Works In Progress

Hello!

2012-01-18T06:25:00.000-08:00

Happy 2012!

Not too much going on around here besides my obsession with Pinterest. I think I made ten recipes in the last week...My kitchen aid mixer has gotten a workout!

Winners include the following:

green monster smoothie
This is really, really good! Nathan and I are enjoying one right now.

creamy lemon crumb squares
I think I ate three-quarters of the pan myself!

homemade marshmallows
Really interesting! Makes a lot, and they are very big.

PW's taco salad pizza
Even the leftovers were yummy, which I did not think they would be.

baked chicken fajitas
Delicious.

beef stew in the slow cooker
I did not have some of the ingredients, and some of my family
(Trace) does not like peas, so I switched for green beans. The foil packed thing was weird too.

chicken enchiladas number one
Very rich recipe, but really good.

chicken enchilada number two
I liked this one a lot, Trace liked the above one better.

I wish I could post all the workouts I have been doing, but, sadly, I haven't tried those out yet...

Chips

2011-12-18T14:34:00.000-08:00

Thanks Aunt Lindsey for recommending these! Everyone in our house loves them!!

Puddles!

2011-12-15T14:32:00.000-08:00

The Pacifier

2011-12-12T14:31:00.000-08:00

Both of my boys have been pacifier children. Wade may be slightly more attached than Nathan ever was. Wade is a much more orally fixated child in general,now that he is walking more, it has gotten better, but he still puts some awful items into his mouth.

This may be his most interesting pacifier in a pinch.

A little nightlight...I did not provide this for him, he found it all by himself, we have a wonderful improviser on our hands!

Get Your Motor Running

2011-12-05T06:30:00.000-08:00

The classic big wheel, such a shame that they are not made anymore. Luckily, Granddad found one in creek bed at the land! This thing has seen better days. The large front wheel has some dirt in it, so it is loud, and it is missing the seat, but Trace has rigged a little back-rest up. It has provided lots of entertainment for both boys!

Posing for the camera.

This is my favorite picture!

If you look closely he has toasted marshmallow stuck on his chin.

Matchy-Matchy

2011-12-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

I love me some little boys in footed pajamas, especially when they match!

Goofy face on N, but they are so cute in their rocket jams!

Wade does whatever his big brother does.

It is soooo hard to get them both looking at the same camera at the same time!

Morning Delays

2011-11-30T14:28:00.001-08:00

This morning I had a few appointments and the boys were going to go to their Grammy's house for the morning. We were doing good on time, clothed, fed, and the car was warmed up. Nathan gets done brushing his teeth and says, "I need to wash my hair before we go." Alright, I think, he is going to wet it down to get it under control...So I go to the kitchen to grab drinks for them and return to find this:

He literally washed his hair, with Softsoap, at the bathroom sink. It was so funny, I had to stop for some pictures. Next time this happens, I will be sure to take him literally!

Yipee, He's (almost) 3!!

2011-11-13T19:46:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Nathan's third birthday on Saturday. I am amazed that my little guy is 3 years old. Well, officially not until Tuesday, but we are close enough! Time truly does fly!

I had a party "theme" months ago...I found an adorable shirt on etsy that served as inspiration. I loved the melon color and decided to go with blue as an accent color. So, orange and blue "Yipee, I'm 3!!" it was. These shirts are amazing, by the way. She uses no ink and they are hard to describe how cool they are. I ordered two for Nathan and one as a gift, I highly recommend this shop.

Despite my early theme decision, the party snuck up on me, I felt so rushed at the last minute. My wonderful mother was here to help, thankfully - thanks, Mom!

Lindsey designed the most amazing invitations and thank-you cards, I figure most of you received one, so no photo on here. They were very cute, you are so talented, Lindsey!

Only other thing I did not take a photo of was the favors. I ordered the neatest sidewalk paint kits from this seller on etsy, here. They were packaged adorably and look like so much fun, I cannot wait to try one out myself!

Onto some party photos...

dining table

Snack table - fruit, the most amazing pretzel treats, powdered sugar donuts, fall snack mix, and cupcakes.

side note- scrapbook paper makes an amazing table decor

ribbon banner

my sweet birthday boy

sharing his cupcake with Wade, such a sweet big brother

Trick or Treat 2011

2011-11-07T08:57:00.000-08:00

This is a bit late, but here goes the Halloween overview for this year. I am going to dress the boys along a theme as long as they allow me to...Last year they were Shrek and Puss 'n Boots.

This year Nathan has been into Charlotte's Web and I had a spider costume from Nathan's first Halloween already, so on the hunt for a pig costume I went. I shopped ebay and Craigslist and found one for less than $20, "Yeah!", I thought. So it arrives, well in advance, but it was sooooo small. It was a 4-5 according to the listing, so I figured it would, if anything, be too large and he could wear clothes under it. In addition to the 4-5 tag it says, "Fits to 33 inches". What? Wade is over 33", Nathan is about 37". So, I rush upstairs to see if the spider will fit Nathan. Thankfully it did, as a shirt, which worked. And the pig fit Wade perfectly.

This was Nathan's first experience with trick-or-treating and he did very well. He only went to about eight houses, which was better for me because I do not have the temptation of the candy!

We also made a trip to the fire station. The boys got a fire hat, a bag, and some candy. They were not too sure about Sparky the fire dog.

Welcome Fall!

2011-10-19T08:26:00.000-07:00

A cool front arrived yesterday and the boys set out for some outside time. They went for a tractor ride and made it into the pickup for some pretend driving. Wade is starting to walk (YEAH!) and lolves it outside!

Trace and I were laughing because we bundled them up like there was a blizzard! It was about 60ish, but felt way colder with the wind.

Welcome fall!

Wade is One: stats and pictures

2011-08-29T11:23:00.000-07:00

Here are the last remaining birthday pictures from the celebration of our baby's first!

We went to the doctor last week and my littlest is one big baby:

Weight = 24 lbs 4 oz
Length = 32 3/4"

This is Nathan's size {give or take a little} at 18 months! He is such a bruiser! We are squeezing into a few 12 month items, but mainly are into 18 month clothing. Trace hates putting a 12 month onesie on him because thet are very dificult to snap. He is not walking yet, but pulls up on everything and cruises along things. He is a pro at climbing up the stairs and is working on backing down them. He said his first word a week or so ago, "Peek-a-boo!" It is so cute!! He has 8 teeth fully in and is working on an upper molar, that has made for a few bad nights, poor guy.

After cake, playing with a balloon string.

I love this one, this is Wade's buddy, Mason, riding bikes!

Into his balloons!

