Living the Small Town Life

Somebody's Been Having Fun!

2012-01-31T11:17:00.007-05:00

... and is now wearing Easy-Ups!

That is one busy girl!

Total Heart Break....

2012-01-26T20:25:00.005-05:00

I am writing this to ask for your urgent prayers.

Some family friends of ours have been trying for
20 years to have or adopt a child.
They are in their late 30's or so.
All of this time there have been issues that I wouldn't
even know enough about to get into.
Some health things... and other odds and ends.

Finally, out of the blue, in November of this past year...
they got a call that a birth mother had chosen their profile
and wanted to meet with them.

They met with her a number of times -
and she asked them to be in the hospital for the delivery.

Things were looking good.

On January 19th, they got the call that the mom was headed to the hospital.
Wouldn't you know, the weather was wretched!
It was a 2 hour drive for them on a good day...
so it took even longer and they unfortunately didn't make it for the birth.

HOWEVER, it was a GIRL!
And a few days later, they were able to go home...
Mommy, Daddy and Daughter.

As you can imagine, everyone has been super ecstatic
and excited for this new little family!
We've been following Facebook updates and pictures....

Until yesterday....

When the birth mother (who by law in PA has 30 days to change her mind)...
...asked for her baby back.

Heartbroken.

Devastated.

Crushed.

Those words don't even begin to describe how this couple is feeling...
not to mention their friends and family.

I am just sick, thinking of them having to hand the baby over...
tomorrow...
Friday...
the 27th.

If you are a praying person - I ask that you pray for this situation.
God has a plan and, though we don't understand it, His Will Be Done.

As Cory and I have talked about the heartache - I told him that, to me, it's like holding your baby in your arms, knowing that it only has a couple of days to live... and not wanting to put her down... wanting to soak up every precious moment. And when I think of Eloise, I just can't even imagine what they are going through. That little girl may not be their biological daughter... but they love her with all of their hearts. On the flip side, I can't imagine being a birth mom - giving my baby away - so I can understand that the "real" mom wants her baby back. But how absolutely horrible for things to have gotten this far.

Please... send up a prayer for them.
It would mean so much!

Thank you.

A Minnie Mouse Party for El!

2012-01-23T16:42:00.016-05:00

Sunday, the 22nd was Eloise's Birthday Party!

Seeing as how she loves her Minnie Mouse the best,
I did what I could to make her Minnie Party special.
Not having a huge budget to work with, I am pleased with the results!
And I think everyone enjoyed themselves... Eloise especially!!

Though our house is small and most people had
to migrate to the living room to eat,
I still decorated the table!!

We had "picnic" type foods... burgers, dogs, mac salad,
deviled eggs... and well, you can see for yourself!

I made homemade cake (chocolate ears/bow and a yellow face)...
I also made Minnie Oreo cookies... which are hard to see
in the picture... but they were cute!

Eloise wore this adorable Minnie Skirt that I bought off of Etsy.
(Yes, I could have made my own... but I didn't have time!)
I DID make the Minnie Ears though!
Eloise liked them for a couple minutes... then that was that!!

Eloise opened lots of presents!

She LOVED this gift bag...
and was constantly putting things in it and
carrying it around like a purse!

(Yes, I know.. my face. Haha)

I think her favorite gift, by far... was her Baby!

And she pretty much instantly knew how to "feed" it!!

We sang "Happy Birthday"...

But Eloise didn't get to eat any of the cake!

I know, I know... Boooo Hissssss!
But we are trying as hard as we can to keep
her away from unnecessary sugary treats
and white flour.

So I made her a whole wheat maple syrup carrot cake.
Without any icing!

Her "smash" cake turned out to be more of a "neat" cake...
since Eloise didn't make much of a mess... at all!!

Can't complain about that!

Here is the banner I made!

And also the "Minnie Tree"!

It's hard to see the decorations... but I
made Minnie ornaments, decorated with ribbons
and as the party went on... it accumulated
birthday cards in the branches!

Eloise had fun running around...
there was lots of laughter and chatter from guests...
so I'd say that we had a
Minnie Party Success!!

For more pics... visit my sister's blog post!!

Happy 1st Birthday to our Sweetie!

2012-01-23T16:11:00.009-05:00

Today marks one whole year since our sweet girl was born.
It has been quite the adventure!

Never did I know you could love someone so much...
Never did I know that one little person could bring so much joy...
Never did I know that in all of the years of "dreaming" of having kids one day,
Eloise would be THAT kid...
I couldn't imagine it any other way!
She is beautiful, bright and amazing in every way!

We truly have been blessed!

Here is a snippet of our day!
Luckily, though swamped at work,
Cory was able to take the day off to spend with us.

Bananas were enjoyed for breakfast this morning!

Eloise is quite the little monkey these days!
If you ask her what a monkey says... she literally makes monkey sounds!
Thank you to daddy for teaching her that!

She also knows what a Sheep and Cow say!

Ok--and just to brag a little.. she can point out all sorts
of things in her books... like car, ball, duck, cat, sheep, dog, Bert...
just to name a few! And when I ask her if she needs her
diaper changed - she will run and get me one!
She also knows her Nose, Toes and Mouth!
And she LOVES to dance!

Eloise got Minnie Slippers for her birthday and she wears them proudly!

She has yet to learn how to carry her baby properly...
(Thanks to Grammie & Pop Pop for the baby doll!)
but she does know how to feed her!

After much play in the morning... Eloise was pooped!
And amazingly, she wanted me to rock her to sleep!
How could I say no to that!?

What a rare treat!

We played blocks for quite awhile...
and opened some presents!!

Ate some cake...

And played some more!!

I am so grateful for every wonderful moment...
because honestly, whether good or"bad"...
(Maybe frustrating is a better word to use)
each moment is one to treasure!

Happy 1st Birthday Eloise!
You were meant for AMAZING THINGS!
We love you!

Let's PLAY BALL!

2012-01-21T08:31:00.002-05:00

Just a short clip of Eloise playing with our dog, Boo.

This happens often... such silly girls! :)

CRANE GAME ADDICTS!!

2012-01-20T20:15:00.008-05:00

I have so much to do for Eloise's Birthday Party on Sunday... it isn't even funny! But most of it has to be done tomorrow because I have a few things left to get at the store... and, of course, I don't want to decorate until the last minute or else it'll just get messed up between the 3 of us and the animals. So... since I have a few minutes and I finally uploaded some pictures, I wanted to share these pictures from last weekend.

Because of crappy weather and also some previous commitments, I wasn't able to make it to see my family the past few weeks. My sister was just DYING to see Eloise... but better safe than sorry when it comes to the weather. So we Skyped a few times, which was fun!

Last weekend, though, Cory, Eloise and I were able to meet my parents halfway and use a gift card from Christmas to eat dinner. It was nice to see them, even if it was only for a short while. And Eloise was such a card! She was saying "Hi" to people and giggling... and she has started going "Ahhhh!" with her mouth wide open after she takes a drink. That girl is something!

Anyway... after dinner... as we were walking out... we could not resist the crane game machine!! I have always been an addict. It's the thrill of the catch! Once Cory started dating me, I soon turned him into an addict too. We would sometimes just drive around with a ton of quarters and hit up every machine we could think of. I know, I know... what a waste of money... but if you think about some other things people spend money on for fun (booze, drugs, etc.)... it really was worth it! And we had fun together - which was the most important thing! One time I even won a GIANT scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz! Cory got upset at that one... because he wasn't the one to win it for me. Haha! We still have stuffed animals that we've won over the years - Eloise plays with some of them, as does Boo. We even drove to Brooklyn to pick up a crane game machine that my parents won on Ebay for my dad's garage... remember this post from earlier this year? That was the machine.

Anywho!! Cory and I are a bit sentimental about things... so we promised each other that Eloise would have her very first crane game experience with BOTH of us. What a better time than last weekend when we were both there (and my parents)... AND I had my camera!?

Getting ready to push the button!
(Notice her finger!)

She got one!!!
(see Eloise in the reflection, watching it?)

Woo Hoo!
(Cory named him "Lucky")

Guess who is going to be just like Mommy and Daddy??
Guarantee it!
Hee hee!

You're Invited!!

2012-01-19T10:12:00.004-05:00

Ok, technically... you aren't invited unless you got one of
these little puppies in the mail a couple of weeks ago....

However, you ARE invited to join in the celebration re-cap next week!
I hope you'll join us!!

What a Trip!

2012-01-17T10:52:00.008-05:00

My husband is a planner. If we are going on a trip - even just a 2 hr. jaunt - he plans. Days, or sometimes weeks, in advance he has the route mapped out and potential restaurants and places to stop tucked away in the corner of his mind... and on a sheet of paper for my benefit. He checks the weather and considers traffic. I, on the other hand, am the type who gets in and goes! Hungry? We'll find somewhere to stop along the way. I admit, it's nice that he's a planner. My methods aren't always the most responsible and reliable... especially with a baby (almost TODDLER) in tow!

If you had read my last post, you would know that we had an appointment at Children's Hospital for Eloise on Friday. There's been concern about one of her soft spots closing too soon. As you can imagine, Cory has been planning since the appointment was confirmed. That mostly just consisted of checking the weather... and wouldn't you know, having had such a mild winter so far, the heavens were to open up and dump on our area the night before the appointment!! At the last minute we decided to book a hotel room near the hospital. It's a 2+ hour drive and we didn't want to risk losing our appointment if the roads were bad (or risk our lives!). Since the snow wasn't supposed to start until after midnight, we devised a plan:

Cory gets home from work.
Eat dinner.
Feed Eloise.
Play.
Bath Time.
Get El ready for bed.
Nurse.
Put her in the car seat.
Pack the car.
Drive 2+ hours to the hotel... while El slept.
Park.
Cory would check in while El and I waited in the car.
Cory would unload and get the pack & play set up in our room.
Cory would make sure everything was ready for us to just lay Eloise down to keep sleeping.
Cory would come get us and we would go to our room... and LIGHTS OUT!

Sounds like a good plan... right?
I thought so.

Then... we drive into the stifling city. I am a country girl. I live on the outskirts of town... but my town has only, like, 5 stop lights and 1 bus that runs during the day - and that's basically for the old folks who need a ride to the grocery store. When we drive close to the city, I get claustrophobic! And of course... there are lights... EVERYWHERE. Apparently headlights aren't sufficient. So guess who is awake as soon as we breech city limits? Luckily she wasn't fussy... but by that time it was after 10PM and Eloise is normally sleeping like a baby at that time!

We wind our way through the streets where people are standing (shaking from the cold) on street corners, waiting for the bus.

We pull into our hotel... where we notice that the parking lot is GATED. And a sign tells us that it's VALET ONLY. Crap. Our plan is starting to unravel - which actually started with Eloise waking up! Cory greets the valet guy and we start to unload the car... our bags, El's bag, the pack & play, my purse... and of course, Eloise. I, by the way, am in sweat pants with sweet peas spilled on the leg from Eloise's dinner earlier that evening... and I am also sporting my CLOGS. Not "croc" type clogs... but nice shoes that you'd wear with jeans or dress pants. And my hair was a mess from trying to sleep in the car and not being able to get comfy with my pony tail in the way!! Meanwhile, as we are standing at the counter checking in, there are fancy people passing us by. I thought we'd be staying at some half decent hotel... where I could quietly slip into my room unnoticed from the parking lot. I wasn't expecting to be standing in a lit-up lobby with people in suits and dress shoes!

Anyway - off we go to our room, which was on the 4th floor, luckily at the end of the hall - hauling all of our crap. Eloise is wide awake, though very tired. We didn't waste any time getting things unpacked... and then--not 2 minutes from walking in... the phone rang. WHAT!? Who would be calling us? Crap! So Cory answered the phone... only to find out that as we were trudging through the hotel... looking like misfits with our pea-stained sweatpants, book bags and messy hair (OK, that was mostly just me).... I had somehow dropped Eloise's hat on the floor. Or perhaps, she had tossed it on the floor (as she doesn't like wearing a hat indoors). Luckily a hotel employee brought it to us - so we didn't have to go out in public again!!

Fast Forward a few minutes ----> we get our crap together, and since Eloise is up, I decide to try to nurse her back to sleep. Oh dear goodness. The minute I try to lay her down... she freaks!! SPAZZ-CITY! So I hold her and try to rock her. There isn't a rocking chair... but I rock anyway. She doesn't cry anymore... but she won't sleep. Cory lays in bed... but of course, he can't sleep because Eloise and I aren't settled. I rock and walk and "shhhh" and sing. El won't sleep. I finally decide to lay her in bed with us (Hooray for a King Size!)... and yet again, she freaks. Oh my gosh. So I get up and hold her, swaying and bouncing. My arms start to cramp. The girl isn't that big... but 20+ lbs gets heavy after awhile! Finally, she starts drifting and I decide to take a chance to lay her down in the pack & play. BIG MISTAKE! She starts screaming! I can't really blame the girl. She has never slept anywhere (except at nap time) other than her own crib. Cory tells me to let her cry. So I get in bed. But I just can't stand the thought of her disturbing other people in other rooms. So I get her again... and commence the rocking and swaying. Finally, I take another chance, but this time I prop myself up in bed with 3 pillows and hold her. Hallelujah... she falls asleep! Except I am stuck in that position - afraid that she'll wake if I move!! I don't have any blankets on me except for my feet... and did I mention that we forgot to adjust the heat? I was cold! And to top it off... when the heat DID decide to kick on... it was a LOUD... CLICK! And then WHHHIIIIRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!! I just knew that it was going to wake Eloise up. But it didn't. Phew.

After awhile, I started to doze... and then Eloise would shift and move. I don't know how I did it, but I managed to get her into the bed between us without waking her. But then... both Cory and I could only sleep for a few minutes at a time because we were paranoid that we may roll onto her. How do people sleep with their babies in their beds? I will never understand that and am so thankful that we never started that habit!!! A little after 2AM, I couldn't hold it anymore. I HAD to go to the bathroom... I was afraid that El might roll off the bed... but she was far enough in the middle that I figured it was OK. So I got up. But since I didn't want to turn on a light - and wasn't too familiar with the room, I had to go grab my phone to use as a night light. Wouldn't you know... Eloise woke up. CRAP!! Seriously. CRAP. She was fussing... poor girl. Poor mama. I cuddled her back to sleep... and was finally able to lay her back on the bed so I could go to the bathroom. RELIEF, I tell you!

