Scarcrow Izzy

I am a little behind on my Halloween post. We had a crazy/interesting night. My little Izzy went as a Scarecrow and I went as a crow. Although I didnt get a picture of my costume due to the fact that is was raining horrible that night and my makeup got messed up. We also hydroplaned in the rain and hit a fire hydrant so I had to be out in the rain talking to the police and looking at the damage to my car. Luckily we are fine and didnt get hurt. So now I am going throught the lovely insurance process for getting my car repaired, which could take 2 weeks to get it back. But once its all over with ill be relieved.

Anyways.......Izzy's costume was easy to put together and I am determined to start making hers myself. Luckily, I didnt have to sew anything this year on her costume, especially since I am still trying to figure out my sewing machine that I bought a year ago. Izzy's costume was just a matter of buying the clothes and dressing her. Her denim jumper and plaid flannel button down here from Osh-Kosh. I found some corduroy leggings and used her moccasins that have been my favorites for a year now. Unfortunatly, she is starting to grow out of them and I have my eye on a new pink pair. I used some rafia to make a belt around her jumper, the I tied some around rubbber band to put around her ankles and tucked the band in her shoes to the rafia was showing like straw. The rafia was a easier to tie and was softer than regular straw. She kept them on the whole time too, which I was surprised. But I was more surprised that she left the paint on her nose and face. She kept calling it, "mommies pretties, " mostly because she watched me paint the feathers on my face for my crow costume.

Overall, we had a good Halloween and Izzy was happy because she got a few suckers and Smarties. I have already been thinking about next years costumes.


Where is the Fall?

We had a pretty amazing week and weekend besides this horribly cold weather. I honestly dont know where the fall weather went and to be honest I am a little sad. With it snowing 2 days last week and 40-50 degree weather, we have been wearing our winter coats everytime we step outside. When I think of Fall weather I think wearing a sweater and when being outside you can feel a slight breeze but all that's cold are your fingers and the tip of your nose. My everything has been cold this Fall. And I enjoy snow but not before Thanksgiving and even Halloween. If you can't tell I am very disappointed in mother nature right now. But I am going to make the best of it, even if I have to put Izzy in her snow suit to go out to Trick or Treat.

Izzy and I took a trip down to Carmel on Saturday to visit her Great-grandpa Hill or as she calls him, Papa. It was so great to see him and spend the day down there. I absolutley love when family is around Izzy especially since we dont have any family in Fort Wayne, besides Aunt Brookie who moved up the beginning of the summer. But grandpa enjoyed seeing the craziness of Izzy. She didnt want to get off my lap at first but after about 20 minutes she was running around and made a new friend named Tripp at the resturant we went to eat at. Tripp and Izzy enjoyed some popcorn and water together on their little baby date.

Izzy was fully excited to take a picture as you can tell. I actually had to bribe her with fruit snack to get her to even sit still.

We also made Spooky Trail Mix this weekend.

Ingredients:

18oz Caramel Corn

16oz pretzels (any shape will work)

1 bag of marshmallows

16oz peanuts

1 bag of milk chocolate chips

1 bag of white chocolate chips

1 bag of candy corn

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl except about 1/4 of the pretzels and white chocolate chips. Melt the white chocolate in a bowl and dip the remaining 1/4 of the pretzels in the white chocolate covering over half of the pretzel. Let those cool on wax paper or a cookie sheet for about 30-40 minutes and add them in with the remaining mix and your done.

I enjoyed some with my all time favorite Halloween movie Hocus Pocus.  

I must say, it was a pretty Spooktacular Weekend!

Have a safe and Happy Halloween everyone!



Weekend of Treats

This weekend I had the whole crew at the house Saturday night and Sunday. So of course we had a nice hearty, fall breakfast with pumpkin pancakes, bacon and eggs. The pumpkin pancakes were amazing and the house smelled delicious, but most of all it was simple (my kind of cooking).

