{ ava & truman }

Recipes

2012-01-20T21:04:00.027-06:00

My crockpot has gotten a workout these days... and the results have been really good. Revolutionary. I'm talking choir-singing-fabulous. It's been so easy and tasty. Read my other post for step-by-step instructions on batch cooking.

CHICKEN TACO CHILI
Adapted from skinnytaste.com

1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can dark kidney beans, rinsed
16 oz. can tomato sauce
1 can mild rotel, tomatoes w/ green chilies, drained
1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 c. frozen corn
1/2 c. celery
1/2 green pepper
1 white onion
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 T. cumin
1 T. chili powder
1 T. garlic
3 chicken breasts

Combine all in a 1 gallon freezer bag. Lay flat to freeze. To cook, thaw on counter for 30 minutes. Cook in crockpot on low 8 hrs, high 4 hrs. Shred chicken and serve with your favorite chili fixings. Our favorite so far!!

SWEET & SOUR CHICKEN
Adapted from Allrecipes.com

2/3 c. white vinegar
1-1/2 c. sugar
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
3 T. cornstarch
1/4 c. pineapple tidbits
2 c. juice from tidbits
1 white onion
2 green bell pepper
2 large carrots
6 frozen chicken breasts
2 chicken bouillion cubes

This is a double batch. Mix sauce and divide between 2 bags. Chop veggies and divide. Add 3 breasts per bag and a bouillion cube. Lay flat to freeze. To cook, thaw on counter for 30 minutes. Cook in crockpot on low 8 hrs, high 4 hrs. Shred chicken and serve over rice.

CILANTRO LIME TACOS
from Jolene

1 c. fresh cilantro leaves (1 bunch, do not include stems)
2 1/2 T. EVOO
2 T. sliced, toasted almonds
3 T. minced garlic
1 large lime, the juice from
1/2 cup shredded Romano (Parmesan or asiago can be substituted too)
1 1/2 t. kosher salt
1/4 c. chicken broth

Using a food processor (or blender), mix together on low speed for 2 minutes. Put cilantro paste into a 1 gallon freezer bag. Add 3 frozen chicken breasts. Lay flat to freeze. To cook, thaw on counter for 30 minutes. Cook in crockpot on low 8 hrs, high 4 hrs. Shred chicken and serve on tortillas with taco fixings.

Travis liked these but I wasn't crazy about them. I think it was the romano. I'll probably omit it completely next time. I also forgot to buy a head of lettuce, opps.

Crockpot Freezer Meals

2012-01-20T16:24:00.032-06:00

QUIZ... IS BATCH COOKING FOR ME?
* Do you find yourself asking "What's for dinner?"
* Are you too tired to think of what to cook?
* Do you hate repeatedly going to the grocery store?
* Do you want your family to have home cooked meals?
* Do you have some empty real estate in your freezer?
* Do you want to spend time doing other things besides being in the kitchen all damn day every day?
If you answered "YES" to these questions... you are ready!!!

My Guide to Crockpot Freezer Meals
Step 1: MEAL PLAN
Chose a few assorted recipes. Double them and buy accordingly. It works best to use recipes that mainly consist of chicken/beef, veggies and a sauce of some sort. I leave OUT the pasta, rice, noodles or couscous because it turns to mush when I'm not looking. I cook the carbs SEPARATELY right before dinner to serve with the meal. You might find a lot of your recipes can be adapted to make freezer meals.

STEP 2: GROCERY SHOP
*Add 1 gallon freezer bags to the list.

STEP 3: SET UP
Label your bags with a sharpie (to avoid confusion later).
Roll the top of the bag down and put in a bowl or container to stabilize.
Place corresponding recipe in front of containers.

STEP 4: PREP SAUCES & MARINADES FIRST
Whether it's tomato sauce or BBQ sauce or whatever, dump the saucy ingredients in your bags first.
Then add the spices and stir them up inside the bag. (It can get confusing as to what you have added... so cross things off if you have to. I like to get everything I need out on the counter and then put it up after I use it).

STEP 5: VEGGIES
Start with the canned or frozen veggies.
Then chop the fresh veggies (i.e. chop up 4 white onions and divide among all the bags, then chop up 3 green peppers and divide where needed, etc.).

STEP 6: MEAT
Put the meat on top. For the chicken, I ended up using 3 frozen breasts per bag OR 6-8 frozen tenderloins per bag.