Off and on through the night... the heater would blast on and wake us up. If Eloise woke up, I would lay her on my chest until she fell asleep again. Of course, I had on a necklace... and she would lay RIGHT on the charm... and all I could think was that we were going to be taking her to Children's Hospital, and she is going to have this crazy mark on her head from my necklace! But luckily, she didn't lay on it long enough to make a dent. Phew, again!

Around 6 AM... we were all up. Cory got up and looked out the window to assess the snow situation. I'm not joking... there was only a dusting. YES... a dusting. We were a bit frustrated after our sleepless night... but, better safe than sorry. That's all we could tell ourselves at that point!!

Cory got showered while Eloise and I hung out.

Then I showered... and enjoyed a brief moment of peace.
Too bad I couldn't have napped in there!

(Yes, that is a nursing pad on the table... but don't worry, it was unused!)

Cory went to see about breakfast... we could go eat in the hotel for $10 a person!! Or he could walk over to Starbucks and grab a couple of muffins for $5. We chose the latter.

Our appointment was at 10AM... but since Eloise was all out of sorts, we just wanted to get outta there and get going! Cory called and they were able to see us at 9:30AM, so we got all packed up and headed out! Luckily we left early enough that we were able to make it through traffic. Sometimes when you live in the country, you forget how long it can take to get somewhere when you're driving in the city. So many cars and lights! YIKES! We made it to a great space in the parking garage... and had a few moments to kill, so Cory got in the back and read to El.

Meanwhile, we both have been stressed about the outcome of the appointment... and also topped with the lack of sleep... we were just exhausted!!

Anyway--we went into the hospital and found our area. The "Mouse" area... which was nice because Eloise LOVES her Minnie Mouse... and that's what they had decorating some of the spaces. We filled out paperwork and talked to the receptionist/clerk person. And, I just have to mention... when she was asking for Cory's Social Security Number... he practically shouted it! She had to quiet him in the middle of it... and she kind of chuckled. Cory's face was priceless as he realized what he'd almost done by saying the number out loud! Then a few minutes later, the lady asked for El's S.S. Number... and Cory started to say it out loud (and I mean LOUD) again! The lady shushed him and said, "Gimme that!" and took the paper Cory had it written down on! And she jokingly scolded him and told Eloise that daddy was trying to ruin her life before she even turned one! It might sound harsh - but she was really nice and was keeping the mood light. We needed it!

We went off to the waiting area... where they give you one of those round beeper type things that light up and buzz when your turn is called. We were only there for maybe 5-10 mins before it was our turn to go back. El got weighed and measured... then we went to another room and waited only a few minutes before we saw the doctor. That's service!!!

She asked us questions, looked over Eloise and measured her head. We asked her questions.. yadda yadda.... and finally, she looked at us and said, "I believe you have a perfectly healthy little girl."

**BIG... no... HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF!!**

Eloise does have a prominent ridge where the suture above her forehead is growing together. And we should keep our eye on it that it doesn't get any bigger.... but otherwise, she is just fine!!

We wanted to do the Happy Dance! And yes, perhaps we were a little overly-paranoid-first-time-parents. But we didn't want to even take a chance that anything might be wrong... and if that meant taking her to Children's just for them to tell us she is healthy... then so be it! We praise God that she is OK! And after being at the Hospital, we pray for those other children and babies we saw who were in the middle of their own medical issues.

After making our way back to the car and settling in, we drove the 2+ hours home... Eloise and I fell asleep... and though I could breathe easier after hearing the Good News... it wasn't until we pulled into our very own driveway that I felt like I could truly breathe again!

Thank you so much for your comments and emails of encouragement... and most of all for your prayers! They mean so much to us... and even though we may not know you personally, we are so appreciative for the support! If ever there is a prayer concern that you may have, please email me so that Cory and I can lift it up to our Heavenly Father! Every prayer counts. It really does.

Stinkin' Thinkin'

2012-01-12T11:25:00.004-05:00

I've had a lot on my mind and heart lately. I've lain awake in bed some nights writing out blog posts in my head... trying to come up with just exactly what I want to say and how I want to express myself. But nothing I ever come up with seems like it's really going to get my message across. And when I think about it, I really don't even know exactly what I want to put out there. In my mind, I have all sorts of things stirring.... but to write them out... I feel a little lost. Sometimes I just wish I could turn my brain off. Especially at night!

So, instead of sitting here and explaining why I can't explain what I want to explain - at least at this point.... I wanted to post pictures of the invitations I made for Eloise's Birthday Party. But, alas! I have switched to our new computer and those pics are on the old computer - which I am forbidden to touch until Cory gets home because it is on it's last legs! (He didn't forbid me, I forbid myself!)

So... all I have to say is... I can't believe my sweet baby is going to be ONE in a couple of weeks. Less than a couple of weeks.

It just doesn't seem possible. Yesterday she let me rock her for about 10 minutes... but being the busy-body that she is, she eventually wanted down to run around. I cherished those few moments though. They are few and far between these days.

I do have one request... Please keep our family in your prayers. Especially Eloise. Pending the coming snow storm tomorrow, we are taking her to Children's Hospital to see a Neurosurgeon. There is no cause for alarm - at least at this point - but there is concern that her Metopic Suture (soft spot above her forehead) may be closing too soon. That would mean that there wouldn't be room for her brain to grow and develop. Worst case scenario - surgery. Best case - we are just paranoid first time parents whose daughter has an irregular shaped head! (Actually it's just a slight bump--nothing drastic!) As you can imagine, we are a bit stressed... but I have faith that no matter what the outcome of tomorrow's appointment, Eloise is in God's hands 100%.

I will post an update as soon as we know anything.
And I'll also post pics of her Birthday Invites because they are too cute!
If I do say so myself!

This was our day...

2012-01-05T03:29:00.000-05:00

Books, Books and more Books!

Somewhere between the constant zipping around the living
room over the past few months and the love of her stuffed animals,
Eloise has come to love the wonders of Books.

I am honestly amazed that she sits long enough to read
through a whole story...
but she actually brings books TO us!

When she wants to keep reading and a book is finished,
she will shake her head back and forth (like NO NO)
and pat the book for us to read it again.

I have to admit... some books are just dreadful
to read OVER and OVER and OVER...
(That darn Grover's Animal Guessing Game!)

I have some memorized...
and others... we just skip around and make
up our own stories as she looks at the pictures!

And lately... her new fascination is kitty cats.

Or as Eloise likes to say...
"DAT!"

Yesterday, we read... and she looked...
and pointed... and then I read some more...
and some more!

It's a good thing I like to read!!
I have a feeling that books are going to
be in style at our house for a LONG while!

Oh hey, and check out my new slippers!

They are wool and keep my feet super-dee-duper warm!
Don't mind my scruffy jeans!
And... they're CUTE!

Have a great day!!

I need a little help....

2012-01-04T11:01:00.006-05:00

I have mentioned this before...
a LONG time ago...
so long ago that I don't remember when...
(but I know I've talked about it - even just briefly)

I do the booking for a venue in my hometown.
I used to volunteer there on the weekends, but since moving and having a baby,
Cory and I can't commit to being in there anymore.

I'm a little sad.

I have had fun over the years being a part of the ministry...
and OK... a little starry-eyed at some of the bands who've come through...
-GUILTY!-
AND of course, I've been frustrated many-a-time as well...
but I know that some chapters have to end so that others can begin.

So, our days of volunteering are over...
except when it comes to me handling the booking of the bands.
That's something I can do from my computer at home and
keeps me somewhat in the loop.

Ok--totally guilty again--but I was able to get my
all-time-favoritest-band back in 2009.

Sleeping at Last
((swoon!!))
Those are the perks of having an "in"!

Anyway!
Here's where I need your help!

We have a couple of great bands coming through in April.
A band called Fever Fever...
and another called Leaving September.

Over the past few years, attendance at our shows
have been sparse. I know when I was a teenager, we had
pretty good turn outs! (Which for us meant 50-100 ppl)
These days... we are sometimes lucky to get FIVE people!!

It's a bit humiliating... but more than that, it's
not really fair to the bands who are there trying to
spread their music, the love of Jesus... and also
make some moola by selling their merch.

That being said...
HOW CAN I GET MORE PEOPLE TO COME?!
There is a skeleton crew of volunteers.
No one gets paid to help out... and everyone has "real" jobs
to manage. So it's hard to get help.
Especially when it comes to handing out/hanging up posters.

Here's a sample flyer I've made for a previous show...
Not the BEST flyer--but I think it works.

We post on Facebook... website... and send fliers to churches
with big youth groups.

What else can we do?
I need some fresh ideas here... any thoughts?

What a Silly Kid!

2012-01-03T16:06:00.004-05:00

I couldn't resist posting this video of Eloise from last week.

She isn't allowed to be in the canned goods...
but she was being so funny "talking" to me...
that I had to let it slide for a bit while I filmed!

We are staying snug inside today.
It's been snowing off and on all day... but nothing too crazy!
It's cold out though!
BRR!

Christmas Blessings!

2011-12-30T14:48:00.015-05:00

It's almost been a week since Christmas.

I haven't had the time or energy to post.
Not that I've really been all that super busy.
Our house wasn't chock-full of gifts to find places for.
But I've been doing regular day-to-day stuff and playing with Eloise.
Blogging just hasn't been a priority.
I did figure I'd get on here and share a few photos from our celebration(s) though.
I believe we have somewhere around 450... yes...
FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY...
pictures between Christmas Eve and the 26th.
Wowsa!
I am not going to share THAT many... trust me!
But I'm sure you know what I mean when I say that you can never get those moments back.
Of course, you can never get ANY moment back...
but we wanted to capture as much of Eloise's first Christmas experience as possible.
She seemed to have a good time - though she really didn't know what was going on!

Christmas Eve was spent with my side of the family... eating a yummy brunch and then opening a few presents!

Later on that evening, we were able to visit with some friends who have a 3.5 month old little boy. Eloise wasn't all over him - which I was thankful for. She just tottered around and played, stopping now and then to point at the baby and talk some gibberish!

That is one big boy! He only weighs 4 lbs less than Eloise...
and is only about an inch shorter.
Do you remember that I just said he is
THREE AND A HALF MONTHS OLD!?

(Cory claims that if that kid doesn't go to the NBA or NFL...
his friend has failed as a parent!
Ok... he's just teasing... but seriously. Huge Kid.)

Christmas morning was spent at home.

It's so hard to get a good picture of "the kids"!

(That's the stocking I made Eloise!)

Cory's parents came to celebrate with us!
I think they enjoyed watching Eloise and Boo open their presents and play!

After 2 hours, Eloise was tuckered out.
We didn't end up making it to church because she needed to eat, sleep and get dressed.
They made our church service earlier than normal... so things got all out of whack!

Later in the evening, we went to Cory's parents house and had Christmas dinner!

And when we finally made it home... Eloise was zonked!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, celebrating the birth of our Savior!!

Oh Baby! 11 Months!

2011-12-23T11:16:00.010-05:00

Eloise is napping...

And though there are dishes to do, floors to sweep and laundry
that should be thrown into the washer....
I wanted to sit and post about our beautiful, sweet little girl!
Of course, that's what most of my posts are about anyway...
but as you can tell by the title:

Eloise is 11 months old today!!

I'm happy that she is growing and changing...
but sad that she isn't that little baby anymore!

Since she has been walking (taking her first steps in Oct!)
We have watched her become more and more independent...
more and more like a... toddler!

(This is her playing with a toy vacuum that our neighbors gave
her for Christmas... it's so cool.. I want to play with it! HA!)

If you've read any of my other "monthly" baby posts...
you would know that she's been walking for a couple of months...
She also says "Boo Boo" (our dog), "Mama", "Dah" (dad), "Bah" (balloon)...
and she also waves and says "HI" and "ByeBye".

We have this Santa by our Christmas tree...

Eloise will run to him and say "Hiiiii..." and then pat his beard.
You can imagine the surprise the one night when we asked her where
Santa was... and she ran to him, saying "San-tuh... San-tuh".
Cory and I looked at each other, probably with the most ridiculous
faces ever, because we were just flabbergasted!
Haha!

Anyway.

This girl loves to play with cars and things that roll!
She likes this alligator toy because it squeaks as it goes.

She also loves to play "chase" around our chair in the living room.
We could spend hours (and probably do!) running around the chair...
and she's smart... she will know when we are coming around and
she will turn and come "catch" us!

I have to admit, it makes me laugh hysterically when I can actually
startle her. So often she can anticipate us peeking around the chair...
but there are those rare moments when she jumps because we've
surprised her... and it cracks me up to no end!!

She still loves balloons...

It's adorable to watch her walk around with a balloon trailing her!

She still nurses... and she LOVES her cereal... but she's
not too keen on baby food. We still try to give it to her... and
we succeed after a bit of a fight... but she wants
to eat what we're eating. We do give her some, but
try to limit - especially since she can't have
dairy products yet.

Bath time is always enjoyable...
she loves the water!

She likes to break out and dance at
random moments. Even if it's when I'm singing...
(horribly, I might add)

She will break out in giggles for no reason.
Yesterday at the store, she started giggling when I was trying
to check out. The cashier laughed and said she wished
Eloise could stay with her all day and keep her spirits up!

We constantly get compliments on how well she is
behaved... but I know there will come a day that she'll
have a public tantrum. Oh, I do not look forward to that!!

Books are a must - which is why Santa is bringing
her, like, 10 for Christmas! Though she is very mobile,
she still likes to sit and read her Sesame Street books.
We have read them so many times... I don't even need to
look at the words!!

I could go on and on...

She is one fun, sweet girl!
Next month... I will probably gush even more!
But I don't even want to think about it just yet...
One day at a time!!

Christmas Blessings to you all!

I Love This!

2011-12-22T14:48:00.001-05:00

Snug and Warm!

2011-12-20T09:40:00.003-05:00

Instead of smiling for the camera, Eloise likes to pose with her "squinchy" face.
Such a silly little gal!

We are enjoying being snug and warm inside today, while it lightly snows outside!
(Though it's calling for rain later on)

We have a few more gifts to wrap and then I'll have to clean house
for Christmas guests! Other than that... I'm enjoying every
moment of life that is passing me by... Time sure does fly!

