Jan 26th-Grandma and Grandpas

Elijah is such a lucky boy to see his family so much. He has been playing with grandpa, scooby (doberman) and sam a bunch and loves signing "puppy" and making an "arf" sound. Grandma and Elijah have been reading lots of books and learning new words. What a lucky boy!!

Lazy Day Jan 24

Today we both slept in till 9am!! whoo hoo, it felt so nice! Thank you Elijah!!! Because he slept that long, nap time was verrrrrrryyyyyy hard. I think we spent mos of the afternoon reading books and trying to get tired.  We missed toddler time today because nap time happened so late. oh well! :) For the rest of the afternoon we have been working on signing. Watching baby signing time----above photo, and looking at picture books and signing. We haven't done to much today, but every once in awhile these kind of days are nice!

Jan 23-Hes standing!!

We started our morning with homemade whole wheat blueberry muffins for the both of us! I topped Elis with cut up strawberries and he loved it. Mine had peanut butter, bananas and strawberries. nummmm. I made an extra large batch to freeze so we can enjoy these throughout the next couple weeks. just throw 'em into the toaster!

Elijah is officially standing on his own! He can do a good 30 sec when he is distracted by something and doesn't realize what he is doing :). Hopefully walking is in the near future. I thought he was going to walk a few weeks ago because of how he would walk along things but hes taking his sweet time. I guess he is only 10 1/2 months :). It looks like he is leaning in this picture but there is a good couple inches between him and the drawer :)

Elijah has never taken a pacifier and I don't even know where these things keep popping up.....but Ill look at him and he will have one in his mouth. Poor kid doesn't know how they work haha!

I love PUPPIES!

I dropped the camera the other night and thought I broke it.....hence I broke my picture a day goal. whoops. Moving forward with as many pictures as we can get this year goal instead :).

This weekend we drove to Thompson to spend time with Grandma and Grandpa "NEMO". Let me explain the name. My mom has a little fish figurine that looks like nemo and everytime Eli sees it he makes a fish sound. Then he learned how to make a PUPPY sound. We had been working on signing "puppy" for awhile so this was a nice addition. THEN.....He learned to make a sssssssnake sound. So cute! It just amazes me everyday what he picks up on!

We spent the night with Grandma and Grandpa looking at the puppies outside. He just loves those dogs!

Family Fun

Saturday we spent the day/night in Fargo swimming and spending time with the family. Elijah went swimming and went down the slide at the waterpark. He had so much fun! Then we spent time in the suite coloring and playing with the cousins! Elijah is so lucky!!!

Out with the old......

We finished what we had started yesterday.....cleaning out Elis closet. All the baby stuff....all the sweet memories :) We put all his 12-18 month (tear, tear) clothes on hangers and folded on the shelves. This kid is so blessed he has enough clothes to last him until he is in 4T! He has a secret closet in his closet that we are clearing the stuff out of, packing away and putting in the basement so we can make it into a little hideaway for him. uff! A ton of work, but so well worth it when it was done late this morning!

In the process we found his newborn hat he got in the hospital, my how he has grown!

I left for 30 sec to go brush my teeth in the bathroom and this is what I came back to........

yup. Those are wet wipes. So we picked them up, toothbrush still in my mouth. Clean room, clean baby.....not too much can happen while I go rinse and spit right?..........

wrong.

I don't know how he does it, but he can turn a room upside down in 2.3 seconds!

So Folks....this has been our day so far. Clean.....make a mess....clean.....make a mess........

January 5th, 2012

Today has been quite the busy day! Elijah was in the kitchen this morning and managed to get into all the drawers and empty them as well as make his way into the laundry room and unravel the toilet paper. I actually enjoyed watching him move about like that! I like to see him explore his surroundings. I can clean a mess :) We cleaned out his closet and packed up all his old clothes and baby items....tear tear :( and moved them into the basement. Then we decided to make a fort in his room. Boy did he love that!

Then he made his way into the hallway from his fort and found yet another basket....and fell in!!!!

It has been such a nice day out today that we went for a two hour stroller ride after lunch. We have been working on napping after lunch but a train decided to interrupt that schedule today. We went to the park with sam and let him run around and I pushed Elijah on the swing. I love hearing him laugh every time he swings up :) These are such precious moments I want to capture them all! We received a camera for Christmas so I will be trying to achieve my goal of a picture a day for the rest of the year. It will be fun to look back next year and see what we did everyday!!

New Year!