STEP 7: SEAL AND MIX
Seal the bags, mix each all around. Open the edge and press all the air out and reseal.

STEP 8: FREEZE
Lay the bags flat to freeze. Once frozen, you can stand them upright to store.

STEP 9: ORGANIZE
Make a list of what you have. Write down other ingredients you want to serve with each meal.

STEP 10: COOK
Thaw your frozen meal on the counter for 15 minutes or so. You can run the sealed bag under hot water for a few minutes to help loosen things up. Break it up into chunks. Toss it in and fire it up! Generally I don't stir or touch the it again until dinner time. Shred the meat and make your corresponding carb.

(Disclaimer: I'm not a chef and this is not gourmet cooking. I'm a busy mom.)

great grandparents

2011-08-08T17:04:00.024-05:00

the kids and i visit my grandparents every friday. it's something special we all look forward to. i enjoy the change of scenery, the conversation, the history lessons and the stories shared.

my grandma has always loved babies. i just hand him over and he snuggles in like a little puppy. my lil softie loves all the extra attention.

grammy roof (ruth) was excited to crochet her new thread onto one of her baby blankets. she invited ava up on her lap and is showing her how to crochet. ava wrapped the thread around her little finger, too. maybe one day she'll really learn to crochet?

besides playing with the babydolls & puzzles, ava likes to scare papa. they usually share some pringles and laughs before he takes a nap in his recliner. grammy ruth is always trying to force feed us (with love) at her infamous bar. i have so many memories as a little girl sitting in that very spot.

more than anything... i just love the
{ happiness & joy }
the kiddos bring to my grandparents.

siblings

2011-07-23T10:43:00.003-05:00

{ he's my best friend }

the first week

2011-05-17T09:32:00.008-05:00

(let's start at the beginning...)

truman's birth story:
the pregnancy was very difficult and i had agonizing false labor for 3 weeks or more. i was a week overdue and had to be induced. monday at 7 am they started pitocin. 8 am they broke my water. by 9am, my contractions were too intense and i got an epidural (it actually worked this time!). at 10 am, i was complete and the dr. was called. we waited over an hour for the dr. (she was delivering another baby across the hall). once she showed, it was 3 big pushes and he was out at 11:24 am. it couldn't have been anymore perfect. it was a beautiful, amazing birth experience that i was actually able to enjoy since i wasn't going crazy with pain.

life at home:
our first walk with the double stroller (sit n stand). i love this thing already! i can see some zoo trips in our near future. it was a gorgeous day and everyone enjoyed the fresh air. ava made some new friends (a couple different elderly neighbors that were outside getting mail, doing yardwork, etc.)

truman's first trip to target. ava stayed with grammy diane so i could actually get a lil shopping done.
relaxing on the front porch while ava ran around shaking trees and chasing squirrels.
daddy is back at work and were getting back into a routine. ava is quite the lil mama; she helps with the pacifier, diaper changes and whatever else mama asks her to do. she's very sweet and gentle (for the most part) with truman and gives him lil pats and kisses. she asks him if he's "comfy" and baby talks to him. it makes my heart melt!i used to say i hated the "newborn stage." well, i take it back. truman is such a good baby (it probably helps that i'm more relaxed this time around, too). he's pretty predictable. i've already learned what his grunts and cries mean. he's only a week old, but his personality so far seems laid back. HALLELUJAH!

i'm right were i wanna be. my heart feels like it's overflowing with love for my family. we're complete now. i'm so thankful for all that i have... i feel richer and happier than ever.

hello, my name is Truman

2011-05-14T10:25:00.004-05:00

"Baybee Tooman here now. This way." -Ava

TRUMAN LEE
born Monday, May 9th at 11:24 am
8 lbs 9 oz, 19" long
perfect

video link

baby brother's room

2011-05-01T13:50:00.014-05:00

we are still waiting for him to make his arrival...

fun boy stuff in navy, green and orange...

i had an ugly built-in to contend with... it WAS an oak guncase (yikes!) with sliding glass doors and peg board. i replaced the peg board with bead board and got rid of the glass. i really wanted to paint the whole thing white, but that got veto-ed. the bookcase is still a lil awkward, but overall i'm pretty happy with the results.

travis' favorite thing... the motorcross action figure that makes vroom-vroom sounds.

this dresser was a piece from travis' childhood that we repainted (it was oak)... we removed the brass pulls and used rope to make new pulls.

my rocking chair project is incomplete, but it's on the to-do list. my sewing machine pooped out on me, and i haven't gotten a new one yet. however, this is the print...

easter

2011-04-25T19:26:00.021-05:00

it was a great day spent with Travis' family! we went out to Cheney to Mike and Aunt MaryLou's. she had an awesome homemade dinner with all the fixings... and tons of games and entertainment for the kiddos.

our family of 3...
9 months pregnant...
with all her cousins...
waiting for the easter egg hunt...