Christmas Blessings!

Christmas Card Time!

2011-12-14T14:25:00.010-05:00

Well, since I changed my blog around...
and used my Christmas Card pics in the header...
I figured I'd share them in a post too!

This year I had no time to make my own cards.
You can see my previous block print cards here and here.
I love making my cards. I don't know... there is just
something about giving & getting a card that wasn't just
picked up off of the store shelf - or taken out of a box.
Ya know?

Well...
Obviously with Eloise running all over the place...
I didn't trust myself to pull out the block printing supplies.

I bought a few boxes of cards... and started addressing the envelopes.
*SIGH*

But then, one night while we were trying to get a nice
picture of El in front of the tree to send WITH the cards...

This picture happened:

How could we not use that, right?

So we got online to Vista Print (who has some good deals)
and ordered our cards!

We included our own message:

"Eloise could hardly contain her excitement to wish you a Merry Christmas!"

AND...

Vista Print included a small black and white photo above the message...
FOR FREE.

So, instead of people seeing this hilariously silly picture
of our daughter and thinking she was a total goob...
we included this picture as well:

We were really happy with the price and the quality!
(They were like real cards - not photo paper)
And the shipping was timely as well!

To top it off, since I bought from them... Vista Print gave me some
discounts and I was able to order FREE return address labels
(Ok, so it was like $3 in shipping... but I saved like $8!).

This was the picture we chose to use for the labels:

They'll make a great gift for the in laws!

Hope you've sent your cards!
Christmas will be here before we know it!

**NOTE: I was not asked to review anything from Vista Print...
I just am a happy customer and wanted to share!!**

Snowman Mallow Pops!

2011-12-13T16:41:00.005-05:00

Seriously. How cute are these?

My mom and I are hosting a Christmas party for the ladies of my former employer. We have been doing it for the past 5 years or so... and every year we try to make some kind of goody for the ladies to take home with them. My mom came up with the idea of marshmallow snowman lollipops. Not sure if she saw the idea somewhere... or if it just popped into her head, but I thought I'd give it a whirl.

I had no directions...

I just took some giant roasting marshmallows
(you can do it with regular ones too)...

skewers...

white melting chocolate
(white choc chips work... but tend to seize up pretty quickly)...

decorations!

After covering the marshmallows in the chocolate, I placed them on wax paper-lined cookie sheets, decorated and then put them in the fridge for about half an hour to set up.

My mom sent over some nifty shrink wrap (totally LOVE!)... so while they were chilled,
I used my blow dryer to shrink wrap them and then tied a little bow!

Great for parties and they would make adorable gifts!
And the best part - they were super easy to make while Eloise napped!

A Little VW Birthday Love!

2011-12-08T09:05:00.005-05:00

I'm late on posting this... but better late than never, or so I hear!

Saturday was my nephew's birthday...
he is a volkswagen lover, like myself...
and I like to think he gets that from me!
But I could be wrong!

Anyway... We couldn't be there on his actual birthday...
so I made cupcakes to take out the day before.
The icing looked pretty good - but eventually it all soaked
into the moist cupcake!

Cupcake Fail.
But they were delicious!

Here they were before they turned into a disaster!

Still not perfect... but cute anyway!

In my efforts to keep the VW love alive...
I found some vw birthday presents!

A vw bus pendant...
some vw pins...

and since anything that is authentic VW is super expensive,
I made my own vw t-shirts for him!

Fun, fun, fun!!

Happy (belated) Birthday Jax!!!

Another year older... another year closer to driving your own VW...
hehe!

Decorating the Tree!

2011-12-03T11:36:00.009-05:00

The Sunday after Thanksgiving, we decided to decorate our
Christmas Tree!

Growing up, we always had a real tree. I remember being poked and pricked as we decorated those trees, crouching under them to give them water, spilling it everywhere!... and oh, the sweeping of the needles!!
As much as I probably complained then,
I wish we could have a real tree now.

But, alas, we use a pencil tree that is in our living room all year anyway.
(Though it only has Christmas ornaments on it at Christmas time!)
It's just easier.

Maybe someday I'll get my real tree again, but until then, I'm ok with what we have!

We decided to let Eloise put the first ornament on!

I have a plethora of crazy Christmas ornaments!
Mrs. Potato Head seemed to be appropriate for Eloise!

Of course... she would rather have shoved
Mrs. Potato Head into her mouth...
so the decorating was short-lived.

Cory kept Eloise entertained while I put the rest of the ornaments up!

Now, the challenge is keeping Eloise away from the ornaments and presents!

(She already opened one.. haha!)

I can't wait to show you our Christmas cards!
Hilarious!
But that will have to wait.......

...

2011-11-29T09:37:00.005-05:00

I can't think of a title for this post... because, well... I just can't.
So - sue me!

I just wanted to share a few pictures of the cookies I made for a baby shower this past weekend. They didn't turn out quite how I wanted. But when I have a 10 month old who is my main priority... and an icing thing-a-ma-jig that BROKE while I was using it. I did the best I could!

The theme was sea turtles. What a hard theme to come up with decorations for! Luckily, the mother-in-law took care of the little things... I made the cookies and some tissue paper poms to put on top of a mini diaper cakes.

(I had nothing to do with the rest of the decorations... hence the turtle erasers. lol!)

This picture doesn't do the cookies justice!

I am no photographer - unfortunately... so this looks more like a mess than anything. But it really did look nice sitting on the cake table! And the cookies were delicious, if I do say so myself!

Eloise had a good time... and was, thankfully, very well behaved!
Although she normally is anyway!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Double Digits!

2011-11-23T12:10:00.008-05:00

Eloise is 10 months old today!

I can't believe we've come this far!

She is definitely a Daddy's Girl!
She happily wore his hat this morning before he
left for work! I can't keep HER hat on her head,
but she'll wear his BILLS hat, of all things!

She is quite the little ham!
She likes to make a squinchy face (above) while she
is eating. I haven't quite figured out why... except
she must know she's being cute!

My sister taught her to wave and say HI.
She also waves and says BYE BYE.

Yesterday, at a restaurant, I heard her saying "Hi".
It's not just a simple "HI."...
it's a drawn out "Hiiiiii..."

I turned to see her waving to a young guy
across the room at another table.
He and his tablemates were grinning
from ear to ear.

I do believe Eloise was flirting!
haha!

We have a bit of a picky eater.
Eloise likes weird stuff like squash...
but she isn't a fan of green beans or normal things.

She LOVES to eat with her hands though,
I think that's the key!

She is not just walking... she is RUNNING!

We have to watch her 24/7!
I can't tell you how many times she
has run into something or tripped over her
own feet only to bonk her head off of
the floor. It makes my
head spin!

But it's a lot of fun!
When Cory is home in the evenings,
we sit on the floor and he pretends to
chase her... and she runs, giggling, into
my arms.

Those are memories I'll keep forever!!

The funny thing.. is that we didn't encourage
her or work with her to walk. She took a couple
of steps in mid-October... and from then on,
she was determined to make it happen.
I'm a little sad, she is more toddler than baby!
But I am enjoying her stages... even if they are
happening sooner than I expected!

Her favorite toys are stuffed animals... she has
George and Gerry, Coby and Foo-Foo (bunny)
constantly in her arms.
Makes for a soft landing when she falls!!

She also loves to dance, "read", chatter and give High 5's!

Life is a blast... even if it is exhausting!

Happy 10 Months ELOISE!
We love you!

...More Please?

2011-11-15T15:03:00.010-05:00

I found this scrumptious banana bread recipe
from the Heavenly Homemaker site.
Let me tell you... I never knew that banana bread
made with no white flour or sugar could taste so good!
I am constantly going to that site to find great recipes!
If you haven't... you should check it out!

Cory was enjoying himself a piece of banana bread the other day...
and to my surprise, he shared a little with Eloise!

"More Please?"

... and again...

2011-11-11T08:16:00.013-05:00

Well, it's been a week since I last posted.... AGAIN.

If I'm being honest, in the back of my mind, I do feel a little guilty... but then I do a mini reality check and realize that blogging is not really in my top 10 of important things to do.
Maybe not even my top 100.
And really?... life will go on without it!

But then there is that part of me, guilty feelings or not,
that does want to keep up with it when I can.

So here I am...

...to tell you that I have been swamped!
Surprise, right?

I have a walking 9 month old little girl.
Up until yesterday, I was getting a little lightheaded holding
my breath all of the time! Ok, maybe not quite lightheaded...
but I can't tell you how many times I sucked in a breath as Eloise toddled
past the coffee table. I just had visions of trips to the
ER and little tears streaming down a sweet little face.
Luckily, that never happened and I
finally cleared the coffee table off and removed it from the living room for now.
Just until El is a little more stable!

It's also been quite the treat trying to get that girl to eat
anything but mama milk and cereal!

We've had some success with bananas...
but I sure wish it wasn't such a struggle to get her to eat some baby food!!

Along with regular household things (dishes, laundry, cooking, etc)...
I have been asked to help with a last minute baby shower.

I'm talking about... the shower is on November 26th and
we just got the invitations out on Monday!
My friend has just been so swamped with work that
she kept thinking she had plenty of time... and well,
time got away from her!
It was a hustle and bustle for me on Sunday to
run to a store and try to find invitations... only to
come up with something plain jane.
I added the embossed baby footprints and
tried to hand-address the envelopes nicely...
but it is what it is! At least they got out
in the mail!!

And I'm also helping with decorations!

This is only a little of what I'm working on!
I am also going to be making lollipop cookies...
a diaper cake... and other stuff that
is just too much to blog about.

I'll post pics after the shower!

If I'm not working on baby shower stuff when Eloise
is napping... (or household chores)...
I've been reading.

Highly, highly, highly recommend these books!!

Also... on my plate...

A project.

As well as the many other things I have to work on...

Finishing the baby shower stuff (finishing decorations and helping to pull it all off!)...

My nephews birthday presents (a little project I need to finish up)...

Christmas cards! (It's that time of year again!)...

Work (church secretary stuff)...

Christmas party that my mom and I are
throwing for the place I used to work.
We have handled it for the past 4 years... this will
be year #5 (hard to believe).
So that is all getting planned and in the back
of my mind!

... and I have a couple of letters to write...
which will probably go on the back burner!!
Sorry gals!

So, I shall post again when I can!
Hopefully sooner rather than later!

Oh.. and I meant to post about this back in October...
Someone I know gave me some extra fabric...
so I made Eloise a car seat blanky.

It's been washed a few times, if you can't tell!
But it is the perfect little blanky to cover her in the car seat
without having a ton of blanket hanging over the edges
and dragging against the floor or what-have-you!

Ok--I'm off! I do hope that you will continue to
pop in now and then to see what I've been up to!!

Oops!

2011-11-04T07:57:00.004-04:00

I kind of forgot about posting this week!

OOPS!

Oh well!

Here's our little walker!!
The toys kind of tripped her up...
but she is doing well in obstacle-free spaces!
She's pretty fast too!
(Don't worry.. it's only a 6 second video!)

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Happy Halloween!!

2011-10-31T11:19:00.009-04:00

Getting ready!

Here is our little "Boo Puppy"!!

I am happy with the way the costume turned out!
And Eloise seems happy to wear it!
Halloween Success!!

The Reveal...

2011-10-29T09:06:00.006-04:00

Well, if you read my last post... you'd know that I was nervous to get my hair cut yesterday. I have always had long hair. Even when I got it cut a couple of years ago, it was still past my shoulders. I just have always had it that way. In my late teens/early 20's (yes, I'm over 25--eek!), I never wanted to cut it because I wanted it to be long for my *someday* wedding. But now that that's over with and I'm a mom chasing around a very active 9 month old... I figured it was time for a change. So... without further ado... I give you the:

BEFORE

Long... kind of scraggly - unless I did something with it.
Which, in that picture I had done nothing after showering
but comb it with a big-tooth comb (no hair product).

AFTER

Taa-daa!!

Much shorter! And a little wet still... but no
hair product here either! I love it!

Sometimes I find myself missing my long hair...
just because I could do a lot with it (if I wanted to put
time into it)... but I am glad I took the plunge...
and who knows, maybe one day I'll go even a little
shorter!

Cory even likes it! :)

Happy Saturday!! (It's snowing here!)

Nerrrrrrvous!

2011-10-28T07:38:00.001-04:00

I'm getting my hair cut today.
I have never had my hair anything but long....
and well, I am going to go above the shoulders!
Wish me luck!

I'll post pictures later (after I've cried my last tear! haha).

Guest Post: An Essay of Sorts!

2011-10-25T20:56:00.010-04:00

If you've read my blog for any length of time, you would know that my

father-in-law recently suffered from Esophageal Cancer. He was treated
with chemo and underwent surgery this past summer. The tumor was
gone when the doctors went in (hallelujah!!), however, they opted to remove parts of his esophagus and stomach anyway just to be on the safe side. He also just started his "precautionary" chemo this past week... so this cancer stuff is still pretty close to our family. I know that there are many many people and families suffering from this horrible disease and today I am opening up my blog for a guest post to encourage those who have cancer and for those of you who know someone who does, to take some steps to help make a difference in their lives by being an encouragement to them!

Please read on!

Fitness - A Beneficial Part of a Cancer Fighting Arsenal

By: David Haas

Cancer - six dreadful letters that should never be part of anyone’s personal vocabulary. It is a devastating disease and affects the afflicted as well as their families. However, being diagnosed with cancer is not an automatic death sentence and more people are able to incorporate positive habits and lifestyles that help to improve their quality of life and health. Exercise is often recommended as a means to cancer prevention, however, in recent years, experts have discovered that fitness can benefit those already afflicted with the illness. There are five key benefits in which exercise can help you to fight back against cancer.

The first is an increase in energy. Exercise improves strength and helps to deliver oxygen and key nutrients to your system so that it can run more efficiently.

The second benefit is a boost in mood. Exercise helps to release endorphins, such as serotonin – known as the “feel good” hormone. When released, these neurotransmitters flood your body and help to fight depression and to stabilize mood. This is particularly helpful when patients are feeling down and are depressed about their diagnosis.

The third advantage of exercise during cancer treatment is an increase in strength. Resistance training, such as light weight lifting or Pilates, help to strengthen muscles, while cardiovascular training helps to build endurance. Even lighter exercises, such as yoga, can encourage increased flexibility and help to elongate muscles.

