Wanderlust

The travel bug has bitten me in a major way the past few weeks. I've always got the itch, but recently I just cannot ignore it. Last month I found plane tickets for all three of us to Italy for only $1,700 (Roundtrip! For all of us! Such a smoking deal!), and it's kind of killing me that a trip like that really isn't in the cards for us right now. Oh, but I dream. I've been spending altogether too much time lately planning trips we won't be able to go on (yet!). It's both torturous and satisfying. I should probably stop before I accidentally-on-purpose book something.

I love being a mother. I really, really do. I always wanted this, and I wouldn't trade my job for anything. At the same time, I do occasionally think about the lifestyle I kissed goodbye when I assumed this role. There is a level of spontaneity and flexibility that you lose when you have a tiny human that depends on you, and sometimes I miss that a lot. I miss being able to take trips without needing babysitting arrangements (which we can't do anyway until Eli is weaned) or planning around the unpredictable nature of traveling with a wee one. 

We still do lots of fun things as a family, but I haven't been canyoneering once in more than a year and a half, something that Dallin and I used to do together at least a couple times a month. We also have so many places we want to go together (Italy/the Mediterranean and Peru are at the top of the list) that realistically won't be a possibility until our kids are older... so 15 years from now, at least? 

In the meantime, I just have to remember how much fun it is the have our little buddy along, and how much more fun we will have when we starting adding more little munchkins. Even though we have to slow our pace a bit, our lives are so much better with Eli around, and that makes any sacrifices we've had to make worth it. It's not like we can't have fun anymore, not one bit. It's just a different kind of fun now, one that makes us take time to smell the roses, so to speak. And that's a good thing.

But still, I miss this...

(Voronezh, Russia in 2011)

...and this.

(Segovia, Spain in 2013)

And I'm glad I had a few chances to scratch that travel itch before little Eli came along.

Eli Thursday

Week 50

You can only fight naps for so long before sleep wins. 

That little hand holding his graham cracker! Oh I just love this tiny man. 

Hello Sunshine

As pasty white ginger folk, my husband and I always jest about how the sun is our mortal enemy. And you know what? That's actually pretty accurate. I can't believe how quickly my skin burns. It's impressive and extremely annoying that I still burn even when I'm so careful, and every time it happens I feel like the ugly skin cancer monster creep a little closer. Gingers have problems, man. Lots of them.

However, this winter has made me realize just how much I love the sun. I've been checking sunrise and sunset times at least once a week all year, and the lengthening of days has been making me even happier than it ever has before. It's been around 70° every day this week and it is doing my soul so much good. The open windows let in such sweet, fresh air and I'm convinced my house smells exactly like heaven right now. It's been so nice that my daffodils are venturing upward to enjoy it too.

Also, the fact that these have survived my black thumb of death is truly a miracle. Now if only I could kill the weeds that spring up every summer (the remnants of which are still hanging out in the yard, as you can see) as effectively as I do the rest of the plants the have the misfortune of finding themselves in my care.

Hello spring, you beautiful thing. You should stay a while.

Mawwiage

I really like being married, and I really like talking about it. If you want to read some things I have to say on the subject, head over to Jen's blog to read a guest post I've written!

Eli Thursday

49 weeks

This cheap bubble machine is one of the best purchases I've made. It's also apparently the most amazing thing Eli has ever seen.

I love that little pointing finger.

Spring in January

One of the perks of living in Arizona is that Spring starts "springing" up as early as January.

We took the beautiful weather as a sign that we should go to the park and enjoy it while it lasted, which was wise considering it is cold and rainy now. 

I (tried to) read my book while Eli wedged himself between the book and me and proceeded to eat my snacks. Clearly he was enjoying them too... little nut. 

Eventually he went back to playing, but not for long once he realized how much more there was to explore besides our blanket on the grass. 

So we headed over to the swings, which was obviously a big hit. Pure joy right there!

As much as I love cold weather (no really, I do!), I'm itching for longer days and warmer weather and for the January blues to be over and done.

Easy Chicken Curry

We are major curry fans around here. This recipe is from an uncle of mine who lived in Thailand, and it is seriously delicious and so easy to make! It's a staple at our house, and I hope you love it as much as we do!

Yellow Curry with Chicken

Cook/prep time: 30 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 can coconut milk

2-3 tablespoons of Mae Ploy yellow curry paste (I buy mine here on Amazon, and I'm sure you could find it in some Asian markets too)

Around 1 cup of chicken breast, cut into bite-sized chunks (I cut and freeze large batches of raw chicken at a time which makes this really easy!)

1 potato, chopped into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces

1 yellow onion, diced

1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)

Rice (I like to use jasmine. Make sure you start cooking this before you begin making the curry!)

Instructions:

Spoon the cream off the top of the can of coconut milk and place into a medium saucepan. Add curry paste and mix until it is thoroughly combined with no lumps. Heat for a minute or two on medium, then add chicken. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside. Add the rest of the can of coconut milk, the potato, and the onion. Return to a boil and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender. Add fish oil, if desired. I have made it without and it turned out just fine, but it does add a little bit of flavor, and doesn’t make it taste fishy. Serve over rice.