1.30.2013
i've moved!
Hi there. In January 2013, I moved my blog over to hobsonhomestead.com. Jump on over and see what's been happening at the Hobson Homestead lately.
1.06.2013
james michael's first birthday
We closed out 2012 with James Michael’s first birthday party, where he soaked up being the center of attention and put on quite a show. He was the only baby–make that the only child–in attendance, and he loved having 25 doting adults at his beck and call.
It was truly a party for him, as he got to skip his afternoon nap and try special-occasion foods such as his gluten-free chocolate cake and sherbet punch. Luckily, the boy isn’t too into sweets (unlike his mama), and would much rather have meat or cheese.
It’s hard to believe that a year ago we were welcoming our 7 pound 6 oz baby boy into the world, clueless about parenthood but with a love in our hearts that gave us the confidence to tackle anything. And throughout the past year, we not only survived, but we thrived. Sure, we’re a bit sleep deprived and always a bit tired, but our hearts are brimming with love for this little boy with such a big personality. I cannot begin to imagine how his little life will unfold over the next year, but I’m sure that by his second birthday, we’ll look back mesmerized at how much he’s changed in just one year.
We love you James Michael, now and forever.
It was truly a party for him, as he got to skip his afternoon nap and try special-occasion foods such as his gluten-free chocolate cake and sherbet punch. Luckily, the boy isn’t too into sweets (unlike his mama), and would much rather have meat or cheese.
It’s hard to believe that a year ago we were welcoming our 7 pound 6 oz baby boy into the world, clueless about parenthood but with a love in our hearts that gave us the confidence to tackle anything. And throughout the past year, we not only survived, but we thrived. Sure, we’re a bit sleep deprived and always a bit tired, but our hearts are brimming with love for this little boy with such a big personality. I cannot begin to imagine how his little life will unfold over the next year, but I’m sure that by his second birthday, we’ll look back mesmerized at how much he’s changed in just one year.
We love you James Michael, now and forever.
1.02.2013
new year
When I think back on 2012, my mind--and my heart--become overwhelmed. So much happened, and yet from some perspectives, so little happened. We didn't take any monumental trips, we didn't experience any major life events, we followed our daily routine, we stayed home a lot, we cooked in a lot. We simply lived life--a simple life.
Last year reminded me that it's not about the kind of car you own, or the price tag of your designer boots, or size of your house, or the number of fancy restaurants you dine at or the expense of your vacations. These things bear no meaning if you don't have special people in your life.
Lucky for us, our new little special person completely took over our lives--and our hearts--in 2012. He seemed to change every single week, and it was all we could do to keep up with him and his budding, life-loving personality.
I'm pretty sure I didn't consciously make any New Year's resolutions last year. After all, we left the hospital with our new baby on New Year's Day. This year, I think I'll keep it simple:
Last year reminded me that it's not about the kind of car you own, or the price tag of your designer boots, or size of your house, or the number of fancy restaurants you dine at or the expense of your vacations. These things bear no meaning if you don't have special people in your life.
Lucky for us, our new little special person completely took over our lives--and our hearts--in 2012. He seemed to change every single week, and it was all we could do to keep up with him and his budding, life-loving personality.
I'm pretty sure I didn't consciously make any New Year's resolutions last year. After all, we left the hospital with our new baby on New Year's Day. This year, I think I'll keep it simple:
- Strive to be supermom
- Be a supportive and nurturing wife
- Find a local church home that caters to kids
- Move into a home with a yard for James Michael
- Blog more often
11.16.2012
friday's letters...from jm
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Dear Mama, remember when you complained last weekend about how sore your legs were from doing Karen (150 wallballs)? Well, respectfully, mama, I wish you could live a day in my soft-soled moccasins. Roughly 10 times a minute for hours and hours I pull up to the standing position, survey where I am and what I can reach, then make my way back to the floor. I think of this as my training, because daddy says I've got the predisposition to being a very athletic kid. The next time he complains because I want to eat twice during the middle of the night, I'll remind him of that story you told me when he woke up and ate a full meal in the middle of the night for months so he could get stronger.
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Dear Daddy, why in the world did you tell Mama about our great adventure earlier this week? Remember, we went to that park with the river at 9 a.m. when it was 40 degrees outside and you let me splash in the puddles and soak my clothes? Mama did not sound too happy that you let me do whatever I wanted, but I sure am glad we're on the same page. In the future, let's just keep these fun adventures to ourselves, especially once I'm a teenager. That way, neither one of us will get in trouble.
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Dear Daylight Savings, you are very confusing for a baby. One day, I'm on a walk with mama late afternoon, and the next day it's almost dark by the time mama picks me up from daycare. Don't you know I need my walks outdoors to be in my happy place? Mama took me to the mall to stroll around on Monday, and while it was nice to see all those bright lights, I could tell neither one of us was truly happy about it. Winter already has one strike against it because of all the warm layers that Mama stuffs me into. Reduced sunlight is strike No. 2.
