Summer Wrap-Up...and Tortilla Soup

I can't believe summer is over. On to football season and holidays! If only there was a chill in the air.

Thought I'd share a wrap-up of some of our favorite summer memories.

• Robby's many trips to the pool were a summer highlight! He is a total water baby. I see Summer Olympics 2030 in our future. Is that right? I have no clue what the years of future Olympics will be. I know I could add up the years....math isn't a strong point here, k? Andy's going to have to be our resident math homework helper. But if R needs help with posters or dioramas, I'm his gal! Do kids still make dioramas? I sure hope so.

Check out these handsome men.

Hello, ladies.

R and Dad trying to determine when he will be eligible for the Summer Olympics.

• Andy and my's first overnight trip away from R. Love that kid but this was AWESOME and so needed. We both love to travel and promised each other we would still go places after baby came. Of course, we can't wait to show him the world too! To me, travel is one of the best gifts you can give yourself and your children! I am already having anxiety about where R's first "real" trip should be to. Do we go big? London or New York? Perhaps a smaller affair like South Padre? Anyway, sweet Marmi and Opa volunteered to keep R for us in July. They just called us up and gave us the dates that they were free to Robby-sit. I would never just ask someone to keep him overnight but if you offer, I WILL take you up on it! So only offer if you are serious! Actually, half-way serious is ok too. Some of my best memories of my Mimi are from when she stayed with us while my parents were away. She knew how to par-tay, i.e. letting us eat endless amounts of her famous buttermilk and chocolate pies and stay up past bedtime. While R partied with his Marmi and Opa, we spent some time at a fabulous little place in Jamaica called the Sandals Royal Plantation. If you love laying on the beach all day and drinking concoctions with tiny umbrellas, check it out. 

Not a bad view to wake up to. 

Me and the hubs after sleeping for a blissfully uninterrupted ten hours. 

Man, there is not much better in life than a good breakfast. OK, maybe my baby.

Don't you love this pool? I felt like I was on a movie set in the 1950s.

Until next time, Jamaica. See ya lata mon.

• R spent his Wednesdays with his Grandma Kathy while I was at work. She is so generous and sweet to keep him and they have a real blast together. Robby loves his time here and tries to be on his best behavior so we are welcome back! Highlights at Grandma's include Robby pretending he only naps 30 minutes at a time and wanting to eat bottles all day long. What happens at Grandma's, stays at Grandma's......and that other saying is definitely true........if Mom says no, ask Grandma! Thanks for all the love Kathy!

I can't believe how little he looks in this picture! Interesting stage, pre-hair....

• This isn't a favorite summer memory, but little R got sick for the first time. My heart broke in a million pieces seeing him so sad. It is true that when you have a child, it is like wearing your heart on the outside of your body. Thankfully, Marmi happened to be visiting and we survived his first sickness together. Talk about an anxiety attack. R had a 104 fever and could barely lift his head up. Of course, I immediately thought he had meningitis or some incurable disease. Turns out, it was just a virus. Whew! My sister sent me this is an email a while ago and it fits me to a tee (or is it "to a T"???):

• Introducing food to Robby at the end of this summer was such fun! Fun if you love cleaning up huge messes and witnessing some of the grossest diapers you've seen of your life. Don't even get me started on what pears can do. Oh. My. Gas Mask. If you have a strong gag reflex, you either A. Shouldn't have children or B. Will need to hire a diaper changer. Is that a job? I bet Princess Kate has one, or maybe Wills has to step in for the big jobs. By the way, my blog stats tell me I have 4 readers in the UK. Pretty sure it's Kate, the diaper changer, the nanny, and Will-but he's only on when no one is looking.

Mashed peas, again? Sigh...

• Another summer highlight has been getting myself back in the kitchen! Things finally calmed down after Robby was born (talk about a Category 5 Hurricane that hits and lingers for a while!) and we are in more of a routine which has made it easier to cook dinner again. I plan on sharing some of my favorite go-to recipes. Here's one that I recently took over to some sweet friends who just had a precious baby girl: Chicken Tortilla Soup - So easy and so delicious! You can make it in a crock pot or on the stove. If you do stove top, just reduce the cooking time- I think maybe simmer an hour or so on low to medium heat. Enjoy!

I guess that's a wrap. Coming soon....our start to Fall, R's 6 month update, and some of our Fall favorites!