"Happy Birthday to Wade"

Newest Member of the Workforce

2011-08-27T07:04:00.000-07:00

No, we have not put the kids to work!!

Trace has added a new tractor to the lineup, hopefully the old one will be finding a new home soon. This one is a yellow beast with a loader, Nathan loves it. He asks his daddy to, "Put the loader in the sky!"

Note the cat in the bucket!

Party Nibbles

2011-08-25T18:03:00.000-07:00

I failed miserably in taking photos of the food, so this is mainly a link post to my tried and true, go-to finger food.

Finger foods seem to work well for young and old alike. Sometimes more prep work is required, but I think clean up is easier, which is always a plus for me!

This year I tried two new recipes that were popular and a few old ones that I love. I did the usual fresh veggie tray, fresh strawberries, and grape clusters. I wanted to do fruit kebobs and my mom brought some small sandwich picks that we laced with raspberries, kiwi chunks, and mango chunks. They were so pretty and I am mad at myself for not taking photos. Some chips and an amazing dip that I altered using roasted hatch chilies instead of jalapenos - that may have been my favorite thing.

For "main" finger foods I made Hawaiian ham and swiss sandwiches, Nigella Lawson's pigs in blankets with mustard dipping sauce, and pimento cheese triangles with my mom's awesome garlicky pimento cheese. The pigs in blankets were a huge hit and we should have made many more. The mustard sauce is super delicious. For N's second, we made bacon wrapped pineapple that I love - it is a highly recommended, and will be seen again at his third birthday this year!

I purchased a small cupcake for W at the bakery in town and made cake pops for everyone else. Cake pops were not all that successful - they were really more like cake balls with a stick in their side! I could not get them to stand up without falling apart. I think I will stick with cake balls if I make them in the future.

Wade's First Birthday

2011-08-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

The theme for Wade's party was simply blue and green. I found an adorable invitation on Etsy several months ago which she fit to the color scheme and it went from there...More to come on food and pictures of the birthday boy!

Highchair ribbon decor.

Birthday boy with one BIG balloon.

I made his birthday bib, not the best shot of it, but the best one I took.

My food table, this is after most folks made their way through the line, so the pom-pom trim was off-kilter.

Amy, Holly, and sweet baby Addison.

He looks so dejected in this photo, he was the one opening presents, and the one who has played with them the most!

Tissue poms.

Yarn ball decor

My bunting!! I hope to use this in the boys' room somewhere.

Favors, I forgot to take one before the guests left.

Bathroom flowers - I love the chartreuse.

Food signs.

Nathan's Wildlife Rehabilation

2011-08-04T18:34:00.000-07:00

We don't see too many exotics at the clinic, but a client brought in a hawk of some form today that was having some trouble. He found in in his dog pen, unable to fly, with no obvious injuries. Trace contacted the local couple who does bird rehab, but they were full (47 birds!). After some instructions, Trace decided he would try to help the bird. He loaded him into a cat carrier, purchased some raw beef to feed him, and brought him home.

I told Nathan that his daddy was going to bring a sick hawk home, but he somehow interpreted that as "hog", so when Trace arrived home with a bird, he was very confused, but excited nonetheless.

"I want to see, I want to see!"

"Where's the hog?"

"He's not going to bite me."

"It's going to be okay, Hawk."

"He has a beak!"

"Can I help feed him?"

The bird is looking much better, the heat seems to be getting to everyone around here!

The Cloth Diapering Adventure

2011-07-25T05:28:00.000-07:00

Several months ago, I decided that I wanted to dabble in cloth diapering. I caught a flash sale and ordered a few all-in-one's. They arrived and sat for several months in their package before I pulled them out and prepped them for Wade. Jury is still out on them, but I have decided that there is little else cuter than a baby in a cloth covered bottom!

He looks like a giant baby here!

Although it appears that he is taking the diaper off here, he was not.

Mischief maker.

The Wonder of Stairs

2011-07-18T14:22:00.000-07:00

Stairs are such a funny thing...Kids love them. Especially if they do not have them in their home, but they still hold wonder to those who do have them. Our house is what I call one and one-half stories. We have a short "flight" of stairs that lead up to a small landing with a bedroom to the left and right.

Wade has recently discovered the stairs, I need to snap some photos of him climbing, maybe even a video. A baby gate now resides at the bottom to prevent unchaperoned visits upstairs. Nathan has gotten pretty good at climbing up and down, he also likes to slide on his bottom, it gets a laugh from his brother, which is always a good thing.

Cousins also love the stairs, a favorite activity at our house is throwing balls down the stairs from the top. We got a cute picture this weekend.

Change of Venue

2011-06-22T19:59:00.000-07:00

After almost a month of no posting, I am sure you would rather see some photos of the boys, but am going to switch gears tonight...

I was reading a magazine a month or so ago and came across a little tidbit that dealt with inability to think of conversation topics. They were specifically referring to a date night with a significant other, and gave a list of topics to discuss over the various courses. One of the questions was something along the lines of, "What would you do if you could change careers?" That isn't exactly how they worded it, but it is close.

I immediately thought of one career/job that I would want to try - Midwifery. After reading a book called Midwives by Chris Bohjalian and watching "The Business of Being Born" a documentary by Ricki Lake, I became caught up in the more natural side of childbirth.

Second on my list is Food Stylist. I am amazed that this is actually a job, but it makes sense with the huge boom in the glamorousness of food. I love food and presentation can make the appeal so much stronger.

Third would be photographer...I am not skilled in the photo snapping department, I do think that this requires a talent I may not possess, but to express life through a still frame can be so breathtaking. I love The Pioneer Woman's photography section when she does her contests. If you haven't ever clicked through these, there are some amazing photographs she showcases.

So, there you have it...What would you pick?

Sand and Surf

2011-05-30T11:34:00.000-07:00

Warning, picture overload here...We returned from a wonderful getaway in Orange Beach, AL. Highly recommended vacation, we had a great time. Traveling with two small children can be a headache, but the boys did great and so did the parents :)

Mom and boys at the Vicksburg, MS welcome center. Water was very high.

Dad and boys on a civil war cannon.

First night in Orange Beach, Nathan liked the surf!

Wade hanging out in the stroller.

Wade was not so sure about Nathan pulling him on the board.

Enjoying the sun!

The cousins enjoying the evening with no pants on!

Family photo opportunity, we wanted it on the beach, but it started to sprinkle.

Dinner at The Crab Trap (delicious!). Wade enjoying a lemon without a single grimace!