The fourth benefit of exercise is relaxation. Meditation, a mental relaxation and spiritual “exercise”, promotes feelings of peace, relaxation and reduced stress beneficial for all cancer patients. Meditation also promotes deep breathing, which can greatly benefit mesothelioma and lung cancer patients, in particular.

And the last and perhaps most important benefit of exercise, is that it reduces the chances of the cancer returning. Several studies have shown that increased physical activity reduces cancer recurrence and increases long-term survival rates according to Dr. Michelle Holmes, an associate physician at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr Holmes concluded that breast cancer survivors who walked 5-8 hours per week reduced their mortality rate by 44%.

Although exercise is not a guaranteed cure for cancer, its numerous benefits can definitely improve the quality of life of many cancer patients, whether they have been newly diagnosed, are currently undergoing treatment or are in remission.

I hope that this post has given you some encouragement today! Thank you for taking the time to read it! I know that it helped me realize how important health and fitness are in the recovery process that my father-in-law is going through! Hopefully my family can encourage him to keep a healthy diet and moderate exercise regimen!

Have a great day!!

9 Sweet Months

2011-10-23T20:13:00.010-04:00

Today marks a milestone...

9 months of having our beautiful baby in our arms.

Well... the last few months have been a little less snuggly...
but we're grateful for what we get!

Have I mentioned that Eloise has been taking steps?
Yeah, that started on October 15th!
Can you believe it? We hardly can!

Eloise has this habit of looking surprised... a lot.
Her eyebrows go up, her head tilts back... and you'd think
she was missing the bifocals on the end of her nose!
She looks like she's peering through some!
I absolutely love it!

She is a bundle full of wonderful!

She loves swinging...

She loves balloons...
(which our neighbors constantly supply us with!)

Her favorite toy is her stuffed Minnie Mouse...
She says "BAH" for Balloon...
"DAH" for Dad...
"BOH" for Boo...
and she randomly says "Mama"...
but I don't think she associates it with me quite yet!

We have recently realized that her love of books wins her over quite easily!
If she is crawling away in a direction she shouldn't be going (like out
to the kitchen or something)... we just start reading a book and she stops,
turns around and scurries back!
JACKPOT!!

Each day is an adventure... that's for sure!
But we are savoring every moment!!

HAPPY 9 MONTHS EL!

We love you!!

Swing Baby Swing!

2011-10-22T05:23:00.001-04:00

Perhaps we have procrastinated a little bit with getting Eloise into her swing. I know, I know... we are depriving the girl... but seriously, I don't like to do Eloise's "firsts" without Cory (if I can help it)... and he has been so SWAMPED with work. The swing just hasn't been a priority. But, now that it's almost about to snow (no, seriously... they are calling for flurries overnight)... we figured we would take advantage of the last few decent days and let Eloise give the swing a try!

She loved it.

... and she loved watching cars drive by!

Yes, we will be investing in a swing set in the next year or so!!

Also... just a semi-quick note. My grandma (with alzheimers) suffered a seizure earlier this week. We weren't sure if she was going to make it. BUT... she did. And it's almost like it sparked something in her brain. She is now alert and awake. She is talking a bit and recognizing people. I know that a lot of times they say that once an alzheimer's patient starts recognizing people, it's the beginning of the end... but you know, I'm OK with that. I think the rest of the family is too. She just needs to go to be with Jesus!!

Anyway, all of that to say that Eloise and I visited her on Thursday. Every time I post about it, I debate whether or not I should be sharing pictures of my grandmother in this sad state of living. However, yesterday was such a blessing to me... that I want to post the picture so that I can remember.

Eloise was extremely chattery. I held her up to my grandma, whose eyes were wide open... and Eloise kept trying to touch her and was squealing. I watched as my grandma locked eyes on her and when Eloise squealed, my grandma went "Ooooh".... like she was mimicking El's noises back to her. It brought tears to my eyes to know that grandma acknowledged Eloise and was aware of her presence (and responded)!

I pray that my grandma meets Jesus soon...
and I am so grateful for her life and what she has meant to so many people!

*****
PLEASE
Go to my sidebar and vote for my ugly floor!!
You can vote once a day!
THANKS

Vote for ME!

2011-10-21T08:43:00.003-04:00

Ok... so I entered this contest for Central PA's Ugliest Floor (Thanks Shelby!). I have to admit, after looking through some of the other entries... I absolutely am glad that I have the floor that I have... and not some of the other scary floors out there! BUT, I am still going to post the link and beg you to vote for me anyway!! The prize is $1000 in free flooring... and I would love to get this 70's linoleum out of my kitchen and dining room!! So, if you would.. please vote for me... or go look at the other entries and vote for one of those! (Seriously, most of the other people need it more than I do!) You can vote once a day!

Thanks!!!

Pumpkin Carving

2011-10-19T02:22:00.000-04:00

Due to the hectic schedule from now until... forever... we decided that Sunday evening was the most opportune time to carve Eloise's pumpkin! She got her pumpkin straight from Grammie's pumpkin patch, which makes it even more special!

Since, of course, Eloise wouldn't be doing any of the carving...
she sat and watched... and mostly played!

Cory and I decided on what to carve...
but I got the honors of doing most of the detail work!

And... Eloise played some more!

The finished product... Minnie Mouse and a Balloon!
Eloise's two favorite things... next to daddy and Boo, of course!

Finally we can get Eloise near the pumpkin without her bursting into tears!!

Pumpkin Photo Shoot: Fail

2011-10-18T00:09:00.000-04:00

Once again... we attempted to get a nice little fall photo shoot with Eloise. Just a few simple pictures with her pumpkin and some fall leaves.

I don't know what it is... but that girl does not care for pumpkins!!

The leaf was a little more enticing...

But that didn't last long...

After she got REALLY mad...

We decided to try to get some pictures while Cory held her...

That seemed to work out better!

And here is one with Pappy, who is starting his next round of (precautionary) chemo on Wednesday!

I hope you're all having wonderful Autumn weather, like we are!!

The Tale of the Missing Shooper

2011-10-17T11:34:00.003-04:00

One day... a beautiful little girl named Eloise was getting ready to go to the store with her mommy and daddy.

"We'd better put on your shoes!" said Mommy, "It's getting cold outside!"

Mommy buckled Eloise into her car seat and slipped on the adorable little pink corduroy Shooper Shoes that her Aunt Katy had given to her. It was the first time she had worn them out of the house and mommy and daddy fussed over how wonderful they looked!

Off to Walmart the family went. Eloise knew mommy would rather shop at the local grocery store... but she also knew that daddy watched the budget and Walmart was the cheaper option. They all let out a collective *sigh* as they pulled into the busy parking lot.

Through the blustery Autumn wind they went, into the store!

Mommy got out the list and directed daddy to the aisles they needed to go through. Eloise watched all of the people as they passed by. She was very excited when she saw balloons tied to some of the shelves. Balloons are one of her most favorite things!

Around the store they went. Eloise was a little bored, so she started trying to kick her blanket off. Mommy didn't like that! So Eloise only did it when mommy wasn't looking!

As the grocery cart filled and the list was ticked off one by one... Eloise's family found themselves at the cheese section. Mommy and daddy LOVE cheese! Maybe that's why they are so cheesey!

Eloise decided to kick at her blanket again... but mommy caught her in the act!

"No, no!" said Mommy, "You're kicking off your adorable pink corduroy Shooper!"

Eloise smiled. She didn't know what mommy was talking about... but smiling at mommy always makes her happy... so Eloise smiled a big toothy grin! And mommy put the Shooper back on Eloise's foot.

Down the aisle they went, past the meat section and over to the produce. Daddy gave mommy the cart while he rushed away to pick up a forgotten item. Mommy picked up some vegetables and was heading over to the fruit when all of a sudden she exclaimed to Eloise, "OH NO! We lost your Shooper!"

Mommy wheeled the cart around to retrace their steps. Surely the Shooper would be somewhere nearby! Dodging other carts and leaning down to look close to the floor, Mommy began to panic! Daddy came by and heard the news. He raced away. They all looked as hard as they could for the missing Shooper. It couldn't have gone far!!

After spending at least 15 minutes searching... and a trip to the Lost & Found... mommy and daddy gave up. They had to get their groceries home and into the refrigerator.

Eloise knew mommy and daddy were sad... so she just kept smiling. Despite her smiles, mommy and daddy still frowned.

When they got home, mommy called Aunt Katy to give her the bad news. "We lost a Shooper!" she said.

Surprisingly, Aunt Katy took it very well! "It's just a shoe. It's Ok!"

But mommy was still very very sad. So was daddy.

The next day... mommy went back to Walmart to see if the Shooper was turned in overnight. But it never showed up.

Later on she got a call from Aunt Katy.

"I contacted the lady over at Mom's Blankies to see if she could make Eloise another Shooper to replace the lost one. But instead of making one... she is going to make her another pair... and send them FOR FREE!"

Mommy jumped for joy! Eloise giggled!

And everyone lived Happily Ever After... awaiting the new Shoopers!

Afterword: Please check out Mom's Blankies on Etsy! What a super nice woman to send out a free pair of shoes for Eloise... and she has some really awesome stuff!!

In My Spare Time....

2011-10-07T14:29:00.016-04:00

Most of you are probably in the same boat (especially if you have kiddos)... with all of the hustle and bustle of life... there isn't a whole lot of time to spare for "fluff stuff". By fluff I mean... things to do for *yourself*. Life is consumed by work, kids, dishes, laundry, vacuuming... you get the idea. I know that I mainly only have time for "fluff" when Eloise is down for a nap... and that's AFTER (ok, sometimes "instead of") housework! Often times I take a few moments to sit on the computer (like NOW) or work on a letter to a friend. But now that Halloween is right around the corner, I am trying to focus my attention on getting Eloise's costume together.

I'm not going to tell you what it is. Not because I want to wait for the big Halloween Reveal... but because I'm afraid it's not going to work and I'll have to go to PLAN B (which is yet to be determined!)! Haha! We aren't huge into Halloween, but I know that I always enjoyed dressing up as a kid and I want Eloise to have the opportunity to as well. We definitely don't do the scary, evil Halloween stuff though! (I hope you'll come back closer to Halloween to see El's costume--even if it ends up not being the above project!)

The other evening, a friend dropped by and told me that a neighbor up the road was setting up a yard sale and that I should come check it out. I like myself a good yard sale... but I always feel weird going to them... and especially when it's not officially open. But I guess the lady knew my friend and told her to send me up to check it out and get first dibs on some craft stuff she had. So Eloise and I took a walk up there... and let me tell you... this lady didn't just have some craft stuff.. she had THE MOTHER LOAD! I am talking bins and bins of it! You know, like those big rubbermaid containers! There was fabrics of all kinds, I couldn't even believe it! I mostly just skimmed the surface of everything because there was SO much... but I did find a number of things to bring home with me!

If I had more money, I would've bought lots of fabric... but alas, I only got a couple of things!

I know the Muppet Babies are total cheese... but I just couldn't resist this fabric. I want to make something for Eloise with it (in my fluff time--ha!).

Ok, I admit... I like the Muppet Babies.

So, sue me! :)

I am always a sucker for old buttons... or ANY buttons!

I've always wanted to make fabric yo-yo's but haven't made the time to do it... but heck, for 25 cents a pack... I figured I could do something crafty with these (sorry, the pic is blurry!).

I got a few other unexciting things... no biggie. But it was nice to get out for a walk and browse some good deals!!

Ok... and a little disclaimer here... I am not a fan of animal prints. To each their own... but they just do nothing for me. However, when people give me outfits for Eloise, I'm obviously not going to tell them that I loathe animal prints and hand them the outfits back! And I know that it would be wasteful of me not to use the outfits if we have them... so... my girl has been wearing some ((shudder)) animal prints lately - but please, don't hold it against me.

El is getting tooth #7. Somehow we were blessed with a pleasant teething baby (no crabby pants in this house! -- except for me sometimes --haha!)... but the best part of the teething process, Eloise wants to be held more! She has been wanting cuddled and snuggled... and boy does it make this mama happy! She is usually on the GO, GO, GO!!

I love this little lamby coat!! (Not sure what this face is about!)

Boo and Eloise are buddies... although only on Boo's terms. She definitely runs away if she's had enough of being crawled on and poked at!

This last picture is from today... Eloise loves books! Too bad she doesn't sit still long enough to let us read them to her all of the way through!

I hear some chatter from a special little girl... must be the end of nap time! Thus, the end of "fluff time"!!

Have a great weekend!

And the Winner is....

2011-10-04T00:22:00.000-04:00

Well, although I changed the rules so that people who were having problems commenting on my blog were able to email me to be entered into my giveaway...
I only had one person come back to claim 3 entries!

My husband picked the winner out of the bowl...
(don't worry, he didn't peek)

And... the winner is...

Congratulations!

I hope you enjoy your digital scrapbooking software!
It's a lot of fun!

Thanks to Karen and Sue who also entered!

I am the Clay...

2011-10-03T07:35:00.005-04:00

Ya know when you are sitting in church... listening... and something is said that you know you've heard before (or something close to)... but you really needed to hear it at just that moment?

That's what happened to me yesterday. I couldn't tell you what the rest of the message was about... because I zoned in on a statement my pastor made.:

"At times God will use difficult circumstances in our lives to get us where He needs us to be..."

So often I know I find myself wondering why things happen the way they do.

I found my mind wandering during the rest of the service about things that are happening in my own life and the life of my loved ones.

I kept finding myself asking, "Why?"

...but then I am reminded that God can use even the crappiest of situations to bring good into our lives or the lives of those around us. We may not see it until after the fact or we may not see it at all... but it gives me hope to know that when we are going through a trial... God will see us through. There ultimately is a purpose. We just have to have faith that He knows what He is doing.

I pray that God will use the good and bad of my life as an example to others...

My giveaway ends tonight! Check it out!

GIVEAWAY UPDATE!!!

2011-09-30T10:04:00.006-04:00

This Giveaway is CLOSED

Due to, what is believed to be, a Blogger glitch that hasn't allowed some people to comment on my Giveaway... The rules have been changed and the deadline extended! Please check out THIS post and ENTER my giveaway! It's a great product and I would love for more people to have an opportunity to win!

