little chef

Last Friday night we decided to lay low and just focus on a little family time. 

Homemade pizzas were on the menu for the night.

Luckily I had a little chef to help me out in the kitchen. 

He really was actually very helpful...precise about adding his toppings.

And of course a little taste test was in order to ensure the flavors were just right.

Mama sure does love a buddy in the kitchen to help her out, especially when he is this cute:

And the end result: A pepperoni, mozzarella, baby portabella pizza and 

a roasted red red pepper, kalamata olive, red onion and goat cheese pizza.

pretty perfect recipe for a relaxing evening at home.

food and fun

I think good food accompanies any good beach trip...and good food we had.

Starting with Thomas's donuts, made fresh everyday (somehow this box disappeared very quickly with 3 boys in the house).

We also frequented Mike's Diner which was just across the street from our condo. Gammy and Papa would always eat here when they came to the beach for years, and we quickly learned why. They have anything from breakfast on the diner side to raw oysters and seafood gumbo on the oyster bar side....all delicious!

But if you want to talk about oysters...Dusty's has to be our top pick. As David informed me they have the number 2 oyster shucker in the country who works there...so you know it has to be good, and good it was.

 They have lots of other options if oysters aren't your thing.

Owen had his first crab claw there and quickly became a fan. Anything that can be a vehicle for ketchup is awesome in his book.

He left the oyster eating to the rest of us. Somewhere in the past couple of years my husband has become an oyster lover. While he and my dad enjoyed a couple dozen of the raw ones, I stuck with the Dusty Baked.

My Dad even insisted on keeping Owen one night, so David and I could have a dinner out...just the 2 of us. Those are few and far between, so we took him up on it. We tried out J. Michael's. I think our favorite new find was a hole in the wall type of place called Hognose Snapper. Great quality seafood at very affordable prices.

The last night my dad took me out on a date. Even when your grown, that little girl inside of you always appreciates a special date with her dad. He treated me to a really special meal at Saltwater Grill. I had some delicious scallops on a bed of parmesan risotto with a bed of spinach and tomato with a basil aioli. Yum.

We enjoyed listening to the piano player and just talking. 

Yes, the food was good...but what makes the meals special is the company you share it with. 

The laughter we all shared at Dusty's, a quiet date night with my husband, and dinner between father and daughter. All perfect in their own way.

Food and fun, in my book...they go hand in hand.

George's

So we are playing at the beach this week. 

 On our first night here, we met up with our friends, Amy and Trey at George's at Alys Beach.

I love this little community. It is like a hidden little gem on 30A. The food was great. All fresh and local. We had wood grilled grouper and fried oysters, medley of potatoes and a great salad with homemade lemon vinaigrette.

As wonderful as the food was, these friends made the meal priceless.

We don't get to see each other often, but love our time together. Something about friends that just know you...and who have known you since fourth grade. Again, priceless.

Our other priceless possession, this little guy.

Looks pretty cute, right.

Well let me tell you what this little cutie did. So he had been really good throughout dinner. Sat there almost an hour and a half. Again...really good. But then (clearly not getting enough attention in his little mind) let out a shrill scream. He was very proud of himself. So proud that he got a round of applause from the entire restaurant and a few whistles and laughter. Oh my. We were those people with THAT child. 

It was mostly the generation of grandparents eating and they just laughed and said they had been there and we were definitely more disturbed by our son's behavior than anyone there. One lady brought him stickers and another a blinking frog (can you tell they were grandparents?).

Amy and Trey, y'all were very sweet to put up with us. We are not your typical date night...but Owen sure had a good time.

In the meantime....we plan on soaking up this view.

The weather is a little cool, but we have big plans in store. A trip to the Gulf Aquarium, breakfast at Mike's diner, riding rides at Pier Park, playing in the sand, swimming in the pool, and eating lots of good seafood. More posts to come.

food and family

I feel a little bit like the days are going quickly.

How is it we were just in Greenville, and now we are back home in Huntsville

but our suitcases still have clothes in them.

I feel like the laundry has not stopped, yet there is still more to be done and be folded and put up...my least favorite part.

 I think y'all are going to think we are crazy with everything that we are going to try and squeeze in in the next month and a half.

And don't get me wrong....believe me every moment is not perfect or picturesque. We are human. We have our bad days, headaches, fussy babes, new teeth coming in, bad attitudes, messy kitchens, dirty floors, blurry photos.

But in the midst of it all, there are those moments

that you want to savor.

  So bear with us. Enjoy the pictures that mark memories for us. 

Because there are sweet ones.

Like your uncle coming in from turkey hunting and sitting down to read a childhood favorite with your son.

And getting your husband a half (yes half, because no one else likes coconut) of a cake from Super Foods  in celebration of his birthday.

Yes, food and family. It's kind of a theme around here. And chances are you are going to be seeing more of it in the weeks to come.

Labor Day Weekend

We are enjoying a laid back Labor Day weekend. My dad stopped through on his way back from a trip to Missouri and brought a little something for everyone...

fresh veggies from the Mennonites for dinner 

a baby pumpkin for Owen

And for our other baby, Cooper...

what appears to be a dinosaur bone.

What a treat! This may be one reason why Cooper LOVES my dad. 

So the weather is

Beautiful right now! We are having a taste of cooler weather in the evenings. Perfect for dinner al fresco!

So in the last post, I noted how it was nice to have dinner as the 3 of us. Let's be honest...it is sooooooooo much better when it is the 6 of us! I don't think I would have it any other way. It feels like family is together when our 3 favorite neighbors can join us for dinner. Ty just got back from Belize where he had been working with a doctor performing surgeries for 8 days. We are all glad he is back!

David grilled us some AMAZING cedar plank salmon! It was quite the treat. Then the rest of the night we played with the boys who discovered sidewalk chalk, thanks to Ms. Brittany!

I think it is safe to say that the adults had just as much fun with the sidewalk chalk as the babies did.

Maybe more...

Love nights like these...with friends like these.

Yogurt Run

So what do you do when your baby is wired and not ready for bed?

...go get yogurt of course : )

Do not judge our parenting....

or the fact my baby is in his pajamas.

It is summer afterall. Daddy is studying for Step 2 of his boards and well, mama just wanted some yogurt.

Oh, I forgot...he can do it himself. Sorry, what was I thinking.

Love me some frozen yogurt. My all time favorite is strawberry with crushed oreos. This goes back to when I was a little girl and is what I would always order at the yogurt shop in Jackson. Now chocolate with his Heath  Bar is a close second.

But guess what? I had a little of both. Again, no judgement...I shared with this Little One.

And from the looks of things I'd say he liked it : )