Ava & Aunt Tiffy!

"papa... sit right here!"
easter basket at grammy diane's...
we all gotta kick out of the creepy blowup bunny!

"higher daddy!"

*THANKS... Grammy Diane for letting me borrow your pictures for the blog!*

hello... we're still here

2011-04-20T10:24:00.003-05:00

so... i've been on a bit of a blogging hiatus.

with relocating our office to the basement (to make a new baby room), being pregnant and having gallbladder issues, i haven't been feeling up to par to even take pictures or blog.

i'm in the 38th week of pregnancy (2 more weeks! if that) and patiently awaiting our son's arrival.

what's new with AVA?
- she's fully potty trained... it happened on its own like i knew it would. it was one of our easiest milestones yet.
- around the first of the year (after we went cold-turkey on the pacifier), she began to have MAJOR sleeping issues. we went from crib, to toddler bed, to crib, to floor, to everything in between. i really didn't want her in our bed (for my own selfish reasons) but we finally all got sooooo exhausted that we tried it. TAA-DAH, amazing sleep ensued and peace, calm and happiness resumed. so we have a family bed now (queen size... i might add). she still has some night terrors occasionally if she doesnt get enough sleep, but we've kinda got them figured out and know how to handle them.

so i'll be posting (hopefully more frequent) about both babes here.... so come back for more!

tumbling class

2010-12-13T14:16:00.010-06:00

ava and her russian olympic gymnastics trainer...

is it time yet?

1st place

yayy! she loves it! i think daddy does, too.

playing outside in the cold

2010-12-13T14:06:00.011-06:00

sweet baby girl stuff on ebay

2010-12-07T20:01:00.005-06:00

since i'm having a boy, i've decided to purge some of ava's stuff i've hoarded over the past 2 years. it might be a lil overpriced, but my plan is: if it doesn't sell, then it will go in a garage sale, with friends getting first dibbs.

Click here to shop: http://shop.ebay.com/rockitwear/m.html

#2... coming around May 3rd

2010-11-24T14:23:00.004-06:00

17 weeks

view of the BOY goodies from the underside.

halloween at school

2010-10-29T13:27:00.014-05:00

she instinctively says "cheeeeese" when she see the camera

it's super windy...

recent artwork...

chocolate milk break...

pumpkin patch

2010-10-15T14:06:00.030-05:00

we went to cox farms on a tuesday morning with our playgroup friends. the weather was nice and we had lots of fun! cox also has a neat lil grocery store with lots of fresh produce. i wish i would've got some more pictures of the mamas together, but we were too busy herding our cattle to think of it.

friends...

pumpkin patch...

animals...

hayrack ride...

playground...

sorry for the lack of posts lately. we've been busy! ava has basically potty trained herself. we're still working out some kinks, but she's got it down pretty good.

first day of school

2010-09-10T13:46:00.009-05:00

Ava is currently enrolled in a mom's day out (MDO) program that runs thru May. it's at a local church... the teachers are super nice and grandmotherly. it's once a week for 4 hours. Ava needs some socialization and structure.... and I need some sanity. so i packed her bag and off we went.

8:50
"cheeeeeese"

8:55
we arrived early and played outside

9:00
carrying her lunch, standing next to her bookbag

9:13
ava plays well and is very concerned with the crying kids

9:17
ava finds playdough... she's still concerned with the crying kid, but seems content so i say goodbye and leave.

9:38
ring... ring....
"Ava realized you were gone and is going to the door and crying for you... would you mind coming back?"

9:45-1:00
So back i went... and tried to remain a wallflower and not interact with her. She pottied 3x like the bigger girls (and was quite proud). She played with the other kids and had a great time. She ate her lunch and played some more. To my surprise she sat on a carpet square and listened to storytime. They sang songs and did lil motions. She loved it.

Sadly.... there were NO manicures or pedicures, NO pier 1 import browsing... NO laundry done, NO walls painted, NO dishes put away. NO garage sale-ing and NO thrifting. BUT... there's always next week!!!

waahooo!

