So far I am having fun and would like to pursue this a bit more. There are a ton of beautiful Ps actions out there as well, especially from this site, that I just love! I may wait to purchase them because we are in the midst of a meltdown with my Mac. I will surely miss this little white bundle of goodness. :(

The Joys of Life

So things have been busy around here these days. First off, my girlfriend Aubree had her second little boy, Finn. Baylor and Hunter are now 8 months old. I am planning their first birthday party and driving myself crazy over it already!! Teeth are coming in left and right. And last, but not least, crawling and standing........ oh yeah, I said standing, has become the new norm in the Preston household! Here's the breakdown:

Welcome Phineus Muir Bergmann (aka Finn)!!!!

Born February 28 ~ 8 pounds 3 ounces ~ 21.5 inches


He is so precious! It's sad to say but, I almost forgot what it felt like to hold a tiny being in my arms. Those itty bitty baby noises no longer exist in my household anymore. And I miss them... I just cannot believe that Aub has another little one on her hands. But, I do know that our boys will grow up to be best buds! I can't wait for a "real" play date with our 4 boys!

8 Months Old!!!
I really just do not know how to stop old man time from coming around. I blink and my two boys are crawling, sprouting teeth and pulling up! Seriously. I do not think I can handle this. My love for them continues to flourish. And yet, my heart continues to break each time Baylor and Hunter cross another milestone! But, I would never wish for these moments to end. Hunter received his first tooth Sunday and Baylor now has 3 with a 4th coming in as well... Poor little buggers!



Baylor


Hunter


Proud Papa


Showing the boys the geese that came to say hello


Proud Mama (I love Hunter's expression in this photo)


A few weeks ago we took a trip down to the Atlanta Zoo and had such a wonderful time! Of course, the boys had no idea what they were doing, what they should be looking at or where they were. They did however make a new friend...





Here is a photo of Baylor pulling himself up. Note: this is also the same day he started actually crawling!



They had their first taste of meat and here's what they thought about chicken...

They're definitely my children!

Here are some random pictures that I thought I should share

Having a chat across the way

Their first "real" bath!




For some reason this is Hunter and Baylor's new favorite thing to play with!



Reading their favorite book 'Brown Bear, Brown Bear... What Do You See?'



Checking out the loot on Valentine's Day


I cannot wait for the boys' first birthday!!! It is going to be so much fun planning and celebrating this occasion! For some time now I have needed some thing to do, some sort of outlet if you will, to let out this pent up something that is inside of me. I finally have this birthday party that I, not only do I have to do but, cannot wait to get started! The theme will be that of a handmade & vintage circus. I plan on making pretty much everything for their party, to an extent of course. I will keep you updated on my progress and my how-tos! Ahh! Very exciting...