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Dear Cousin Eden, I had so much fun playing with you in Blue Ridge, Ga., this past weekend. It sure was fun taking leaves from you and ripping them into pieces. I can't wait to see you this Christmas. Mama says you may be walking and talking a lot by then, but that I'm on my own time table, as evidenced by my lack of teeth. I told mama that's ok with me, because one day I'll be able to bench press you with ease. You definitely don't need any teeth for that.
Linking up with Ashley for Friday's Letters.
10.21.2012
texas chili
Chili. It's one of my all-time favorite meals. When I was pregnant, I craved chili during my first trimester, despite it not being chili season. I love trying all kinds of chili, but admittedly, I can't handle too much heat.
My first time trying Texas Chili was at a chili cookoff at my work, where one of my co-workers entered her Texas Chili recipe (which didn't win) but stole my heart. Chili without beans? Unheard of. But Texas chili is so good you won't even miss the musical fruit.
My co-worker gave me her recipe, and it was quite involved because she's a great cook. Over the past couple years, I've simplified her recipe and made it my own. You'd think that a batch of chili involving 5 lbs of meat would last quite a while, but not in this house. This chili is so rich and meaty and good that you'll eat more than you imagined.
Texas Chili
Ingredients:
1. Trim meat, then slice into roughly 1-inch cubes and place in mixing bowl.
2. Combine 2 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 tbsp cumin, 1/2 tbsp sea salt and 1/2 tbsp chili powder, and massage into meat in bowl.
3. Sear beef in small batches in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes on medium high heat in dutch oven. Place batches in separate bowl for use later.
4. Using leftover oil and meat juices in pot, saute onions, poblano, jalapenos, serranos, bell pepper and 3 cloves of garlic for roughly 10 minutes.
5. Blend tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic and 1/2 tbsp of sea salt in blender until smooth, then add to pot.
6. Add 1 tbsp oregano, 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp chili powder, bottle of gluten free beer, 1.5 cups of water and previously seared meat.
7. Bring chili to boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
Delicious! I love the meatiness. If you like it spicier, increase the amount of peppers. Also, if you can't find the peppers listed, just use three different kinds of spicy peppers. I seem to use a different variation of peppers every time.
My first time trying Texas Chili was at a chili cookoff at my work, where one of my co-workers entered her Texas Chili recipe (which didn't win) but stole my heart. Chili without beans? Unheard of. But Texas chili is so good you won't even miss the musical fruit.
My co-worker gave me her recipe, and it was quite involved because she's a great cook. Over the past couple years, I've simplified her recipe and made it my own. You'd think that a batch of chili involving 5 lbs of meat would last quite a while, but not in this house. This chili is so rich and meaty and good that you'll eat more than you imagined.
Texas Chili
Ingredients:
- 5 lbs beef brisket or shoulder
- 7 cloves garlic, minced (divided)
- 1.5 tbsp cumin (divided)
- 1 tbsp sea salt (divided)
- 1.5 tbsp chili powder (divided)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 medium white onions, diced
- 1 poblano pepper, diced
- 3 jalepeno peppers, diced
- 3 serrano peppers, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 28 oz can whole tomatoes
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 bottle gluten-free beer
- 1.5 cups water
1. Trim meat, then slice into roughly 1-inch cubes and place in mixing bowl.
2. Combine 2 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 tbsp cumin, 1/2 tbsp sea salt and 1/2 tbsp chili powder, and massage into meat in bowl.
3. Sear beef in small batches in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes on medium high heat in dutch oven. Place batches in separate bowl for use later.
4. Using leftover oil and meat juices in pot, saute onions, poblano, jalapenos, serranos, bell pepper and 3 cloves of garlic for roughly 10 minutes.
5. Blend tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic and 1/2 tbsp of sea salt in blender until smooth, then add to pot.
6. Add 1 tbsp oregano, 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp chili powder, bottle of gluten free beer, 1.5 cups of water and previously seared meat.
7. Bring chili to boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
Delicious! I love the meatiness. If you like it spicier, increase the amount of peppers. Also, if you can't find the peppers listed, just use three different kinds of spicy peppers. I seem to use a different variation of peppers every time.
10.05.2012
three homemade lara bar recipes
So, here's how it all went down. Wednesday, I made a batch of homemade Lara bars, sampled a small piece and thought the recipe was good. My husband comes home, bites off a big chunk and promptly expells it into the sink. I look at him like "Why in the world did you do that?" and, as he's hanging over the sink, he shoots back a glare like "Are you trying to kill me?"
Upon investigation, the dates I used weren't pitted. Oops. Regardless, I couldn't stop laughing at my mistake because his face was priceless.
Thank goodness the final product was well worth the possibility of a cracked tooth--easy for me to say, I know.
I came up with three different flavors based on the ingredients in the pantry: Coconut Cashew, Chocolate Cashew and Mocha. In the future, I want to try my hand at some fruit flavors, but we had no dried fruit in the house.
In my humble opinion, the one ingredient that sets these bars apart from Lara bars is the addition of salt. If Lara bars contained just a dash of salt to offset the sweetness of the dates, I'd be broke from likely chowing down on a couple a day.