2010-07-30T17:54:00.000-05:00

i won! 2 pairs of amazing earrings that is, from Rachael's giveaway!!! i love love love them. i was kind enough to let Ava open the cute lil package that came in the mail...

and Ava is super excited about her new container.... she's just frowning because she needs her sunglasses.

SO a big thank you to Rachael!!

picnic at riverside park

2010-07-30T16:59:00.028-05:00

it's in the upper 90s and miserably HOT here, but that didn't stop up today!

sayin' "cheese" with her mouth full.

cooling off in the fountains!

Fashion Week, 7

2010-07-18T17:04:00.009-05:00

i'm just wearing a light, gauzey shirt dress. i was discussing this look with my hubby. i thought it was sorta safari-ish. my hubby said,
"more like a housekeeper going on a cleaning mission."
just what i was going for!SUNDAY...
dress: tjmaxx
sandals: american eagle
earrings/bracelets: ??
sunglasses: target
trying to showcase my accessories, looking a little "commercial"... for the record...
thanks for all the lovely comments... they've made my week! for the gals who like my hair and wanna try it out... do it! only with a stylist you trust, of course. i've had all sorts of cuts/colors, but this is the most "me" and is my fav. also easy to maintain, i typically only wash it every 2-3 days... and just straighten daily.

Fashion Week, 6

2010-07-17T17:38:00.002-05:00

woooo doggie, it's hot... 102 today. WARNING: SHOWING SOME SKIN. no shame in our game! we went to two different 1-year-old birthday parties... both outdoor by the pool. unfortunately, my pics are after the fact, so we're miserably hot.
SATURDAY...
dress: target
bikini: target, alterations by me
shoes: target
watch: gift
earrings: F21
sunglasses: target

MY CUTE PHOTOGRAPHER/HUBSBAND...
shorts: gift (walmart?)

AVA ON THURSDAY...
dress: target
shoes/bow: kid to kid consignment

papa in his flight suit

Fashion Week, 5

2010-07-16T17:35:00.015-05:00

nearly 100 degrees, it's way too hot to layer or wear pants...

FRIDAY...
top: juilets closet, tjmaxx
shorts: nori
shoes: american eagle
watch: thrifted
necklace: stella & dot, ♥ gift

Fashion Week, 4

2010-07-15T17:17:00.024-05:00

workin that self-timer

THURSDAY...
top: juilets closet, tjmaxx
shorts: F21
shoes: rocket dog, tjmaxx
bracelet: charlotte russe
earrings: F21
hair flower: handmade by my mom

fashion week, 3

2010-07-14T21:49:00.009-05:00

i am mostly a SAHM, but today i had to work. i'm a cancer-fighting RN (oncology). here's my get up. now ladies, i realize this isn't "fashion"... i'm just trying to keep things interesting.

WEDNESDAY...
top: dickies
pants: landau
watch: baby g
shoes: nike shox
stethoscope: littman's

fashion week, 1 & 2

2010-07-13T22:47:00.023-05:00

so, i'm taking over the blog to join in "fashion week"

i stumbled upon it and decided to participate.
this is basically what i REALLY wear. no premeditation involved.

MONDAY...
shirt: F21
jeans: garage sale, "bullhead"
shoes: target
earrings: F21

TUESDAY...
outside day with playgroup. mulitple toddlers, 97 degrees out, and a cranky photographer
shirt/sunglasses/purse/swimsuit/flipflops: old navy
shorts: target
watch: gift

had to wear my old ass (old navy) swimsuit... because i haven't done my laundry in a while.

summer evening

2010-07-08T22:07:00.010-05:00

waiting for daddy to get home from work.

20 months

salmonella... yuck!

2010-06-11T00:43:00.007-05:00

we thought we'd take a short trip over memorial weekend, but ava got sick on the way there and we ended up coming home. she ran fevers and had diarrhea for a week, didn't eat for 2 days and lost 2 lbs. it was AWFUL. we found out she had salmonella poisioning (results from her stool sample). i have no idea how or where she got it. travis and i never got sick.

a million lysol wipes later... she's feeling better! her weight is back up and the kid eats NON-STOP. literally. she acts like she's starving if she doesn't have food in her hand. we think she's gotten taller, too. we are so lucky she didn't have to be hospitalized. thanks pedialyte!

gosh, i love this lil person!