Cousins

Ty and Lindsey

Mr. Bubbles

2011-04-30T07:55:00.000-07:00

Easter 2011

2011-04-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

Easter 2011 brought rain to our dry land! We had a wonderful day at Trace's parents.

Hunting eggs with no pants is always more fun!

He would find one egg, open it, eat a piece of candy, then look for another one.

His first egg find.

Grandparents and most of the grandchildren.

Baby's first Easter.

Our first Easter as a family of four. The boys' faces crack me up here.

Hot Tubbin'

2011-04-07T19:15:00.000-07:00

We do a nightly bath with Nathan, but Wade only every other night, so Nathan gets pretty excited when it is "bathe with brother" night. Wade uses his little tub in the big tub and lately Nathan has decided the more the merrier in that tub. It is a pretty tight fit, but he squeezes himself in there with Wade, it is so cute!

Cheap Entertainment

2011-04-04T06:06:00.000-07:00

Happy April!!

While temperatures have been steadily warming up around here, the wind has been killer. Our household is all suffering from allergies, so despite my strong desire to get outside, we still need to have some indoor activites to provide relief from the wind and the sneezing, itchy, watery eyes. We installed some new equipment at the clinic and the boys were on the receiving end of a new (cheap) toy.

In he goes...

Out he comes...

The best part is that it folds flat when they are tired of it and has no top!

I think Nathan was trying to pull him inside.

Yeah for boxes!

Food, Glorious Food

2011-03-28T11:02:00.000-07:00

Wow, I haven't posted in a month...

Wade is Mr. Foodie now, he loves almost everything he has tried, thankfully. We did start with cereals - brown rice and oatmeal at 4 months and he took to those just great.

As far as "real food" goes, he has tried: apples, bananas, apricots, mango, kiwi, cantaloupe, butternut and acorn squashes, peas, green beans, sweet potatoes, avocado, and, of course, the infamous puffs (which Nathan calls "huffs"). The only thing he has not been a fan of is the avocado, which totally surprised me. I have been making most of the food and have become a HUGE fan of the Magic Bullet - makes whipping up some food a breeze.

Cleaning Schedule

2011-02-26T14:15:00.000-08:00

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With two young ones and working part-time, I feel as though I am always one to many steps behind on the home front. Often times I feel like my house looks like similar to an episode of Hoarders. Before Wade arrived, I set in motion a "schedule" to follow on certain days to really clean certain areas. That schedule fell by the wayside quickly after he arrived, I would try but many times the room of the day did not get touched.

The last two weeks the kids have been sick, causing me to be majorly sleep deprived, so the house most definitely suffered. Something had to be done...I revised my schedule to include daily room tending to the kitchen and daily laundry. Friday and Saturday became catch-up days, and I shuffled some of the other days around to what I will hopefully stick to.

Today, I found a Real Simple article on addressing the kitchen I found to be really good info and wanted to share.

Enjoy!

Brotherly Love

2011-02-10T17:26:00.000-08:00

Snow, snow, snow

2011-02-03T11:38:00.000-08:00

Book Recommendation

2011-01-19T06:11:00.000-08:00

I just finished an amazing book: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Biographies are usually not my thing, but this was a bestseller on Amazon and the library just happened to have it. It is relatively heavy on science, but the story is so interesting. Highly recommended.

p.s.: I assure you a post on the kids is coming soon. Wade is 5 months old today!!

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-01T05:30:00.000-08:00

Wishing you the Best in 2011!

Christmas Baking Plans

2010-12-12T15:39:00.000-08:00

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I have high hopes for whipping some holiday treats up...We shall see how things develop this week.

My criteria was quick and easy...On my list are the following:

Chocolate Cinnamon Fudge
Cinnamon Pretzels
Cake Batter Chocolate Bark
Poor Man's Toffee - with saltines (I have made it with Cheez-its and it is delicious)
Peanut Butter Blossoms

And We're Back!

2010-12-09T10:46:00.000-08:00

Hello! We have been dealing with some major sicknesses with little Nathan that has kept me from doing any actual posts. So, to pick up where I left off...Party food!!

I did mostly snack and finger foods. Several kinds of chips, veggie tray, grapes, a BBQ slider sandwich, and, by far the crowd favorites - bacon wrapped pineapple and the little ham sandwich sliders.

If you need to make any appetizer-type treats for holiday parties, I must recommend the following recipes found on Tasty Kitchen:

Bacon-wrapped pineapple - even better with fresh pineapple! These got rave reviews.

Ham and Swiss rolls - this isn't the one I used, but it is pretty close. SO GOOD!

I did cupcakes instead of cake. It was my first attempt to pipe icing and they were super-tasty despite the fact that I should have used a different tip- it looked like dog poop.

Party Theme and Decor

2010-11-17T18:45:00.000-08:00

I am going to break the party into a couple of posts.

So, the theme was "On the Farm" and the colors were chocolate and red. I love Etsy and browsed for several months prior for ideas. The seller I went with did the invitations, banner, party favor tags, and cupcake toppers - highly recommended if they have a theme you are interested in. I slacked a little in the decor and picture taking of things. I did not get pictures of the favor tags, but my SIL, Lindsey, did.

The favors were red and brown jellybeans for the adults and I made crayons for the kids. Super easy tutorial here. I was pleased with the outcome. I really wanted to decorate more, but I find I am nowhere near as productive with two kids!

I made the boys matching shirts. N's turned out SO cute. I purchased the templates from this Etsy seller. I had planned on doing the napkin ring things, but, again, not as productive as I used to be...

Next post will be on food - I made some yummy stuff!!

Happy Birthday to Nathan!!

2010-11-15T16:59:00.000-08:00

Today our Nathan turns 2!! Photos of the party to come!

Photo Shoot

2010-11-09T06:38:00.000-08:00

Isn't he handsome!!

Recovering...

2010-11-07T14:09:00.000-08:00

We are on the mend after a rough week...I got a call at work on Tuesday that N was running fever and needed to be picked up. He looked ok when I got there but quickly declined over the next hour. A trip to urgent care and a diagnosis of pneumonia (which sounds so serious) rounded out the evening. We spent the rest of the week home bound, usually in our pj's. Thankfully we are much better now and Wade did not come down with anything.

Trick or Treat

2010-11-01T05:49:00.000-07:00

Halloween Preview

2010-10-25T07:12:00.000-07:00

Prepare yourselves...Nathan and Wade in their costumes!!

Latest Loves

2010-10-23T15:50:00.000-07:00

This is not a post about the boys, but of current "obsessions" of mine...