(and please don't mind the little thing that says "Link" in my update... you'll see what I mean when you read it... I can't figure out how to get it off of my post!)

Fall Fest Fun!

2011-09-27T08:17:00.015-04:00

I have to admit... it's pretty humiliating hosting a giveaway... and having no one enter it! I don't know if it's because people aren't visiting my blog... or if people just aren't interested in the product(?). *sigh* Oh well....

Anyway...

This past weekend was the annual Fall Festival that we attend.
Usually my mom and I set up a booth and sell our pottery
and other hand-crafted items...
but being pregnant and then having a baby over the last year means I haven't had
much time for crafting! So instead, my mom brought her pony and did
pony rides... and I painted faces for part of the day.

Eloise got to ride the pony!

She wasn't too sure about it... but she didn't cry.
I think she just didn't know what the heck was going on!
She seems to really love animals, we haven't had issues with
her being afraid of my mom's horses or anything.
And, of course, she loves dogs and cats!!

My grandpa was at the festival for a little bit. I didn't know it because I was
busy painting faces... but Cory disappeared for awhile and came back with
this picture of Eloise, my grandpa and my dad.

I was a little bummed I wasn't there since it was the first time
my grandpa got to meet Eloise. :( But at least they met!!

There was a patch of pumpkins... and we thought it would
be so adorable to have pictures of Eloise amongst the pumpkins
wearing her pumpkin hat (made by Aunt Katy)!

Eloise didn't think that was such a great idea.

I think she felt trapped because she couldn't figure out a way to
crawl out of the pumpkins!

She didn't mind taking some other pictures though!

(This corn one is my favorite!)

Hope you all had a nice weekend!

And.. please.. check out my giveaway!
It ends Friday!

Whatta GIVEAWAY!

2011-09-23T20:24:00.010-04:00

This Giveaway is CLOSED
**UPDATE: Giveaway Deadline Extended... and Rules Changed! Read on!!**

Today is your lucky day!
I am hosting a wonderful GIVEAWAY that you don't want to miss out on!!

What, oh WHAT could it be?

WOO HOO! Right!?

So here's the thing... I was able to download and review some digital scrapbooking software compliments of My Memories! I love all things paper, sticker, ribbon, stamp... well, you get the idea.... but having a [now] 8 month old, means that I can't just bust out my scrapbooking supplies. Definitely not a good idea to have little pieces of paper and buttons, not to mention scissors and cutting tools, hanging around for my baby to get a hold of (and stick in her mouth!). Gone are the days of cluttering up my coffee table with scrapbooking stuff. At least for now.

I'd heard about digital scrapbooking, but never really knew what it was or how it worked. I was so excited to be able to check out the product from My Memories Suite and see what it was all about.

**Note: My husband did some checking (the paranoid guy that he is) before I went and downloaded the program. He didn't want me to be loading anything weird onto our computer and compromising our system. He gave me the "thumbs up" that My Memories was a reputable company to be downloading from, etc!**

I got the program downloaded and once my sweet Eloise was down for a nap... I started digging in! Like I said, I am not familiar with digital scrapbooking, so this was all new to me. BUT... it was so EASY! You can choose pre-made layouts or you can create your own with their simple layouts. I chose to create my own... let me show you some of what I made!

I know this is a pretty basic design... but, like I said, I'm new to this!
There are so many embellishments to choose from
(ribbons, bows, flowers, buttons, etc.)!

Back in the early part of the summer, I spent HOURS putting together photobooks on an online site (to give to our parents). I SO wish I would have known about My Memories Suite before I went through all of that trouble! The books I made were just basic with photos only (and so expensive!). I wish I would've spent that time making digital scrapbooks! Now I know better!

Anyway, for each page I made... I was able to choose a background paper and color. I could put the pictures and text in the suggested template... but I could also move them around, rotate, shadow, matte, etc.
There were so many options!

I could get pretty fancy, if I wanted... but I like things pretty simple.

I know you are probably saying, "LETS GET TO THE GIVEAWAY PART ALREADY!"

It's coming... but let me share one more page with you!

I did my pages in 8.5" x 11", but you can choose to do them in 12" x 12" as well.
They can be printed and put in a scrapbook!
OR... you can share them online!

My Memories also has other products on their site that you can download to use!
So far, it's been pretty simple! And the best part is that I can sit down at
the computer while Eloise is napping and work on a page or two... and not
have a HUGE mess to clean up! That's definitely a major plus for me!

Ok, ONE more page, I promise!

I used a pre-made layout for this one and since I didn't want to put any text on it, I just added a picture to the box where the text was supposed to go!

So sweet, right?

OK... now... onto the rules/instructions for the Giveaway...
(You do NOT have to have a blog to enter-as long as you have a valid email address!)

**Please note that you MUST do the mandatory entry for any extra entries to qualify!**

UPDATE
**Due to what seems to be a glitch in Blogger... I have had some people email to tell me that they couldn't comment on this giveaway. I would love to give more people a chance to win this fabulous prize... so if you aren't able to comment on this post, please EMAIL ME (livingthesmalltownlife@gmail.com) and let me know which entries you have completed. Instead of using a random number generator to choose the winner... I will put everyone's name in a bowl (example: if you have 4 entries, your name will be put in the bowl 4 times, etc.) and I'll pick a name that way! If you email me, you can send everything in ONE email.**

Deadline is extended to Monday, October 3 at 7:59PM (EST)!
I will post the winner on Oct. 4!
(and also send them an email)

You may also still enter the original way (below)... and any entries already listed will be added to the aforesaid bowl!

MANDATORY ENTRY
Visit MY MEMORIES SUITE website and choose a digital paper pack or layout that is your favorite. Come back here and comment on this post telling me which one you chose. Make sure to leave an email so that I have some way to get in contact with you!
(If you don't leave your email and you are chosen as the winner, I won't go all over the world wide web looking for you... I'll just choose another winner!)

It's that simple!

Now... if you'd like EXTRA entries... you may choose to do any of these:

1.) Follow my blog!
If you already follow, just tell me in your comment.

2.) Go to the My Memories Facebook Page and "Like" them!

3.) Blog about this giveaway (& put the link in the comment)!

You must come back here and leave a comment for EACH extra entry telling me which you did. Don't forget to include your email on each comment!

A winner will be chosen by a random number generator on Friday, September 30th at 8PM and I will then post the winner on Saturday, October 1st. (I will also email you so that you can claim your prize!)

Also... Check this out!!
As a special for all of my readers, My Memories gave me my very own Share the Memories code that provides a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store - ($20 value!)

So... if you want to buy the software and anything from their site...
you are basically getting $20 off! Ummm.. sounds pretty great to me!

Here is the code: STMMMS74

Feel free to share this code with anyone and everyone... on your blog, Facebook page, etc. It's open to anyone, not just people entering this giveaway!

If you have any questions about the software or products... go to the My Memories site and contact them. They've been helpful with my questions! Or, I'd be happy to share more about my experience. (My email is on the right sidebar!)

GOOD LUCK!!

**Contest ends 10-3-11 at 7:59 PM (EST)**
This Giveaway is CLOSED

Our Girl is 8 Months!

2011-09-23T13:53:00.007-04:00

I can hardly believe it's been 8 months since Eloise came into the world.
Well, technically... she was in the world way before that... just in utero! LOL!

Anyway... she is the light of our lives and we are enjoying every moment with her!

She loves to eat anything and everything.
Sweet potatoes, peas and carrots seem to be her favorites though!

She loves animals.
She "chatters" and SQUEALS all of the time!
She also is crawling like a mad woman and pulling herself
up on anything she can!

Her smile is infectious... her giggle is so sweet... and her
personality is fun! Though I hate to see the baby
days pass swiftly away... I look forward to each
day that she grows and changes.

I pray that we can raise her up to be a wonderful woman of God!

Look at those teethies!

Happy 8 months Eloise! We love you!!

**Stop by tomorrow to check out my Giveaway!!**

Here Kitty Kitty...

2011-09-22T07:24:00.014-04:00

I have been spending my days chasing a very busy little girl. And when I'm not chasing her, feeding her, changing her, playing with her, dancing with her, singing to her.... or anything else with her.... I can usually be found at the sink, doing the dishes.... in the basement, doing the laundry.... or somewhere, doing some other various household task OR, if I'm lucky, spending a little time with my husband. Getting on the computer is a treat these days! Hence the lack of posting. However, If you check back in the next couple of days... you're going to have a chance to check out my Giveaway! WOOT!

Anywho... one of Eloise's favorite things to do is chase the cat!

Ummm... yeah, she pulled herself up there.

Did I mention that not only is she pulling herself up, she is "walking" herself along the furniture to get closer to the cat? Like I said... I've been busy!

Did I also mention that she started pulling herself up in her crib? We had to lower her mattress all of the way! Here she was on Sunday at nap time... she zonked out!

One thing I DID make time to do this week, was make an apple pie for our neighbor. He has been so nice and has mowed our front lawn (I don't even know HOW many times!). I thought an apple pie was the least I could do!

That's an all whole wheat pie crust right there. (Since we have been using whole wheat flour religiously for months--I don't have enough white flour left in my cupboard to make anything with!) Apparently it tasted good because my neighbor called over to thank me and offer me a job as his personal baker. HAHA!

Oh... and on the note of whole wheat... Our family has made the switch over the past number of months. It hasn't been a hard transition... although we do splurge now and then - like if we are out somewhere and we can't get something whole wheat/grain. However, it is my firm belief that eating healthier (no white flour/sugar/processed foods) has aided in my purchase of jeans a size smaller than what I've worn for YEARS! I am excited about that!! I am not "dieting"... I'm just making better choices... and it feels good! If anyone is interested in the whole wheat pie crust recipe, let me know! We still eat our sweets--we just make them with healthier ingredients!

Now, I'm off!... and remember to stop back in the next couple of days. I'm working on putting a giveaway together that you aren't going to want to miss!! Here are a few last pictures of our girl!

Cool Weather = Hot Soup! .. or not...

2011-09-17T07:38:00.010-04:00

The other day... this happened...

Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup! (Can you tell that I was anticipating sharing a great recipe?)

Looks good, right!?

WRONG!

Ok... so maybe it WAS good if you like super-tomatoey-notcreamy&smooth types of soups.

I'm not one of those people. I grew up on Campbells!

But in an effort to make my own healthy tomato soup... I tried a recipe I found out of a magazine.

It looks really pretty, right?

It just tasted like semi-bland tomato sauce though. I like tomatoes - but mostly when they are mixed in with other things. This soup was just toooooo much for me. I cringe just thinking of swallowing it! Even Cory, who eats just about anything, was tomatoed out by the time he finished eating.

So disappointing!

However, my neighbor LOVED it! His wife was away for a few days, so I took him over a small bowl (this was before I realized it was just so... tomatoey!). He came over the next day and just RAVED over it. So I gave him the leftovers. His wife told me later that he ate it for dinner that night and then took some in his lunch the next day!

At least someone liked it... and it didn't get wasted!

I think maybe next time I try to make tomato soup.... I'll try to find another recipe!

Have a great weekend!

Little Crawler

2011-09-12T14:44:00.004-04:00

Here is a little clip of Eloise crawling!
Our house has been a little chaotic the past week chasing a baby around!
This is about all I have time to post!

A Little Banner Love!

2011-09-08T16:56:00.005-04:00

I have whole wheat hamburger rolls rising... almost ready to pop in the oven. Then I'm going to start working on homemade sloppy joes... and homemade tater tots! BUT... before I rush off to the kitchen (while Eloise is napping)... I wanted to share with you the banner I made for the day my father-in-law came home from the hospital. It was last week... but I just am now making time to sit and post the picture!

I know it's not the greatest picture... but I was really happy with how it turned out! His homecoming day also happened to be his birthday... so I got a balloon, arranged some flowers in a vase and made a big blue polk-a-dot bow to go around it... and we trekked out to Grammie & Pappy's house to hang up the banner and place the flowers and cards by his chair. It was a nice surprise for him when they got home! And, by the way... he is doing AMAZING! Cancer sure stinks! He is only able to have liquids and foods like Cream of Wheat (YUCK!)... but he is anxious to be able to eat something solid! We are trying to help him keep a positive attitude about it because it's easy to become discouraged drinking Ensure for almost every meal!

You totally have to go over to Love Love and check out the amazing baby shower she and her family threw for a loved one! I love it... I wish I had someone to throw a shower for so I could steal their ideas! HAHA!

Here is my happy baby this AM!

Off to the kitchen I go...

LOVE!

2011-09-05T14:40:00.001-04:00

I love this little girl!

Hard to imagine why, huh?

Oh... by the way... She started crawling AND pulling herself up today!
It is going to be zaney in this house!!

True Story: Chased!

2011-09-01T03:42:00.001-04:00

Our little grocery store is nestled on a one way street that runs along the river. Often times, you see ducks and geese hanging out near the bank under the guard rail. Yesterday, Eloise and I stopped at the store to pick up some ice cream for "Pappy". It was his birthday and he was allowed to have ice cream.... so we thought it'd be a nice surprise in his freezer for when he got home from the hospital.

I got out of the car and got El out of her car seat... to turn around and see this funny looking duck in the parking lot. Or maybe it's a goose? I really couldn't tell!!

It was definitely funny looking though... and big!

Eloise watched him and made noises at him as we walked into the store. I have to admit, it was cute!

We found some ice cream and got in the Express Lane........
where a lady was checking out with 20 more items than was appropriate
and gave the cashier the wrong amount of money...
not once... but TWICE!

I actually didn't get annoyed though because I was holding my little
sweetie pie and she just makes everything better!

Well, once we checked out and got outside... the duck/goose was still in the
parking lot. I walked slowly around it. You never know if those
things are going to fly at you or something! And it started following me!

I'm not kidding. It even picked up speed as I moved more
quickly away from it!

I had to get Eloise in her car seat - but that thing kept coming closer!!
I whisked Eloise around to the other side of the car... and
the duck followed! I rushed around and peeked at it from behind... and
it was literally peeking around the front of my car!

It spotted me and started waddling toward me!!... so Eloise and I
hopped in the back seat and I shut the door!

I took this picture from the back seat!

He must've called his girlfriend over... because they both sat outside
the door for at least 2 minutes before they decided it wasn't
worth the hassle to wait for me to get out!