 

Pumpkin Pancakes

1&1/2 cups milk

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 egg

2 tablespoons vegtable oil

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 cups flour

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine milk, pumpkin, egg, vegetable oil, & vinegar in large mixing bowl. Then combine all dry ingredients in separate bowl. Slowly add pumpkin mixure to dry ingredients until mixed well. Heat your griddle or frying pan to medium/high heat (350 degrees on a griddle). I use a 1/4 cups measuring cup to pour even abouts onto griddle. Brown on both sides and serve.

I served with whipped cream, but caramel syrup would be just as delicious. You can also add in white or milk chocolate chips if you want. These were such a hit!! YUMMY

We enjoyed some yummy Caramel Apples for dessert Saturday night, hope you all enjoy and try these delicious pancakes!

Stay tooned for the Weekend of Tricks! HEHEHE

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

Potato Soup Success!

I found the most amazing, creamy and of course simple recipe for Potato Soup. Most importantly is was a huge success at the homestead. I even got the pickiest eater to devour a bowl. I have attempted Potato Soup in the past and it always seem to come out too watery. So here it is....



4-5 of cubed potatoes (approx. 1/4 in thick)

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 14 oz cans of chicken broth

1/2 cup onions (but not tell the family I put in onions...all hell might break loose)

1/4 tsp black pepper

1pkg cream cheese (room temperature)

1lbs thick bacon

I threw all ingredients into my crock pot except the cream cheese. Cook it on high for 4-5 hours, then the last 30 minutes add the cream cheese to thicken it up a bit more. Then serve

See.....I told you it was simple. Maybe I was trying to be Betty Crocker the whole time and making it way too difficult, but I was so happy I finally got some potato soup and I can wait to make it again, it might be a weekly thing



FALL-LA-LA-LA-LA

This has to be my favorite time of year. Halloween is around the corner,

I have busted out my sweaters, scarves (oh wait...I wear those all year), and watching football, GO NOTRE DAME! I am obsessed with everything pumpkin so the house smells of pumpkin spice thanks to my Yankee Candle tart addiction. Pumpkin Pankcakes are happening this weekend, so stay tooned for that, yummy. Chris says if you say "Pumpkin spice latte in the mirror 3 times a girl in yoga pants will appear and tell you everything she loves about fall" he might have been referring to me though.

Izzy loves this time of year too however she just doesn't know it yet. I have put away all her flip-flops and sun dresses. Which was a little depressing till I remembered that means she can wear cardigans, boots and leggings.

Now that Izzy can really enjoy fall with me I have somethings I want to enjoy with her. We scratched a few off this weekend and there will be more to come next weekend.

1. Pumpkin Patch

Izzy loved the pumpking patch, almost as much as I did. We got to take a hayride, pick put our pumpkins, feed the goat, and get lost in a corn maze.

2. Decorate the house for fall

I felt super crafty this weekend (and I actually finished my projects...well most of them)

I am so proud of my "BOO door decor.

3.Pumpking Everything!

I have been enjoying my pumpkin spice tart but pumpkin pancakes are going down this weekend.

4. Carmel Apples

We are going to attempt this weekend too, it should be interesting/messy.

HAPPY FALL EVERYONE!!

You are my Sunshine

Since Izzy was about 3 month old she has been on a good routine for sleeping, which came from me thinking I was going to lose my mind. At the beginning she had Colic and would cry constantly. I was stressed to the max, so I wrote down a routine for her. Literally, I covered every hour of the day.

8 am-wake up

8:30 am-breakfast

9:30 am- Cartoons/"Your Baby Can Read" (yes we were those parents)

10 am- Bottle/1st nap

12 pm-wake up/lunch time

1 pm- play time/tummy time

1:30- Jumparoo/story time

2 pm- Bottle/2nd nap

4 pm- wake up/snack time

4:30 pm- play time/tummy time

6:30 pm- dinner time

7:30 pm- bath time

8:30- bottle/story time

9 pm- bed time

All day-Everyday! It took about 5-7 days and she was on the routine and like a whole new baby. She even started getting fussy if I was a minute or 2 late for her nap. She started sleeping 12 hours through the night about a week after I started the routine and she took 2- 2 hour naps during the day. I felt like a whole new woman. I was able to catch up on my 3 months of barely any sleep and I was starting to regain my sanity, not to mention I got to take a shower in peace and not rush, IT WAS AMAZING!

