Really?

It's 4:00 p.m. and time for an intimate pumping session in my office. I close and lock the door and have the window to the hallway covered with paper. I turn on the pump (mmmrrrr, mrrrrm, mrrrrm) and a few seconds later...

Guy from my office: knocks on door "Hey!"
Me: I don't say anything, praying he goes away.
GFMO: knocks again "Hey!"
Me: "Busy!"
GFMO: starts talking, but I can't understand him because the pump is so damn loud.
Me: I stay silent and say to myself "Go away, go away"
GFMO: "Wait. Really? You're that busy"
Me: Can he really not hear that obnoxious motor? "Yeah! I'll come find you in a minute!"

Now what do I do? "Sorry, I was busy having milk electrically expressed from my boobies"? Can someone just come shoot me and put me out of my misery?

Oh. Em. Gee.

How tasty is this? So tasty I did a little dance when I took my first bite. One of my all time favorite restaurant creations is the Rosemary Flatbread from Trio. SO. GOOD. I tried to make a version similar. Now don't expect like the exact same version as Trio, or else you might be disappointed. It's sure is a close second though. Oh and this is a meal for dos.

"I'm Gonna Buy A Goat" Cheese Pizzas

2 pieces of pita bread (make your own flatbread if you are feeling domestic)

2 ounces of goat cheese (just whatever you feel like)

1 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (or chop up some fresh, I didn't have any)

2 roma tomatoes, chopped and seeded

1/2 a red bell pepper, chopped

handful of fresh spinach leaves

fresh ground pepper

few dashes of balsamic vinegar

Preheat your oven to 400. Place pitas on a cookie sheet and bake for about 4 minutes. Mean while, combine tomatoes, red pepper, and rosemary in a bowl. Remove pitas from oven and spread goat cheese on top. Top the pitas with tomatoes mixture. Put back in the oven for about 4 more minutes, just so veggies and cheese can get hot and wonderful. Before serving dash some balsamic vinegar on the pizzas. Top with a handful of spinach, grind some fresh black pepper, and another dash of balsamic vinegar on top.

If I could only have one cheese for the rest of my life, it would without a doubt with goat cheese. No contest. I need to get myself a goat.

I really wish I had a picture, but unfortunately I inhaled this before I could think to take a picture.

Peace

Baby in the Sky

Taft had his first airplane experience. Unfortunately, it was due to the unexpected loss of my uncle, Bob Lam. My mom's brother in law passed away Wednesday of last week. It was a surprise to everyone and has been a hard week for all who knew my uncle. I was so glad I was able to spend time with my family. Much of the weekend was spent reminiscing about my uncle and talking about what a great father, uncle, brother, son, husband, business man, and friend he was. We're really going to miss him.

She's a High School Grad...

Congrats Tay. It was touch and go for a while there, but we knew you'd make it. I guess you were just a little bit too much like me in the school/attendance department. Sorry for setting a bad example. We probably had more fun though than all those people who actually went to every class every day (ah hem...Lanx). And in case you were wondering...there is life after high school and it actually gets way way better.

Seriously?

Dear Apricot Snatcher,

You suck. Seriously. Who steals ALL the apricots off an 82 year old woman's tree!?!
Did you know that she cans and makes apricot jam EVERY year and has done it for like the past 20 years? Did you know that she looks forward to it and loves giving away jam? I am so mad at you. You better watch out...cuz if I find you, you're DEAD MEAT! Nobody messes with my Grandma Shaw!

Playdate with Cousins...

Taft and Mama Scarlet at the park. The week before I went back to work I met up with my SIL Lara and her kids, her sister Darci, and two of their nephews. I wish I could do that every week.

It's too bad we'll be moving away in the somewhat near future and Taft won't be able to see his way cool cousins as much. I loved growing up by my cousins. My cousin Rachel and I were best friends when we were little. We each had our "school best friend" but we were each other's real best friend. I wanted to go on a mission but only if Rachel could be my companion. When my dad used to tickle me I would scream, "HELP! Friends! Cousins! Come quickly!!!" Cousins are great...built in friends for life.

We hope you and Mel have a great day celebrating your birthdays together!

SO. GOOD.

Since I've been making dinners and now consider myself a superwife, I've really been into finding new recipes and just food in general. My most favorite cooking thing is baking. You MUST try these Peanut Butter Bars. SO. GOOD.



I made these to give to people who made us dinners after I delivered. I might have had to make these twice because maybe we ate most of them before we could give them away.

