{CooKin'}

Mason and I have spent the better part of this week cookin' (he puts the emphases on the co & kin part, really cute if you ask me). It took me a week to get back in the swing of things after coming back home; pretty sure I had to adjust to the -18 temps.  In this weather there is little Mason and I can do; we are spending a lot of time at home. I needed a project, so I started gathering recipes I wanted to try. Surprisingly Mason got really into it. He would stand by my side with his hands reaching up to me saying, "I see." Holding Mase makes chopping a little difficult; I tried pulling up a chair so we could work together but that didn't work either. I love his enthusiasm and interest; it helped pass the time for both of us. I'm thinking of buying a toddler step stool. They are pricey but safe; any mom out there invest in this? If so, was it worth the investment?

Here is what we made this week!

Spicy Black Bean Stuffed Peppers.  This is my second time making these; they are quick, easy and tasty....my favorite kind of recipe.  I skipped out on the cayenne pepper this time so that Mason could eat the inside mixture for dinner.  I sprinkled some cheese on top of the bean/corn mixture and he loved it (an extra bonus in my eyes). 

Sticky & Sweet Brussel Sprouts  & The Ultimate Grill Cheese.  The brussel sprouts turned out great even though I didn't have all the ingredients it called for. Now, for this sandwich; AMAZING.  I can't a wait to have this fabulous mixture of flavors again soon.

Sweet Potato Soup This is soup is quick and tasty.  I used chicken broth even though the recipe called for vegetable broth.  I also made the soup in the morning and served it for dinner; it really let the flavors settle.  I added cilantro because I had some.  This soup does have a kick to it but you can totally skip the hot spices if you need/want to. 

With the left over sweet potato I made these Sweet Potato Bites.  I'm pretty sure Greek yogurt is my new favorite ingredient. If you need an app to serve during the Super Bowl this would be a good option. 

I told you we spent the week cookin!

Brutal

Brutal is the only word to describe the kind of weather we are having. I shouldn't be complaining considering we have only been home since Sunday.  With the dangerously cold temps it seems senseless to bundle up and take Mason out just to run an errand.  I'm hoping we missed the worst of it since Mason and I spent almost an entire month in sunny Florida. I would take their 60 degree temps over these below freezing days any time. In fact, mom and I decided to extend our stay to keep Mason in the warmth as long as possible. So, while we fill our days with visits from Nana, Papa & Aunt Mia as much as possible. Think of Mason and I at home literally making a mess by playing with everything and anything. Spring can't come fast enough.

Florida trip:

Our annual Florida trip was fabulous; I say that now looking back at it. Like I've said in the past; vacations aren't really a vacation anymore. I was just blessed with being able to be a mom in a much warmer climate. The large open floor plan, limited baby proofing stock at Target and some bloody falls made for a stressful beginning. However, once we all got in the swing of things we were able to relax a bit. Our trip was filled with family dinners in, movies, games and lots of fun. It was so nice to be able to share Mason with everybody and watch him interact and learn from others. We even had the pleasure of getting a visit from Grandma Jean and Uncle Mike; they were able to get a taste of our days of chasing after Mason.
While we were away Mason's love for cars and trucks increased.  He found a new love: fountains (this made walks and shopping more fun for him).  He also managed to make friends with all the neighborhood dogs.  He enjoyed petting them and saying "hello dogie" "bye bye dogie." Mason also found a new favorite food, ice cream (I don't have any pictures of him enjoying a scoop because it would be gone in a blink of an eye).

Here are a some pictures of our fun times; as you can see we spent as much time outside as possible.

Mason & Papa at the outlet mall

Mason's first day back in the pool!  Clearly, he is our little fish.

We brought down one of his Christmas gifts.  He would have mowed the lawn all day long if we let him.  Pretty sure the people who live below us weren't too thrilled. 

At the park but playing with a cup.

Heading out for a walk with his Monkey & toothpaste.

Mommy & Mason wearing glasses.

Playing with Nana at the Napes Children's Museum.

Loving all the Florida fruit.

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