Happy new year!!!! I have to admit, new years is one of my fav holidays. I actually dont like new years eve all that much, just Jan 1st. Why you ask? Well, I love putting all of our numbers together and looking back on the goals from last new year to see all that we accomplished. I have always loved goals, setting goals, achieving goals. working towards goals. There is just something very thrilling about the whole process. So this year, I am going to share what we will be working on the next year!!

Personal-
1. Read at least two books a month-This is my "me time" and I need to make sure I make time for it.

2. Try something new every week- whether it is a new recipe, a new trail, a new craft, project....whatever! It just has to be something we have never done before!

3. Mark off one of my projects a month off of the to-do list.-This includes, refinishing our kitchen table, night stands, finishing our bedroom, starting our garden..........

4. Take a photo a day for my Life Project-Elijahs book

5.  Read through the whole Bible

Relationships/Ministry

1. Make sure to call and write to friends and family more-To often we get to busy and put this last

2. Make date night a priority-once a month and it doesnt have to involve going anywhere or spending any money.

3. Make fellowship a priority- having more people over on a regular basis.

4. Continue to attend church, bible study, prayer groups, play groups ect...

5. Make time for at least once a month for Elijah to spend time my side of the family as well as Johns.

Is Christmas your Idol?

How many of us have Christmas traditions? Maybe a present we get for someone every year? Opening presents on Christmas eve/ Christmas day? What we eat? I could go on and on.

What is Christmas really? If you are a Christian or raised in the christian faith you could probably answer this. Its the day Jesus was born, right? BUT, if you really reflect on this and then look at your Christmas traditions....its very very convicting.

Whenever I read in the old testament about how the people would have idols and pray to them and bring them sacrifices I just think to myself how anyone could do that. Really? Worship a big golden cat?

I just get a kick out of Christian families who have BIG Christmas celebrations. Yes, we need to celebrate our Lords birth....it changed the world and our Salvation, BUT how are we celebrating? Did we really take Jesus's birthday and make it into a big golden cat? Did we really take the ONE who gave us eternal life's birthday and make it about US!? Really guys?

Ok, take a look at Jesus, how He lived his life, who He hung out with when He was on earth. He didn't only hang out with "Holy" people, he hung out with prostitutes, liers, thieves, tax collectors. He lived His life SERVING others. You do unto the least of them you do unto me.

So where in the world did we ever come up with the idea that God would like us to celebrate His Sons birthday by giving to OURSELVES. Let me repeat this verse again....."You do unto the least of them, you do unto ME". Guys, I am going to be blunt here......WE. ARE. NOT. THE. LEAST. OF. THEM.....Sorry....

I pray that this convicts you. If this doesn't, please watch the video at the top. This Christmas celebrate our salvation through Jesus by living and giving the way the Bible teaches. SERVE and WORSHIP fully this Christmas. Lets not be the ones who take CHRIST out of Christmas without even realizing it :)

Im back on the blog!

Ok...so I needed a break from the blogging world. A whole month I guess! :) BUT I AM BACK!!
So what have we been up to for the month of October you ask? The weather for October couldn't have been better around here so we have been enjoying being outside most afternoons! My little man loves playing with the leaves that have fallen from the trees, so after lunch we will go outside and just explore the back yard. Walks are still a big part of our day also, we just love getting out and enjoying nature at its finest!
November is here (I cant believe how fast this year has flown by) and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. I love Thanksgiving because it reminds me to remind myself each day of all the things I am so thankful for. I think it is very easy to focus on the negative and so hard to think about the positive. Each day for the month of November I am posting via Facebook one thing I am thankful for. It is so encouraging for me to do this because it reminds me how lucky I am to have what I have. Its so easy for me to "wish" I had more or better things but in reality I am soooo lucky, blessed and rich to have what I have! I encourage you to think about and write down what you are thankful for this month, it truly is rewarding!

Top Ten Things Ive learned in the last 7 months being a M.O.M

10. You respect my parents and love them in a new way......
9. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive, in fact they please you (Hooray for Poop!)
8. You realize that true joy does not come from material wealth.
7. You give parents with a screaming child an 'I-know-the-feeling' look instead of a 'Can't-they-shut-him-up?' one
6. Your dog, who used to be your "baby"....now just becomes your dog.
5.  You quit watching the news because you see everything from a mothers perspective, and it breaks your heart.
4. You loose touch with people in your life whom you should have banished years ago.
3. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.
2. Going to bed at 9 pm on a Friday night actually seems like a good idea!

