Happy Halloween!

Also check out these spooky ghost cupcakes I made last night for Derek's work! They are DELICIOUS and the cream cheese frosting is quite yummy. I added a large chocolate chip for the ghost's mouth and two small ones for the eyes and followed a pumpkin spice cake recipe!

Hope you have a Happy Halloween!

Facetime

 

Technology in general has really helped us keep close with family while we spend a few years up here in Cleveland. Although texting pictures and videos of our baby to family is great, using Facetime on our iphones is the best!

Similar to Skype, we can see and chat with anyone else who has an iPhone at any time as long as we both have wireless. Which, let's admit, is pretty much 90% of the world now that it's 2011. Drew's Mimi and Grandpa call all the time on Facetime, even it's just for a 5 minute 'hello' and see his face. Drew can hear and see them and even smiles at the phone knowing they are talking to him.

I can't imagine what will be next for technology but I'm sure I'll love it! If they could only invent a way for grandparents to hug their grandchild virtually, how much happier of a world would it be?

Mapleside Farms Take 2

This past Sunday, we ventured back to Mapleside Farms again for the 2nd time this fall. The weather was perfect, the leaves were colorful and the sun felt good. Last time we went, it was too much of a hassle to enjoy the hayride with a stroller and our bags of pumpkins and apples. Drew enjoyed hitching a ride on daddy's back this time in the Beco and got to experience his first hayride!

Creamy Italian Crockpot Chicken

Again with the crockpot. I think I'm leaning towards an addiction here. It's just SO EASY!

This recipe was found on my friend Desiree's blog and I was excited to test it out seeing as how I love the tenderness that comes with crockpot chicken. This recipe was super easy and we decided to serve it over a bed of brown rice with a side of broccoli covered by Hollandaise sauce.

Ingredients

3-4 chicken breasts (we used about 1.5 lbs)

1 package cream cheese (reduced fat tastes just fine!)

1 can cream of chicken

1 package dry Italian dressing mix

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl soften cream cheese.

2. After cream cheese is softened add cream of chicken then fill the empty cream of chicken can 1/2 full with water and add to cream cheese mix.

3. Add Italian dressing packet and mix well.

4. Place chicken on bottom of crock pot and pour the cream cheese mixture over chicken.

5. Put crock pot on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.

Enjoy!

Drew is Crawling!

If I cried and cheered this much for a simple 6 inch crawl, I can't imagine how I'll respond when he takes his first step, or when it's his first day of school, or (*gasp*) when he gets married! Derek and I play with Drew every evening and knew that he was getting close to crawling. Well, I'm happy to report that last Saturday he took his first 'army crawl' towards our iPhones. Since then, he's gone after anything and everything I think he loves the freedome of moving where he wants to now.

Derek and I are so excited for our little man to be able to get to the toys that he wants to get to instead of becoming frustrated that he can't reach them! And while I realize that a lot of babies crawl earlier than 9.5 months, I turned out ok and personally didn't start crawling until I was 12 months old. I also didn't start walking until I was 15 months and walk/run/jog just fine now. Drew beat me by 2.5 months and for that I'm happy!

That means only one thing: "Mission Babyproof" commences this weekend! Any gadget tips and tricks are welcome to keeping my baby safe in this new stage of his development!

This Time Last Year

Last year on this exact day I was 29 weeks along and looked like this. None of my friends would tell me that I had fat face and everyone was so sweet saying I looked great. Obviously, they were all just trying to make the fat lady happy as I definitely had 'puffy' face! 

It's crazy how you can completely forget how being pregnant felt. I loved having a belly and knowing my little guy was safely tucked away at all times. It was a great feeling to know something was growing in there and the excitement increased (as did my fatty areas) with each weeks passing.

A year ago we were carefree and worrying about stupid details like if we had enough socks and mittens for the baby. If we only knew how much priorities and our lives would change. If we only knew how wonderful it was going to be when we actually met our baby and how he lights up our world every single day.

Can't wait to see what life will be like a year from now as I know it will be here quickly!

"Remember, everyday is a gift, that’s why they call it the present" ~Eleanor Roosevelt.

Crock Pot Potato Soup

My friend Michelle posts recipes time to time on her blog and when I read about her Crock Pot Potato Soup, I knew it had to be made now that the weather is crispy and the rain seems to linger. Well I made this tonight for dinner and it was DE-LI-CIOUS! Below is the recipe (but I only used a dash of red pepper).

