coming off the grill

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There is something really right about barbecuing in the summer.  Kids in the pool, husband at the grill, me rocking on the deck with baby. (Did you catch that-- I don't do the grilling :) There seem to be far fewer messes in the kitchen when we cook outside as well. 

I don't know about you, but I'm a little burned out on the regular
barbecue fare. I'm not a huge fan of meat to start with; so how many
steaks, burgers, dogs, and chicken breasts can a girl eat anyways? Not
many.

When the 4th of July rolled around, we were all ready for something different. 

Goat cheese pizza
Grilled pizza.  It had to be easy though, with baby in tow I wasn't up for some grand and fancy feast. I just bought ready-made pizza crust in the refrigerator isle (near the cinnamon rolls and biscuits) and ready-made pizza sauce--the squeeze kind even!

Margarita pizza
We unrolled the crust, plopped it on the grill and cooked one side.  Then we brought them in, flipped them over, and heaped toppings on the cooked side (fresh mozzarella, basil, tomatoes, artichokes, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, avocados, pepperoni, and canadian bacon & pineapple). We slathered them with olive oil and sent them back out to the grill to cook the bottom of the crust.

Marc bbq
Thank you to our friend Marc who did a great job at the grill.  It was windy and my husband is only a fair-weather griller!

One thing that would've made it easier is this.  I don't have one.  We made do with spatulas, tongs, and inverted cookie sheets (with a lot of giggling along the way). We never lost one though, they all made the transfer in tact!

It was so refreshing to try something different! Easy, yummy and pretty too!

Before and After

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Fun before and after pictures taken with my midwives Dzhan and Laurie.


Dzahn laurie and libby

Sylvan (Dzhan's baby boy) and Ian were born 27 hours apart! Laurie attended 5 women in 4 days. It was a crazy week for her--none of us were wise to it.  She is amazing, always making you feel as if you are the only mama she is caring for.

Inside out all 3

I went to dinner with my midwife Laurie (center) after my 6 wk appointment a few weeks ago. I tearfully gushed on and on about how much she meant to me, and how grateful I was to her for affording me the opportunity to give birth in my own way, in my own home.  It was so important to me that my daughters be witness to the beauty that natural birth is.  I couldn't have done it without her supporting and loving me.

When I finished with my affirmations, she shared with me something that she learned in Midwifery School.  She said, "My mentors taught me that when people begin falling in love with me (because of how I care for them in pregnancy and birth), I should always remember that it really isn't about ME as a person, as a hero.  It is midwifery.  People are actually in love with midwifery.  We are just the vessel."

Isn't that great?  I love her even more.