Essie nail polish - I heard about this brand from my SIL, Lindsey, and from the Pioneer Woman. I do not know what it is about this brand, but I am in love with the colors, the names, the bottles (super simplistic), the way they look. I am not even the type that always paints my nails, but I have purchased five colors over the past few weeks!! I got Mink Muffs, Chinchilly, We Can Do It Pink!, Bordeaux, and Velvet Voyeur.

Kimono baby items - I love this look on babies. Wade is ridiculously long, so I am trying not to invest in too many one-piece outfits, but I love this look.

Leggings - Even with my post-baby body, I have been sporting the legging looks. I invested in a pair of jeggings and cannot get over how comfy they are!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!

Two Months

2010-10-21T05:04:00.000-07:00

Wow, I have been slacking with the blog posts lately...Wade is nine weeks old today, he turned two months on Tuesday!!

Can't really see the sign...Two months!!

He is growing like a weed. 13 lb 4 oz, 24 3/4 in long. He is rapidly outgrowing 0-3 mo clothing, mainly due to length.

He is a happy guy. He wakes up once to twice a night to eat still, but quickly goes back to sleep. He was started cooing, smiling, and almost laughing more these past two weeks. Nathan still loves him!

BTW - this is the same outfit as in the four week post!

My Kitchen Helper

2010-10-05T15:21:00.000-07:00

The Toilet Paper

2010-09-25T18:03:00.000-07:00

I would not necessarily say that we are potty-training right now, but we often talk about the potty and occasionally want to sit on it, maybe even do some business in it. He LOVES toilet paper and LOVES to flush the toilet.

Tonight he wanted to sit on the little potty, so off came the shorts and diaper and into the bathroom. Wade started crying, so I went to check and he needed a diaper change. I thought Nathan would be okay for a couple of minutes since he was not perched on the big potty. When I returned, this is what I found...

What seemed like a fourth of a roll off the roll.

Hard to see, but a bunch of TP in the little potty hole (no business was in there).

Happenings

2010-09-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

Last week was a busy one at our house. We added a "new" pickup to the vehicle line-up. It may deserve a post of its own one day. It is a '90's Nissan...Needs some work, as you can see. Nathan is really into it, he calls it the little pickup.

Fixing the blinkers

Trying to get inside

"Clean up, clean up, clean up" is his song...Literally.

Cozy-couping it

My parents were in town this weekend to babysit. They cooked, cleaned, and, of course, helped with the boys - I love it when they come! They had been looking for one of these tag along bike trailers and found one that is like-new for $30. They took Nathan for several rides a day - he loved it!

This is what Wade has been up to.

Brothers

2010-09-17T07:06:00.000-07:00

I had our boys all dressed cute for church on Sunday and decided to snap a few pictures. Nathan was excited to"hold" Wade for the first time (under close supervision, of course). Wade was not so happy about the photo-op.

"Uh, Dad, am I doing this right?"

"Hmm, he doesn't seem to like this positioning..."

So after a couple of snapshots, both boys began to express their distaste with the photoshoot...I want this framed.

"Well, I guess I'll just join him!"

Four Weeks

2010-09-16T08:51:00.000-07:00

I did not do monthly updates routinely with Nathan, but I am going to try my hardest to do so with Wade :)

Four short weeks ago our family expanded to include this precious little guy!

We are still in that newborn phase, not much going on besides eating, sleeping, and diaper changing. We are anxiously awaiting the first smile. He was 9 lb 7 oz last Friday at the clinic, so I suspect we are about 10 lbs now. He continues to be a happy, contented baby - we are so blessed!

He wakes up about 2-3 times a night still, but goes right back down - usually snuggled in between Trace and I...

Nathan is such a good big brother, he says, "Kiss?!?" and smooches him sweetly on the head multiple times daily.

Stay tuned for some hilarious brother pictures tomorrow!

Recipe: Nanny Puddy

2010-09-09T18:46:00.000-07:00

That is how Nathan says it, it is so cute...

I am about to provide the BEST no-cook Banana Pudding recipe. And it is so super easy, it is a must try. This recipe comes from a little cookbook that my grandmother-in-law gave one Christmas. It is a small spiral-bound fundraiser cookbook entitled Seasoned With Love: Kure for Kamryn.

Makes a huge amount, so this is a great recipe for potlucks or last minute get-togethers.

Ingredients:

Bananas
Vanilla wafers
1can sweetened condensed milk
1 tub cool whip
8 oz sour cream
1 1/2 c milk
1 small package vanilla pudding
1 T vanilla

Mix pudding and milk together in a large bowl. Add sweet condensed milk, cool whip, sour cream, and vanilla.

Layer in a bowl (or 9 x 13 pan) wafers, bananas, and pudding mixture. Repeat layers and top with crushed wafers, if desired.

I have made this low-fat and full fat - great anyway you mix it. This past time I used french vanilla cool whip and omitted the vanilla. Crazy good, people, please try it!

Newsery

2010-09-07T13:35:00.000-07:00

Or new nursery...

So I played around with the layout this weekend and am happy with the results. I have some picture hanging to do still. I love our old house, but storage space is one area where we are lacking in a big way. Ignore the storage totes, please.

Big Boy Bed

2010-09-03T09:02:00.000-07:00

With the arrival of baby number two, we had to decide what to do about sleeping arrangements...Nathan loves his crib, but has started trying to crawl out, with one successful attempt thus far. Wade will be in our room for awhile, but something had to be figured out.

I really did not want to purchase another crib, so we started looking at toddler beds. We found one we liked that was low to the ground and had good reviews. We thought about ordering it, then Trace, my uber-talented husband, decided he could build one. The result is so cute, and while Nathan is still not really ready, we have it in the room, and he is interested in it, so that is a start!

Trace in the workshop.

Nathan moving a large plank of wood - if you look close you can see his bulging muscles on the Popeye shirt!

Working it with the nail gun.

Wade testing it out in the living room.

Nathan's first peek at the finished product.

In the room - we still need to do some rearranging, I will post pics of the full room when we figure it out.

Two Weeks

2010-09-02T10:07:00.000-07:00

Our Wade is 2 weeks old today!!

Arrival and Brothers

2010-08-24T07:21:00.000-07:00

We have been home for two days now and things are going great...Wade has been such a good baby thus far. He is quiet, sleeps great at night, and is just so sweet. Nathan is also doing wonderful - he was a little rough on Saturday when we first came home, but since has been so good. He is very concerned when he cries, wonders where he is first thing when he wakes up. I would not say he is jealous, but there are times when he wants whoever has Wade.

Now that we have two boys, I always think of the movie Tommy Boy...When Chris Farley meets his Rob Lowe he says, "Brothers don't shake hands, brothers have to hug!" That is what I think of with my boys!