They waddled away uneventfully... and I got into the
driver's seat.... only to realize that the "girlfriend" was waddling
BEHIND my car!

I know what you're thinking... but thankfully I didn't hit her!
She sure did take her good old time though!

Crazy Birds!

I Love Chubby Legs!

2011-08-31T01:47:00.000-04:00

Eloise is just dying to crawl.
She gets up on her hands and knees and tries to GO...
but ends up belly flopping and rolling instead.

I'm sure it will happen soon enough...
and I am DEFINITELY not rushing it!
(I don't want my baby to grow up so fast!!)

My sister... she happens to be the queen of winning giveaways.
It seems like every time I see her, she has something new.
When I ask her where she got it...
Her reply (almost every single time):
"Oh, I won it in a giveaway!"

I'm not even joking, people.

Well... this benefits me greatly!
Because she wins stuff for Eloise!

Aren't her chubby little legs adorable in these
Happy Crawler Leg Warmers!?

Yep, those were free!
Thanks Katy!

They will be perfect for El's chubby legs as the
weather cools down!
Especially once she figures out how to put
one leg in front of the other!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPPY!!

Take THAT You Crappy Cancer!

2011-08-30T13:29:00.008-04:00

The past week has been a whirlwind! I really didn't want to post much about it until after the fact... because, well, I didn't really want everyone on the internet who may happen upon my blog to know that I was alone for 4 days with my 7 month old baby and my 10 year old niece! I may watch too many forensic shows... but I sure as heck know that I don't want to be ON one! haha!

Anyway! Last week was my father in law's surgery. If you have been reading my blog for the past few months, you'd know that he was diagnosed with Stage 3 Esophageal Cancer. The tumor was so large that he couldn't swallow anything but liquids. They were able to go in and "open up" his throat so that he could eat again... but the tumor was still there... and so was the cancer.

After weeks of chemo... we got a report that there was no more cancer visible on his scans! We were THRILLED! He was scheduled for surgery in early August.

The day after he got the scan reports back... he told Cory that he wasn't sure what happened... but all of a sudden.... he could swallow again! Even though they had cleared his throat a month or two beforehand... the tumor was still making it difficult to swallow (try having to chew each bite of food like 30-40 times just to be able to swallow it!). Cory told me that he was hoping the doctors went in for surgery and that the tumor wouldn't be there. We were praying for that!

The surgery got pushed back to August 24th - which happened to be my sister's 30th birthday!

So, while Eloise and I were at my sister's house celebrating her birthday... Cory's dad was in surgery and I was getting updates every few hours via cell phone.

I can't tell you how ecstatic I was to get the call that the surgery was over.... and that THE TUMOR WASN'T THERE!! Can you believe it!? I can! That's the power of prayer, people!!!

The doctors still wanted to take precautionary measures to make sure that they got all of the cancer cells... so they removed part of his esophagus and stomach (and I think some lymph nodes -- I'm not good with details)... but they said it was one of the quickest surgery of that type that they've ever done... and they were shocked that the tumor was gone! They credit the chemo, of course.... but we are praising GOD!

So tomorrow is the day that he comes home.... and it also happens to be his birthday!! Eloise and I are going to take flowers and balloons over and hang up a banner that I made. We won't be there when he gets home - I wouldn't want people at my house after I just got out of the hospital! But hopefully he'll know that he is loved!

Cory and I want to thank all of you who kept his dad in your prayers! We truly serve a mighty God!

Anybody Got 50 Cents?

2011-08-25T10:03:00.003-04:00

I want to try to win that cute little baby doll in the crane machine!

hee hee!

Happy Birthday to my Big Sissy!

2011-08-24T07:07:00.002-04:00

Love you!

You're 7 Months, Baby Girl!

2011-08-23T16:27:00.008-04:00

Today marks 7 months for Miss Eloise!

She loves her Minnie Mouse...
and I'm pretty sure by the time El has all of her teeth,
Minnie may not have a nose or tail left!!

She has been doing well eating her cereal, fruits and veggies.
For awhile it was "dinner & a show" every meal time!
She would NOT eat unless we made her smile
and stuck the spoon in her mouth really fast before she closed it.
Let me tell you - we've acted like more than clowns to get this girl to eat!
But... we seem to have gotten past that little hiccup!

She only naps for about half an hour at a time...
but sometimes I get lucky and she will sleep for an hour or so.
Usually she doesn't sleep for more than 2 hours during
the day - which I hear is odd for a baby!
I dunno!

She sleeps great at night though!

She likes going for walks... it was a little chilly today,
so she was sporting her cute hat from her Aunt Katy!
She's still a bit of a baldy! Her hair is coming in thicker,
but doesn't seem to be getting much longer!

Eloise has 6 teeth. 4 on top, 2 on bottom.

She is starting to creep around on her belly a bit...
but finds that it's much more efficient to roll wherever she wants to go!

She loves the dog and cat... and especially LOVES chasing them
when she is in the walker!

Her little laugh is sweet... and often times she'll just giggle
while she is sitting on the floor playing with her toys!

She is just a bundle full of joy... and we love her to pieces!

Happy 7 Months, Eloise!
(You're growing too fast!)

The Country Blossom Etsy Shoppe

2011-08-20T05:29:00.001-04:00

Take a moment to swing by my sister's Etsy Shop!
She has recently posted some of my mom's lovely pottery!
Along with that are beautifully hand knit baby bonnets and dish cloths that my sister made!
They are both so talented!

(This is a pot I made that will be in the shop also!)

The Country Blossom Etsy Shoppe

Oh, That Face...

2011-08-19T10:23:00.005-04:00

Eloise is napping right now... and I have a few things to get done before she wakes up... but I just wanted to share a picture of her from this morning.

I know that a mother shouldn't want their child to cry... but I must admit, I love El's crying face! At this particular point, she was only upset because she wanted up and I had put her down on the floor... so she wasn't in great pain or anything like that! But there is just something about her little scrunched brow and pouty mouth that melts my heart! I do try not to pick her up at every little fuss... we don't want to make a habit of that! But it is hard not to want to hold her close and give her little kisses on the top of her head!

This baby stage is flying by... and I want to capture every moment that I can!

Jellybeans!

2011-08-15T14:59:00.007-04:00

Here's my cute little jellybean!

I don't have a whole lot to write about these days....
I am engulfed with spending time with Eloise (and Cory when he isn't at work).

I started my part time job as church secretary at the beginning of the month and that takes up a couple of hours from my week. I seriously can plow through the work in no time. I won't be making much more than $50 a month! But I am enjoying it and it gets me and the baby out of the house for a little bit.

Other than normal household things... cooking and cleaning... my life is consumed by play time, diapers and nursing! I'm OK with that--although it is nice to have a change now and then.

Speaking of....

Yesterday morning we went to my parents church and spent the afternoon at their house. It was nice to visit and I helped my mom get a few things ready for a picnic.

Early evening, we went to a small picnic and celebrated my nephew's 8th birthday. It was a lot of food, laughter and fun!

We had gotten my nephew a few items... but my special gift to him was a scrapbook that I made of his first "road trip" back in 2009. I had the pictures tucked away and came across them earlier this summer. I had always planned on making one... so I rallied myself during Eloise's nap times to get it done. Let me tell you, it isn't easy to do when you've got a kid who only sleeps for 30 mins at a time! But I got 'er done and I really think Xavier liked it. I hope he will keep it safe and treasure it for years to come!

I also have to mention that my mom found this crazy jelly bean game and brought it for my brother-in-law, his brother and their cousin to play. The whole gist of it... is there are different flavors of jelly beans... You spin the wheel... whatever color you land on... you have to pick out that color of jellybean and eat it... but you don't know if you'll eat the good flavor or the bad!!
(for example: the BLACK jellybean could be Licorice... or SKUNK SPRAY!)

So... here is Dan... do you think he'll get PEACH or BARF flavor??

If you want to have a great time laughing... check out BEAN BOOZLED!
It seriously is a HOOT!

HB X!

2011-08-12T07:43:00.003-04:00

Happy Birthday Xavier!!

(You were so little in this pic!!! Now you're so big! AH!)

We love you!!!
Have an amazing day!!

Nature's Treasures

2011-08-10T04:40:00.000-04:00

Boo's Home!

2011-08-09T16:35:00.002-04:00

Boo has been home for a number of days in a row...
and Eloise has been loving it! (Me too!)

El has been chasing Boo in her walker...
and we don't think Boo minds too much because she doesn't run too far away!

I love my beautiful babies!

MMMMmmmm... Marinade!!

2011-08-05T13:06:00.004-04:00

I am horrible, I didn't take a picture... but bear with me!

You absolutely MUST try this marinade recipe.

For years, I have been trying to figure out how to cook chicken. I try to grill, boil (Yes, boil - not broil) and bake. Since I am so paranoid about having under-done meat, I usually end up cooking the crap out of it... and really, who likes totally dry - have to take a big drink with every bite - chicken?

It gets old.

Well, my sister's family bought Cory a subscription to EATING WELL for his Birthday this year. We got the first issue a couple of days ago and as I was flipping through, I noticed a recipe for a marinade... and we actually had all of the ingredients already in our pantry! I have NEVER used a marinade before. Does that make me weird?

So, I decided to give it a whirl... and WHOA MAMA! It was sooooo delicious!

I wanted to share the recipe with you because it's EASY PEASY!

BALSAMIC MARINADE
(Makes enough for 1 1/4 lb of chicken)
Whisk 1/4 c. each Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar, 2 minced Garlic Cloves, 1 T. Italian Seasoning, 1 tsp. Salt and 1/2 tsp Pepper

Place chicken in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over it.
Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 1-12 hours.
(The longer it marinates, the more intense the flavor)

Grill on Med/High for 4-8 mins per side...
(only turn once!)

ENJOY!

And, since I didn't take a picture of the chicken, I'll leave you with a picture of my sweetie pie!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Pretty Project

2011-08-03T06:31:00.000-04:00

My mom offered to help make the invitations/envelopes for someone's bridal shower...

So she came over on Sunday to attend church with us... and then we spent the afternoon making envelopes and cards!

I think they turned out adorable!!

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

In A Pickle...

2011-08-02T06:57:00.006-04:00

This past weekend, a friend brought us a bunch of veggies from his garden! WOO HOO! I really wish we had a garden... but I just do not have the attention span at this point to sit and read about how to garden correctly--then actually do it. So we are definitely excited when people so generously share their vegetables with us! (I must say though... we DO have a pumpkin plant just randomly growing up by our chicken coop!!! haha!)

Pickling cucumbers was in one of the bags of veggies we received, so I found a recipe out of my Nourishing Traditions cookbook to make pickles!

I had to make a trip to the store anyway - so I decided to pick up some fresh dill for the recipe. I kid you not. Practically the WHOLE store was restocked yesterday morning... except for the fresh dill. Of course. In my little town... we have Super Walmart at the far end of town or a small local store. So... I decided to stop at our little rinky dink store on the way home to try to find dill there. Eloise had fallen asleep in the 5 minutes it took me to get there. But I didn't want to lug her inside in the car seat because I swear it weighs like 45 lbs!! AND... this little store doesn't have convenient cart corrals. If you use a cart to take your groceries to your car... you walk the cart BACK to the store. Like I said... rinky dink. So, I get the baby out of the car, she wakes up, we walk inside... aaaaand... no dill. Nice.

I ended up just going home. I was a little frustrated... but decided to call the only other store I know of (in the next town over) to see if they had any dill (before I made a trip out there!!). They said they did. So, after lunch, I loaded the baby back in the car and drove to the store.. Eloise fell asleep in the car - since I had interrupted her earlier nap time. I didn't bother with a cart (again, this store had no cart corral either!)... so I just lugged a sleeping Eloise in her seat through the store! I almost didn't find the dill, I was definitely getting frustrated! But alas, there it was and we were on our way out the door as quickly as I could go with an 18 lb baby in a car seat smacking against my leg as I lugged it!

This pickle recipe I have calls for WHEY. I don't believe this is normal for most recipes... so I had already put out some yogurt to start straining the whey out of it. I made one jar of pickles with the whey I had from before (once I got home with the dill)... and then Eloise and I went to go visit the neighbors. Their baby granddaughter was over for a visit and we like to get the girls together.

(I love Eloise in this pic! She was so excited!)

Later on in the evening, after the yogurt had been strained... I was going to try to gently squeeze more whey out of it... and so I go into the kitchen to do just that... and seriously... there was a giant SPIDER in it! In the whey. Swimming around. I couldn't believe it wasn't dead but maybe it was some kind of freak spider. Definitely a freak spider. I was SO irritated! After going to 3 stores for fresh dill... then to find a spider in my whey!? I tossed the whole batch because... well who knows where spiders come and go and what disgusting things they carry. *sigh* So, Cory helped me to find another recipe online. It said not to use a metal pan to heat the vinegar, etc. (?REALLY?!) UGH. I have ONLY metal pans. So we found another recipe that said we could... so we adapted the two recipes to make our own. Cory helped me redo the math so that we would have enough liquid for the 3 quart jars of cucumbers I had. However, we goofed up on the math and ended up with not enough liquid! Not sure how THAT happened!

It seemed like it was one nightmare after another to make these stinkin' pickles!! The dill, the whey, the math! But finally, we got a few jars made... and they better stinkin' taste good! That's all I have to say about that!!

(Left: Whey Pickles... Right: Regular Pickles)

HUMPH!!!

Silly Girl

2011-07-30T05:42:00.000-04:00

This... is a YAWN...

This... is a SNEEZE...

I just had to share!
hee hee

Have a nice Weekend!

Picture Day!

2011-07-29T09:05:00.009-04:00

I didn't feel much like thinking of something to post today...
so I thought I'd share some pictures/captions from the past few days!

This was a picture I took of Eloise on the 23rd when she was officially 6 months old!

Lounging around on the couch....

Such a big girl! Seems like earlier this month I was wondering if she'd ever sit up on her own... and the next thing I knew... BAM! She just started doing it and she LOVES it! We still put her in the Bumbo Seat sometimes - but I guess she doesn't really need it anymore!

Boo lives with my in laws now... she's been a big morale booster for them as my Father in Law has gone through his chemo, etc. She does come home now and then to visit... but seems to go back to their house more than stay here at ours. I miss her... but I know that they need her. Maybe she'll live here again some day (I hope!!)... so that Eloise can grow up with her as "her" dog.