And number one thing I have learned in the last 7 months of being a mom is:

1. Your babies pain feels 100,000,000,000,000,000,000 worse than your own pain.

Homeade Pumpkin Spice Latte

Fall is my favorite time of the year and with fall I eagerly await the pumpkin spice latte.  Elijah and I walk at least twice a day, and now that the weather is cooling off this latte is my perfect walking companion :). Making your own not only saves you money but also is a healthier alternative because you can easily change the fat and sugar content. Here is my recipe:

Pumpkin Spice Latte

2 cups milk
2 Tbs canned pumpkin
2 Tbs sugar
2 Tbs vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee

In saucepan combine milk, pumpkin and sugar until steaming. Remove from heat and add in vanilla and spice and transfer to blender until foamy. If you don't have a blender just whisk it really well) Pour into two large mugs and put the coffee over it. ENJOY!!!!!

We will never Forget

As I sit in my room watching this video, tears fill my eyes. Remembering that day, watching the real life horror movie unfold. Now that I am older and really realize what this day meant....well, it hurts. All those people lost, all those people left hurting, all those people who wake up everyday wishing to hold there loved ones again. How each day is precious and how we do not know if today will be our last.

Banana Cream Blizzard-Healthified Version!

Bananas are among the favorite food list of mine. Frozen bananas hit the top of it....I don't know what my infatuation with frozen fruit is, but I love it! I buy bananas in BULK. If you live in the Midwest and live near a Super One foods, this is by far the best place to buy bananas. At the end of the week, they have the overripe bananas for half price. If you get there and the over ripe bananas are no where to be found, then  I got there before you :). But anyhoo, overripe bananas are not only way cheaper but they rock to freeze! I cut up a bunch, place them on a cookie sheet and freeze over night. We use them for shakes, smoothies and many other recipes. Here is my favorite thing to do....enjoy!

1cup frozen bananas
1/4 c milk
-blend until it looks like ice cream

add in:
cut up frozen banana chunks
chocolate chips

finish with a big dollop of fat free whipped cream on top!

Homeade Rice Baby Cereal

I just started introducing rice cereal to Elijahs diet. He is still on a diet that consists of 100% breast milk most days, but a couple days a week we have given him this cereal. We wanted to wait until he was 6 months to start solids, but at around 5 months he wasn't sleeping due to teething. We gave him a couple ounces of cereal during this time and he seemed to tolerate it well. He is now one week short of 6 months and we decided we will try the cereal again in hopes of introducing some fruit and veggies when he hits the 6 month mark. I have never given him store bought, all ready prepared food yet. I am still looking up the pros and cons to making your own vs buying baby food. From what I have read so far, the baby food in the stores have come along way. They make single ingredient food with no preservatives and even organic fruits and veggies. Plus, they are way more convenient. I am a stay at home mom so I have a little more time to prepare our own, so I think we may do a combination.
Any hoo.....I thought I would share the recipe I have been using for the cereal. Super easy, cheap and healthy. All you need are whole grain brown rice, a food processor or blender and breast milk/formula.

Baby Rice Cereal

1/4 cup rice powder (I just blend a little bit at a time in my food processor until it becomes a powder)
1 cup water
a little bit of breast milk/formula

Boil the water and add the rice. Turn stove to a simmer, and cook stirring constantly for about 5-10 min until the cereal becomes the consistency you want. Make sure you let it cool and add the milk. Feed to your happy baby!

~this makes a lot of cereal, so I put the rest in ice cube trays (each cube is 1 ounce) and freeze. Once frozen, I put in a freezer bag. Super convenient!!!

This is what is on my heart today....

This is what is on my heart today....
Last night the hubby and I creeped into Elijahs room to check on him before bed. We love to go in there and just watch him sleep. There's just something about the innocence of a baby in general, but even more so when they sleep. He loves to sleep like a frog with his two feet together and his arms all the way out to the sides. Its so funny how traits carry on like that because I sleep with my arms out too :)
I wonder what he dreams about? To have absolutely no worries and your world is just so safe and perfect.....what do you dream about? You certainly wouldn't have nightmares? It makes me think about all the babies out there that do not have what Elijah has. They do not have a safe home with parents that would do anything for them. They do not get fed before they even get hungry. They do not live in safe neighborhoods or even safe houses. What do these babies dream about at night? It makes me sad, but also very very thankful.
Babies hurt everyday. People hurt everyday. Elijah has so much love from us and our families and friends. There are so many people that feel like they are not loved......please listen to this song. This is what is on my heart today.

I will Love you for you.....I will give you the love you never knew.

How I spend $30 a week on groceries.....