I also like to pretend they're not too bad for you since they have oatmeal and peanut butter (good source of protein?).

Peanut Butter Bars-(from Gathering of Friends cookbook)

1 c. shortening

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 c. peanut butter

1/2 c. water

1 t. vanilla

3 c. flour

1/2 t. baking soda

3/4 t. salt

3 c. oatmeal

Combine ingredients and spread flat on a cookie sheet. Bake at 325 for 10 mins. Cool. Spread frosting over the top, cut, serve, DEVOUR!

Frosting

1/2 c. butter, softened

3 c. powdered sugar

2 T. milk

1 t. vanilla

3/4 c. to 1 c. cocoa

Whip ingredients with electric mixer until light and fluffy.

On another food note...these are so so good too. Found at Costco. I think these actually are healthy-ish.

And another food note...baked asparagus is so much better than steamed. I got this tip from Tamara. I tossed asparagus with a little bit of olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and baked at 400 for 12 minutes. Perfectly crisp and delish.

Apologies...

Dear Co-workers,

Sorry that every three hours you hear a loud motor sound coming from my office.I don't like it any more than you do.

Dear Taftman,

Sorry I'm at work. I'd way rather be outside on a walk with you.


Dear Lanx,

Sorry our couch is uncomfy and makes your bum hurt. Thanks for babysitting.You're a life saver.

Sigh...

Here are a couple of others of my favorite's from the photo shoot my friend Staci did. I just love these.

Two Months!

Taft is now two months, almost two and half today. I can't believe he's growing and changing so fast. He smiles all the time now and I love it. He is happiest when he first wakes up in the morning. I love going to get him out of his crib and see him smiling at me. Taft still hates Tummy Time, but loves being naked and baths. He doesn't like being burped, but loves to eat. His doc said he's growing "gangbusters". At his two month appointment he weighed 12 lbs and grew 4 inches since birth. The shots were so sad but Taft took it like a man and only cried for a little bit. Taft has big eyes and loves to look around. At church on Sunday the kid behind us told his mom that Taft's eyes were freaking him out.

Some tummy time pre-meltdown

Zions with Seth

Visiting Dad at the hospital on one of the nights he had to be there all night

Month in Review

1. Happy Birthday to my mom on May 20. Love her.
2. Happy Birthday to the friend I've known the longest (since first grade), Jamie, on May 18th.
3. Dreading the days I have to go back to work. (5 freaking days)
4. Seth has had to be on-call at the hospital every 3rd night, which means me and Bumksi have been home alone every 3rd night.
5. We call Taft "Bumski" so much that we're afraid he'll think that's his real name.
6. Mother's Day. Shout out to all the moms, especially Taft's Nana and Grammie.
7. Had the flu. Possibly swine. Never found out. Taft stayed healthy.
8. Taft is now almost two and a half months old.
9. Went to St. George at the end of April.
10. Have been going on lots of walks and enjoying this beautiful weather.
11. Becoming domestic. I've cooked more dinner since Taft's been born than in all the time we've been married. I'm SO proud of myself. They've actually been pretty good dinners if I do say so myself.
12. I didn't have candy for a whole week. And I worked out five times that week too.
13. On to the second week and I'm two for two for working out. One for two on no candy.
14. Watched a lot of the Jon and Kate plus 8 marathon over the weekend and watched the season premiere. Did anyone else watch it and did anyone else cry? Even though Kate can be a total beeotch, it broke my heart when she started crying.

Welcome to the 21st Century

We decided to get with the program and pay for internet. We'd been trying to steal it from the hospital across the street, but it was always hit and miss. Hence no posts for almost a month. I'm sure you've all just been dying to know what we've been up to, how cute our baby is now, etc., etc. Well now you'll probably be learning more than you wanted to know.

P.S. How awkward is it when you live in a small condo and have a repair man come over (i.e. the Comcast guy) and have to kind of hide in your room and pretend to be busy while he's working on whatever. Also, way funny, the guy had to leave for a second and he tried to leave through the closet. He thought it was the front door. Ha.

Oh my.

I kept hesitating to put up this picture because I think this is the one I'll be sending out in the baby announcement, but SERIOUSLY...how cute is HE?! My friend Staci took pictures for us when we were in St. George two weekends ago. She is so talented! Taft was having a rough day that day, but she still got some really great shots. Taft accidentally pooped on her husband's shirt during one of the nakie pics. Sorry 'bout that.