"M" is for mother's day

2010-05-09T21:57:00.024-05:00

mama's pretty flowers from Aunt Tiffy and the yummy dessert daddy made. mama also received a relaxing mani/pedi and lunch at Le Monde.

signing "more". more food to keep me happy while you have the camera.

her version of "night night"

arms up!

morning project: making cards and using markers for the first time.

she's versatile with her media.

opps, i think i ate some marker.

headband slingshot

backyard, 18 months

2010-05-06T22:09:00.019-05:00

ava is always soooo busy. moving, lifting, pushing, pulling, opening, throwing... playing is hard work! she was pretty serious this evening. i didn't get any smiles from her.

relaxing... for literally a few seconds. then she's off!

that lil booger. she disappeared for a few minutes. i found her picking my flowers and putting them in the bird feeder.

my lil family loves to be outside. this evening we were enjoying our back patio (which is currently under construction) and i decided to grab my camera. we're pretty stoked about making our own outdoor oasis. i'll post some more pics when it's completed. i've really got my eye on this Moroccan style water fountain (*hint *hint). mother's day is coming up!

taking time to stop and smell the flowers.

mama's herbs. she thinks they're stinky.

rosemary, basil, thyme & cilantro

what ava's been doing lately, 17 months

2010-04-18T14:06:00.025-05:00

stinkin red eye! just like her mama

wants ketchup with every meal... according to great grandma it's good for her!

daddy's lil helper. ava LOVES to be outside.

mighty mouse!

who needs a pacifier anyways?

the rare squeeze! i love those lil arms around my neck - so sweet.

xoxoxoxo

j-e-l-l-o

2010-03-12T14:57:00.004-06:00

here's ava's first experience with jello. when you're sick, you get jello.

ava has been super sick. she has RSV (a respiratory infection), her first ear infection, plus a 4th molar coming through. triple whammy. this is the first time she's had to go on antibiotics. i guess were pretty lucky we've made it this far without needing anything. she was miserable to say the least... and didn't sleep for about 2 days. she was so clingy, quite a change from her normal self.

a couple days later, she's feeling better... still has the cough but is able to breathe/eat/drink & sleep ok. feeling good after a much needed 3 hour nap...

cheese!

2010-03-04T21:56:00.006-06:00

( 16 months )
i didn't think it was possible, but she gets cuter everyday!

earrings

2010-02-04T11:33:00.015-06:00

before:

i was anticipating a meltdown, but she did great! she quickly forgot about her ears and was eager to tryout a lollipop for the first time.

after:

bonus, i found some pics daddy took of her on her motorcyle!

15 months

2010-01-31T23:50:00.009-06:00

sledding

2010-01-31T23:21:00.012-06:00

playground and polka dots

2010-01-23T21:34:00.025-06:00

so i purchased a used little tikes playground. it's a lil sun-faded, but has a TON of fun still left in it. after travis and i rassled it like an alligator and got it put together, we bundled up ava (sleeper pjs, a sweatsuit, boots, hat & mittens) and took her out to play. it was probably 50 degrees or so, but the sun was shining.

our lil daredevil wanted to go head first!

i can't wait for warmer weather so we can enjoy our new backyard more (thanks for all the hard work, daddy!). i'm looking forward to having picnic lunches and playgroups outside.

after we went inside, ava stayed at the window for awhile pointing at the playground and saying, "that! that! that!"

first off, let me say that taking a picture of ava is not easy. she always wants the camera, which doesn't usually end up for very cute pictures. i decided to give her my old camera to play with so i can get some shots of her.

merry christmas!

2009-12-25T22:09:00.004-06:00

more pictures soon...

the potty

2009-12-20T13:16:00.006-06:00

( WARNING: SORTA GRAPHIC )

ok... so when grammy diane suggested getting a potty for ava's first birthday, i'll admit, i thought it sounded too early. but, i bought one anyway and i've been letting ava sit on it just to get used to the idea. she's funny. while sitting on her throne she'll point to things she wants and have me hand her toys. and of course, i oblige. well today, after lunch i let her sit for a few minutes, asked her if she needed to poo poo, and she shook her head yes. then...
ta-daa!

honestly, i never really expected her to do anything in it! holy crap, i guess i better start reading some info on how to potty train. ha ha.

fun fun fun

2009-12-13T23:49:00.020-06:00

so i've been lazy lately and have only taken pictures with my phone (sorry mom, but it's easy). i was scrolling thru them and decided i just needed to do a blog post.

