there's this guy i know...

i think he's pretty great...palmer agrees...

happy father's day daddy chip chip!!!
(and to these two guys too!)

preschool!

palmer started part time preschool this week at the little montessori school...it's 3 days from 8-1 and so far we are really pleased...it was hard to find a preschool that would be so part time...most of the "part times" are 25 hrs/wk...well that's just too much...ideally i would want 2 days a week but NO ONE has that!
we just wanted a little socialization, a little order, and a little "ducks in a row" mentality for her...but i'm still a stay at home mom and i want her home as much as i can and i still want to be her greatest influence...not the kids at school whose older siblings are teaching them things to teach my kid!...
she says it's fun, and she likes to go so hopefully she learns some good stuff and makes some good friends!

her first "school lunch"...turkey and cheese on whole wheat, oranges, strawberries, and grapes, broccoli, and carrot and celery sticks, cheddar cheese and whole grain wheat thins, and a milk...
i think the pattern is going to be eat 3/4 of lunch at lunch, then finish it on the drive home! at least that's what has happened the first two days!

we joined the pool club!

so the hyatt here has a fantastic pool, and the second palmer was able to be comfortable in her little panda life jacket WITHOUT holding onto us, we knew it was time to join the club!!!...for $400/yr you are able to use their pool and beach facilities...rock on...
and of course living by so many beaches and having a pool pass creates the need for a sweet little swimsuit coverup!...i saw this tutorial and decided that i simply must make one for the baby chip chip!...it's already gotten it's fair share of use and the great part is it came from a t-shirt that was headed to the salavation army anyways!...i must say the best part is NO STRAPS...which means easy-on, easy-off when hot, sweaty, or wet!...(although next time i would make it a touch wider and a touch longer! - she was asleep and so i didn't measure her before cutting!)

hello lover...

sausage, spinach, and artichoke stuffed shells...

i normally do this as lasagna, but didn't have the time to try making my own lasagna sheets (with my kitchenaid pasta attachments!), and i have decided i hate the chewiness of those no boil ones...but i happened to have some shells in the pantry, so stuff them i did!

(and besides, who doesn't love a little pasta pocket of ooey-gooey goodness!)topped with a little feta cheese...resistance is futile...
you really can't beat this...warm and messy and wonderful!
going...going...
gone...

i know this dish is tiny, but i made two large casseroles, one small size for the neighbor, a small lasagna (cause i ran out of shells before filling and used those *gag* no boils), and two of these little individual ramekins (which are now empty)...cause bear would be very mad if he came home tomorrow and found out there wasn't some stashed in the freezer for him!

i'm getting hungry just thinking about it!

bear is more of a pancake man...me? - i'm all french toast!
a couple eggs, some half and half, a touch of honey, and a dash of salt...

can someone please pass the log cabin???