So...

For the readers we have that may not already know, we have some news. We are overjoyed to announce that Nathan is going to be a big brother!! We are expecting baby #2 in August...August 30th to be exact. We are 13 weeks along right now and have had a few bumps along the way, but things are going well. I feel like I am already getting big, and while these are not the most flattering pics, I decided that this pregnancy we will take more belly photos.

Tasty Tuesday - Zucchini Chip Snack Cake

I LOVE Taste of Home. Whether they are old or new recipes, I could look through the magazines for hours. My MIL recently brought a bunch of old copies to the clinic and I found this gem. Trace would say differently, but Nathan and I loved it and it got decent reviews at the clinic.

Ingredients:

1/2 c butter, softened
1 3/4 c sugar ( I used 1 c)
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 t vanilla extract
2 1/2 c all-purpose flour (I used half whole wheat and all purpose)
2 T baking cocoa
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 c buttermilk
2 c shredded zucchini
2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in oil, eggs, and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Stir in zucchini. Pour into a greased 13x9x2 in pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake at 350 F for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

As I said, I cannot get enough of this cake. I used frozen shredded zucchini from last years garden that I knew would come in handy one day. This was perfect with a tall glass of milk!

Projects

I have been in a creative slump since Christmas. I had a couple of recent bursts of energy and did the following. MADE is an awesome craft blog, she is very talented and many of her tutorials are out of my league, but she has a post on easy fabric dying that I had to try. I have always been intimidated by the instructions for dying. Hers are simple, my results were decent, but would probably get better if I did it more often. Nathan had a few shirts that were stained, white and early eaters do not mix well - even with bibs we always end up with stains. I also had a shirt with a stain that would not come out, so the experiment began. I was really pleased with the way his shirts turned out. The photo is odd, but it looks good in person. My shirt did not turn out well, there were large brownish spots mixed in with the grey and I am not sure if it was due to user error (me) or to a reaction to the stain remover I had tried to use, even though it had been washed. This tutorial is very easy, minimal cost, and it worth trying if you already have an time of clothing that may be ruined.

I am all about the homemade baby gifts. Burp cloths are one thing in my arsenal that I feel comfortable making and they were something that I used all the time. In addition to their intended purpose, you can use them for so much more. Nathan was a baby that liked to have something by or over his face when napping, and these were perfect. You can knock four out in a couple of hours. There are a bunch of tutorials out there for different styles - ones like I made below or with the fabric on the bottom. Just search burp cloth tutorial and you will get s bunch of hits. These are for Nathan's current day care provider, she is expecting a boy in about six weeks!

So, that is about it, I have tried some "upcycling" of clothes, but have not been too happy with the results, so I will have to work on that some more before sharing. Have a great Monday!!

Nathan's Got a Brand New 'Do

We had been dragging our feet on Nathan's first haircut. It was getting a little out of control on the sides. When the number of bad hair days outnumbered the number of good hair days, we knew it was past due. It actually looked pretty good today, but if you look at the bow tie picture from the last post, you can see how crazy it is about 90% of the time.

Daddy and Nathan before:

I wanted to videotape, but he was SO squirmy

that it took me to hold while Trace cut.

After:

It looks really good, he does look like a big boy!

And yes, I did save the curls.

15 Months!!

Our boy is fifteen months old today! Time has flown by...He is a busy boy that definitely keeps us on our toes.

• We went to the doctor today and he is just over 23 lbs, 32" tall.
• He is 50% for weight and 75% for height.
• He has 13 teeth!
• Says: Dada, Uh-oh, diaper, touchdown, cookie, something along the lines of kitty, and on occasion, Mama.

He loves to vacuum!

He drew his first picture at day care!

Loves to eat...

And has definitely entered toddlerhood. The boy is always on the move!

Sweet Face

We Made It!

So we made it for five days without power. Thankfully we have a generator so we could hook it up to shower, wash dishes, use the microwave and television. We also have a gas wall heater, so the house stayed a comfortable temperature in the main living area. It is amazing how spoiled we become and dependant on energy. I am shocked that it was as difficult as it was and we were fortunate that we had the necessities taken care of. We sustained a decent amount of tree damage, this clean-up will keep Trace occupied for a while. A massive bonfire will be prepared with all the limbs, all will be invited for hot dogs and s'mores!!