A Fun New Project...

Cake Pops!

So since my SIL, Heather, posted this fun treat on her blog via Bakerella, I've had two tries at making these cute lil' pops... The first time was definitely a learning experience, but I made "take two" tonight, and I'd call it a success. There are still things I'd like to tweak, but for the most part I'm happy with the outcome of the basic pop. I may or may not try the more elaborate versions of characters etc., but for now they were a fun baking adventure!

P.S. Todd LOVES how they taste - very moist cake/frosting in the middle - but of course he'd say that because I used chocolate cake & frosting! ;)

Keeley at 18 months

Just for my own record and to hit the highlights for the out-of-town family and Grandparent-types... 

Here's what Keeley's up to lately...

• 331/2" (95%) for height... Yeah, yeah, we're still hoping she doesn't pass us up until at least 10 or 11 yrs. old...
• 23lbs. (30%) We're glad she's up from 20% at 15months
• 18" (25%) for head circumfrence
• Running everywhere now - especially around and around kitchen - living room - family room etc.
• If she's feeling sassy, she'll bolt and run, so we have to be vigilant and fast to catch her!
• Continues to be amazingly polite for her age and unprompted! "Huse me" = excuse me for when she needs to get by, "Tank Tu!" = Thank you, Pees= "Please" , but is still mostly signed - My fav right now is "Tank Tu.... Mommy"
• Now refers to herself = Kiwi = Keeley- which of course I was looking forward to...
• Loves Ernie & Elmo & "Kit'ee" = Chole (darn it!)
• Loves to dance on her own (while holding a "baby") or while being held by me. Prefers club techno & a Kindermusik CD we have...
• Loves "singing" whenever there's music. Definitely trying to get the ABC song down as in (insert cute mumblings between letters) "A.....G....P....TUV...Y...Z!" LeapFrog fridge toy & singing this while I wash her hands probably are the reason.
• Wearing 24m -2T right now - definitely leaving 18m behind. I'm getting to where I can't tell the difference between tights for Keeley and Sarah and even clothes get mixed up between piles when I'm folding laundry... =) They might look eye to eye in a year or so!
• Is insanely ticklish and loves being "tickled" (also a new word the other day... I've stopped keeping track of new words since they are coming fast now...)
• Really enjoys playing with Barbies w/ Sarah or Polly Pockets (not the small parts)
• All four molars are in and now she has all eight front teeth in (the last one popped through in the last day or two)
• Easy as pie to put down for naps and in the evening. Has nicely stretched-out her sleep in the morning and is now giving me until 7am to get her up. (Thank goodness the 5:30-6am crying wake-ups seem to be behind us!)
• LOVES being read to any time anywhere...and initiates it often
• Totally a Mama's girl and would let me hold her all day long if I would...
• Is quite obedient and easily corrected - may cry buckets (with the greatest pout EVER) if I lightly tap her hand in correction...
• Can follow directions very well (Put this back, pick ____ up, Go _____, etc.)
• SO wants to do what Sarah does
• Lives for waking Sarah up in the morning...
• Starting to hold her own against Sarah if there's a struggle over something. Not afraid to protest & has been running to me saying "Sarah!" when she's been hurt or "wronged"... Here it comes!
• Seems really even tempered and lets pretty much anyone hold her/play with her unless she's tired/hungry
• RUNS for bath time ("Bubble Baf!) or brushing her teeth.
• Has lately like to spread out a blanket over our laps while we read.
• Likes to color
• Identifies "circle" and says "Circul" for bicycle
• Still mostly makes the sound of animals instead of saying their names. My favorite is her horse sound -she's really trying to get the whinny sound out... So cute! Will say doggy & kit'ee
• MUST have breakfast in the morning as soon as she gets up. Favorite? Whatever I'm having. Lately it's cold cereal.
• Is a pro at retrieving anything we print out on the printer and promptly delivering it to us...

As always I'm sure there's something fun I'll remember after posting this, but that's "all" =) that's coming to mind right now... I can't wait for Christmas to see how she reacts!

Happy Halloween!

Confused

My strawberries apparently think it's June.

My hydrangeas are of the same thinking...

However, my Sedum KNOWS it's fall.

(Not pictured: my Renunculus that is coming up for the second time! Hope that means they'll reappear next July when they're supposed to...)

Fall

Means the last of the flowers in bloom...

Spider webs EVERYWHERE!

Wreaths!

 

Playing in the last few days of sun.

Trying out new hair cuts.

Eating all things orange!

 Trips to the Pumpkin patch.

Hayrides

Bouncy Houses?

Pretending you're someone you're not...

Searching for the perfect pumpkin...

Rejoicing in finding it!

Looking forward to the rest of fall (and enjoying a pumpkin latte!)...

This & That...

Sarah's first frisbee throws. Daddy is proud!

30 Day Challenge

LOVED reading Proverbs & Acts so much! It definitely got both Todd and me back into nightly reading and that is a very good thing. It was actually something we started the first 6 months of our marriage reading a through a book titled "Night Light" by Dobson. What a wonderful marital bonding time that was for us! So anyway, we're deciding to continue and work our way through the historical books of the OT and then go on to the prophetic books...

Starting tomorrow my new 30 Day Challenge will be as follows:

1. Faithfully take my daily vitamin. Silly I know, but I am seriously the WORST at this. I keep them down on my kitchen counter in one of those daily pill box things, right next to Sarah's vitamins so I can take them with breakfast and I STILL forget...

2. Strategically meal plan on a weekly (maybe monthly?) basis using Google Calendar. From this planning will come the efficient grocery shopping lists! I need to kick my own behind and just get this done!

Step one: collect/write out 30 recipes that represent what we enjoy eating + healthful/nutritious food choices (to go along with the 30 challenge. I'll hopefully use what I learn from this and do another 30 next time around so that I can have 60 meal plans to rotate through.)

Step two: Research organic produce delivery options & other organic meat/dairy options & discuss with Todd

Step three: Create shopping lists from recipes & figure out how I can best use/maintain my stock pile to support the meal plans.

Step four: Start meal prep earlier in the day if possible so that when 4:45pm rolls around I'm not scrabbling...

3. Continue daily reading of Bible. Right now we'll start with Joshua and read 1-2 chapters a night. 

So, there you go...

Other pictures I've been meaning to get up on the blog...

My girls in their respective costume choices... (Notice the blow-up Buzz Lightyear wings Sarah has on while wearing a princess dress & holding the guitar...)

A beautiful sunset I saw while driving over to my girlfriend's house for a sleepover...

Belated Friday Update for 30 Day Challenge

Reading Proverbs & Acts: Still really enjoying consistent reading! So far I haven't missed, and I realized I haven't mentioned that Todd is reading along with me on this 30 Day challenge. It's so good to have accountability! He's been a real encouragement to me in this. With Proverbs there is so much to take in... Right now I've been thinking about the proverbs that focus on how the Lord knows the motivations of our hearts. That's been underscored by a particular song that's in my workout song list about searching motives and rooting out any pride... My prayer too...

It's so amazing to continue to read Acts as well. It almost feels like I'm reading it for the first time with all the things I'm encountering about Paul's ministry and what God did through a man completely sold out for Him... Right now, since Sarah's all about super heroes, I'm seeing Paul as a "superhero of the faith!"