BOO To You

 

BOO to you.

Happy Halloween from the scariest cutest ghost in town.

A Taste Of Freedom

This weekend we enjoyed our first Halloween party as a family.

The weather was perfection and tiny enjoyed every moment.

But more than anything else, she got her first taste of freedom.

 Of course not without a lesson in safety first.

Oh Papa, you are in so much trouble.

Even though she can only go backwards, it didn't stop her Fred Flinstone feet from trying.

And freedom never felt so good.

 We were in amazement at how well she got around...even when her feet barely touch the ground.

I must say I dread the day 16 years from now when she really is driving.

 

 

Tiny Talks

As parents, you wait for so long to hear what your little one's voice will sound like.

You dream about how they will say those precious words...

and then you try with all your being to catch it on tape.

It sounds easy, really it does.

But I have quickly learned that babies typically don't perform on demand.

So when I caught tiny's first few words on video,

I was flabbergasted by how on cue she was talking,

and of course I had to share.

So sit back, relax, maybe grab a few kernels of popcorn, and enjoy the show.

Wordless Wednesday

Sharing is Caring.

Happy Wordless Wednesday friends!

Today's Letter Is...

I can't wait to show you my latest creation today.

I have had my eye on large cardboard letters at the craft store for some time now,

 but could never really find the right inspiration to purchase one...

until now. 

This year for Tiny's 1st birthday we are celebrating "secret garden style",

and every garden needs a mossy letter.

It truly was the easiest (though not exactly the cleanest) project I have ever attempted.

I purchased the letter, and a roll of instant moss and that was it.

To start, I simply traced the letter onto the moss with a sharpie pen.

Luckily my letter fit right onto the moss but even if yours didn't it would be easy enough to do.

Next I cut out the tracing.

For the sake of the hot glue not drying on me, I didn't take any pictures of this part,

but it was easy peasy...I just generously put the glue along the letter and applied the pre-cut moss.

Next I measured along the sides of the letter and cut stripes of moss to fit.

Don't worry if you cut to little or to much. It is the most forgiving craft,

and each moss piece blends beautifully into the next.

And Here it is.

It sure beats Pottery Barn's $80 version.

As a matter of fact, I spent $16 dollars total to make this.

Your welcome hubby.

So what are you waiting for...go get yourself a letter to decorate.

*disclaimer: you will want a vacuum handy as the moss sheds a bit*

Smash Cake Preview

Tiny's 1st birthday is quickly approaching,

and I have been Oh so excited to see how she will do with her own personal cake to smash.

I admittedly am probably more excited than anyone else,

and after seeing her devour some hummus this weekend...

I think she is going to LOVE the cake just as much as I am going to love watching her.

November 24th can't come soon enough.

For All the Mothers

I talk a lot on here and to my family, especially my own Mother about how since having Tiny I have developed a tendency to worry, much more than I ever did before. 

Not long ago, I received this email from her, and while she didn't write it, 

whoever did really hit home, for every Mother out there.

Perhaps the worrying will never end...but at least I'm not alone!

How long do you worry about your children?

Forever!

Is there an imaginary cut-off period when offspring become accountable For their own actions?

Is there some wonderful moment when Parents can become detached spectators in

The lives of their children and shrug, 'It's Their life,' and feel nothing?

When I was in my twenties, I stood in a hospital corridor 

Waiting for doctors to put a few stitches In my son's head and I asked,

'When do you stop worrying?'

The nurse said,

'When they get out of the accident stage…'

My Parents just smiled faintly

And said nothing.

When I was in my thirties, I sat on a little chair in a classroom

And heard how one of my children Talked incessantly, disrupted the class,

And was headed for a career Making license plates.

As if to read my mind, a teacher said,

'Don't worry, they all go through this stage And then you can sit back, Relax and enjoy them.'

My Parents just smiled faintly

And said nothing.

When I was in my forties, I spent a lifetime waiting,

 For the phone to ring, The cars to come home, The front door to open.

A friend said, 'They're trying to find themselves.

'Don't worry!

In a few years, they'll be adults. 'They'll be off on their own They'll be out of your hair'

My Parents just smiled faintly

And said nothing.

By the time I was 50, I was sick & tired of being vulnerable.

I was still worrying over my children, But there was a new wrinkle…

Even though they were on their own I continued to anguish over their failures,

Be tormented by their frustrations and Absorbed in their disappointments…

And there was nothing I could do about it.

My Parents just smiled faintly

And said nothing.

My friends said that When my kids got married I could stop worrying

And lead my own life. I wanted to believe that,

But I was haunted by my parent's warm smiles And their occasional,

'You look pale. Are you all right' ?

'Call me the minute you get home'.

Are you depressed about something?'

My friends said that When I became a grandparent,

That I would get to enjoy The happy little voices yelling Grandma! Papa!

But now I find that I worry Just as much about the little kids As the big ones.

How can anyone cope

With all this Worry?

Can it be that parents are sentenced to a lifetime of worry?

Is concern for one another handed down like a torch

To blaze the trail of human frailties And the fears of the unknown?

Is concern a curse or is it a virtue that elevates us

To the highest form of earthly creation?

Recently, one of my own children became quite irritable, saying to me,

'Where were you? I've been calling for 3 days, 

And no one answered

I was worried.'

I smiled a warm smile.

