Life Lately

I haven't been able to write much because Pat has been away and I was holding down the fort, as they say.  During these two weeks I was reminded of a lesson I almost never take to heart:  the importance of taking some time for myself.  Personal time has been impossible these past couple weeks, but I feel like I need and want it more than ever.

My hope for this weekend is that I may get a little private time either at a coffee shop or even just locked in the bedroom so that I can write, but until that happens, I'll leave you with a couple photos that you may have seen on instagram.  You can follow me there @shellymotto

I think she is just the cutest baby girl ever...but I'm her Mommy so of course I think that.  This little girl cut her 7th tooth this week.  I cannot believe baby girl is already 9 months old.

These two boys are best friends, when they aren't fighting over toys and wrestling that is.  They are really enjoying dressing themselves lately.  Ryan's recent favorite item is the zip up sweater.  Sean would love to live in pajamas.

This day Sean picked out his clothes.  He picked his running pants and pulled a leather belt on top.  You can't really see it in the pic, but it wasn't holding up his pants it was just kind of sitting around his waist.  It was pretty cute.  Under his cable knit sweater is his Patriots football jersey.  I always love seeing what the kids pick out to wear.    

I found a heart in my tea cup.  I figured it was kind of like reading tea leaves, right?  There is already a lot of love in my life, and I feel so blessed.  Do you see the heart too?

This face has to be my favorite thing about waking up.  Yes, she's still in my bed....keep your opinions to yourself if you have issue with that.  She wakes up with a smile everyday, and for that I am thankful.

So that's it.  My first Stitch Fix is coming today or tomorrow.  I'm excited and a little worried.  I have a feeling that they sent all black and white....but I like color.  I'm not too hopefully about this fix, but I will give it a second try if this one fails.  We'll see, and I'll blog about it next week.  

Have a great weekend!

You Know You Are a Mom to Boys

You know you are a mom to boys when:

*Long after your little boy is potty trained you are still trying to teach him the importance of holding/pointing it down when he goes potty.

*You are quizzed daily on the names of all the Transformers (or other robot/superheroes of your child's choosing).

*Your child(ren) spend most of the day running around either in costumes or butt naked leaving their clothes thrown onto the floor in almost every room of your house.  (or is that just my boys?)

*You've experienced the pain that comes along with stepping on a lego piece while walking across a dark room.

*A sandbox provides you a much needed break and at least a half hour of quiet.  


And lastly you know that your husband is a little boy at heart when:

*He asks for a Nerf gun for his 31st birthday

These boys certainly make my life fun though!

Salad in Jar

Remember how last month I went out and bought a case of mason jars?  I used them to organize my kitchen.  I still had some left over so I decided I had to try the salad in a jar that is all over Pinterest.

I'm sure you've seen it.  If you haven't tried it yet, the basic idea is that you put your tablespoons of dressing in the bottom of the jar.  Then you add your veggies.  It is best to add veggies that won't get soggy in the dressing like broccoli and carrots first.  You could put some tomatoes in the dressing to let them marinate if you want.  Cucumbers work better if you keep them away from the dressing.  After your veggies you can add meat and cheeses if you like.  Then you top with your lettuce.  You can make a few jars to have them ready to grab for some easy lunches.

It really does work pretty well.  I've found this a great way to get myself eating fresh.  I love making it at night so I can just pull it out of the fridge during our hectic days.  You could eat it out of the jar (just shake it first), but I prefer pouring it onto a plate because I stuff my jars so full.

My husband likes his salad without meat.  So he just gets some veggies and lettuce.  I'm kind of a throw everything in the salad type of girl.  This was the first salad I made, and where I learned about keeping the cucumbers on top of the other veggies.

Tomatoes in a balsamic dressing are really delicious.

I've done salads with some cold cuts.  I've also done a salad with some cut up apples and a little pulled pork which was very tasty.  I plan to make a chicken caesar salad soon.  Today I have a salad with avocado and grapefruit.  It's really fun to experiment.  I also find I'm eating healthier because I am prepared for lunches.  I highly recommend making a salad in a jar.  And if you have some favorite add-ins please share them with me.