Movie Monday...

Dec 26, 2011

Vote for us... Vote For Us @ TopBabyBlogs.Com - A Top Baby Blog List By topbabyblogs.com

Merry Christmas...

Dec 25, 2011

From our family to yours...


 Outtake from our four generations photo shoot...



Vote for us... Vote For Us @ TopBabyBlogs.Com - A Top Baby Blog List By topbabyblogs.com

Seeing spots?

Dec 22, 2011

Scarlett's polka dot them birthday was a blast. Food, friends, a new play kitchen and grass hill roller coasters. What more could a kid want.

PhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucket



Vote for us... Vote For Us @ TopBabyBlogs.Com - A Top Baby Blog List By topbabyblogs.com

Nee-nee's

Dec 20, 2011

When Scarlett was first learning how to talk she started calling her pj's "nee-nee's", we have no idea how she got there from PJ's, but it has stuck.  So every night after her glass of milk we tell her that she has to go put on her "nee-nee's" and get ready for bed. 

Last night when Scarlett was having a hard time getting excited about her nee-nee's Chris decided to encourage her by putting his on first...

Photobucket

Yes, Chris owns these!  I bought them for him before we were married as a joke and they have surprisingly come in handy as a Halloween costume, long underwear and a way to convince Scarlett that onesies are cool. 

Vote for us... Vote For Us @ TopBabyBlogs.Com - A Top Baby Blog List By topbabyblogs.com

Movie Monday...

Dec 19, 2011

We captured her 1st day in a big girl bed...



Vote for us... Vote For Us @ TopBabyBlogs.Com - A Top Baby Blog List By topbabyblogs.com

Sugar overload...

Dec 15, 2011

Scarlett helped me make her birthday cupcakes...and I think I might have given her a little too much.

PhotobucketPhotobucket

She got to lick the beater, the bowl and the inside of the frosting cup.  It was her birthday...totally justified.  Until I let her off of cupcake duty and she did this...

Photobucket

and started running around the house yelling..."wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, go"...okay next time I might just take into consideration that she is only two...and just the beater is probably enough sugar to last the rest of the week.

Vote for us... Vote For Us @ TopBabyBlogs.Com - A Top Baby Blog List By topbabyblogs.com

Did you know...

Dec 14, 2011

 


I LOVE my Kindle, but I am also a little cheap when it comes to buying books.  I was first sold on the Kindle when I realized that there are a ton of free books available through Amazon.  Classics that I had never read at the tip of my fingers, for free. Now I just tried my first "rental" through our local library and my experience was nothing but pleasant.  It was quick and easy, all I had to do was make sure that I had a library card and I was able to "check out" a book for 14 days before it was removed from my Kindle and returned to the library. 

Go to your local library via the internet and search for their available copies of e-books.  The only down side I noticed was that our library didn't have a very wide selection to chose from and most of the popular books had a waiting list.  But I guess it just encourages me to expand my reading horizon.  I am on book rental number two and loving every minute. 

If you have a Kindle and enjoy reading I highly recommend checking this feature out!  Enjoy!



Vote for us... Vote For Us @ TopBabyBlogs.Com - A Top Baby Blog List By topbabyblogs.com

Tea for two...

Scarlett's big gift this year was a play kitchen for her room...and if we allowed her she would spend every moment of every day making tea for two.

Photobucket

During nap time on Monday I heard some obvious play kitchen noises coming for the direction of the play kitchen corner of Scarlett's bedroom and when I opened the door to scold her for not sleeping, she jumped into bed with a book in hand smirking at me like she had been there the whole time.  After telling her she was a sneaky girl, I looked into the play kitchen corner and noticed nothing (and everything).  Scarlett had been cleaning up her kitchen.  She put everything away into the two bins we had bought her the day before and had them neatly closed and stacked the way we showed her.  The frustration I had with lack of nap time participation faded as I realized she was sneakily cleaning her room.  I immediately called Chris and told him that we need give her quiet time more often, maybe one room at a time.  If that is her reaction to demanding naps who knows what we will get out of her when we tell her she has to eat dinner. 

Vote for us... Vote For Us @ TopBabyBlogs.Com - A Top Baby Blog List By topbabyblogs.com

Birthday surprises...

Chris and I spent last Friday night doing this...

PhotobucketPhotobucket

just so Scarlett could wake up at 5:30 in the morning to this...

Photobucket

Chris and I were both worried after stuffing Scarlett's room full of colorful balloons that she would wake up in the morning and freak out that there was no floor left, that the pathway to the exit was blocked and she would be stuck in her bed for all eternity, or that she would wake up at 2 in the morning and in her sleep induced two year old mind, think that an army of rainbows were coming to attack her in the dark.  But after seeing the ridiculous smile on her face as she literally screamed "birthday balloons" at 5:30 in the morning, we quickly realized our leave the light on in the hallway and door cracked just in case worries were unfounded and this will now HAVE to become a birthday morning tradition. 

PhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucket

Vote for us... Vote For Us @ TopBabyBlogs.Com - A Top Baby Blog List By topbabyblogs.com

Two...

