Dads.

Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads out there!

A very happy FIRST Father's Day to my Hubby, B.

Isla is SO lucky to have you! There is nothing as sweet as watching you with our girl.

hands down. nothing.

From those first moments, four short months ago....you couldn't keep your eyes off of her (and who could blame you?!!)......

......to today. We love you B.Daddy! :)

and now a brief message from I.Baby.

That.is.all. xoxo.

S&Isla

Britax B.Agile Stroller & B.Safe Carset Review

So, I've been wanting to review my stroller +carseat combo for awhile but wanted to have enough time bonding with it to do a fair review. Now is the time!

When we were researching strollers pre-Isla we had a very strict 'must-have' list including:

1. Must be compact for our small space (1300 sq. foot condo-eek!)
2. Must be a Car seat + stroller combo (never wake a sleeping baby!)
3. Must be safe.

We checked out all the fancy models and even though I was in love with the Uppababy model I really wanted to stick to the car seat + stroller combo.  Even though the bassinet is so cute I couldn't find the room to store it- maybe with baby #2 when we have a house?!!! I liked the Britax brand and had heard really good things about their strollers online. The Britax I see everyone with is the BReady model. It's big...with big wheels...really sturdy and if I had room for it I may have gone that route but we needed the compact version and I wanted it to be light enough that I could easily toss it in the back of my SUV. I should mention here that I tried the 4Moms Origami stroller and it was REALLY heavy. There was no way I could toss it in my car comfortably. It is super cool that it pops itself up and my Cousin, the small business owner :), tells me that 4Moms is coming out with a lighter version. YAY!!!

We ended up going with the Britax B.Agile Stroller and the B.Safe car seat .

Both models got awesome safety and consumer review. The best part was both are available on Amazon for under $300 TOGETHER! steal!

A little side note: If Amazon says they're on back order you can order them anyways- I did that assuming it'd be a couple weeks and they came within 3 days.

Here's my Pros and Cons list on the combo:

Pros: 

- REALLY light and maneuverable. I was complimented at Starbucks about how well it "cornered" - I felt like I was driving a Cadillac.

-Material is very durable. I have probably spilled 14 Americanos on it already and it's in perfect shape. It cleans up beautifully!

-The hood on the carseat and stroller overlap to cover for an impromptu rain shower (which is SUPER HELPFUL in Seattle!)

- Super compact and SO EASY to fold up. I've caught people with mouths gaping on multiple occasions after I pop Isla's seat into the car and fold the stroller in one motion- you push a button and pull up. Super easy!


Cons: 

- The handle doesn't extend and for tall people like me that makes a difference. It only really bothers me on long walks or when I have a bag attached. My hubby (who's 6'2") doesn't seem to mind it.

-The storage bag on the bottom is a weird angle. It realistically can fit a toy, blanket and some diapers. I hear this is a common issue with strollers. With the Mommy Hook (below) I don't have issues with it too often.

- It can be a bit squirrely if you don't have a tight grip on the handle....this is a side effect of it being so light.

- There is only a full raincover (that I could find) for the stroller without the carseat (when baby hits that  1 year mark) so if you live in a super rainy area this one may not be right for you. I will say, living in Seattle rain, I've never had a problem with it.

Recommended Accessories: 

1. Britax Head & Body Support Pillow (love this name- ha!)

In the beginning Isla was a little slumpy in the carseat and I didn't like stuffing blankets around her head (Hello SIDS) so I bought this Britax newborn positioner. It worked great! Isla was born in January so the fuzziness of it was great. If you have a warm Spring or Summer baby you may want to find a lighter weight positioner. 

2. Britax Stroller Organizer. 

I highly recommend purchasing this organizer at the same time as the Stroller/carseat. I LOVE this thing and it's saved me on multiple occasions. I walk at least 3 times a day--with one car that's just life--and the cup holder is perfect for my iced water and americano. The compartment in the middle has a magnet closure and holds quite a bit--I throw in my keys, wallet, an extra doggie bag and my phone. The only draw back to this is that sometimes the cups don't sit perfectly square but it's smarter to order your tall drink in a grande container anyways so it never bothers me. 

Please also notice.....it holds a bottle of pinot. Just please. Go get it. 

3. The Mommy Hook

Ok, I know that this thing just looks like a big carabiner but seriously it is the MOTHER OF ALL CARABINERS. It has saved me on multiple occasions. I load up so much stuff on this thing it would blow your mind but it's the only way I can get my errands done with one car and possibly a dog in tow. The only caution is to make sure the carseat is on the stroller preloading otherwise the stroller will tip. Been there. done that.

All said and done....I love this Stroller + Carseat combo and would purchase it again in a heartbeat. It's a total steal, so safe, so durable, compact and versatile. I can't say enough good things about it.

obviously..... I'm a big fan (that thing is like Isla's chariot!) :) 

Emergency Kit Updating

So....when Hubby took his GeoSciences credits at the UW and shared what could happen with the BIG earthquake our area will eventually have at some point it scared the pants off me! I put together a 3-day EQ kit based on the FEMA's Website. If you don't have one you should throw something together- just saying! Or at least have an emergency plan in case you're separated from your spouse/kids. Last weekend I realized I had not added baby supplies to our kit. As you can see- Isla and I got to work :) 

FEMA's recommended Baby items are:

For Baby:

• Formula
• Diapers
• Bottles
• Powdered milk
• Medications
• Moist towelettes
• Diaper rash ointment

The link above also has good advice for what to include for pets and printables to put together an emergency plan with the docs you'll need.