Here are a couple of pictures of the boys.

Welcome to the World

2010-08-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

So, he has arrived!! Douglas Wade made his debut August, 19th at 9:38 am. Weighing in at 8 lb 3 oz and 22 3/4 in long. He is doing great and hopefully we will be able to go home tomorrow!

On the way to the hospital, 2:30 am

Wade a couple of minutes old

After a few hours and some clean-up

Nathan checking out his little brother

Nathan was more interested in playing peek-a-boo with the curtain

Our family of four!!

Now and Then

2010-08-17T14:12:00.000-07:00

Taken February 23rd - about 12 weeks along

Taken yesterday, 38 weeks along!

Preparing for Baby Brother

2010-08-15T19:11:00.000-07:00

While I really do not think Nathan understands what is about to happen, he has been helping prepare for his arrival. He has seen the bassinet and says, "Baby's bed" and the little clothes to which he says, "Baby shirt" or whatever article of clothing it is. This weekend we brought the carseat down, and Nathan decided to test it out from multiple angles...

These are so funny to me, he looks HUGE! And , oddly enough, Nathan is still in the weight range for this carseat, I cannot imagine him in it still!

We also got the swing in and Trace put it together this afternoon.

Nathan was really into the box, no pun intended, for about twenty minutes. Once the swing was put together, he would not leave it alone. This may be a problem!

So, two weeks or less (hopefully) until I am significantly outnumbered by the guys in my house!

We will keep you updated!

Oh, and happy 21 months to Nathan!!

Adventures in Shopping

2010-08-10T12:57:00.000-07:00

My nesting instinct has not really kicked in as far as house cleaning goes. I would say, however, that I have been putting that "get readiness" into shopping lately...Baby Wade has gotten a few new items - a few clothing items, swaddling blankets, etc. We did decide to get a big swing for him, it has not arrived yet, but I am excited to see how it looks. This is the one we went with:

from

I am an accessory person, shoes and purses for me are a weakness. I also love to get shoes for my boy(s). I just ordered these for Nathan and cannot wait to get them in!

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For me, I have gotten some new shirts and nursing essentials including two nursing covers. I did not have one of these with Nathan, and decided I needed one (or two) for the new little guy. Here are the two I went with:

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And my favorite purchase, by far, are these little shirts...Wade has a couple of little brother onesies and I found one big bro shirt for Nathan on ebay, but I had trouble finding matching ones. I cannot wait to put my boys in these for pictures!

Fun Around the House/Farm

2010-08-09T05:15:00.000-07:00

Helping Daddy put some tree fertilizer in the ground

Bathtub fun!

I know there are duplicates, I was having issues with blogger cooperation this morning.

Updates...

2010-08-04T17:37:00.000-07:00

I did so good for the first weeks of July, then slacked off, so here is what we have been up to...

36 weeks along in the pregnancy. We had an ultrasound last week and little Wade is not so little. He was measuring 6 lbs 3 oz. So it looks like he will be about as big as his brother if the due date stays at August 30th.
Nathan is starting his new day care next week. I feel like he is starting school, it is such a big step. The place he will be is more structured, he will have about 8 in his "class" and will be going three days a week.
Trace's sister and her family have officially moved to town! We are so excited! Nathan loves having his cousins close, so much so that he throws a fit when we leave their house.
We are making preparations for the new one's arrival. Bassinet is put together, clothing is mostly washed, his bag is packed. We talk to Nathan daily about his baby brother, and he talks about him, but we do not think he really understands.

So, pictures to come in the next few days. Maybe even a belly pic, we shall see...

Oh, and hi Ry!!

The Little Red Hen

2010-07-15T18:49:00.000-07:00

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Golden Books definitely are all classics. This one is another one of N's favorites, we read it several times a day. He tries to say red hen and it comes out like, "He Hen," so funny. I loved this story growing up and it has a good moral like many of the Golden Books do.

This was a gift from one of N's showers...Books are always such a great gift. It is also funny because many of the old ones we have were like 49 cents and now they are like $2.99 or more - inflation!
So, if it's been a while, find yourself a copy of The Little Red Hen and reminisce!

In His Shoes

2010-07-13T18:53:00.000-07:00

Goal

2010-07-11T18:12:00.000-07:00

I love to read, almost exclusively fiction, but I always cruise by the new books at the library and if a non-fiction title catches my eye, I will pick it up. I have a high school facebook "friend" who recently finished The Modern Library's Top 100 Fiction Novels...I have decided that I am going to embark on this journey as well. There are a handful I read in high school, but a majority are totally new. I am going to follow the Board's list, so James Joyce's Ulysses is my first, as soon as I make it to the library.

Kicking the Habit...

2010-07-09T19:51:00.000-07:00

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We are on day three of absolutely no pacifier!!!!!

Nathan is doing great, he did not ask for it at all today - I am amazed at this kid.

I finally got around to reading the handbook for Nathan's new day care he will be starting in August and learned that paci's are banned...We had been talking about really cutting back or totally out for several weeks. His pediatrician said to get it done ASAP, especially before the new baby arrives, so I said on Wednesday that we would try napping without it. He did great, although he slept very little during the day. That night he went to bed later than usual was so tired he did not even ask for it. So we went with it. His babysitter said he asked for it once yesterday and she told him he was a big boy and that he did not need it, and he was fine.

Cold turkey is working for us! Of course, he is really into his blankie now - and we are okay with that (for now).

In Stitches

2010-07-08T16:57:00.000-07:00

We are back in working order since our new camera lens arrived yesterday. This photo was snapped en route to get the stitches removed, so it is not the most flattering, but shows his three little sutures and the mild bruising.

Emergency

2010-07-05T12:45:00.000-07:00

Usually come holiday weekends, we can count on many an emergency call from the clinic. This weekend, however, was full of emergencies with the little one.

Friday, Nathan fell and required three stitches in his right eyebrow. Very traumatic experience having to hold your 19 month old down for the procedure. Thankfully Trace and I were both there.
Saturday was uneventful, thank goodness.
Sunday we had multiple falls but only ended up with a skinned knee.
Today Nathan fell off the couch and hit his head on the coffee table, then the floor - no visible bruises yet...He also decided today was the day he was going to attempt (and succeed at) getting out of his crib - minor carpet burn on the forehead.

This child is going to give me a heart attack.

The Blackberry Diaries

2010-06-30T14:23:00.000-07:00

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Late June and early July are one of my favorite times because its blackberry picking time. We have a couple of wild patches in the pasture that are overgrown and out of control, but give some great fruit.