Izzy was on that schedule until she was around 18-20 months, now I am a little more relaxed with her routine, and she only takes 1 nap a day. But she will still sleep 12-14 hours a night, she loves to sleep in for mommy on the weekend (usually I have to wake her up), and she will take a 2-2 1/2 hour nap a day. I mostly just stick to the meals and bath time now. Everything else she just let me know what she wants to do.



Summer Fun

You cant beat a hot summer day at the pool or splash pad. Unfortunatly, we are about 20 miles from the public pool. So, Izzy and I packed up and walked a mile down the road to one of our parks. They have a fun splash pad for the kids, and the good thing is that our part of town is very quiet and the park is hardly ever crowded.

She wasnt sure at first about all the water dumbing and spraying every where, but she got over it when she realized it was fun and all the other kids were enjoying themselves.

We got about 1-2 times a week now. She actually tells me "mom walk" and she starts waving her arms and laughing when we turn the corner to go into the park.

 

Mother's Day 2013

Fort Wayne Childrens Zoo

We spent another amazing mothers day at the Zoo this year. The weather wasnt as great as it was last year. It was a little chilly and overcast, but we had a great time.

This year My grandmother Helen rode up with my mom to Fort Wayne and enjoyed the zoo with us. I felt like Izzy really enjoyed it so much more this year. She loves the orangatangs and the aquarium the most. She liks to look at the giraffes but only from a distance, she will cling to anyone holding her if they get within 2 feet of a giraffe.

Tea Time

Izzy has fallen in love with her new tea set. Her grandpa Hill sent it to her and it used to be aunt Brookies tea set when she was about 4 years old.

She kept saying "TEA" all weekend and loved pretending like she was drinking her tea and eating her crackers. :)



Tests of Strength

At the end of last year Grandma Mimi was diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer. All I could think about when I heard those words come from her mouth were all the great memories I had with my mother growing up and everything she had taught me over the years and even more, now that I am a mother.

I prayed to God that night to watch over mom and to keep her strong. But she never let it phase her and she stayed so positive through the whole thing and went through all the treatments and test with a smile on her face, even when she was physically in pain and mentally drained.

We truely had to trust in God that he was going to help mom fight this cancer; and he did. I am so thankful that we get even more days with her and get to make even more memories.

Happy Moment: Praise God

Difficult Moments: Seek God

Quiet Moments: Worship God

Painful Moments: Trust God

Every Moment: Thanks God

Rub-a-dub-dub..Izzys in the tub

Bath time is my favorite time, especially when mom puts bubbles in my bath tub. I love to put the bubbles on my face, and mommy calls me bubble face. I also like to lay on my belly and put my mouth under the water and blow bubble. Mommy always turns on music and we sing songs too. 

Merry Christmas 2012

My mommy started a new tradition for our family. I get 25 books in December and I get to unwrap 1 every night until Christmas. I love when my mom reads to me at night. My favorite book this year was The Very Lonely Firefly, because it had lights on the last page. 

Here I am at my Grandpa Brads house Christmas Eve. I love my Minnie House slippers that Santa brought me. 

This is the stroller that I got from Santa so that I can push Dolly around and take her on walks. 

Vermont 2012

At the end of the summer I took a trip with my Mommy, Grandpa Brad, Aunt Brookie and Uncle Boot to Vermont. It was a 12 hour car ride, and mommy says I was an angel during the whole drive. I got to meet my Great Aunt Joann and My Great Great Grandma Hill. They live in Burlington, Vermont. I got to take a car ride to the top of the mountain with my family. I enjoyed some ice cream at the Ben & Jerry factory and they took me on my first ferry ride. I had so much fun and loved being with my family. 

On our way back to Indiana we stopped at Niagara Falls. The water kept getting my hair wet, but is was such a beautiful sight. I loved my vacation with my family.