Cory's dad is soooo good with El! :)
I am so thankful that they can't find any cancer on his latest scans!
I want Eloise to grow up knowing her Pop pop and Pappy!
(My dad and Cory's)

Eloise helped me open presents on my birthday! It was a nice day. The weather was pretty mild compared to the SWELTERING heat we'd had last week! I went to my neighbors to visit and she gave me cake... then we had Chinese for dinner... then MORE cake! (Then more cake the next day!) I am not used to all of the sugary (and greasy) food.... lets just say I didn't feel good the day after my birthday!! Blech!

This is the book Cory got me (among other things!)...

My in laws came to give me presents and eat cake... and they used some ribbons on my presents... so after Eloise ate her Carrots (hence the orange-tinted face)... I couldn't resist giving her pigtails! HAHA!

And finally... I just love her expression in this one!
Love this girl!

It's nice to have a simple birthday with the ones you love!
And yesterday, my mom and sister and her kids came out to
celebrate with me again.
(since I wasn't feeling too hot... they came to me instead of me driving out to them!)
It was nice!

Thank you for the Birthday Wishes!!

Oh Eloise!

2011-07-26T04:44:00.000-04:00

(P.S. - Tomorrow is my birthday!)

Yummy Recipes!

2011-07-25T09:22:00.005-04:00

I have mentioned in the past couple of months (especially since Cory's dad found out he had cancer) that our family is trying to get away from white sugar and white flour. It's not as hard as I'd expected. You do have to give up certain things... but there are also tasty alternatives you can make yourself! And isn't it so much nicer knowing what goes INTO your food... rather than buying something in a box and not being able to pronounce most of the ingredients?? I think so!!

(And I must admit... I HAVE cheated off and on... but then I always feel crappy afterward!)

Last week, a nice old couple from church gave us this HUGE zucchini. I don't know about you... but I think the bigger a veggie is... the more bland it tastes. So, I decided to make some zucchini bread. The only recipes I had were regular ones calling for white flour and white sugar. So... off to Google-Land I went... and found this great website called HEAVENLY HOMEMAKERS! Maybe you are familiar with it! There are a lot of great recipes that I want to try from this site... and so far I have made the YUMMY whole wheat and honey zucchini bread.... and just this morning I made the homemade poptarts. Just a tip for the poptarts... make sure you roll the dough out pretty thin or your ratio of jam to dough will be off! I did that on a few... however I don't mind them being more "doughy".

I encourage you to check the site out! I haven't had time to browse all of the recipes... but what I've seen so far looks good and uses healthier ingredients!

I'm leaving you with this sweet pic of El and my sister's boys from last week! I'm going to go enjoy listening to the much needed rain while playing with my sweet baby girl!

Happy Monday!!

Happy Half-Birthday Baby!

2011-07-23T07:28:00.005-04:00

Eloise is 6 months old today...
I wanted to sit down and write a long post about all of
the things she is doing (like sitting up and squealing uncontrollably--which is hilarious)...
but I am having a hard time typing through blurry vision
as the tears just won't stop coming.

How did this happen already?
Why does the time have to go so fast?
I am with this sweet baby all of the time...
and yet I feel like I'm missing it all!

I never imagined it would be this hard to watch your baby grow.
A mix of sadness and excitement all in one!

Sometimes I just want to turn back the clock...
I spent the first 2 months totally stressed out with the newness of it all...
(not to mention the problems I had nursing)
I wish I could have a do-over...

But... I suppose, instead of sitting here blubbering about it,
I should pull myself together so that I can smother her
with affection when she wakes up from her nap!!

Happy 6 Months, Eloise!
You are the sunshine in our lives!
We love you!

CANCER FREE!!!

2011-07-21T13:58:00.002-04:00

My husband's dad just got word today that he is CANCER FREE!
He still has the tumor... but tests show that the cancer is gone!
He will have surgery in August to remove the tumor... and also a follow up
round of chemo therapy to make sure that everything is free and clear!

PRAISE GOD!!

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!

Current Happenings!

2011-07-20T09:27:00.006-04:00

Life has been so busy lately.

There aren't enough hours in the day to do everything and
then even thinking of blogging!!

The summer is flying... and it has been HOT lately!
WHEW!

A neighbor gave us a huge zucchini and I found
a "healthy" recipe that I hope to try today or
tomorrow at some point!
If it's good, I'll share the recipe!

Boo had to go to the vet... she has some sort
of allergy that is making her miserable.
She can't even sleep because she is constantly
getting up to scratch. She doesn't have fleas
or anything... so they did some blood
tests to try to pinpoint her problem and
see if we can get her some relief!
Poor pup!

Eloise is doing well! She is sitting up now!
(We have to sit her up... but she balances herself pretty well!)

We were able to visit with my cousin on Monday.
She lives in Arizona, so it was the first time she
met Eloise!

Later on... Eloise and I went to visit my grandma
in the nursing home. My aunt was there and
was trying to get my grandma to open her
eyes to see Eloise jumping on the bed.
But... she didn't.

I got this really sweet picture though!

Update on Cory's dad...
Though it's not official because the doctor got called away...
the nurse said that the tumor shrank!!
He still has a couple of spots on his lungs and a lymph node...
but they aren't necessarily cancerous.
(They didn't test them)
As of right now, he is able to have surgery in August!
Thank you for your prayers!

I am off to take care of the chickens while the baby is
still napping!

I hope you're all enjoying your summer!

Sad Day

2011-07-15T20:54:00.004-04:00

It was a tough decision...
but it was one that I had to make on my own.

I am selling my 56" Macomber Loom.

(Don't mind the hideous linoleum floor)

I have had this beast for about 8 or 9 years.
I have used it maybe 3 times.
I always had good intentions.
I wanted to weave scarves and rugs and blankets...
but it was always too daunting a task.
You have to be able to devote time to it...
and when I was working a full time job...
time was nonexistent.
When I was pregnant... I sure as heck didn't have
the energy to tackle a project.
And now... with an almost 6 month old...
it's just too much again.

And it monopolizes most of my dining room.
The thing is HUGE.

So... today, I posted a couple of FOR SALE
listings on some local sites.

And the wait begins.

I am making a frowny face right now...
but selling is the right thing to do.

I really do enjoy weaving.... but I also
would like to have a dining room table sometime
in the near future!!

Maybe someday I'll have a house with
my very own art/craft room... and
I'll be able to buy a smaller (more practical) loom.
((I can dream, can't I?))

Maybe my "sad day" will turn into my "someday" one day!! :)

Sweet Eloise

2011-07-14T19:01:00.001-04:00

Please visit my sister's blog:
"The Country Blossom"
to see more pictures from our "impromptu"
photo shoot this past weekend! :)

Shout Out!

2011-07-13T07:04:00.005-04:00

I would like to wish my beautiful niece, Madelyn, a very...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
The big 1-0!
WOOT!

(Look how little you were here! heehee!)

We love you!!!

Photo Shoot: BUST! - or was it?

2011-07-11T12:56:00.027-04:00

Well, if you saw my last post... this would be the post I was going to reveal what the heck those pictures were about. I guess I still am going to... just not in the way I expected!

Back when Eloise was just about to turn 3 months old, I had contacted someone I went to high school with who does photography on the side. The plan was to get some "not-so-newborn" photos of Eloise... since she was already kind of getting out of the newborn stage. Time and time again, plans fell through. Since we wanted to do shots outside, we were kind of dependent on the weather, which -of course- was RAIN, RAIN, RAIN almost every weekend. Then, wedding season started and I sure as heck didn't want to get in the way of this gal booking wedding gigs. So... we finally settled on July 9th.

Guess what? We were all ready to go... just waiting for the clock to tick down the time... and I got a text saying that the photographer was sick.

GREAT.

To say I was bummed is an understatement. I had been looking forward to getting some nice shots of Eloise for literally... MONTHS. Not that each picture we get every day isn't special... but something a little more "professional" was what I was hoping for. Not to mention, my mom and I spent a whole day working on a dress for me... and I spent THE NEXT DAY working on a dress for El! A lot of work... seemed like a shame that it would go to waste, in a sense.
Since it was a No-Go... I called my sister to whine about it to her.

To my surprise, she was kid-free for a little bit... and offered to come out and take some pictures for us! I wasn't so sure at first... since it wasn't "professional"... but then I thought... WHAT THE HECK!? WHY NOT! So we made arrangements.

Here are some of the pictures that Cory and I took- after being tweaked a little, of course! I have to get the ones from my sister... and I'll post those another time!

Warning: Picture Overload!

Not too shabby for a regular OLD Canon camera! :)
(Not sure why some of the pics look grainy... they are only like that on Blogger... not on my computers picture files! Oh well!)

A Little Something to Look Forward to!

2011-07-08T14:26:00.004-04:00

Here's a sneak peek of something special....

Stay tuned for the final reveal!!!
(Maybe in a few days or so)

Water Baby!

2011-07-04T18:27:00.010-04:00

Eloise loves the bath... she cried the first time, probably from shock, but hasn't cried since. Water in her eyes and all! She really loves to be in the water.

I have been wanting to get her out into the kiddie pool, but was waiting until Cory had some free time to share in the moment. I purchased a pool that was WAY too big... but today, Cory put a little bit of water in it (from the hose... Brrr!!)... and Eloise and I put on our bathing suits! Ok, technically, she was just in a swimmie diaper... but she's a baby, so it's cute!

I am hoping to get her in a real pool sometime this summer, but we'll see.

Here are a few more pictures from this past weekend...

Eloise was in the carrier I made, while I was hanging up clothes on the line.

We attended a beautiful wedding on Saturday...

Eloise and mommy before the wedding...

Eloise and daddy at the wedding... she zonked out!

A Sunday afternoon visit with some friends...

And a quick visit from Grammie and Pappy...

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend! Please keep Cory's dad in your thoughts and prayers as they meet with the surgeon tomorrow!

Eloise is Thirsty...

2011-07-02T05:50:00.000-04:00

I kid you not... we have NEVER given her anything to drink other than mama-milk...

Hometown Fest Fun

2011-07-01T14:43:00.006-04:00

This past week has been a little festival in Cory's hometown (about 8 miles from where we live now). It mostly just has food vendors and some kid stuff... no rides or anything. They fill up the days with a huge community VBS and the evenings are spent visiting with townsfolk and watching local entertainment on their little stage. It's definitely small - but special for everyone to gather once a year and catch up.

This was Eloise's 2nd year--being as she was in my belly last year! ;) We went for some dessert with our friend, Matthew. He was actually Cory's youth leader in high school... and he also took part in our wedding. Such a WONDERFUL guy. Genuine, nice, caring... and has a heart on fire for God! He was actually only able to meet us last night because he was going to be leaving early tomorrow AM for a mission trip to Bolivia! He is on the Go-Go-Go! And when you are trying to visit with him... it's impossible to sit, stand or walk anywhere without someone from the community calling out to him or coming up to hug him. He is just loved so much! He doesn't live around here anymore, so it's a treat when he is in town!

Here is Eloise with Matthew. Unfortunately, she wasn't too sure about him and was a little fussy... but he didn't mind!

We also happened to run into Cory's old babysitter! Kind of cool that she was able to meet Eloise! However she thought her name was pronouced "EL-OYS". Heehee. Weird! (Did any of you think that??)

Unfortunately, the normal group of friends that we try to gather with each year wasn't able to get together this time... but maybe next year! There will be another baby added to the mix then--but don't worry... it won't be OURS! (We have friends expecting in September!)

I hope you all have a wonderful and SAFE 4th of July weekend!

Eloise & Boo

2011-06-28T14:40:00.005-04:00

I feel like I haven't had a chance to sit down to the computer to really focus in DAYS. So I apologize, but I am behind on my blog posting... as well as my blog reading!!

If you've been keeping up with my blog for the past month or so, you'll know that my father in law has been battling cancer. He has finished his chemo treatments and will be meeting with his surgeon next week. Over all, I think he has held up like a champ! He has dealt with side effects, but he doesn't seem to let it get him down. In the time that he's been having treatments, etc.... Boo has been spending a lot of time at my in laws house. She is good for moral support and is a great distraction for them - which they definitely need right now. Although we miss her, we get to see her a few times a week... and we know that the need for joy is greater at their house.

Eloise and Boo never really took much interest in each other... and let's face it, I need to give more attention to my 5 month old baby than my 5 year old dog. That's just life.

This past weekend, my in laws brought Boo by to spend a few days at home... and to our amazement... Boo and Eloise LOVE each other!

Ok, so Boo isn't quite as thrilled as El. But it has been fun to watch. Eloise loves to coo and squeal when Boo is around. She loves to touch her and watch her play with her toys.

Boo has been GREAT and doesn't even bother El's toys or anything! And she doesn't snap... not to say that she wouldn't (I know dogs can be unpredictable no matter how much you trust them)... but Boo has been REALLY great.

I love to see "sibling" love! :)

My father in law will most likely be picking Boo up today. It was good to have her home for a bit! Please continue to keep my FIL in prayer as he battles through this horrible disease!!

My Kid...

2011-06-25T04:04:00.000-04:00

My kid is the biggest ham....
and she doesn't even know it yet!

Thanks for the sunglasses, Grammie!
BAAHAHAHAH!

Piggies!

2011-06-24T04:25:00.000-04:00

Someone found her toes last week!

Eloise is 5 Months!

2011-06-23T10:05:00.009-04:00

It's hard to believe that it's been 5 months. I think I say that every time a month passes. I'm sure I'll say it as the years pass as well... but it's absolutely true. This little girl, who is our whole world, just keeps growing and changing. I can't imagine life without her... and I can barely remember what life was like before her.

Especially on days like today... the "mile markers"... I find myself in tears more often. What can I say? It's bittersweet to watch your baby grow.

This was my first attempt at putting her down for a nap in her crib... that was about 20 minutes ago. I couldn't believe how easily she fell asleep. I was anticipating quite the battle!

This little outfit she has on... I bought it probably 8 years ago. I had always dreamed of having a little girl. I know you can't see the outfit very well... but it's an absolutely adorable jumper with a little bonnet. I was saving it for "someday"... hoping that day would come... and it finally did. I thank God every day for this little girl! (I've also bought some boy "someday" clothes... so maybe that will be in our future--the not-so-near future!)