• Menu Plan-One day each week plan your week of meals. This doesn't need to be a strict plan that you need to follow to a "T" but rather a list of meals that you know you have the ingredients for and you can fall back on. Have a guide for breakfasts, lunch, and dinners. This way you are not scrambling at 6:00 trying to figure out what to eat, not having ingredients on hand and resorting to takeout or a last minute trip to the grocery store where you will more than likely pick up unneeded treats.
• Have a grocery list-NEVER, EVER, EVER go to the grocery store without a plan and a list. Take your menu plan that you created, go through your pantry, figure out what you have on hand and make a list. Stick to it.
• Shop sales and use coupons-When I make my menu I look through the sale fliers and see whats on sale. Just a quick look through and you can see what the deals are and plan your menu accordingly. Stacking sales with coupons saves you even more.
• Stock your pantry-Usually items are on sale every 6 weeks. The items you know you use a lot of frequently (peanut butter, butter, bread etc) stock up on when they hit there rock bottom price. Knowing when these deals are coming around helps you stock up on coupons for these items also. Stock up 6 weeks worth to get you through till the next sale.
• Make as many things from scratch as you can-Not only is eating "whole" non processed foods healthier for you, but it saves you a ton of money too! You pay for packaging, and convenience more than you do the actual food when you buy processed "junk". Processed food does not fill you up for very long, so you eat more, gain more weight, have more health problems and then pay more in medical bills! Its a vicious cycle. It kills me when people say they cant afford to eat healthy or organic. If you break down the cost of eating healthy (whole foods) vs processed foods, you would be surprised at how much more you are paying for packaging, unhealthy ingredients and advertising!

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Whole Wheat Spirals with Chicken, Cherry Tomatoes and Spinach

I started my first garden ever this year! We started off simple because of my lack of a green thumb with cherry tomatoes, tomatoes, red onions and green peppers. Elijah and I check it everyday after our walk to see if anything is ready to harvest. Our cherry tomatoes have been turning red, so we pick them anxiously everyday. I am getting a bunch now so I thought it was about time I look through my cookbook to see what I can make with them besides salad. I came across a recipe I LOVED when I was pregnant. It is soooo super healthy and from the What to eat while your expecting cookbook. Tonight, we will eat this wonderful meal with our fresh from the garden tomatoes and organic spinach I bought yesterday from Super One. mmmm mmm mmmm, I cant wait!

Whole Wheat Spirals with Chicken, Cherry Tomatoes and Spinach

1 Tbs Olive oil
1/2 skinless chicken breast
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 c cherry tomatoes (From my garden)
1 bag or 6 oz fresh spinach or frozen (thawed and drained)-99 cents on Saturdays at SuperOne!
2 tbs sliced fresh basil (from my herb garden)
1/2 cup mozzarella
1/4 cup Parmesan

• cook pasta
• heat olive oil in skillet over med-high heat, add chicken and cook 5-7 min, set aside
• add shallots and garlic (3 min) add tomatoes until softened (3 min). Return chicken to skillet. Add spinach and basil. Cover and cook until spinach wilts (1 min). set aside.
• Toss pasta with cheeses and spoon chicken sauce over it.

serves 2

Cinnamon Buns....the healthified version

Its Saturday morning.....the smell of freshly brewed coffee, the crisp autumn breeze through the window and the smell of cinnamon buns in the oven. This is my favorite way to spend the first day of the weekend and a memory that I want Elijah to have when he grows up. I love Saturdays because its the first day of the weekend and I get to spend quality time with my three favorite boys (my little boy, my husband and or coarse Sam the dog!)

Fall brings harvest, cool breezes, pumpkin patch and corn mazes! I love it!!! This is my favorite season because not many people get to experience it like we folks in the Midwest :) Its something that is unique to us.....sure everyone has fall, but we get to see the trees change color, the leaves fall, the farmers finish up there hard work, the pumpkins ripen and of coarse the wardrobe change. The cute boots and fall jackets come out :) These are all the things I missed living in the south. I loved every second of the beach and the sun, but every time fall would roll around I missed living in this beautiful area.

When you combine fall with Saturdays AND cinnamon buns you get by far the perfect day :)

Cinnamon Buns (Health-ified version)

2 TBS Active Dry Yeast
1 1/2 Cups Warm Water
2 Eggs, beaten
1/3 Cups Melted Butter
5-6 Cups Whole Wheat Hot Roll Mix

Make Dough in bread machine

Cinnamon Butter

5 TBS butter, melted
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar

Roll Dough 1" thick-Spread with cinnamon butter-roll tightly. Cut into 20 slices.
Bake 20 min @ 375

Topping

2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
4 Tbs Milk

Drizzle the buns when they come out of the over. Enjoy!!!

- I made my dough last night so the buns where easy to make in the morning :)