ELLA BELLA

Last week Thursday day night (July 21st)- a perfect little baby girl was born. We are so thrilled for our dear friends Jeff and Kelly as the welcomed Ella Kennedy Meakins into their lives. We rejoiced with them 9 months ago when they found out they were expecting and have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of their little bundle these past months!

I was so honored to be part of the delivery and immediate post partum period to support Kelly through the exciting, yet nerve racking process of having a baby. It was so special to be there for little Ella's birth and share in the joy as she met her parents for the first time. I see newborn babies on a daily basis at work-but it is extra special when it is a baby you know on a personal level :). It was an emotional and beautiful thing! Kelly and Jeff were brave and amazing through the whole experience. Now the new family is at home beginning the joys and hurdles of parenthood. We could not be happier for them! Cheers to little Ella Bella!

We also send a special shout out to Mike and Rachel Jackson as they welcomed little baby boy Levi in the end of May and my cousin Meagan and her husband Jeff Ramos as they welcomed little baby girl Gracie Mae in June. We also look forward to some more new baby arrivals this fall...you know who you are!! :) Seeing all these healthy, and happy babies brings so much happiness! Babies babies everywhere!

Blueberry Breakfast Bake

4th of July weekend-I whipped up this breakfast deliciousness with my mother-in-law Nan. It is a Whole Foods Recipe. It is unique and perfect for berry season. We had a lot of fun making it too. :)

Ingredients:

1 (12 oz) day-old baguette, cut in 1/2-inch cubes

1 pint bluberries, divided (we threw in some raspberries too)

12 oz Neufchatel cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

8 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2/3 cup milk

Maple syrup (optional)

Method:

Place half of the bread cubes in a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with blueberries, reserving a few for garnish.

In a mixing bowl, beat cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Gradually add milk until blended. Pour half over bread. Top with remaining bread, then remaining cheese mixture. Cover and chill overnight or up to 24 hours.

Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake about 25 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with reserved blueberries. Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with maple syrup, if desired.

On life and vacation

Right now I am all cozy on our couch...taking in a summer evening. I got put on-call tonight from work and did not except to have this free time. . .so rewarding when it comes unexpected. Pete is in Seattle spending a weekend with his dad and some of his buds. The house is quiet and peaceful and I just might pour myself a glass of white wine=perfect blogging conditions!

The fact that 2011 is half over as of today-blows me away. Life is a giant whirlwind sometimes. I really don't know what happened. I feel like one day it was February and today I woke up and we are nearing the end of June. WOW. We have been busy. Pete is enjoying his career at Wells Fargo as Private Banker and is going between mainly two different branches in our area. He has been at this position exactly one year now. I have pretty much adjusted well to night shift nursing, but always find myself in need of just a few more hours of sleep. ;) I started my dream job in Post Partum the beginning of MAY. I love working with moms and babies more than I could have ever imagined. I'm working a lot though, so Pete and I cherish the time we have to relax and unwind.

Which brings me to our recent relaxing vacation. We went to Maui to celebrate our 5 year anniversary and be part of Avery and Chad's (our dear friends) wedding- as they were married on June 18th! It was a fabulous vacation. My parents also went and we had the best time with them. Memories included: beach walks, runs, wave riding, sand storms, mai tais, lava flows, macadamia nut pancakes with coconut syrup, delicious seafood, gorgeous sunsets, boat cruises, snorkeling in search of turtles, home friends, happy hours, jeep rides, shave ice, good books, slow dancing on the beach and then dancing on the dance floor, champagne toasts, nightbows (a night rainbow), and lots of sunshine, laughter, and suncreen...it was the perfect getaway. We were reminded how important marriage is as we start year 6 of ours and as we watched our friends fall in love and share in their beautiful wedding vows! It brings me sooo much joy to watch someone I have known since childhood find happiness!