Happy 5 Months baby girl!!
You are LOVED!

Happy Daddy's Day!

2011-06-19T18:50:00.007-04:00

My husband is the HARDEST person to buy presents for. He may enjoy opening the occasional present... but unless it is something he truly needs (since there aren't many things he wants)... he just doesn't want me to bother buying him gifts. It's very frustrating considering the fact that I love all things present-related! Cory's motto is "one thing in, one thing out"... so it's hard to buy him something unless I know he will REALLY use it.

This year, for Father's Day, I got the bright idea to get him gifts for Eloise and Boo.

I know, sounds kind of silly... but trust me... he could enjoy opening the gifts... and roll his eyes at them... but then enjoy watching the two "babies" play with the presents. Perfect! (I also got him a "baby proofing kit" since I know he will get use out of that soon enough!)

(El's gift to daddy--HAHA!)

(Boo's present to Cory.. a TICK! Cory hates ticks! haha!)

(El sporting her Esophageal Cancer Shirt in honor of Pappy today!)

Happy Father's Day to all of the dad's out there!!

Face Plant!

2011-06-17T04:44:00.001-04:00

Eloise was so tired...
she face planted right into Aunt Katy's shoulder and fell asleep.

If only it were that easy all of the time!

A Moment to Breathe...

2011-06-16T15:21:00.014-04:00

Today has been one of those days...

ALL DAY.

Eloise has been cranky...
screaming...
crying...
she peed on herself... twice
she spit up all over me... and the floor
she has been fighting sleep...

Until finally....

Thank goodness for the swing!!
We'll see how long this lasts!!

Here are some pictures from the past week:

My niece holding El as she sleeps...

We had a little picnic at my parents on Sunday...

El with Pop Pop...

El and Uncle Chris...

El with her handsome cousins...

El and Daddy meeting Grammie's horses...

And finally... Eloise was SO tired the other night...
we could move her all over the place and she wouldn't
wake up. It was pretty funny!

Well, I better get dinner going while I have a chance!

Hope you're having a better day than me!

ABSENT: Common Courtesy

2011-06-13T20:36:00.010-04:00

I was at the store today... Walmart, if you must know. The choices are limited in my little town... so it's either Walmart, Tractor Supply, JC Penney or Big Lots! (Or the tiny little supermarket whose prices don't compare to a big box store) Normally Cory goes for groceries without me (don't ask)... but every once and awhile I'll have to buzz to the store to pick up some odds and ends that come up during the week. So... today was a quick Walmart trip for me. Eloise was in her car seat... happily riding around in the cart... while mommy continually made car sounds as we drove through the aisles. (Yes, I make noises and faces at her--and probably look like a total goob... because the last thing I want is to be the mom with the screaming baby! HAHA!)

Well.. toward the end of the trip... I was finishing up in the fruit section... picking out a few peaches before heading to the check out lanes. There I am with 2 peaches in one hand and a third in the other (the bag thing was conveniently on the other side of the bin I was standing at--and I hadn't thought to grab a bag first).... and some lady comes driving over in a little scooter and parks it right next to my cart. Did I mention that I stupidly had pulled my cart right up against a pole while looking at the fruit? Did I also mention that this lady had her daughter (who was WAY too young for the amount of eye liner she was wearing) right behind her with a full cart?

I was boxed in.

I couldn't back up without being totally rude... but I couldn't go forward because of the pole... I couldn't go to the right without climbing over the fruit bins... and I couldn't go left without barging into the lady, scooter, her daughter and their cart!

And then...

The lady started talking to Eloise and I smiled....... but out came the lady's hand... right in El's face.

(This was probably mommy's expression at the time)

Touching her cheek... Eloise grabbed her finger, wanting to put it in her mouth!!!

This wasn't some sweet old lady... or else I may've had a different reaction.

This was some lady--a stranger who wanted to poke and prod at my baby. I understand... Eloise is a cutie pie (duh!!)... but you don't EVER touch another person's baby... unless they are personal friends with you... or family... or you know... NOT STRANGE!

I pretty much held my breath. I just kept thinking... WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?

And then...

The daughter reached out and started touching her too!!

It was all I could do not to want to shove my cart through them and get outta there!! It's just common courtesy not to touch someone else's baby, don't you think?

Maybe I'm just paranoid... (yes, I whipped out the hand sanitizer after they finally left!)

But now I know to be careful how I park my cart--so as not to put myself in a situation to get boxed in... and definitely keep the hand sanitizer wipes handy..... uuugh!

(Sorry--had to vent! But isn't Eloise cute in her little Sunday dress - top pic) :)

Project Complete!

2011-06-12T21:02:00.007-04:00

So, the other day I had mentioned that I was starting a project...
If you missed that little announcement you can see the fabric in THIS post.

Well, once I actually had a chance to start getting things ready
to work on it... I realized that I definitely had NOT gotten
the right amount of fabric.

DARN!

However, I was able to find some other OK fabric in my stash...
and last weekend, Cory watched Eloise for quite a bit
so that I could focus.

Check it out!

"Peek-A-Boo!"

Now I can go to a store (that doesn't have shopping carts!)
or wherever.... and haul Eloise around semi-hands free!
(Technically I can let go of her--if I need to browse racks or
something... but I feel better with at least one arm under her!)

We had gotten me one of those slings... and I REALLY
wanted to use it... but I don't think I got the right size
because I never felt like El was in it the right way.

I didn't want to be one of those mom's who suffocates
their baby in a sling!

I also was WAY too cheap to spend $80 on
one of those fancy carriers... and honestly,
I really didn't want just a cheapo one
from Walmart.

So I made my own
(yes, with a pattern--no free handing something like this!).

It was pretty simple to make and I am
pretty darn pleased with it!

WOOT!

Perhaps I will make more of these for
some of my preggy friends...
Hmmmm..... :)

I would love to hear if any of you had success with a sling!
I just could not figure it out!

Hope you had a great weekend!!

Simple Celebration and a Recipe!

2011-06-10T11:41:00.009-04:00

Cory's birthday was pretty uneventful.
He was super busy at work...
it was really hot outside (and in)...
and well, it just didn't have any Oomph to speak of.

But I tried!

He opened up some presents... Eloise liked the paper!

And we enjoyed some of this
AMAZING (sugar free)
carrot cake that I made!
MMMMmmmm!

I wanted to share the recipe with you!
I encourage you to try it... for real!

I stored it in the fridge...
and it was so refreshing on a hot evening!

2 c. Whole Wheat Flour
2 tsp. Baking Soda
2 tsp. Baking Powder
2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Salt
2 c. Grated Carrots
1 c. Skim Milk
1 1/2 c. Apple Sauce
(I used natural so there wasn't added sugar)
1 c. Maple Syrup
1/2 c. Crushed Walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl. Grate carrots and add, along with the rest of the ingredients (except walnuts), to the flour mixture. Mix until "just mixed". Stir in walnuts. Put in a 9x13x2" pan--greased. Bake for 40-50 mins (until a toothpick comes out clean). Cool for 30 mins - Frost!!

Here is the cream cheese frosting I made...
it's not too zippy but when paired with the cake--it's pretty good!

3 blocks cream cheese
1 packet sugar free instant vanilla pudding
milk
nutmeg

Whip cream cheese and pudding together.
Add enough milk to make it fluffy.
Add nutmeg to taste.

(This makes a lot of frosting... so you can probably cut it down to 2 blocks of cream cheese and still have enough to cover the cake!)

You'll have to let me know if you try it!
No white flour... and only the natural sweetness from
Maple Syrup and the Applesauce...
Can't beat that!!

Have a great weekend!

Happy Birthday!

2011-06-08T07:59:00.001-04:00

Wishing a Happy Birthday to my husband today!

We LOVE you!!

RECIPE: The BEST Pancakes EVER!

2011-06-07T06:49:00.000-04:00

When I first made these pancakes... we were afraid to take the first bite. But after that first bite, Cory looked at me and said, "I think these are the best pancakes I've ever had."

I... Agreed.

We aren't going back to "normal" pancakes ever again!!

How could I not share this recipe with you?

I hope you try it!

And if you do... let me know what you think!

YOGURT PANCAKES

Ingredients:
2 c. Whole Wheat Flour
2 c. Whole Plain Yogurt
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
1 tsp. Baking Soda
2 T. Melted Butter

Prepare the night before:
Soak flour in yogurt (covered) in a warm place for 12-24 hours.

(This is after it set for almost 24 hours)

Stir in other ingredients and thin to desired consistency with water.

(I did not add any water to my mixture.)

Cook on a hot, oiled griddle or cast iron skillet.

(I used a non-stick griddle.)

Cook on one side until you start to see little bubbles!

(You will want more than just a few bubbles though!)

These pancakes cook more slowly than regular pancakes.

The texture will be chewy and the taste pleasantly sour...
Serve with butter and maple syrup!
SO GOOD!

Enjoy!

Check 'Em Out!

2011-06-06T10:12:00.003-04:00

Eloise has had a hoarse voice since Saturday...
we aren't sure what's going on...
but we are monitoring her and praying that
it doesn't end up getting worse.

But even when she isn't feeling 100%...
she's still all smiles!

Check out those teethies!

In the Works!

2011-06-04T04:16:00.000-04:00

I've started a new project!!

Hopefully I will have time to work on it this weekend while Cory is home.
If not, it will be during El's nap times, when I can!

I'm not going to tell you what it is...
so you'll just have to check back to see!! :)

Have a great weekend!!

The Jeans

2011-06-03T20:43:00.005-04:00

These jeans... are 30 years old.

I kid you not.

They were my mom's back in the day--
and since my sister is going to be 30 this year--
these jeans are probably even a few years older than that!

My mom is artistic.

She did all of this stitching...
(her nickname is NR--if you were
wondering what that was about on the first pic).

She can draw, paint, sculpt, make pottery,
stained glass, sew, stitch... pretty much anything
you put in front of her... she is a master at.

Unfortunately, I didn't inherit too many
of the "artistic genes"...

However, I did inherit her
30 year old JEANS!

I've had them since I was about 15.
They've always been my "skinny" jeans.
Any time I fit into these jeans...
I feel like a million bucks.

They may look like they should go into
the garbage... but I keep these jeans
around to remind me of my goal.

I need these jeans now more than ever!

I watched the video of us from Eloise's Dedication
at church this past Sunday...
and I need to get back into these jeans...
QUICKLY!

I can fit into them... but definitely can't
button them.. AT ALL.

They are a size 30.

I WILL fit into these jeans.
I WILL.
I am determined.

On that note--
does anyone own the
Zumba DVD's or Wii game?
I love to dance but can't afford paying $5
per class to join the Zumba workshop.

Would it be worth it to buy the DVD's?

One of these days I'll be posting a picture of me
IN the "skinny" jeans... so stay tuned!

Wondering....

2011-06-01T05:11:00.000-04:00

I hope it wasn't rude of me to take a picture...

We stopped at the mall real quick on Saturday...
and this was tied out in the back parking lot!

I wonder what store they were going to! :)

Little Buds (Friends & Teeth!)

2011-05-31T07:56:00.008-04:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend. It truly is a privilege to live in the United States... and I am so grateful to those men and women who have given their lives (and those who currently are serving) for what freedoms we have left!

Our weekend was eventful... but uneventful!

Saturday, we went over to our neighbors house. Their son and daughter in law have a little girl who is 12 days younger than Eloise. They wanted us to bring El over so the girls could see each other. Of course, at this stage, neither of them really care about the visits. I think they may've looked at each other 2 times! But it was sweet to see them together!

Josephine didn't gain any weight for the first 2 months of her life... so she is quite a bit smaller than Eloise. I was hoping El wouldn't crush her as we were taking the pic above!

Sunday was Eloise's Dedication at church. A number of family members drove the hour (or more) to our little town to come to celebrate with us. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of my own because we used our camera to video. My father in law's white blood cell count was low at his check up this past week and there was concern about him being in a big crowd of people. He wasn't able to attend because we didn't want to compromise his immune system. I know that we were all disappointed, but hopefully he will enjoy watching the video... and hopefully I can snag some photos from my sister and mother in law! We had a little lunch in the church basement after the service... but other than that, our weekend wasn't full of picnics and celebrations. We mostly just sat at home, entertaining a baby... in front of the fan! (Man, it's been HOT!!)

You can go HERE to see pics from the dedication--(agh! I look like a dweeb!)

In other news... Eloise is getting her first tooth!!! So far we are dealing with mostly drool... she isn't too cranky... yet!!

Eloise Eats Cereal... Sort of.

2011-05-26T05:24:00.000-04:00

When we took Eloise to the pediatrician on Tuesday, he told us to go ahead and see if she wanted to eat some cereal. Well... I think she was more interested in the spoon...

This is her very first time eating cereal (or anything) from a spoon.

(Please don't mind my dorky laugh! HA!)

Maybe we'll try again in a few days!

Oh, and she was 15 lb, 7 oz!! :)

Recipe: Yogurt Dough Pizza

2011-05-25T04:26:00.000-04:00

As I've mentioned in some of my previous posts, I'm trying new whole, healthy recipes. This recipe for yogurt dough can be used as an all-purpose dough for whatever you'd like. I just happened to use it to make pizza. It was a little bit of a trial and error... and depending on your oven... you may have to adjust bake times!

This pizza got rave reviews from my niece and 2 nephews (all under 10 yrs of age)... and there isn't even any white flour in it! *gasp!!*

Be forewarned... to make this dough, you have to prepare it a day ahead of time... but it's totally worth it! I'd eat this pizza over regular pizza any day!!

Here ya go!

(I know what you're thinking... WHOLE YOGURT and 2 STICKS OF BUTTER!?
But trust me... it's not these whole foods that make you fat...
it's the processed crap and white flour!!)

Cover and leave in a warm place for 12-24 hours
(this gives you the benefit of the good bacteria that
interacts with the ingredients... it's nothing funky--
TRUST ME! It's healthy!)

I obviously didn't let my dough cook long enough before I put the cheese on.. which is why the cheese is on the verge of well-done... but like I said... the first couple of times--just kind of watch what times work best for your oven... and it'll work out just fine!

Let me know if you try this! It really is very tasty!!