The torch has been passed.

Sweet As Pie

After our journey to the pumpkin festival this weekend,

I couldn't get pumpkin pie out of my brain. 

But because of a dairy allergy, 

I often have to walk past things that every ounce of my heart wants to eat.

So I promised the hubby I would make a pumpkin pie that we could all enjoy.

I wish I could take credit for the recipe but in all honesty it's straight from this box:

I always know Fall has officially arrived when this little box makes its appearance,

but I had never paid attention to the pumpkin pie recipe on the side...

and since I owed our family a pie I thought why not give it a go.

The results my friends were DELICIOUS! 

Seriously, one of the best pumpkin pies I have had.

(Ok, maybe I am bias but really it was that good).

 No, that is not Pac-Man, my fork was just quicker than the camera.

The recipe is 4 steps making it ridiculously easy and the only thing I altered was replacing a can of pumpkin with a can of pumpkin pie mix. 

The box clearly stated to NOT use pumpkin pie filling, 

but it was all I had and rules are just so fun to break.

If you want your taste buds to thank you, than make this!

Your home will smell like Fall and your family will adore you.

Dairy-free Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

2 eggs

2/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (I omitted this since I used pumpkin pie filling)

1/2 tsp salt

1 can pumpkin (or if you're a rule breaker like me, use pie filling)

1 9 inch pie crust

1 1/4 cups silk pumpkin spice pie

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and silk. Whisk in sugar spice and salt.

add pumpkin and whisk until smooth.

3. Pour into pie crust.

4. Bake 15 minutes, then turn down the oven to 350 and bake for 40-50 minutes

5. Thank me for sharing this delicious little non-dairy secret.

Down On The Farm

Phew! What a weekend our little family had.

We loaded up our car and headed out to the farm.

I guess my flip flops give away my city blood,

but it was a cow lickin' good time.

 If Tiny could have figured out how to get in with the ducks she absolutely would have.

 And although she wasn't as sure about the donkey, she worked up enough courage to tug his ear.

The air was filled with banjo twang and hay,

and the sweet smell of our family's first Fall.

Fall is Here

Fall is Here!

Happy Wordless Wednesday

Bad to Good

Oh the joys of being a dog owner.

I have posted a few times now about the world's worst dog,

 that I so lovingly inherited when I married my husband.

He gets into all kinds of shenanigans. 

But I'm pretty sure he outdid himself this time (although that's what I say every time).

I let him out for his usual afternoon potty time

only to find him return covered in poop.

Oh Noah, how do you get yourself into these situations?

As I chased Noah around the back yard with a hose, 

I was cursing the dog gods for bringing such a terrible no good dog into my life.

But then I turned around to see this...

And ya know what? The entire situation didn't seem as bad anymore.

Tiny thought the whole thing was hysterical.

And I couldn't resist a good chuckle from both the situation and that hilarious baby face.

See good things can always come out of tough situations.

Let's just hope he doesn't do it again!

Bath Time Giveaway Winner

I had all intentions of posting the winner of the bath giveaway earlier,

but I have been very busy watching tiny and her cousin today.

I now see why God made it physically impossible to have babies 5 months apart!

So drum roll please..........

CONGRATULATIONS 

to 

Kristin Cummings.

  

I don't mean to be short,

 but I must go as I have 2 crying babies staring at me.

Have a fantastic weekend.

 

Words of Wisdom

Although today is usually known as wordless Wednesday,

today I couldn't help but share some beautiful words.
Words of wisdom that really hit home with me.
Today, and everyday I will try and live in the present!
(and you should too)

 Source: Pinterest

 

A Love Affair With Food

Let's talk food! Don't you just love food?

The smells, textures, tastes.

Tiny LUH-HUVS food!

But the truth is it really didn't start out that way. 

I was ready to make all her food.

 I registered for the Beaba (which by the way really is awesome)

with visions of organic homemade baby food stocked in our freezer,

and it was that way...sort of.

 We all gathered around to watch tiny try it out but to our surprise she really wanted nothing to do with it. I thought it was just the green beans,

 but with each new food I tried, she seemed less than impressed.

But that alllll changed around 8 months when we started BLW, baby led weaning.

Baby led weaning, seems like a very out of the box idea, 

after all we have been taught that babies eat pureed food.

But the truth is, BLW ranks up there with some of the best decisions we have made so far.

In short, BLW simply means letting your baby feed themselves.

That means no more purees. No more mush.

 It creates a healthy food habit from an early age.

Babies get to feed themselves and decide when they are full.

They get to discover & explore new textures on their hands and tongues.

Just whole, healthy foods.

And let me tell you, babies love it! 

It gives them the freedom to choose what they eat and how they eat it,

and it's wonderful fine motor skill practice.

Age appropriate foods, that baby can hold onto well tend to work the best,

and I find that slippery foods can be rolled in cereal or baby puffs to give it more grip.

 But really not much is off limits. 

It's amazing to watch how much joy tiny gets from feeding herself.

And of course, my favorite part is that we can now have a proper family dinner without me having to shove food down her throat.

It is pure, messy goodness.

For our family it is the perfect solution and if there is ever a next one,

 I am jumping in head first with BLW rather than easing in with purees.

To check out more on BLW check out these websites:

 Baby Led Weaning

Wholesome Baby Food