Memorial Weekend 2011

 Memorial Weekend...otherwise known as Riley's favorite weekend. Jon and I decided that since the weather was so nice we'd take Riley to do some of his favorite outdoor activities. It all started with a trip to the park on Saturday morning, where Riley played on the slide and ran around.

 We have a neighborhood park that is just a block from our house, and there's never anyone there. It makes Riley feel like it is his own personal playground...

 Riley insisted on going down the "big" slide, and loved it so much that he went again and again...

He tried to escape the bounds of the park a few times....He thinks he's old enough to wander off by himself!

On this trip to the park, Riley also decided he no longer wanted to swing in the baby swings, and tried out the adult swing...

He loved it!

The next morning (Sunday), we took little Ry to the splash pad, where he could interact with other toddlers and run around amidst the spraying water toys.

He was a bit shy at first....

But about 10 minutes later, he was having a blast!

He kept yelling at the water....Hence his mouth being wide-open in almost every picture.

This picture below is one of my favorites...There was one particular toddler girl who kept coming up to Riley and staring at him, and he just kept giving her these stares....I guess girls are not of interest quite yet.

As if Riley didn't already have a fun-filled weekend, Jon and I spoiled him by giving him ice cream with bananas and strawberries. He's not a sweets lover....In fact, he wasn't sure what to do with his treat...

We finished up the fun-filled weekend with some swinging at the park...Like father, like son...



I hope you all had a great Memorial Day/Weekend! Thanks to all those people who protect our freedom!

(By the way, what do you think of these photos? I took them with my new DSLR...and edited them using Picasa.)

Riley Blaine...22 Months

Seeing that my little big boy will be two years old in just two months, I thought I needed to share some of his behaviors on the blog while he's still doing them! First of all, Riley is obsessed with Sesame Street ("Sesee"). He absolutely adores Elmo ("Melmo"). One of his favorite things to do on a Saturday morning is to watch a new episode of Sesame Street, while eating blueberry waffles and milk.

Riley has a new found passion for all things sports related too! He loves to throw the ball, and chase after it all around the house. He's not able to catch the ball quite yet, but his dad assures me they'll be working on it this summer.

For quite a few months now, Riley has had his "favorite" toys....cars/trucks. He doesn't like for anyone to touch them, move them from where he puts them...etc. He really enjoys lining up all of his cars according to size on our couch. Thinking my son might be a tad OCD, I asked his doctor about this behavior. He assured me that this "organizational" behavior was normal for toddlers.

He's so proud of himself! Riley has so much self-confidence.

Going to our neighborhood park is another favorite activity for Ry. He climbs up to the slide and slides down all by himself. He likes to swing and ride the horsey too...

This past weekend Riley learned how to make a "mean face"...

He's 100% boy, and constantly getting into something, but he sure is a joy to have in our lives...



Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana

Okay, this dish is one that I make every week at our house...It's sooooo rich and healthy, and absolutely delicious! I love Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana, so when I found a recipe online, I knew I had to try it. It tastes EXACTLY like the Olive Garden's version! I hope you will all try this delicious comfort dish...

First, you'll need to gather your ingredients...

2 lbs ground italian sausage (Jimmy Dean Brand) 

1½ tsp crushed red peppers (I always use more than this)
4 tbsp bacon pieces (Bacon Bits work very well)
2 tsp garlic puree
11 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb sliced russet potatoes, or about 4 potatoes
1 bunch of Kale

Okay, on with the cooking directions!

 
First, sauté the italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot (If your potatoes aren't already sliced, go ahead and slice them while the sausage cooks). Drain excess fat, and set the sausage aside in a bowl.

In the same pan, add 11 cups of water, chicken bouillon cubes, bacon, and garlic puree. Bring this to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium, and add your sliced potatoes. Cook until the potatoes are soft (about 15 minutes). Add your heavy whipping cream, and heat over medium for a few minutes. Finally, reduce the heat to low, and add your sausage and kale. Just let it simmer about 5 minutes, and then serve! (I like to serve my soup with bread sticks) Enjoy!

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies (Adapted From Paula Deen's Recipe)

With Summer BBQ's and various social events coming up, I thought I'd share a recipe with you that you can use when you need a quick and easy dessert. These chocolate gooey butter cookies are AMAZING! I've made them twice now, and they have been a hit with everyone.

First, you'll need a few ingredients...

1 (8-ounce) brick cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick butter (or 8 tablespoons), at room temperature

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups of mini chocolate chips

1 (18-ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix (I use Dark Chocolate Cake by Betty Crocker)

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

This recipe yields about 2 dozen cookies. These cookies really only take about 30 minutes to make (which includes baking time). Here are the cooking instructions...

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees...

Meanwhile, in a large bowl with an electric mixer, mix the cream cheese and butter until smooth (or combined). Beat in the egg. Then beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix, and mini chocolate chips. Use a melon-baller to drop perfect-sized cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle confectioner's sugar over the cookies, and bake them for 20 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and "gooey", even when they first come out of the oven. (Tip: Insert a toothpick into the middle of one of the cookies...if it comes out clean, they're done!) Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners' sugar, if desired....Then devour your deliciousness! I guarantee they will all be gone within a few hours. ;)