Dana Burland

Check out our new deck furniture! What do you think? I scored this set on a massive (80% off!) Wayfair sale last week. It arrived just in time for my father in law to put it together. What timing, right? :) We had a busy weekend that didn’t leave too much time for lounging around on that new furniture. Family was in town and they watched C while Ben and I ran a 5K . We went to swim class. I got some errands done solo. We made it to a friend’s birthday party for a bit. We went out to dinner and got a tired little boy to bed in time to watch a movie and do some computer backup work. On Sunday we took C to the East Grand Rapids Library--a beyond perfect place for babes to explore. Unbeknownst to us we were just in time for a free children’s concert. It was a blast to see C experience a musical afternoon. Afterward I strapped him to my chest and we walked around, split a milkshake and enjoyed the sun. Let’s have more weekends like this past one, please.

A couple weeks ago we started getting mail notifications about a 5K and related road closures that would impact our neighborhood. The route went right down our street. RIGHT past our house. How could we not run it? Luckily we had family in town to watch C so we could “race”. We ended up walk/running/stopping for a prolonged baby smooch en route. I stuck with Ben and we did what we could. I don’t know my time. 45 minutes? 50 maybe? We ran a little over a mile, in the sun and slight downhill from the starting line at the local YMCA to our house, then stopped to love on C for a minute or two. We walk/ran the second mile and ran the majority of the last mile to the finish line. It was nothing like other 5Ks I’ve run, but it was so good. Getting out with my husband, to run, in the Spring weather.

Exactly 39 weeks and 5 days ago I finished carrying a baby for 39 weeks and 5 days. I’m certain Hallmark is missing out on making money on milestones like this. When everything, every day and every stage of parenting is new it’s hard not to find moment markers. Heck, I’m feeling an emotional significance to reaching the cardboard core end of the roll of blue painters tape I’ve been using to label C’s bottles. Emotional over painters tape. This is my new life. This milestone accidentally aligned perfectly with our trip up north with buddies and their four month old. We got to catch up, giggle, oogle at and care for each other’s kids. There was no agenda, no expectations. If I’ve ever been this relaxed and happy in the last 39 weeks and 5 days (or in the last 78 weeks and 10 days even!) I don’t remember it. I did, unfortunately, already spoil my zen weekend away state with a ridiculous Sunday night trip to Lowe’s in which my quick trip turned into an hour and a half debacle. E...

My freezer is full of mush. Sweet potato mush. Yogurt berry mush. Avocado mush. I can’t wait to see what C thinks of all this mushy gush. Last night I met up with two of my close mom friends who both have babes near C’s age. We get together once a month for dinner/drinks, this time it was to make baby food. I’ve made food for C before. Some days he hates it. Some days he loves it. And often those days I’m giving him the same exact food. Go figure. What I’ve learned is making food is not hard. Steam the veggies. Pick a sweet ingredient. Puree everything into mush. Use water to thin if needed. Most important--don’t get discouraged. If it’s not working (making it or feeding it), try again and again. And if that’s not working--skip it. Buy the jars and pouches, call it a day. There’s no bonus going to your 401K for those who make their own baby food. We all rock no matter what. Here’s what I’ve made for C so far: Sweet potato + apple sauce + brown rice -- instant brown rice W...

One day I’m talking with my coworker Lindsay about face masks and the next thing I know I’m hauling C’s kiddie pool to the basement to arrange a foot soak for nine girls. Lindsay and I co-hosted a spa night on Monday and it was a total blast. Nine of us ate cast iron pan pizza, salad (and oops chocolate mousse cups), drank cucumber lemon mint water and wine, soaked our feet in not nearly warm enough water (oops again), tried weird face masks and traded skin care gifts. Between the kiddie pool filled with epsom salt water and soap flowers, dim lighting with candles, a relaxation playlist and mandatory must-wear-comfy-clothes dress code, we had such a blast. Here’s a look at our bash.

Don’t tell anyone else I’m saying this, but I kind of liked being iced in this weekend. Yes, I want warm weather; and dang it, we deserve it. We’ve also had a bunch of busy weekends and had blissfully nothing to do this weekend (except to make a Lowe’s trip) and nowhere to be (except baby/parent swim class). With the unseasonable ice storm on top of it all we stayed cozy and relaxed. It was great. Swim class for C was a total hoot. He did happy squeals, used his arms to splash and stroke and in general loved every minute of pool time. At the end of class the instructor takes each kid individually for an assisted back float. Most kids hate it and after she slow counts to five she lets them go. C was in a trance and floated calmly, only being held by the instructor’s one finger, for at least a full two minutes. I was a major proud mama. Our Lowe’s trip is hardly worth mentioning except for a much needed new dryer and new hardware for our exterior doors. In between it all we pla...

Now seeking my well deserved gold medal for speediest clean up from weekend guests. My family was in town for a long weekend and we had a blast. Well, I had a blast at least. Together we discovered the East Grand Rapids library is the. place. to be if you’re a bored babe on a cold day. And the East Kentwood High School warm water pool doesn’t close for Spring break (can I get an amen?) plus has two family changing rooms to boot. Between that and all our other weekending we also tucked in on the couch to watch “I, Tonya”. I figured, eh, this should be entertaining enough for everyone, but whoa. Several times during the movie we said to each other this is REALLY good . Several times I thought I don’t want this to end . I’m not sure the last time I felt that way about a movie. It had such a stellar mix of awesome (award winning, actually) acting, humor, absolute wildness. Anyway, if you haven’t seen it--watch it. And if you haven’t been to the EGR library or Kentwood pool, go ahead ...

We’re back from a good weekend spent on the east side of the state with family. It felt… dare I say relaxing and slow? Typically it feels go-go-go. I did finally score a super yummy lamb chop recipe from my great aunt that I’ve been longing for for months. I didn’t know I needed lamb chops in my life this badly until I had these at her house. If you’re interested: On a sheet pan drizzle olive oil, the juice of one lemon, then sprinkle dried oregano, dried parsley, garlic powder, seasoned salt and any dry Italian seasoning blend. Rub the front and back of each lamb chop into the mixture, then lay them on the sheet pan, cover and marinate for up to three days. When you’re ready to cook, broil them on low for 15 minutes. That’s total time. Auntie Rae says you don’t have to flip them, but you can if you want. And DON’T OVERCOOK she says--they’re best pink in the middle.