ava loves her babies! she's quite the lil mother. she kisses them, pats them, and gives them rides in the stroller. she wanted the baby in the bathtub with her tonight... she used her toothbrush to brush the baby's teeth! makes me think she'll be a awesome big sissy someday.

when it's REALLY cold, i make her wear the puffy coat... as you can see, she's thrilled that she can't bend her arms.

i've been told my mom liked to eat lotion... and i can actually remember tasting the baby magic at my aunt tammy's house! do all babies like to eat lotion? ava likes a lil bite when she can get it. she's very interested in any lotion or soap dispenser with a pump.

lesson of the day: don't leave your kleenex box unattended around a 1 year old.

ava doesn't have a whole lot of fear. she likes to climb on things, stand up and dangle one foot over the edge (to watch you scream and run towards her), she likes it when i hold her feet in my hand and balance her standing up (i'll have to get a picture of that!). she likes lots of action and movement... i think she's really going to enjoy tumbling/gymnastics as soon as she gets a lil bit older.

being silly.

learning to use a spoon

ahhh...screw it. this is way easier!

so i get up early for work... and sneak into ava's room and find her sleeping like a lil old man! gotta love her bear blankie on her head.

13 months

2009-12-07T19:27:00.011-06:00

video...

working hard to get the lid off...

what's inside?! baby suppositories!

yuck mom, those don't taste very good.

she loves her horse aka "power"

she's gettings right on and off without any trouble...

my lil girl

2009-11-14T21:45:00.004-06:00

ava's 1 year checkup went great. she weighs 19 lbs (25th percentile) and is 27.5" (15th percentile). she's a lil petite for her age, but very healthy. dr. said she looks great, but we already knew that!

happy 1st birthday, halloween style

2009-10-31T20:01:00.035-05:00

excuse me... coming thru!

2009-10-16T22:34:00.001-05:00

these boots were made for walkin'...

2009-10-16T22:21:00.007-05:00

third times a charm... i finally found a pair that stay on and ava can walk in. (ministar's from target $20)

who needs lip gloss when you have slobber?

11 months

2009-10-01T22:20:00.011-05:00

ava always blinks at the flash on my phone!
i finally got a couple pics with her eyes open.
she cracks me up.
so much personality in such a lil package.

these two really show the bruise on her forehead... the corner of the wall got in her way.

hugs and kisses!

Walking

2009-09-23T20:57:00.006-05:00

and saying dadda all the time
and waving
and clapping
and when asked, can point to doll's eyes, duck, ball, dog, bear
and can kick a ball
and will give kisses to the baby and say "awwwwww". so cute.
will only give people kisses, when she wants to!
and can sign milk (ok... only once, but still!)
and plays peek a boo
and knows "sit down"

i'm so proud.

cheap entertainment

2009-09-11T11:10:00.018-05:00

yee haw!

the spinning musical mushroom was not so fun...

the bus was a hit! she liked the steering wheel. i tried, i wouldn't fit in it.

sadly, the carousel has relocated to an unknown location and is no longer at the mall. trav and i agreed that was the best $1.50 we ever spent.

Garage sale sled + dead yard (being prepped for sod) + fun daddy = whaaa whooo!

not sure who's having more fun... ava or us?!

Daddy's Girl - 10 months

2009-09-06T20:55:00.003-05:00

she's whining at the end, but she just got both her top teeth in, so she has a good excuse.

Labor Day Family Vacation

2009-09-06T20:23:00.012-05:00

Our first overnight stay at a cabin on the lake (in Council Grove). We had a great time with friends. The cabin has a wrap around porch that overlooks the lake. Ahhhh... it was peaceful. The weather was beautiful so we just hung out on the porch most of the time. We watched people fishing, the guys played washers and smoked cigars, and the girls enjoyed some summer brew.

We timed it just right so Ava slept most the car ride.

The girls went into town and went shopping while the dad's watched the babes. Then later we made a delicious taco dinner.

All 3 babies were very well behaved and had fun playing together.

Travis was pretty proud of her saying "dadda" in front of his friends. : )

That's about all of the pictures I took! I was trying to relax and have a good time!

BONUS: Here's the monkey costume that Ava will NOT be wearing for Halloween. Ha ha.