INGREDIENTS

• 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

• 4 red potatoes, peeled & cut to ½ in. chunks

• 1/4 cup butter

• 1/2 onion, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 3 cups milk

• 1 cup sour cream

• 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 tablespoons seasoned salt

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt

• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil chives for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat a large slow cooker by turning it to the High setting and covering with the lid.
2. Place the cut-up potatoes in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave on high for about 8 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked and steaming hot.
3. While the potatoes are cooking, place the butter in the preheated slow cooker, and stir in the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes, until the onions turn golden. Stir in 1/2 cup of milk, and whisk in the flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in the remaining 3 cups of milk, and let the mixture come to a simmer in the slow cooker. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the soup begins to thicken.
4. Stir in the hot cooked potatoes, crumbled bacon, sour cream, Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, seasoned salt, parsley, red pepper flakes, celery salt, and dried basil. Stir to mix the soup well, reduce the slow cooker setting to Low, cover, and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

We chose to eat ours out of bread bowls from Breadsmith which made it even more scrumptious!

Belly Laugh

Happy Wednesday!

Hope you enjoy this deep, belly laugh as much as we do!

Finger Foods!

At our 9 month appointment a week ago, the doctor released us to let Drew have whatever we're eating, obviously in smaller portions. I'm not keen on anything really crunchy or hard just yet, but momma was excited to hear that I don't have to puree foods any longer! I'm proud to say that I made 100% of the food (except oatmeal) that Drew ate as a baby until he moved on to finger foods.

This week, we've already tried all kinds of fingers foods including pancakes, bananas, chicken, soup, bread, pears and even a smoothie made with organic, all natural yogurt, water and fruit! He is such a smart cookie and can pick up the tiniest thing and put it in his mouth. Derek and I can't get enough of his 'concentrating face' and we are loving exploring this new phase with him!

Spooky Pooch Parade

Who doesn't love thousands of dogs in costume parading the street? There was everything from 2 lb teacup pups to 200 pound beasts dressed in any and every costume imaginable. It was fun, humorous and very entertaining and Drew soaked it up!

Supposedly they were trying for a Guinness Book of World Record too with the number of dogs. Isn't that fun!

Chunky Monkey

So when we were at the doctors on Wednesday for Drew's appointment, we were told that his thighs were a 'nurses dream'. I would have to concur as I think they are super dreamy myself. I know they were referring to how much surface area and fat there is for the necessary flu shot, but I love them for their kissability. They are soft and feel like play-doo and I can't keep my hands off them!

I know they will eventually fade so I'm savouring every squeeze, munch, touch and kiss that I can get in with them!

Last Chance Month

Still one of the highlights of living in Cleveland, our gorgeous Metroparks exude vibrant colors and lung-cleaning air. The fall colors are so vivid and the crispy weather just perfect for a stroll with the family. I love our Sundays where we try and avoid the electronics and enjoy being outside as much as we can. The month of October seems to have become our 'last chance' month. It's our last chance to enjoy picnics in the park, long strolls with the dogs and working in the yard. The weather will soon turn to lip-chapping-fingertip-freezing cold, so before that hits, we soak up what we can.

You can see we're not the only ones that are trying to savour the weather. The Metroparks were full of forest animals, furry four-legged friends being walked by their owners and joggers enjoying the pavement pounding before the ice sets in. I snapped a couple pictures below, but they don't do justice to the sights.

Hope you're enjoying the fall weather and getting outside with your family!

9 Months Old

Happy 9 Months Drew!

Stats:
- Weight: 22 lbs 14 oz (75%)
- Height: 29.5 inches (90%)

Changes:
- Thankfully, Drew is still a sleeping angel continuously sleeping 12 hours a night still. He also naps generally twice a day for anywhere from an hour to three hours. We have been very blessed that he hasn't gotten sick except for an ear infection when he was 4 months old. Here's to hoping this streak continues!
- We have ventured out to chicken and eggs this month along with some other fruits and veggies we hadn't tried yet like grapes and mango. He is now eating three 'meals' a day.
- Drew has also mastered picking up Puffs and Yogurt Melts and feeding them to himself.
- Drew has really been working on the sippy cup and enjoys drinking from it, but still finds it hard to tip it up enough to get the last drink.
- He absolutely loves hearing his own voice. He sings to us all the time and tries so hard to talk.
- Drew has also worm his first pair of shoes a few times. Although the American Academy of Pediatrics doesn't recommend shoes until walking, we've dressed up a few outfits with his adorable little shoes!
- He can fully pivot on his tummy now doing a full circle! He also loves standing on his toys or the couch, but we are right behind him for when he falls.
- Drew is kicking all the time. Whether being held, on his tummy, or on his back he is always kicking. We think a future Michael Phelps might be in the making!
- Drew also LOVES wrestling and getting tickled by us.
- As far as clothes, he wears anywhere from 12m-24m!
- Lastly, he is still a wonderful traveler and really enjoys his car seat and Bob. We can take him out for hours and hours and he just enjoys people watching and getting fresh air.

Drew has also been praciticing his 'sexy' poses for his daycare girlfriend. Here he chose to show a little leg.

 Although I thoroughly enjoyed you being an 'inside' baby for 9 months, I have WAY more enjoyed having you on the 'outside' for just as long. Love you tons Drew!

