Adler’s White and Navy Nursery:

Adler’s nursery is done! Well, I’m sure I will add to it and change it while Adler grows but I am so happy with how it turned out. Before I found out if I was having a boy or a girl I knew I wanted a white, gender-neutral nursery so I could use the main pieces for every child and just switch the accent colors. The theme of the nursery kind of developed while I was looking for things to put in his room. I would say it is his safari/travel nursery. 

As I have said in past posts, I love handmade anything. So I had to add some handmade items to his room. I love the super heroes and wooden camera and hopefully when he is older it will help his imagination run wild.

My other favorite parts about the nursery is the book wall and diaper baskets. After having a child I have realized how important it is to access something easily and quickly. Having the diapers over the changing pad and out in the open makes it super easy to quickly change a diaper. I love having all the books on display so we can read a different story to him each night.

It took me forever to decided on a rocking chair but I am so happy with my purchase! It is so smooth and comfortable. 

 I’m glad that it’s finally done and we are looking forward to it becoming a place for Adler to play. The quote above Adler’s crib says it all for us. Dane hand lettered a line from our song. It reads, “And when the kids are old enough we’re gonna them to fly.” From learning the adventures and stories in his books, to feeling the love and laughter in his rocking chair, Adler will go on to accomplish many incredible things.

Cava Mediterranean Inspired Recipe:

I love trying new restaurants and being from Virginia there are always new places to try. While I was home my sisters took me to this Mediterranean restaurant called “Cava Mezze Grill” and I fell in love. I haven’t eaten a lot of Mediterranean food so I didn’t know what to expect but it was fresh and bold and delicious. 

It is kind of like Chipotle where you go down the line and pick what you want in your meal. You can pick from pitas, a bowl or a salad. Then you pick your dips and spreads, proteins and toppings. 

When I decided on a bowl with tzatziki and  hummus as my dips/spreads, chicken as my protein, and a tomato and cucumber salad, feta cheese, and quinoa as my toppings. 

Since these restaurants are only in Virginia, DC and Maryland I decided to satisfy my craving by trying to recreate the dish. Here is what I came up with:

Ingredients:

2 cups Basmati rice (or one package)

Tzatziki sauce: (recipe from The Food network)

1 cup Greek whole milk yogurt

1 English cucumber, seeded, finely grated and drained

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Hummus 

2 Chicken Breasts:

1 lemon

oregano 

2 small tomatoes

1/2 a cucumber

feta cheese

1 box of quinoa 

First, make the tzatziki sauce:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and dill. Season with salt and pepper. Chill.

Next, to make it easier to assemble your dish at the end chop up the tomato and cucumber and put in a small bowl and place as much feta as you want in a different small bowl.

Salt the chicken and grill it on the grill. When it’s done squeeze half of a lemon on it and season with the oregano.

Start cooking the basmati rice and quinoa. (follow the directions on the packages)

When everything is cooked you can start assembling your meal. Start with the basmati rice and then add the desired amount of everything else. Mix it all together and dig in.

This dish is so fresh and the bold flavors all mix really well together. The cold tzatziki sauce plays nicely with the hot chicken breast. This dish is nice because you can add as little or as much of what you want and you can really make it your own. 

Cava Mezza Grill is an amazing restaurant. Next time you are in Virginia, DC or Maryland make sure to stop by and taste the amazing flavors of the Mediterranean. 

As Darling Does- An Adorable Handmade Shop:

After I found out I was pregnant I was super excited to find cute handmade accessories and products for my baby. When I found out I was having a boy this got a little harder because most of what I had seen was geared more towards girls. Then, I was introduced to a company called As Darling Does. They also have super cute girl accessories, but they totally delivered with really cute bow ties, blankets and bibs for boys! 

Everything in her shop is handmade and I love their choices in patterns, design and quality! Handmade products are really charming, but having them fit my taste and also well-made enough to endure the wear and tear of a baby is important and these products fit all the criteria. 

So far, I have ordered blankets, bibs, bow ties and a headband for myself from this shop and I love it all!

Blankets:

These blankets hit all my marks; size, warmth and comfort. They are big enough to cover baby but are not overly bulky to roll up and toss in the diaper bag without taking up all the room. They are super soft and make cuddle time so much better. The grey stripe one is the perfect lightweight and breathable material for summer but it also keeps Adler warm. The fox blanket is backed with minky which makes it a little thicker and warm for the colder months and air conditioned areas in the summer. Some of their newer blankets now have the option of being backed with the minky. A good blanket is very important to me and these blankets deliver. Mine have gotten a lot of love and snuggles.

Bibs:

Adler is a drooler and a spitter, so these bibs are a lifesaver. The cute patterns are certainly better than a formula stained rectangular burp cloth over my shoulder. They fit him really well and keep unwanted drool and spit up off his outfits. 

Bow Ties:

Adler already has a nice collection of bow ties. With so many cute choices I am surprised I haven’t bought them all! These are easy to clip on to his clothing and they make him the envy of all the baby boys at church and the fancy of all the baby girls.

Headbands:

Even though I don’t have a little girl to shower with these cute headbands I can dream about the day when my little girl will wear them. The good thing is that all of their headbands and bows come in adult sizes. As a mom, you are lucky if you get chance to shower– so these fashion forward headbands help you look cute even when you didn’t get a shower in and are perfect when you need to throw something on to run to the store. 

 I am a big fan of this shop! They make the perfect gifts for baby showers and “just because it’s cute” presents. 

Visit their site today and you can get 30% off your order with the code: J&D30off (code expires August 4th).

www.asdarlingdoes.com