Valentine's Day

Today my husband made me feel very special, even though it is Valentine's Day and that what husbands are supposed to do, i suppose.  We made dinner together- chicken Parmesan and fresh green beans-it was delicious. It was nice just to spend time with him and Jackson and have a nice dinner all together.  Jackson was covered in strawberries, bananas and spaghetti sauce-he is so much fun. Unfortunately, family dinners rarely happen anymore, but after tonight that is definitely something we are going to do more often.  I also made chocolate covered strawberries for dessert. yummy.

Chris surprised me with a gift certificate for a Caribbean spa mani and pedi

"Waiting for Daddy to come home so I can show him my new balloon"



11 months

Jackson, you are 11 months now!! This year has flown by I can't believe we are planning your birthday already! You are still gowing, exporing, and changing everyday! 

You have the cutest expressions and a great big smile. You like to show off those 4 teeth.

You love the keys...somehow you always know exactly where they are and you have to have them.

We had some great weather last week before the snow storm so you got to play outside. You liked riding on your tractor and crawl all around exploring the back yard.

Jackson at 11 months you:

~ are full of giggles and laughs, especially when we tickle you

~ almost have 5 teeth

~ are becoming a pickier eater, and would prefer to feed yourself

~ are talking all the time, saying da da, ma ma, nana, uh-oh, woof woof

~ you can have quite the little temper if you don't get your way

~ love to stand and cruise along furniture, you have even taken a couple of steps on your own

~ love to play with your ball and roll it and chase it all over the house

~ dance anytime you hear music

~ still love to take baths, blow bubbles in the bath water, and throw your toys out and say uh-oh

~ graduated to the big boy car seat

You continue to bring us joy everyday and we are so thankful to have such a wonderful little boy!

 xoxo

Big Green Tractor

Here is Jakson pushing his John Deere 4 wheeler! He gets going so fast, so cute.

Guiness Cake

For Chris's birthday I made him a Chocolate Guiness Cake. We went to Cheyenne to celebrate his birthday with his family. It was a lot of fun, but I think he got spoiled! I bought him a new Savage rifle 30-06, so his family accessorized him with everything he would need to go hunting. Hopefully, he can go on his hunting trip next fall. 

Chocolate Guiness Cake
This cake is a wonderful, moist, dense cake. The frosting is made to mimic the pale head that sits on top of a glass of stout.
For the Cake
1 c Guiness
3/4 c sour cream
1 stick plus 2T unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 T vanilla
3/4 c unsweetened cocoa
2 c flour
2 c super fine sugar
2 1/2 t baking soda

For the Topping
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 c heavy cream
1 1/4 confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and line a 9 in sringform pan. Pour the Guiness into a saucepan add the butter in slices and heat until butter is melted. Whisk in cocoa and sugar. In separate bowl, beat sour cream, eggs and vanilla. Add Guiness mixture and mix together. Finally, whisk in baking soda and flour.
Pour cake batter into pan and bake 45 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack. When it is cooled put on a cake stand or platter, then repare the frosting.
Whip the cream cheese until smooth, add confectioner's sugar anf beat together. Add the cream and beat together util it makes a sreadable consistency. Ice the top of the black cake so it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint.

Wordless Wednesday

10 Months

Dear Jackson,

Happy 10 months today! This month has been so much fun- full of family, Christmas lights, new toys, snow, and lots of time home with mom and dad.  Unfortunately, it has also been a month full of coughs and sniffles, too.  First it was a post-flu shot sniffles/fever then it turned into teething for two weeks, and then, possibly another cold, or lingering effects of the first one.  Whatever it is we are ready for it to clear up and go away so you will feel better!!!

You have grown so close to your blankies, whenever you see one you bury your face in it and snuggle with it. This white one is your favorite and you sleep with it every night.

 

You are full of cute facial expressions from happy and laughing to serious and uncertain. And you like to show off all those teeth.

 You are constantly exploring, you have figured out doors, drawers, cabinets, stairs, and how to pull out the heater vents and drop toys down.

Jackson, at 10 months you:

~ like to turn on all your toys that make music then "dance", it looks more like head-banging

~ crawl 100 mph-you are so quick now and you go straight to the cat's food and water if we don't get it up quick enough

~ have 4 teeth

~ your new word is "uh-oh" and you drop everything just so you can say it

~ starting to eat more finger foods

~ have become a Momma's boy and are very skeptical around other people

~ stand up and cruise along furniture

~ forgot how to sleep all night (probaby cause you haven't been feeling well), but you still take 2 naps

~ love to clap your hands and play peek-a-boo

~ have so much to say, and chat all the time (loidy, loidy, loidy, doidy, doidy, doidy)

We love you more and more everyday!!!!

And you still suck your thumb (you actually have a blood blister on it from your new tooth)

Love,

Mom and Dad

xoxo



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.