Happy Kit updating! 

Meatless Monday

I had to post this after L made it for me last Wednesday- super yummy and perfect for a warm, summer meal (hopefully alfresco!) :) Enjoy!

Taco Salad With Pinto Beans and Avocado

Yunhee Kim

Serves 4

Hands-On Time: 15m

Total Time: 15m

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 2  cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 2  15.5-ounce cans pinto beans, rinsed
• 1  head romaine lettuce, leaves torn (about 6 cups)
• 2  ounces  queso fresco, crumbled, or grated Cheddar (about 1/2 cup)
• 1  avocado, sliced
• 1  cup  store-bought fresh salsa
• sour cream and tortilla chips, for serving

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion has softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the beans and ¼ cup water and cook, tossing occasionally, until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Top the lettuce with the bean mixture, queso fresco, avocado, salsa, and sour cream. Serve with the tortilla chips.

Tip

Queso fresco is a fresh Mexican cheese with a bright, mild flavor; it has a crumbly texture similar to Feta. You can find it in many supermarkets in the Latin-food section. 

Nutritional Information

Calories 279; Fat 13g; Sat Fat 2g; Cholesterol 5mg; Sodium 818mg; Protein 12g; Carbohydrate 33g; Sugar 5g; Fiber 13g; Iron 3mg; Calcium 143mg

Mom Tidbits #4

My "mom remix"- you know, the kid songs you string together to lull the little one when they're in meltdown territory....what's yours? 

Twinkle Twinkle

She'll be comin' round the mountain

Zippdy-do-dah

I wanna be like you (Jungle book)

A whole new world (Alladin)

L.O.V.E (L...is for the way you look at me)

and I round it out with .... Kumbaya

Mom Tidbits #3:

I love that even though everyone wants to see Isla - she's always most popular ;) - she is always most excited to see me. No one else who meets me flaps their arms and squeals- that reaction is reserved just for my girl. It's the best :)

Meatless Monday

Hi Friends!

I thought I'd start a new series and post my favorite vegetarian recipes on Sunday night just in case you are brave enough to do a "Meatless Monday!"

 As most of you know I've been a Vegetarian for over 17 years! I love my lifestyle- I'm super healthy (and had a super healthy vegetarian-eating pregnancy!) and it's not hard, which comes as a shock to most people. There are SO MANY healthy vegetarian options out there now. It was really hard when I was young and trying to not eat meat - I think I lived on salad shakers throughout high school. Restaurants and grocery stores are so much more diversified now. Being a Veggie has encouraged me to expand my diet and the foods I try- who knew I'd ever find so many ways to eat tofu, or sample seitan or even puree veggies into sauce. Give meatless Monday a whirl- I'll ease you into it with this "like-meat" dish :)

I love this recipe- in fact I made it tonight! Hubby found the meat version on www.allrecipes.com- (seriously love that site!) and we adapted a vegetarian version that's super yummy! I make this full batch for the two of us and freeze the leftovers. It will keep for a quite a while and is perfect for reheating on a rainy day when you don't feel like cooking. You can do the meat version if you're not brave enough for the veggie version I suggest. I also serve it with crusty bread or naan (I just got the Archer Farms one from Target- yummy!) and a glass of wine- duh!

ENJOY!

PS- that photo doesn't do this dish justice- ignore it!

Lentil and Sausage Soup

Rated: Submitted By: ANGCHICK Photo By: Jayperk Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 3 Hours Ready In: 3 Hours 15 Minutes Servings: 10

"Lentil soup flavored with sausage and herbs. Serve with Romano cheese sprinkled on top of each serving bowl."

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage 1 large onion, chopped 1 stalk celery, finely chopped 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1 (16 ounce) package dry lentils, rinsed 1 cup shredded carrot 8 cups water 2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 2 bay leaves 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon dried basil 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 pound ditalini pasta (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1.

Place sausage in a large pot. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Add onion, celery and chopped garlic, and saute until tender and translucent. Stir in lentils, carrot, water, chicken broth and tomatoes. Season with garlic powder, parsley, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover, and simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until lentils are tender.

2.

Stir in pasta, and cook 15 to 20 minutes, or until pasta is tender.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2013 Allrecipes.com

Printed from Allrecipes.com 6/2/2013

VEGETARIAN ALTERNATIVE: 

Use Field Roast Sausage instead of Italian Sausage. You can buy them at most grocery stores next to the tofu. They come in a bunch of flavors. I've used the Italian and used the Apple tonight. The chipotle is also SUPER yummy in mexican food. I use organic vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
EASY!

The actual link (if you're blind like me :): http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/Recipe.aspx?recipeID=45426&origin=detail&servings=10&metric=false