I have had some interesting experiences in picking years past. My first year here, before Trace and I were married I decided to walk to the back bush (probably 1/3 mi from the house). We had some overly friendly cows and a donkey at the time and they thought my picking bag was a treat for them, I do not think they would have hurt me, but I was so scared and remember calling Trace in Stillwater to tell him that I was about to get trampled by our herd of three...

The next few years were uneventful, there is always an open invitation to pick and my parents love to come. This year, the berries are amazing - huge, sweet, and plentiful. Last Saturday I decided to get up early before Nathan was up and Trace headed in to work. I got all ready to go, load up on the four wheeler and head to the closest bush. I am getting a bunch of berries, encountering minimal thorns, when all of a sudden I am literally attacked by some type of stinging insect. I would not quite classify it as a swarm, but there were a bunch of them, and I got stung at least three to four times. Thankfully, I did not drop my berries, but I quickly loaded up and headed back to the house with my stinging hand and arm.

Trace was sympathetic, but laughed at my description of the attack...I had majorly swollen

index, middle finger, and hand for the next two days, but obviously survived.

Monday, I decided to face my fears and head back out for more. I was afraid to go to the same bush, so I headed out farther and had a successful, injury free time of picking. Injury free time did not last long, that night, my mom and I went back out to the first bush. I was really scared to go back to the place, but had some back-up. I could not remember where exactly I encountered the insects, so we started picking. I was constantly scanning for signs of the "army". Thankfully, I was on my toes and, sure enough, they came for me. I ran as fast as I have in quite a while - and promptly fell, bruising my knees in the process. A 7-month pregnant lady has no business running in an uneven pasture. But I escaped further stings. Apparently there is a nest of yellow-jackets in the bush. This year will definitely be memorable both in terms of what happened while picking and for the glorious berries!

Book review: Donkey-Donkey

2010-06-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

credit

First off, we are still here. We have had computer problems and, most recently, camera problems that have plagued us. So hopefully I will be posting more frequently in the days to come.

I decided to start doing recommendations of our favorite books, and by our, I mean Nathan's...Reading has become a favorite activity of his, and I am so happy because I think it has helped his development so much. The boy is talking very well, putting two and three words together and I think it is in large part to how much he loves story time.

My mom brought so many of my brother's and my books down so we have some oldie-but-goodies. His current favorite is Donkey-Donkey by Roger Duviosin. He gets so excited and says, "Donkey!" The story is about a donkey that decides he does not like his long ears and wants to be like a horse...Many experiments in changing his looks ensue with the help of his farmyard friends. Cute story, good moral. Again, Nathan loves it, I almost have it memorized because we read it at least two to three times daily.

Stay tuned for more reviews, most of our favorites have to do with animals, prepare yourselves.

South Carolina, part two

2010-05-31T09:35:00.000-07:00

The black things are dolphins!!

I am not sure what these birds are, but they were so funny chasing the waves out, they must have been looking for something to eat.

Nathan enjoyed pushing his stroller on the wet sand.

At the pool!

Our family

The state park beach and its many palm trees.

Big boy

Pops and Nathan

A little park that had a slide that was just Nathan's size, he LOVED it!

The Charleston Aquarium

Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War took place.

When Mommy is Away...

2010-05-25T19:28:00.000-07:00

the boys go skinny dipping! Well, Nathan does, I believe Trace reamined clothed...

Trace said the water was cold, but that the little guy enjoyed his first dip in the buff!

South Carolina, part one

2010-05-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

We have been home for one week now, so it was high time I did a post...Here is Nathan getting ready, he loves this little cooler!

At a stop along the way, there were many between me and Nathan, we stopped every 2-3 hours.

We stopped at my Granny's house and Nathan got to meet his great Granny for the first time, he took right to her and they had fun the short time we were there.

At a rest stop in Georgia...We stopped for a picnic lunch with goodies my Granny packed up - NAthan had fun playing with sticks and stretching his legs.

The place we went is called Edisto Island, the drive was long, but beautiful. When you get near the island, there is a big bridge to take you over the start of the waterway then there are huge trees that basically cover the roadways, it is so neat. There is spanish moss hanging from the trees and it is just beautiful. I did not get a picture, but wish I had.

Here is the pool from our balcony, I spent a good deal of time here.

Inside the condo - three stories, which was neat. I got so tired of the stairs though! Nathan stayed with us every night and the king bed was all the way at the top.

The living room/kitchen area.

From the outside.

I LOVE this picture, the sky is so pretty and the ocean background. My guys are the cutest!

Stay tuned, more to come in a couple of days!

Eighteen Months

2010-05-17T19:22:00.000-07:00

Saturday officially welcomed Nathan into eighteen-monthhood. I cannot believe that our little boy has reached this milestone!

With it has arrived major independence and attitude. He is still a precious. wonderfully behaved child, but we have some new quirks.

He loves to say "No!" and "I want down!". He understands much of what we say and will follow some directions and willfully ignore others.

We went for the 18 month check today and stats were as follows:

33" long
24.5 lbs
16 teeth

The good doctor said it is time to ditch the pacifier which he has affectionately named "Bobbi" and calls for with great gusto. We plan to work on this before the new one arrives, wish us luck!

Monday Morning at the Park

2010-05-03T07:50:00.000-07:00

Nathan and I headed to the park this morning for a walk and some playtime. The weather was beautiful and I snapped a few pictures of the little guy.

Swinging, not so sure about these...He is still a little too small because he kept sliding and pressing against the chain, I am not even sure if I had him in there properly.

At the bridge, he was eyeing the water like he was reading to play in the little stream...

At the slide, it was still wet with dew, so he did not slide down, but he sure let me know he wanted to.

Behind the slide is a little fort type thing, my little explorer was checking it out.

Sandboxing

2010-04-29T17:26:00.000-07:00

A family from church passed their sandbox on to Nathan, tonight we got it ready for some serious play-time...

He was so cute! Trace and I decided that this will be a seriously messy toy, but worth it as long as we can keep the cats out!

The Barber Shop

2010-04-28T06:23:00.000-07:00

It was time for Nathan's second haircut yesterday, so Trace and the little one headed to the barber shop!

Thanks, Kevin!

Recent Goings On

2010-04-25T17:42:00.000-07:00

We have not been too busy lately. Not much picture taking, but here are some recent photos of our boy.

Easter at Grammy and Granddad's - being silly at the porch rail.

Cowboy Nathan

Helping Daddy mow - he can steer the ZTR like a pro!

Pulling the wagon.