I had a couple friends taste test these bars (and one friend who swears he hates Lara bars) and mine were very well received. Despite being a chocolate lover, my favorite flavor of the three is the Coconut Cashew. I plan to do some experimenting in the future, but this could make for a delicious paleo crust for an apple or pumpkin pie.
Creating these homemade bars is quite easy, even for self-proclaimed non-bakers out there. Simply, process all ingredients in a food processor until you get the texture you desire. Then, empty out onto wax paper and shape to your liking. I prefer to shape into approximately the size of a loaf pan, then use a pizza cutter to slice.
Coconut Cashew Bars
Upon investigation, the dates I used weren't pitted. Oops. Regardless, I couldn't stop laughing at my mistake because his face was priceless.
Thank goodness the final product was well worth the possibility of a cracked tooth--easy for me to say, I know.
I came up with three different flavors based on the ingredients in the pantry: Coconut Cashew, Chocolate Cashew and Mocha. In the future, I want to try my hand at some fruit flavors, but we had no dried fruit in the house.
In my humble opinion, the one ingredient that sets these bars apart from Lara bars is the addition of salt. If Lara bars contained just a dash of salt to offset the sweetness of the dates, I'd be broke from likely chowing down on a couple a day.
I had a couple friends taste test these bars (and one friend who swears he hates Lara bars) and mine were very well received. Despite being a chocolate lover, my favorite flavor of the three is the Coconut Cashew. I plan to do some experimenting in the future, but this could make for a delicious paleo crust for an apple or pumpkin pie.
Creating these homemade bars is quite easy, even for self-proclaimed non-bakers out there. Simply, process all ingredients in a food processor until you get the texture you desire. Then, empty out onto wax paper and shape to your liking. I prefer to shape into approximately the size of a loaf pan, then use a pizza cutter to slice.
Coconut Cashew Bars
- 15 medjool dates, PITTED!
- 3/4 cup almond meal
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1/2 cup coconut flakes
- 1 tbsp flax seeds
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extra
- up to 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 12 medjool dates, PITTED!
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 1/3 cup cashews
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp flax seeds
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- up to 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 15 medjool dates, PITTED!
- 1 cup almond meal
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/4 cup coffee beans
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp flax seeds
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- up to 1/4 tsp sea salt
"James, pose eating one of my Coconut Cashew bars."
"No, open your eyes. You look creepy."
"I give up."
9.28.2012
friday's letters...from james michael
Dear Daddy, mama says she's tasked you with finding me a Halloween costume this year. When you suggested that I should be a mini you for Halloween, mama frowned. Let's just go behind her back. I can't wait to go shirtless half the day, eat every 2 hours, drink a gallon of milk a day and lift all those heavy weights at the gym.
Dear nature, I heart you. I kind of wish I was an animal so I could be outside all day and night. Mama tells me to be careful what I wish for, because it might come true, especially once I hit 15. I have no idea what she's talking about, but I do know that my favorite time of the week is when me, Mama and Daddy go on our family hike.
Dear crawling, it took me a while to figure you out, but I'm starting to really get around now. Mama sometimes calls me a peg-legged pirate, because I'll keep one leg out straight instead of being on my knee. What she doesn't realize is I can do anything from this one-leg-bent, one-leg-straight position. I'm not worried about how fast I can crawl, but how fast I can do everything else I want to do, like sit up, pivot and pull up on things. I really am smarter than I look.
Dear Mama, I know I've had a sleep relapse lately, but it's not my fault, promise. A couple times a night, when I randomly wake up, my mind always wonders what time it is on the bright red digital clock you have in my room. So, of course, I have to roll over and sit up so I can see the time. The only problem is, I never think about laying back down to go to sleep once I'm sitting up.
Dear Athens, I had so much fun during my first UGA tailgating experience. I want to be just like Mama and Daddy and go to college at UGA when I'm older. Mama says this scares her to death, especially if I end up being a mini version of Daddy. But hey, she's got 18 more years to get used to the idea.
Dear nature, I heart you. I kind of wish I was an animal so I could be outside all day and night. Mama tells me to be careful what I wish for, because it might come true, especially once I hit 15. I have no idea what she's talking about, but I do know that my favorite time of the week is when me, Mama and Daddy go on our family hike.
Dear crawling, it took me a while to figure you out, but I'm starting to really get around now. Mama sometimes calls me a peg-legged pirate, because I'll keep one leg out straight instead of being on my knee. What she doesn't realize is I can do anything from this one-leg-bent, one-leg-straight position. I'm not worried about how fast I can crawl, but how fast I can do everything else I want to do, like sit up, pivot and pull up on things. I really am smarter than I look.
Dear Mama, I know I've had a sleep relapse lately, but it's not my fault, promise. A couple times a night, when I randomly wake up, my mind always wonders what time it is on the bright red digital clock you have in my room. So, of course, I have to roll over and sit up so I can see the time. The only problem is, I never think about laying back down to go to sleep once I'm sitting up.
Dear Athens, I had so much fun during my first UGA tailgating experience. I want to be just like Mama and Daddy and go to college at UGA when I'm older. Mama says this scares her to death, especially if I end up being a mini version of Daddy. But hey, she's got 18 more years to get used to the idea.
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