500th Blog Post

Over 3 years ago I began this blog as a way to share our life through pictures and a few words. Partly because I wanted to keep family and friends in the loop of what we were doing at any point in time. But mostly because it's a wonderful online journal for Drew and our other future children to read at some point. Moving to Cleveland made it even more appropriate since we only see our friends and family once every couple/few months now. Blogging has kept us connected, even 13 hours away.

Over time it has morphed into a passion. A love. I find joy making picture collages and creating new headers. I love spilling my thoughts on whatever I want at that moment. It's my free space and I like that I get to utilize in whatever way tickles my fancy. It's also connected me with some amazing women out there and I've learned so much by reading other blogs.

As nice as it would be to have 7,806 followers someday, that's not the end goal and it never will be. I probably won't be contacted by big companies to review products and I'm ok with that. I don't have time to create a blog facebook page or a twitter account for the blog and I'll probably never blog daily. With a little guy in the picture I just simply don't have that much time to devote to that many posts!

While blogging is exciting, it makes me the most happy when meeting random people through friends or family who admit they are already avid readers. It makes me smile knowing how many people out there read my blog and I don't even know it. I'll get random comments from co-workers, or friends of friends that I meet for the first time about a blog I once posted. Sure I can watch what cities my clicks are coming from and follow my unique and repeat visitor counts, but nothing is better than someone in person telling you they love reading your blog.

Now in my fourth year, it has become a part of my routine.... my life... and something I plan to continue indefinitely. I hope you have enjoyed our journey as much as I have and I look forward to entertaining you with pictures and words in the years to come!

Fall Has Arrived

I've been SO excited to take Drew to Mapleside Farms ever since we went last year. It's a 100-acre fully functioning apple orchard that has so much to offer. With a huge pumpkin patch, a couple restaurants, a jump park for older kids, hayrides, a bakery and more, it's a great time and we're glad it's only 30 minutes away. In fact, it was just voted America's Most Beautiful Farm by ChooseOutdoors.org!

This morning we headed to the farm to pick out our pumpkins and enjoy some apple fritters and cider. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and the farm as scenic as ever. Although we couldn't partake in the hayride with everything we were lugging around, we enjoyed everything else we could. Drew spent some time carefully selecting the perfect pumpkin and Derek and I spent some time munching on some delicious cider donuts!

Everything about the farm spoke "fall has arrived"..... and boy are we excited!

Jaycee Dugard; A Stolen Life

For some reason, I've been really interested in Jaycee Dugard's story. I've read tons of articles, watched specials and recently just finished her memoir. Maybe it's the fact that she rasied two children in an environment no one would wish on their worst enemy. Maybe it's how she is so positive and 'normal' now after being held 18 years in a room. Or maybe it's my own confusion about why she didn't flee when, based on facts from her words, there seemed to be several opportunities. Whatever it was, her story continually seems to captivate.

Although some of the sexual encounters with her captors were more than I could handle at times, the end of the book and overall story were what kept me reading. Her genuine outlook on life and how she clung to a tiny amount of hope is undoubtedly a good story. As I continue on my journey of always trying to keep the perspective, this book only added to that fire. She is an amazing woman and although I'm sure she'll be in therapy for the rest of her life, her view of the world is one to admire. I would highly recommend this book for anyone over the age of 18!

Special Gift

My friends mother is an amazing, craft-making lady! She found a pattern for baby jackets and has now made several with the most adorable school logos! There is a lining on the inside, the outside is made with the warmest fleece, she personalizes them with their first AND last name and they are just so cute!

I love how the sleeve cuff gathers so that it's not wide open around their little hands and the KU elbow patches are just too fun.

I think she's looking to start an etsy shop soon, but here's a couple others she has made.

Isn't it just the coolest thing you've ever seen? Not to mention that no one else out there will have the same jacket!

Another 5K Fail

We have had the worst luck with 5K's this fall. Despite having several gorgeous days in a row, it seems they always fall on a dreary, rainy day. We signed up for another race yesterday in which we didn't end up running seeing as how it was 45, windy and raining. It's just not fun to run in that weather and it's definitely not fun for Drew to be pushed around in it all morning!

So the below picture? It was about 5 seconds before we made the call to not run, jumped into some comfy clothes and enjoyed the day lounging with our wiggleworm.

Including the mum shopping we did and the comfort food we ate, I couldn't have asked for a better Sunday with my family.

Speaking of family, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my wonderful Mother-In-Law! Hope you have a great day!

 



Goodbye Mimi!

Now that Derek is back home from training, Mimi is heading back home to KC. We had a great 2 weeks with her and Drew enjoyed all the stories, play times, walks, songs, books, rubs, etc, etc etc! He will miss your peeking around the corner every morning and all the one-on-one playtime during the day, but we'll see you on facetime and skype until we're back home in 2 months.

Thanks again for keeping us company!