Exploring

We have been soaking up the spring so far. I have started some landscaping projects, we have a trip planned in a few weeks so the garden is going to be put on hold. I have visions of an herb garden this year and have requested a raised garden bed for it for mother's day.

Things with the new baby are progressing well, we will be 22 weeks tomorrow. I am getting big, gaining lots of weight. Maybe a belly picture will be posted this week...

Ultrasound

2010-04-06T17:32:00.000-07:00

Before I let you in on the ultrasound results, here is a picture of our family of 3 1/2 on Easter Sunday. Nathan looked so cute in his green linen and adorable tie! He did participate in an egg hunt, I will hopefully post pictures later this week.

And here is the new baby...A baby boy!! We had a feeling it was a boy after an ultrasound at the clinic provided a money shot between the legs. Trace was pretty convinced, I was holding out until the official hospital ultrasound today. The tech said everything looked healthy and fine to her. The 20 week check is next Monday.

We told Nathan that he has a little brother on the way and showed him the pictures, he said "Baby!" but I am not so sure that he fully comprehends...

Little Mr. Clean

2010-03-30T18:15:00.000-07:00

OK, we are back from hiatus...No reason for our long absence from the land of blog, but we are back!

I have been obsessed with this toy Dusty the Talking Vacuum. Nathan is very interested in cleaning, he likes the big vacuum, he likes to wipe things, and likes to sweep. The problem was that Dusty was like $45 on some sites, crazy for a plastic toy! I finally found him at Target.com for a much more reasonable price. It was supposed to be part of N's easter basket, but we could not wait (I think I am more into the toy than he it).

He likes Dusty so far, it is super cute and talks and makes noises - he motors all around the living room!

Just before bed, all done with the housework!

Boy Meets Puddle

2010-03-08T18:52:00.000-08:00

So...

2010-02-25T16:55:00.001-08:00

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

2010-02-23T17:33:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-22T08:31:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-17T17:25:00.000-08:00

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!!

2010-02-15T19:47:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-10T11:00:00.001-08:00

We Made It!

2010-02-03T12:22:00.000-08:00

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!!

Eat This

2010-01-26T17:43:00.000-08:00

I have become a huge fan of the Eat This, Not That! series. I was given the kids version and really liked it, then at Wal-Mart yesterday I purchased Cook This, Not That!...
I haven't tried any of the recipes yet, but read it every free minute I had at work today. This one gives recipes that are similar to restaurant favorites, but better for you. One thing the authors point out is that it is fine to use cheese, butter, salt - as long as it in moderation. I am a big fan of that line of thinking. Usually I try to make some shortcuts in a recipe, but these are ones I will likely follow closely. Also, the photos are great in this and all the food looks scrumptious! So look forward to some Tasty Tuesday recipes from my new favorite cookbook.

Tasty Tuesday - Fettuccini Alfredo

2010-01-19T17:23:00.000-08:00

I have been in the need for some serious comfort food this week and last night I found a recipe that fit the bill. I have done a recipe from Trisha Yearwood's Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen before, it is a wonderful cookbook with beautiful photographs. So last night I made her fettuccine alfredo and, oh my goodness, it was sooooo tasty and very easy. Both my boys gave me the seal of approval - but warning, it is rich and I did not take shortcuts on this one.

Ingredients (6-8 servings, I halved and it was perfect for three of us with very healthy portions):

12 oz fettuccine noodles

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 t white pepper (I used black)

1 1/2 sticks butter

2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 t cornstarch

2 T fresh parsley or chives

Boil salted water and cook noodles according to package directions.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Whisk in whipping cream and pepper and stir until thickens, about 5 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 1/4 c of the Parmesan cheese. Cook and stir until the cheese is melted. Whisk in the cornstarch and stir until thickened, about 3 minutes.

Drain pasta and add hot noodles to cheese mixture. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and garnish with parsley.

A Boy and His Flea

2010-01-13T14:52:00.000-08:00

What?!? I am sure that is what your all thought! We get some crazy things at the clinic from drug companies and the most recent was a collection of inflatable parasites...Nathan just had to have the flea! He loves it, poor Wyatt is petrified of it. I figured it would make a great bath toy...Or pool toy come summer. Oh, the life of a child with two vets for parents!

We have TAKEOFF!

2010-01-10T15:20:00.000-08:00

A Public Service Announcement

2010-01-07T17:33:00.000-08:00

The following is a PSA on proper use of a Kleenex. Nathan felt he needed to demonstrate the appropriate way to go about blowing your nose...Nathan did this all on his own with no coaching from mom or dad. It was so funny!

First, you take your Kleenex (yes, is a cheap box we took from a hotel...)

Make sure that you cover your nose and mouth.

Prepare to dispose in an approved waste receptacle.

Happy New Year!!

2010-01-05T17:11:00.000-08:00

Happy 2010 from our family to yours...A question for everyone - Will you be saying two-thousand-ten or twenty-ten? The general census on the Today Show the other day was twenty-ten, but I am on the fence...

Adding Your Signature

2009-12-28T12:22:00.000-08:00

I just sucessfully (I think) figured out how to add a signature to the blog. After some confusion and frustration, here we have it!! I have seen this addition on several blogs and followed the instructions on Blue Cricket Design. What do you think??

p.s. Thanks Lindsey for trying to help!

Winter Wonderland

2009-12-27T13:52:00.000-08:00

It definitely turned out to be a white Christmas in our neck of the woods. The Blizzard of 2009 struck early and hard Christmas Eve morning and left us blanketed in snow. The winds were blowing all night Wednesday and on Thursday the snow started. I never saw an official total, but we had a least 6" of snow - a rarity around here. We had planned on traveling to Tulsa on Christmas Day, but decided to play it on the safe side and postpone our visit with my parents until this coming weekend.

Trace's siblings were all in, so we made the most of the snow with lots of outside time once the storm died down.

This is actually on Friday, Nathan in his new wagon, a present from mommy and daddy.

The three of us on Thursday.

Wyatt and Fungi in the tire tracks.

The house, there were deeps snow drifts from the wicked winds, I am sure they will linger for weeks to come.

Snow drifts behind the barn. It was funny to watch the cows make their way through the snow - I am sure it was a first for them.

Nathan on cousin Lillian's little 4-wheeler, he was ready to go!

Nathan and me going for a ride.

Sledding!!

More to come...Hoping everyone had a safe, Merry Christmas!

Mommy's Little Helper

2009-12-22T17:55:00.000-08:00

Yes, he is standing on the door...

