Brazilian Feijoada

Grace,

You're always helping me in the kitchen.  Always.  We attempted this Brazilian Feijoada (pronounced fay-ZWAH-da) last week.  I love your style.  When we were browning the first of the meats, the fat was jumping in the pan.  Not one to like grease splatters, you came up with a fashionable solution:  your winter coat!

Stirring the pork shoulder from a distance where it's "safe."

Getting right in there and working hard!

Working on your spoon skills with the pork shoulder.

Cutting an onion with a butter knife on your cutting board while I work on my own.

The focus and concentration!

Still working hard on your onion while the beef short ribs sear.

You insisted on trying the sharp knife!

Back to work on your own onion & butter knife but you insisted on using my cutting board.

Washing dishes while I keep cooking.

There are two ingredients mommy won't touch with her bare hands:  turkey necks & smoked pigs feet!

See how nice I plated your meal?

All that work and you only ate your rice!  Never touched the rest.

     You thought the rice was delicious.  We loved the whole meal but I should have known your love of rice would keep you from even attempting to eat anything else on your plate.  That's okay.  We'll make it again & you can try it then.  Thanks for all the help!

Fast Trip to Ohio

Grace,

This past weekend we did our first fast trip to Ohio meaning we left Friday night after your daddy got off of work & came back right after lunch on Sunday.  You did better on the drive to Ohio than your dad did (when we got stuck in downtown Chicago he wasn't happy) and you were great on the way back, too.  Thank you for that from the bottom of our hearts!

We were in town for a baby shower.  As always, we try to dress you cute for these things so that if your behavior leaves anything to be desired, people can at least focus on how cute you were!  It was fun because your Aunt Emily, Aunt Amber & Grandma came with us and any time all of us ladies can get together it's a great day.

You behaved well overall, starting out shy.  Then the momma to be started opening presents & you know what? There were TOYS in those presents.  Language disorder or no language disorder, you knew you shouldn't go up and take them.  So instead you tried to sneak closer.

And closer.

Yeah, we were on to you!

You had two favorite moments at that shower.  The cake and the other kids.  Toward the end of the shower, you'd warmed up to them & ran in circles around a table.  It appeared you thought someone was chasing you & you laughed and laughed as you ran around the table.  It wore you out!

The rest of your weekend was pretty low key.  Mommy had a lot of running around to you but you took time to lay on your "daddy chair."  At least that's what he calls it when you lounge around on him.

You loved grandpa's slate chalkboard, too.

You had fun with grandma.  By the way, your grandma has a lot of sass in her (as you've probably noticed).  Your daddy smiled after we left and said he was so glad your grandma has her attitude and is such a close part of your life.  He said your grandma Lee was a lot like your grandma.  We both wish you could have known her too, baby girl.  Your daddy finds comfort knowing you get to know this grandma.  She's full of personality, so was your grandma Lee, so is your momma and so are you!  It's a long line of strong women with a quick wit and fun sense of humor.

There's another woman in this line of strong women from whom you should admire Grace:  your great great aunt Sue.  We are so grateful that she's in our lives and that you're getting to know her, too, Grace.  She always makes your daddy laugh and this time when she saw you, she said you look more like your daddy every day.  He always hears how much you look like me and I saw him smile just a little brighter at the comparison to him!

You're one of us Grace & we'll always be a part of you.

We ate lunch on Sunday at the Chinese restaurant your daddy loves there in Bryan.  You attacked your rice with such gusto that one of the cooks came out from the back & laughed when he saw how much you loved it.

After lunch, it was time to go & you gave each of your grandparents a kiss.  Oh, you are such a sweet, sweet girl.  

We asked you if you were ready to go bye bye & you yelled out NO!  You cried when we left but don't worry.  We're seeing them again in just two weeks.  

Hey Good Lookin'!

What'cha got cookin'?

 This morning we made spaghetti sauce for dinner tonight.  You are such a good helper!  Our kitchen here in this apartment is the tiniest galley kitchen but that's okay for now.  It's easier to keep you close by.  Great job with the saute action--those onions & peppers didn't know what hit 'em!

Yes, your daddy has us buying grass fed beef--you're lucky little girl.  Your grandmother would never pay $6.69 for this package of ground beef but your daddy would!  He's done his research and has declared it better for you.

We've started looking at other apartments in case we get to stay here in Milwaukee.  There are thousands & we're trying to find the right combination of luxury, square footage & affordability.  We loved one right downtown and you should have seen the kitchen!  Girl, if we move there this fall you will have so much space to cook!  Your mommy is excited by the potential for cupboard space again.

We're taking our time and trying to decide between several areas.  The downtown one was beautiful--just two blocks walk to a park in any direction, two blocks to the post office, one block to a great grocery store, two blocks to another one, and only 5 blocks to get to all the museums--children's museum, the aquarium, the art museum & the public museum.

We're looking in the suburbs two weeks from now.  There's so much to chose from but you're our #1 priority:  what's in it for Grace? we ask all the time.


The kitchens in all of them are fantastic--I know that's one of your top priorities so don't worry baby, I've got your back on that one!  A girl's gotta get her cookin' on!