9 months

2009-08-09T10:59:00.019-05:00

one word (or maybe it's two?) = piggytails!

teething again, poor babe... those top teeth are a bear coming in.

ava is cruising the furniture and anything she can hang on to. she uses her walker to make her way around the living room. she'll stand for a few seconds on her own. her favorite place to play is under my end table.

she currently likes to grab glasses and get her hands in my mouth. she laughs when she can get ahold of my teeth. crazy girl.

out on the town.

photos via my blackberry. love it!. sorry camera, back seat.

most of these pics are ava in her pajamas (the onesies). i know they're not outfits, jennifer! : )

Escape

2009-07-24T19:11:00.003-05:00

after some frustration, she finally makes it under! and she couldn't be more proud of herself.

(sorry for the low quality... )

felipes

2009-07-23T22:24:00.010-05:00

some pics of yours truly at a recent baby shower for travis' cousin, brianna.

gramma diane...

cousin missy...

cousin tae'lynn...

this face cracks me up, she's doing her high pitched squeal...

"yes, i'll have the beans with extra cheese"

photo credit: nancy, thank you!

splish splash

2009-07-19T21:40:00.004-05:00

playing in the big tub.

thank you, dr. ferber

2009-07-09T09:45:00.004-05:00

sleep training/night weaning has been successful!!! hopefully i won't jinx myself!

the first night of ferber-izing, ava cried on and off for 2.5 hours, all while travis would comfort her every 15 min. it goes against all of a mother's instincts to just let your child cry. but at some point a person is so sleep deprived and no longer just wants REM, but NEEDS it, so there has to be a sacrifice. it was horrible! i almost lost it several times and wanted to just pick her up or feed her. i had to keep telling myself that other's had done it and been successful, and they're children appeared normal. i had my earplugs, but had to work the next day so i was worried if i put them in i wouldn't hear the alarm clock. i was hallucinating that she was crying... it was truly awful. but we got through it!

the light at the end of the tunnel... she's been sleeping through the night the last 5 days or so. HALLELUJAH!!! i feel rejuvenated, and i think ava does, too.

fourth of july

2009-07-05T11:09:00.013-05:00

playing with the cousins...

daddy is more excited about the 4-wheeling than ava...

beautiful aunt emilee...

tickling mama...
"not another picture" face...

on the menu

2009-07-05T10:30:00.007-05:00

ava has gotten over her aversion to textured foods in the last month... so now she's eating some finger foods and we're starting to incorporate some tables foods. fun! i'm continually adding new stuff and trying new things. she might have a wheat/gluten issue... we'll see if she outgrows it. on two seperate occasions she's had a tummy ache and face rash after eating wheaty stuff.

likes
most pureed veggies and fruits
rice cakes
crackers
gerber "puffs"
tiny chicken bits
mangos, pineapples, shredded apple
squash
green beans
cheese
yogurt
chewing on celery sticks and big peeled carrots

dislikes
pureed beef and chicken
peaches
bananas

some simple, economical tips i've learned thus far
-no sugar added applesauce in cups rather than the jarred stuff (it doesn't have any extra crap in it, just apples).
-organic frozen fruit, cubed, then cut it up into small pieces. i know it's not as good as fresh, but it's easy and do-able!
-big tub of plain, whole milk yogurt ($2) then mix fruit into it.

it's not a meal unless it makes it into her hair!

i'm looking forward to learning more tips/tricks and recipes... like freezing little meals into cubes, etc. i'm open to hearing more suggestions, so comment and tell me what you know.

family fun at the waterpark

2009-07-02T21:54:00.005-05:00

(click here to see all the pics)

follow our blog!

2009-06-27T18:01:00.004-05:00

if you read our blog you should become a "follower". it's easy, just sign in on the right.

thanks to ashley for the idea!

go, go, go!

2009-06-24T22:02:00.023-05:00

ava is crawling and into everything. her curiosity and fleeting attention span require lots of toys and interaction. it's hard to keep up with her sometimes, but i just keep thinking of how much she's learning and all those little neuron connections being formed.

she's pulling up to stuff and cruising. her balance improves everyday and makes me think walking isn't too far off.

my lil monkey! it cracks me up how much she uses her feet. she'll even multi-task with them.

where's ava??? so small.

you talkin to me?

my sweet lil baby!