Dec 13, 2011

Photobucket Dear Scarlett, 

You turned two on Saturday.  All week long you talked about your birthday party.  You saw a balloon at the dollar store and said "my birthday party", you saw Micky Mouse and said "he is coming to my birthday party", we ran into our neighbor and after asking me "who's that" you asked "is he coming to my birthday party", you watched as I spent my week frantically putting together the details and said "my birthday" every time you passed the kitchen table full of colorful cutouts.   

No matter who asked the question "how are are you going to be?", you always answered "four o'clock" and after constant reminders that "four o'clock" is not an age we let you believe that you were right.  We will fix this next year but for now I will accept "four o'clock" because then I do not have to be a mom with a two year old toddler, but a little girl, who will always be a little girl, my little girl.

Love you a bushel and a peck,
Mommy



















Vote for us... Vote For Us @ TopBabyBlogs.Com - A Top Baby Blog List By topbabyblogs.com

Movie Monday...

Dec 12, 2011

In the midst of Advent season, Scarlett wants to read you a story about the true meaning of Christmas.



Vote for us... Vote For Us @ TopBabyBlogs.Com - A Top Baby Blog List By topbabyblogs.com

If this isn't the cutest thing EVER...

Dec 10, 2011

Photobucket

Katie and Edith came over for a party planning/crafting extravaganza on Monday...and this is how we calmed the girls down for nap time.  Milk, couch, blanket, Yo Gabba Gabba = 20 full minutes of peaceful craft time before another 2 hours of peaceful nap time...yes please.



Vote for us... Vote For Us @ TopBabyBlogs.Com - A Top Baby Blog List By topbabyblogs.com

Party sneak peek...

Dec 9, 2011

A sneak peak at Scarlett's birthday.

Photobucket
The chaos that is my dining room table...and the "decorate a dot" craft to keep the kids from breaking anything.

Photobucket
Party favors

Photobucket
Way too many felt circles that I need to find time to sew together. 

I hate planning parties...I always get myself into a mess with Scarlett's.  Grand ideas turn grander with a quick stop by The Dollar Store or Michaels.  The closer the date comes the more I worry about seating, food, drinks, kids having fun and  making it too long or too short.  Chris is constantly reminding me to "chill out" and realize that is is a kids birthday party.  But with one more day until the big polka dot extravaganza my list keeps growing and my head is swimming with one more craft I NEED to squeeze in before tomorrow.  Deep breaths and relax...it is only Scarlett's entire youth wrapped up into one day of crazy fun.  AHHH...I need a vacation.



Vote for us... Vote For Us @ TopBabyBlogs.Com - A Top Baby Blog List By topbabyblogs.com

So, this is how it begins...

Dec 8, 2011

Chris and I spent our evening from approximately 8-11pm doing this...

Photobucket

Putting together Scarlett's birthday present.  We both sat there thinking this is the beginning of the end.  The beginning of waiting in line for hours to get the perfect doll  that she has been asking for all year long, the beginning of staying awake blowing up balloons to stuff into her tiny room for a birthday morning surprise, the beginning of the sleepless night sacrifices we will make so that our little girl is spoiled rotten on her birthday.

How did we become these people?  Staying up late for some other reason beyond our own desire.  Me, sacrificing sleep for someone else...unheard of.  But there we sat plotting how to hide this kitchen in our tiny condo and searching the closets for a sheet big enough to cover the mystery gift.  The beginning of the end...the beginning of Scarlett's ultimate happiness and the end of all selfish desire. Parenting 101. 

Vote for us... Vote For Us @ TopBabyBlogs.Com - A Top Baby Blog List By topbabyblogs.com

Chicken pot pie...

Dec 7, 2011

Last week I was craving a good hearty meal, we had some carrots from our farm fresh to you package and  frozen chicken so a crispy chicken pot pie was born.

PhotobucketPhotobucket

What you need:

Pie crust (2)
2 Chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup Flour
1 tsp Rosemary (to taste)
1 tsp Sage (to taste)
1 1/2 tbs butter
2 cloves minced garlic
2 cups mixed vegetables
(I used carrots, celery, peas, green beans...way more than 2 cups...but I love veggies)
1 can cream of chicken
1 cup chicken broth

To cook:

Preheat oven to 425. Pierce one crust and bake for 8 minutes or until slightly brown. Set aside.  Leave oven on.

PhotobucketIn small bowl mix flour with rosemary and sage.  Season chicken with salt and pepper, transfer chicken to flour and coat evenly.



Photobucket







In a large skillet melt butter and add the garlic.  Saute for two minutes but do not let the garlic brown. Add the seasoned chicken and any remaining flour, stir until chicken is brown (about 5 minutes). When chicken has a nice crispy outside, add can of cream of chicken, 1 cup of chicken broth, and your mixed vegetables.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through and veggie are soft.





Pour chicken mixture into your baked pie crust, season with salt and pepper.  Place your unbaked crust on top of mixture and pinch edges to the baked crust to form a seal.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until your crust is golden.

PhotobucketPhotobucket

Cut open and enjoy!!!





Vote for us... Vote For Us @ TopBabyBlogs.Com - A Top Baby Blog List By topbabyblogs.com