Happy 2012

I am so excited for the beginning of a new year! I love new beginnings and fresh starts.  And it just feels good to write 1/1/2012!  Here are some things I would like to focus on this year:
- pay off the credit card and possibly my car :)
- accomplish my weight loss goal and run a 5K
- play with Jackson more and spend less time trying to get "everything else" done
- spend more time outside
- cook more meals at home and not eat out as much

I really focused on the last one this weekend, I tried a bunch of new recipes the last couple days and it has been really fun to try new things! Since I have been on call the last few days and only called in once I have been able to play with Jackson lots too! I love being home with him.

My mom came over on New Year's Eve and went spent all night with two babies who did not want to sleep, so we didn't get much sleep either. We had a good time tough, and we had a nice dinner together.

We had roasted asparagus with cranberries, pine nuts and feta cheese. It was delicious!!!!! It paired nicely with a grilled chicken breast and mashed potatoes. I also had some cinnamon raison bread hat needed to be used up so I found a crock-pot bread pudding recipe-that was also amazing!!!

Today I decided to try some of the "good luck" New Year foods-black eyed peas and greens. In my search for recipes I kept coming across the Hoppin' John articles and recipes so I made my own version of a couple different recipes. I used Kielbasa sausage, black-eyed peas, red pepper, jalepeno, onions and seasonings. And served it on rice. I also made some Kickin' Collard Grees to go with it. I forgot to take a picture before, so Chris made his plate picture-perfect.

Kickin Collard Greens

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 slices bacon
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 pound fresh collard greens, cut into 2-inch pieces  

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and cook until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, crumble and return to the pan. Add onion, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until just fragrant. Add collard greens, and fry until they start to wilt.
2. Pour in chicken broth, and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until greens are tender.

Baby's First Christmas(s)



First Christmas Tree



First Candy Cane

First Stocking

First family picture since our wedding. Looks like Cam and Kyle are getting their mug shot.

Grandpa makes Jackson laugh

"Oh, you mean I have to leave the cookie for Santa and the carrot for the reindeer????"

Opening presents with Nana

Aunt Leanne and cousin Mason

Daddy and cousin Emma

Mason liked his new table

"I must have been a GOOD boy!!!!" ~Jackson~

"Looks like I was a good cat this year, what about you, Skyler?" ~Aspen~

Wordless Wednesday

9 months

Jackson, 9 months aleady! Wow! You are learning and growing everyday, and you continue to bring so much joy into our lives!!!

You love to play, you like to empty your toy basket and be surrounded by your toys

You love to read books and magazines

We had our first Thanksgiving with you, you liked to finger paint with the jello

We have had to "child-proof" the house, you are exploring everthing!

You are a very happy and mellow little guy 

At 9 months, Jackson, you:

 ~weigh 18 pounds 2 oz (15th percentile), and are 29 inches tall (75th percentile)

~have 2 teeth on the bottom, and the top are coming any day now

~crawl all over the place on the carpet and do a semi-bear crawl on the tile

~love to try new foods

~aren't quite sure what to do with the sippy cup, but we'll keep trying

~you have the cutest big ole belly laughs, and laugh at us often

~pull yourself up to standing anywhere you can

~talk all the time, my favorite sound you make is "loidy, loidy, loidy" not quite sure what it means but you say it over and over

~love to play "where's the kitty", peek-a-boo, pat-a-cake, and you even clap your hands

~can stand without holding on to anything for a few seconds

Jackson, you are so much fun
I love you!!

xoxo

Thanksgiving

I had a wonderful thanksgiving weekend! We were able to spend two nights in Cheyenne with Chris's family, then two nights in Westcliffe with my family. It is so nice to be able to spend time with the people that matter the most to me.  It reminds me that I have a lot to be Thankful for. Here is a list of some thing I am Thankful for today:

~ beautiful sunrises that remind me of my dad
~ an amazing husband
~ snuggles with jackson
~ a wonderful, caring family
~ great weather
~ safe travels
~ coffee
~ my job
~ good health
~ Christmas lights
~ candles
~ our kitties, Aspen and Skyler
~ chocolate chip cookies
~ and most of all, Jesus Christ-My Savior!!!!

8 Months

Happy 8 Months!!!! This month was filled with so many new thing

s for you, you are learning and growing everyday.

 First snow storm of the year-we got about 10 inches!

 

You love the bath and love to splash and play in the water. You have learned to pull yourself up on anything you can, so you can stand.

You have 2 teeth!

You are so sweet and peaceful when you sleep. 



You learned to crawl (the day after your 8 month birthday)

Wow! All the things you can do at 8 months:

-sleep through the night almost every night

-crawl

-pull yourself up to standing

-eat any kind of baby food and some finger foods, like puffs

-talk all the time and like to come up with new noises and sounds

-have mastered your dinosaur roar

-spent your first weekend away from mom and dad, you stayed with Nana

-you like to go get the mail, but you have to carry the keys, then you cry when I take them to open the mailbox, then smile and laugh when I give them right back for the walk home

Jackson, you are so much fun, I love to play with you and make you laugh, I love carrying you around with me so you can do whatever I am doing, I love snuggling with you, and I love the big smiles and open arms you give me whenever I come get you in the mornings. You are such a blessing!!

Wordless Wednesday