Poor Man's Toffee

2009-12-20T14:10:00.000-08:00

credit

This is a must try for those of you with a sweet tooth. I have seen two different recipes floating around out there and will provide links to both. The "original" using saltines, and a more exotic recipe using cheez-its. This is very rich, but oh-so-good. I have begun the holiday baking, there are so many delicious cookie/treat recipes out there ans so little time!

Weekend Happenings

2009-12-08T17:59:00.000-08:00

Sunday was a beautiful, although chilly, day. We took advantage and did some work outside. Christmas lights, yard work, and pasture work was all on the agenda...

Wyatt looking for a mole, he had dirt caked inside of his mouth!

That dog is a little crazy - he uses his paws and mouth to assist in hole digging.

Nathan all bundled up.

The cats hanging out in the shop.

The "herd"

Trace taking care of business.

New baby testing out the forage.

Nathan checking out the lights out front - he is very interested in the motion reindeer.

Ready for Winter

2009-11-29T15:33:00.001-08:00

Party Time

2009-11-11T07:06:00.000-08:00

Nathan's first birthday is Sunday the 15th, but we celebrated this past Saturday so most family could participate...The party was a success!! While I wish I had taken more pictures, of course, here is a selection from the big day...

Nathan's cake.

The big cake. I was afraid of how it would turn out, but I was pleased with the end result. If you are ever in the market for a cake, but you have a theme idea, this website is the best for inspiration.

Nathan playing with Virgil and Pops before the festivities kicked off.

Nathan and Aunt Heather, looking good in the construction hat!

The food table.

Nathan with Grammy and our neighbor, Codi, with adorable Emma.

Nathan, mommy, and goofy daddy.

The three wee ones playing ball.

From L to R: Aunt Lindsey, Uncle Ty, Aunt Heather, Uncle Jesse and cousin Lillian in for foreground.

The singing and cake intro...Nathan was not too sure.

He started off slow...

Then got really into it!

He received a mountain of presents, family and friends were very generous.

Adorable melamine plate.

Cousins Lillian and Lucas were a great help at opening presents.

Nathan, this morning, plating with some presents!

A huge thank you goes out to my parents, they helped in the party preparations, from decorating to food. I cannot believe that our little guy is almost one!

Checkout my SIL, Lindsey's, blog. She did a great post on the party with some wonderful pictures.

Nathan's New Ride

2009-11-04T15:02:00.001-08:00

Nathan's first sports coupe was bestowed upon him today. Carmen, from work, brought this fancy convertible for Nathan. He was digging it...

Checking out the tires...

Seeing how it handles...

And this is the aftermath of our first crash, no longer than five minutes after his first drive. Hmmm, I think he has inherited Mommy's driving skills!

Mama's New Obsession

2009-11-01T13:54:00.000-08:00

I love to craft...My projects usually do not turn out quite like I envisioned them, but I have a new crafting obsession, embroidery! I stumbled across this website, Sublime Stitching, one day. For months I looked at the patterns and would add to my cart what I wanted, but never went through with the order. Then for my birthday, I decided that I needed to order a kit. I am hooked! The patterns make it so easy and they are also very cute! I have also dabbled at embellishing some of Nathan's clothes. My SIL, Lindsey, is super-crafty and has made adorable onesies. I have also made a few, and my new love for embroidery has upped the unique factor for Nathan's wardrobe. For little boys, there is some cute stuff out there, but this adds some extra pizazz!! My ideas are definitely not originals, and I am not as talented as many of the craft blogs I peruse, but it is fun and usually cheaper than the clothing in the store. The intro photo is a plain white onesie I embroidered a Mexican wrestling mask onto, it is actually a little scary, but cute with jeans and some moccasins! Here are some of my recent projects...

These are some jammy (-ie?) pants that Nathan tore a hole in crawling on the floor...I was thinking about just stitching it closed, but Trace had the excellent idea of adding some fabric to cover the holes and I has seen some pants on several blog sites such as MADE and homemade by jill. These ladies are crazy talented, so do not look too close at mine, they are not great, but will do the trick.

Here is a Sublime Stitching template...You just iron it on and go for it. Sorry about the completed project picture, I can't figure blogger out sometimes.

Lastly, ARGYLE! This is a combo of embroidery and appliqued fabric. I saw the idea on U Create from here and it turned out SO cute.

Beware family and friends...Christmas is a-coming and I am armed with lots of embroidery floss and a strong desire for creativity during naptime!!

Nathan's First Halloween

2009-11-01T13:32:00.001-08:00

Nathan's first spooky day passed without too much excitement. We both had to work yesterday morning and it marked his first day with a babysitter - I do not count day care as babysitting...This was the first time someone came to the house and watched him that was not related to us and costs a lot more that his day care providers! We had a lovely young lady come to the house to watch him and it went well. He is such a go-with-the flow kind of kid.

The rest of the day-evening Trace spent seeing emergencies, so Nathan and I headed to clinic's receptionists for a look at their haunted house. Josie and her husband, Chris, did an amazing job of setting up a small walk through haunted house. It was awesome, and I think Nathan is the perfect age because he wasn't scared, just intrigued by what was going on around him. We stayed for a little while and helped hand out candy, our house never gets trick-or-treaters and it was too fun, we just wish daddy could have joined us!

This is just before we left, Nathan is forever trying to pull off his socks and shoes, and he could not figure out how to get these tights off, it was very frustrating for him!

Josie, Chris and Nathan outside the haunted house...I should have got a picture of the graveyard on the other side - there were about four to six graves with skeletons crawling out...They went all out! Josie was the game of Twister and Chris was a murder of some type.

The butler.The scary man that would take his face off...

ONE of Nathan's favorite things...

2009-10-29T19:34:00.000-07:00

...is to push the baby gate open enough to free Wyatt from his holding cell and get his (Wyatt) grimy slinky body on the furniture. Nathan will hear you say "NO" and this tends to kick him in to high gear, just laughing out loud with every quadruped movement.

Eleven Months

2009-10-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

Warning...Picture overload below. It's been awhile, so I am including almost 2 weeks of happenings. Nathan is almost 11 1/2 months old!!

He has not progressed to walking quite yet, but as you can see in many of the pictures, he is readily pulling up on everything.
He is eating most everything we eat now and loving it ( except for green items).
He says "Uh-oh", and moos when he sees a cow.
He has seven teeth!!
He remains a happy, easy baby.
Had his first bout of sickenss - an ear infection, among other things :(
Weighs 21 lb 4 oz
Knows when he should not do something, but enjoys testing his limits (see china cabinet picture)

These pictures are from Trace's parents Fall Party...There are several of Nathan with his cousins Lillian and Lucas.

Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place

2009-10-14T15:24:00.000-07:00