Our Trip to the Big Island

Here I am, nearly a month later posting about our trip.  I know that I am a huge procrastinator, but you can't blame me because life has been busy!

So Justin, my brother Damon, and I headed to the Big Island in late September.  Kona happens to be my favorite island because it is non-touristy, beautiful, and warm!  The trip was uneventful and we settled nicely into our condo on Ali'i in downtown Kona. While we were there, we visited the green sand beaches, went sight seeing, ate some delicious poke at Da Poke Shack, snorkeled, and relaxed on the beach.

Here are some pictures from our trip

Just a little update

This was Donovan's first week of preschool and we are finally starting to settle into a routine. He is enjoying school immensely and I hope that it helps him develop into a little person.

Right now I am just waiting to hear back to see if I was chosen in the lottery for TCC's nursing program. I probably won't hear back until the beginning of November. The odds that I get in are very slim, there are over 300 applicants and only 24 spots. So until I get in, I am just spending time with the boys, working at Old Navy and taking lots of pictures!

I hope that someday I pick up more photography clients. I photographed a wedding in August and have quotes out to a few others, but it has been slow this year. October mini sessions are around the corner and I have a few booked so I am happy.

Justin, my brother and I leave for Kona-Kailua on the 29th of this month. I am really looking forward to some time on the beach and relaxation. I will be sure to try and blog some pictures from Hawaii for all you Seattle bound folk :).

Until next time...

Spinach-Banana Muffins for the Picky Eater

Let me preface this post, my Boys are usually great at eating all types of food, including vegetables. Much to the dismay of my veggie-loving heart, they have recently gone on green strike. In order to incorporate more veggies in their diet, I came up with this recipe:

Spinach-Banana Muffins

1 1/2 cup spinach
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup sugar
2 whole eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a food processor until spinach is creamy and in very small pieces. Mix last 4 ingredients in a separate bowl and fold into spinach mixture until just combined. Grease cupcake pan or use papers and fill 3/4 full. Bake at 375 for 12-17 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cooking time may vary depending on stove. Makes about 1 dozen muffins.

Swimming Rama!

Ingredients

• 2 (10 ounce) packages fresh spinach
• 1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced crosswise into 1/2 inch wide strips

Peanut Sauce

• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• 1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 3 tablespoons sirach
• 1 can lite coconut milk, unsweetened
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
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Directions

• 1. Set steamer basket in a large pot; add water to within 1/4 inch of bottom of basket.
  2. Bring water to a boil over high heat. Layer about1/4 of the spinach in basket; cover and steam 15 seconds. Quickly turn leaves over with tongs. Cover and steam 15 seconds more (or until leaves are bright green and barely wilted).
  3. Transfer spinach to colander. Repeat with remaining spinach. Lay spinach on serving platter or individual plates.
  4. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add chicken to boiling water; remove saucepan from heat. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.
  5. Prepare Peanut Sauce.
  6. Peanut Sauce:.
  7. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until tender.
  8. Reduce heat to medium. Add peanut butter, fish sauce, paprika, and sirachi; stir until smooth. Slowly stir in coconut milk until well blended. (at this point, cause may be cooled, covered and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance).
  9. Stir sauce constantly over medium heat until bubbling gently. Reduce heat to medium-low. Combine cornstarch and water in a small cup; stir into sauce. Cook and stir 1- to 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Stir in lime juice.
  10. Drain chicken; stir into hot Peanut sauce. Pour mixture over spinach. Top with chopped peanuts and reserved red chili pepper.

  
  

Kieran is turning one soon!

I Can't believe it! Here's a preview of his invitation!

Team Blue!

So just in case you haven’t already heard… baby# 2 is officially on Team Blue! I personally was very surprised when the ultrasound tech told us we were having another boy, I had thought all throughout this pregnancy that it was a girl. Goes to show that I have absolutely no intuition at all!

Nevertheless, we are very excited that Donovan will have a brother to share his life with! I suppose its very fitting that I am going to be having 2 sons, as I was always the tomboy growing up, caring more about soccer and tagging along with Damon then dolls and makeup! It’s a very good thing we have a large backyard so that the boys will have a place to run off all that energy!

As far as we know, everything anatomy wise looked good! Baby is measuring almost a full week ahead which makes for a nervous mama when labor and delivery comes around! I did 92 hours last time, I can do 92 hours again! (ok, hopefully it doesn’t last that long this time!)

Please help us come up with some names for Baby #2! Justin is stuck on the name Tyler but we would like some alternatives! Suggest them either here or on FB or you can email them to me at WNTfanM9@msn.com!

Hope all is well with you all!

Its been a while....

Fall is here! I always judge Fall’s arrival by the appearance of Pumpkin Spiced Lattes at my local Starbucks. I’ve been trying to be good with my Starbucks allowance, but when you’re tired from first trimester hormones, a pumpkin spiced latte is just what I need to help me start my day.

Oh you didn’t know I was in my first trimester? Surprise! Donovan is going to be a big brother! My due date is March 18, 2011, just one day after my mom’s birthday. I guess Justin and I have a knack for planning babies near relatives’ birthdays! Anyways, since this the last baby that will “Spring from my loins” I am trying to enjoy this last pregnancy and not gripe so much about the aches and pains; regardless of how much time I’ve been spending staring at the inside of a toilet bowl lately.

Despite not writing for a very long time, not much has changed around here. We spent a few days at Lake Chelan with Justin’s family, sun, water, and camping; always a good combination. Unfortunately for me, I spent most of the days lounging in a chair, trying not to throw up my stomach contents (Do you see a pattern emerging around here?) Donovan fell asleep on the boat almost every time, something about the purr of a motor and the motion of the waves lulls that little man to sleep! We had a great time and hope to do it again next summer.

We also spent almost a full week up at the Whistler Condo, a time spent walking, swimming, and generally just being lazy. It was GREAT! Donovan loved swimming for the first time and they have a great children’s play ground right outside our door. We didn’t really do much outside of that, but just being away from work and home made for a great vacation.
I will try to update this blog more often, don’t hold your breath though…life is always crazy in the Avara house!