a few (more) of joshua's new tricks

I seriously can't believe how fast this kid is growing up! It seems like he's learning something new every day. Here are a few things we've managed to capture on video:

First, a follow-up to this video from a similarly titled post:

Joshua has a Noah's Ark blanket in his room and he loves looking at the animals. A few weeks ago he started pointing to each animal and waiting for us to tell him the name. Last week, I asked him if he knew where the zebra was.. and he did! He pointed right to it. 

I guess this last video isn't about anything he's learned... but it's hilarious. Who doesn't love hearing a baby giggle??

recipe roundup

I wouldn't consider myself a very good cook... but I can follow a recipe pretty well. So I LOVE finding delicious and (somewhat) healthy recipes that are easy to follow and make me seem like a good cook.

My criteria for a good recipe (for normal weekday cooking) include:

• simple and easy to follow directions (I usually have a small child tugging on my pant leg while making dinner)
• easy to find ingredients (either food that I typically buy or something easy to find on this island)
• at least somewhat healthy (cream of chicken/mushroom/etc. soup is a big red flag)
• delicious (it has to be worth the effort)

I seem to have stumbled upon a few winners lately, so I thought I'd share the love.

• Shrimp with Scallions and Crispy Potatoes: This was a big winner with Brett. Joshua didn't like the curry flavor, so next time I'll scoop out his portion before adding the curry powder.
• Barbecue Chicken Wraps: A friend suggested this recipe to me and it was a BIG hit. There are plenty of variations floating around the internet (probably on Pinterest), but I use this basic recipe with very thinly sliced regular Gouda (instead of shredded smoked Gouda). This recipe also earns bonus points for the "able to prepare ingredients during nap time, store in the refrigerator, and assemble quickly at dinner time" factor.
• Baked Potato Soup: This might be another recipe floating around Pinterest (I'm always late to the party since I stopped using Pinterest), but it's seriously delicious. And it's another recipe that's great for throwing together during nap time, or on Sunday morning for an easy lunch after church. (Yeah, this doesn't quite meet the "healthy" criterion, but I'm okay on occasion). 
• Quinoa and Sweet Potato Chili: Okay, this isn't actually a recent discovery but it's too good to leave out of this list. It's an unconventional chili recipe, but seriously delicious. It's very filling (even without meat!), it freezes and reheats beautifully, and super simple to throw together. It's a staple around here!

And, since I'm always on the hunt for a good recipe... What are some of your favorite weeknight recipes??

visitors: my dad

Last month my dad came to visit for a few days before Thanksgiving. We were so, so excited to have him here - to spend time with him, to show him around our new home, and for Joshua to get some quality Grandpa time. It had only been about three months since we left the US, but we were really excited to see family. 

Funny side note: My dad had a flight out of O'Hare the same morning that we were flying to Cayman on a one-way ticket in August. We were able to eat breakfast together in the airport and he saw us off at our gate! So his was the last familiar face we saw before we moved to Cayman, and the first one since we moved. 

It was a quick visit (Sunday afternoon to Wednesday morning) but we loved every minute of it. (Well, I guess I can't speak for Joshua who threw a fit every time we tried to eat at a restaurant... but maybe that's how he shows love? In tantrums?)

We visited the Cayman Turtle Farm one morning and tried out some restaurants, but mostly we just did a lot of this:

My dad was staying at The Westin which has beautiful beach access. So we took advantage of that quite a bit.

We loved having my dad here! Of course, the trip was way too short so we look forward to having him come back again soon!