(almost 8 months)

happy father's day

2009-06-19T16:53:00.023-05:00

happy father's day to ava's dadda... travis. ava always lights up when she sees him. he is soo much fun to play with, singing songs and making funny noises are his specialty. he works hard to support our little family. he's funny, thoughtful, sweet and cute. what more could you ask for?!

also, happy father's day to the proud grandpas.
ava with my dad and grandpa...

ava and travis' dad...

excuse me, coming thru

2009-06-10T22:12:00.006-05:00

last week ava started crawling... and today she pulled up to a standing position on her own. she's so happy to finally be able to move. she never ceases to amaze me!

*she's wearing her teeny bikini because (opps) daddy accidentally left her other swimsuit at the Y last time.

after some internet research, we are currently "sleep training." basically my attempt at getting some real sleep (more than 3-4 hrs at a time). apparently we didn't establish "good sleeping habits" earlier. why didn't someone tell me?! last night went well, she slept for 9 hours straight! supposedly the trick to any sleep training is consistency. so were sticking to it for now.

hello.

2009-06-05T08:48:00.006-05:00

we routinely sit on the porch when ava's a little fussy. she loves being outside and immediately calms down when we step out the door. a new thing we've been doing is waving to the cars that drive by (because who doesn't want to see a cute baby waving at them?!). of course, this is an un-witnessed event, as she won't do it for anyone special. except i caught it on camera!

*teething update: there are 2 teeth on the bottom. trav swears there's one on top, but i haven't seen/felt it yet.

first tooth!

2009-05-30T11:46:00.006-05:00

i noticed it this morning. i can feel a little spot on her gums. it's just breaking thru on the bottom right. she's been a good girl, no symptoms to speak of (oh, except massive drool).

you can't really see it in the pics, but they're cute anyways!

memorial day at the lake

2009-05-26T09:57:00.019-05:00

my grammy got me in the water
i was trying to eat the sand

i like my sunglasses... they help me see when it's sunny out

teeny tiny toenails

2009-05-22T00:28:00.002-05:00

yes it was hard. i did it while she was awake!

play group

2009-05-21T23:09:00.021-05:00

the highlight of my week. the reason i vacuum. meetings are here at the compound on wednesdays. we eat lunch then hang out and chat all afternoon. we go on "stroller parade" if it's nice out.

ava plays too rough...

so she gets to play by herself.

she likes the jumper or playing in her activity center thing. lately she wants on the floor. she gets up on all 4's and rocks a bit, then log rolls to her destination. crawling should be soon!

our friends, madeline & easton. both were born around the end of march.

soo sweet... he smiled so big when he saw her. then he reached his little arm out to her and wanted to snuggle up. maddy doesn't look so sure for a minute ; )

but then she changed her mind.

gotta love the facial expressions. so much personality.

on the activity list: homemade father's day cards. i pulled out the supplies, but we never actually got to it. maybe next week.

full photo set here.

just testing out the equipment

2009-05-18T11:55:00.000-05:00

fresh air

2009-05-18T11:23:00.007-05:00

notice daddy's latest project in the background... the shed and fence! he's been working hard and it's almost finished.

ava loves going on walks. we usually go in the afternoon, but are probably going to have to start going in the morning since it's getting warmer out.

this particular ride was an exhausting one... she was bobbing her head with her eyes closed, and wouldn't lay her head back until i put the blanket under there as a lil pillow.

mama's view from the behind the stroller.

just wanna kiss those big o cheeks and lips!

aunt emmy stopped by with her new bike and gave it a lil test drive around the neighborhood.

soft lil duck tail

2009-05-18T10:51:00.010-05:00

i love the soft hair on the back of her head... especially after a nap how it's all fuzzy!

happy mama's day!

2009-05-10T08:46:00.002-05:00

four generations of ladies, four hands, each with their own story. having ava has brought my family so much closer. now we have a reason to get together every sunday. we usually end up centered around the baby... belly laughing at something she's doing. we oogle over her... wondering how she manages to get cuter every week. i get to hear amazing stories of raising children back in the day, before microwaves and dishwashers, when a birthing suite was your bedroom.... it's great.

peaches

2009-05-06T10:44:00.003-05:00

for the last month or so, ava's been eating pureed veggies (no fruits, i didn't want to develop her sweet tooth). she was doing so good, i thought i would reward her with some peaches. turned out to be more like torture.

around the crib

2009-05-04T15:54:00.005-05:00

summer wardrobe is complete. we've got tons of hair accessories on backup for the first minute some serious hair shows up. and loads of shoes for her to despise wearing.