Nature's blessings

Strawberry Oat Bars

These are the tastiest and simplest anytime treat AND loaded with the oats and strawberry preserves makes you feel that perhaps it's a little on the healthy side too. Thank you to the Pioneer Woman for the inspiration! View link for her easy recipe, you won't be disappointed!

Sunset in Porto Cesareo

A favorite town to visit is Porto Cesareo. A beautiful ride through farms and one small town, not too far from Mesagne and you're on the beautiful Ionian coast. Porto Cesareo isn't small but it's not a big port town by any means either. A pleasant walk through the downtown showcasing boutiques, souvenir shops and a multitude of cafes and restaurants.

The kids and I enjoyed a very fun and relaxing evening there this past summer. We were celebrating the girls finishing up their summer camp in Mesagne. I was so proud of them to try something new AND they loved it. A little nervous the first day but I went to pick them up and loved their BIG smiles on their beautiful faces. At the end of the camp, I wanted a special night out with my kids. So to Porto Cesareo we went...a walk along the boats, of course pictures of the breathtaking sunset, pizza, gelato and time at the park. It was an amazingly fun night!

My little model posing in from of the tower and the luna peeking from just behind.

View from the pizzeria we ate at that night...delicious food, great chats, proud mama!

Sunset is my favorite color...

Spoil them with chocolate

I love seeking out meals, skimming through cookbooks, browsing Pinterest for new-to-me recipes and experimenting with my own take on the recipe. I love to cook healthy meals for my family and love the looks on their faces when they really enjoy something I've made. The "eww, I'm not eating that" face is pretty funny too just less motivational for me sometimes. As much as I enjoy cooking, I LOVE baking.

I love baking cakes, muffins and cookies. A favorite I always go back to are chocolate chip cookies. EVERYONE loves chocolate chip cookies and if you don't then that's just odd. I went for a few years experimenting with any chocolate chip cookie recipe I could find and "forced" my family to try out the finalists. It came down to one recipe above all the others though and I've stuck with it for a couple years now. Never fails and always sure to bring smiles when I put the butter on the counter to thaw to room temperature and bring the big cookie sheets out.

Kudos to Williams Sonoma for delivering on the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie. If you haven't tried the recipe, you should.

Highland Orchards Fun

Maybe it was the fall chill in the air or the fact that Tuesdays Mario doesn't have preschool, but on a whim we set off after breakfast for a favorite Fall stop to Highland Orchards. The first of what will be several trips I'm certain to this local orchards and farms was just what we needed. No crowds to contend with as it's still early in the Fall season, field trips haven't begun yet to this popular destination and so we had the run of the park, animals and shop. Perfect for my little man and myself.

Mario loved the goats, the only animals out today. We watched them for awhile, he chatted the entire time about what they were doing and picked one for himself...

Allow me to introduce Goatie. He's not too inventive with the naming of things yet. He's very practical, my boy. Goatie was sweet and fun to watch. But stinky so no bringing her home with us.

Sweet little spot not too far from home, great shop for produce and their bakery is just amazing. I wanted one of everything, but settled on a chocolate chip M&M cookie for him and Apple Cider donuts for me (and some to bring home to share).

I'm ready, I'm not ready...

I knew this day was coming, still once it's arrived it's hard to believe that's it's here. I went from having a little baby boy curled up in my arms, cuddled in my lap to walking hand in hand with me, running me around in circles to now beginning his school years. You might say I'm being emotional, too sentimental and to that I say shut up.

Let me have my moments of nostalgia and while I realize I'm not sending him off to war, I'm still sending him out in the world. Without me by his side.  Without me every single second of the day which it has been for 3 and a half years. Without me. Today begins a new chapter in our lives. One where he starts to need me less. That's a lot for this mama to handle.

He'll come home with stories of his classroom, his teachers and the schoolmates playing by his side. He's going to be learning, growing and changing. All things parents desire for their children. I remind myself each day that we are raising mini-adults and that we need for them to open their minds, take in all that's available to them and grow to be good people. Thus begins Mario Luca's hopeful journey into the world outside of me and all he's ever known these past few years. He's going to be witness to a whole new world, new people and new experiences.

I'm so happy for him to be a part of it but going to miss his little face so much.

He's ready for this next step.

He's so lucky to have two big sisters who couldn't be happier for him and excited that he'll be joining them at their school. He's got amazing role models already!

My little man

This picture just makes me so happy. Mario in his fireman boots (which you can't see too well but I know he's wearing) shuffling down the sidewalk in his firetruck toy. He's talking to himself, putting out imaginary fires and just having a grand ol'time. Just as a 3 year old should. Pardon me, 3 AND A HALF year old.

My little man that loves doing everything his big sisters do, even going to museums. He's not too keen on having everything read to him, detailing what every exhibit is about, but he will find something every once in awhile to sit still for and inquire about and that I just love.

Monthly haircut. This guy's hair grows so fast and I love keeping it super short. Shows off his adorable face. Don't mind the under-the-nose scrape. Skateboard incident. I kid you not.

Day before his pre-3 school visit and a bittersweet day for mama bear. The last day before he's introduced to another world outside of just him and I. It makes me happy that we've reached this milestone and I know he's going to love preschool and do well. But it makes me downright sad and want to curl him up in my arms and never let go. My baby, my little boyfriend, my grocery companion, my walking buddy, my little man is heading out for preschool.

When will the clock just stand still for a few moments?

All smiles on his school visit day! Got to take his brand new backpack, meet his teachers and most importantly, play at the playground that he's been talking about each time we drive by the school. I swear I smiled dropping him off and of course picking him up. I can not tell you there were smiles on my end in the time in between though. I missed my guy.

To a new school year!

 

The girls began their 2017-2018 school year this week! Smiles all around for their first day, elementary school is still fun so we still have the smiles. Both enjoy school and were excited to see friends, new teachers and start the year. Let's hope we can carry these smiles and enthusiasm throughout the school year! 

So proud of my 3rd and 5th graders! Homework, activities and SMILES! Oh my!