I know I am about as sentimental as they come, but I truly cherish making memories with the ones I love. To me . . .vacation is one of the best concepts of life. Time to get away from the day to day grind, remember why you work so hard, cherish the beauty of a different city, and laugh with the people you know best. This vacation was a win win situation because we were in tropical paradise and we were with family and friends! I had the post-vacation blues pretty bad when I got home. This week has been gloomy. I find myself constantly thinking "last week at this time we were"....I have contemplated grabbing pete and driving back to the airport on numerous occasions. But as my dad said, "Vacation has got to end so you can start looking forward to the next one!" so that is what I am doing...looking on to the next one. Thanks to all of you who made this one something special!!

Juanitas!

I've been out of the blogging world for awhile, but I had to blog about my latest craving. I need Mexican food like I need my right hand, but I never thought I would desire tortilla chips all hours of the day. Pete and I have a new craving... Juanitas Tortilla Chips made in Hood River, OR. As we wandered through the chip/cracker aisle at Whole Foods on Sunday, Pete said, "Man I heard those chips were good!' I threw them in the cart without a second thought. Upon opening the bag back at home- I realized just how addicting these little crunchies can be. The perfect blend of crunch, salt, and moisture-these chips are authentic and delicious. Pete says they can also be found at the Mexican market in Beaverton. Yum. Top them off with some mango-pineapple salsa and you are set for one epic treat! More posts to come soon. :)

Act FAST

Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke. A stroke can occur to anyone-at any time. Working on a stroke care unit, I have started to learn more about the brain and strokes than I would have ever imagined.

I want to share a quick acronym that can truly save lives. It is called F.A.S.T. and it helps in identify a stroke as it is happening. There is a lot to learn about strokes-ischemic vs. hemorrhagic, what part of the brain it impacts, what are the treatments, etc, but this simple acronym is what anyone can use..in your home, on the street, at the mall...knowing how to identify a stroke and seek help is key. Research proves that F.A.S.T. catches a majority of strokes.

F is for FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A is for ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

S is for SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Are the words slurred? Can he/she repeat the sentence correctly?

T is for TIME: If the person shows any of these symptoms, time is important.

GET HELP F.A.S.T.-BRAIN CELLS MAY BE DYING.

Hold Us Together

Love this song by Matt Maher called "Hold Us Together". It is about finding faith. . .God is so good! He has risen indeed!

Happy Easter 2011!

Lyrics below. . .

Don't have a job

Don't pay your bills
Won't buy you a home
In Beverly Hills

Won't fix your life
In five easy steps
Ain't the law of the land
Or the government

But it's all you need..

Love, will, hold us together
Make us a shelter
to weather the storm

And I'll, be, my brothers keeper
So the whole world will know
That we're not alone

It's waiting for you
Knockin' at your door!
Every moment of truth
When your heart hits the floor

When you're on your knees then...

Love, will, hold us together
Make us a shelter
to weather the storm

And I'll, be, my brothers keeper
So the whole world will know
That we're not alone
:
This is the first, day of the rest of your life
This is the first, day of the rest of your life
'Cause even in the dark you can still see the light
It's gonna be alright, s'gonna be alright

This is the first, day of the rest of your life
This is the first, day of the rest of your life
'Cause even in the dark you can still see the light
It's gonna be alright, s'gonna be alright

Love, will, hold us together
Make us a shelter
to weather the storm

And I'll, be, my brothers keeper
So the whole world will know
That we're not alone

Hammocks R Us!

What's better than a mid afternoon nap at Drake Park in Bend? An afternoon nap in an Eaglesnest Hammock from ENO!!

I was turned on to this awesome set up last summer while hiking the PCT with my pal Justin. I asked him what kind of tent he was going to bring and he smiled and said, "I'm sleeping under the stars my friend." He showed me his hammock and how small it packed and lightweight it was (1 lb 8 oz for hammock and straps) I was instantly attracted. After taking a few naps in his on the trail, I knew that this was instantly atop my list of things-to-get at REI. So when I got my dividend this year, I went straight to the Hillsboro REI and bought myself this awesome sleeper! One nap down, many more to go!

-Pete