Insta-Friday...again!

Happy Friday everyone! Sorry I've been so absent on the blog lately. The only free time I have (like most mamas) is nap times. Elliot takes 2 one hour naps now and I'm usually either- getting a little housework done, or collapsing on the couch in a heap of exhaustion. I've just added a blogging app to my phone though in an effort to do BETTER!

On to our week in Instagram pics:

Being silly. We do it well here.

This boy LOVES to be under things. The table, high chair, desk...so we thought a tent would be a hit. It is! However our house is starting to look like Monkey Joes. Oh well!

I really don't think either had ever seen a phone with a cord before!

X marks the spot.

We got to meet my cousin Leanna's precious new baby Elijah. Elliot thought my Aunt Jenny's toothbrush was much cooler.

Riding the train at the Montgomery Zoo!!

Truer words were never worn :)

Why do we buy him expensive things? That's the dogs food bowl folks!

That was our week in Instagram! I WILL do more than just Insta-Friday posts from now on!

Tomorrow we're headed to the pumpkin patch with some family (for the 2nd time this month!). Have a fantastic weekend!

Insta-Friday!

Hi! So glad it's finally Friday! And a long weekend at that! 

I could go into great detail about why I haven't blogged in nearly 2 months...BUT let's just leave it at this: I have a very active 9.5 month old. In the past 2 months he's learned to crawl, pull up and now walk. He's had strep, a cold and gotten 4 teeth. All in the past 2 months. So that's where I'm leaving it, hopefully I'm back for good!

A few bloggers I follow link up to this wonderful blog for a weekly post called Insta-Friday. You post pics from your cell phone you've taken during the week. Just little snap shots of your life. Most of the posters use pics from Instagram (an iPhone app), but not all! I've always wanted to be a fly on the wall and know everyone's business...so this is right up my alley =) Here's a few shot's from our week: 

Sunday morning our little family went to the park. Elliot's had a cold and been extremely congested. We didn't want to "share" his germs with the other children in the church nursery and also figured the fresh air may do him some good. I can't wait until he can walk better and actually play on the playground, he's going to LOVE it!

Sunday night my Mama made dinner and we were invited! Boy was it delicious. After we ate the kiddos played in the pool. Rylie loves the water but we weren't too sure what the boys would think. They loved it too. Elliot especially loved splashing (not sure if Rowan appreciated that or not). This bode's well for our beach trip in 2 weeks, woo-hoo!

Tuesday I made Taco Soup in the crockpot. It was as delicious as it looks. I always forget how marvelous it is to have dinner ready in the crockpot. Must. Do. More. Crockpot. Recipes!

Our dear, patient cat, Felix. Elliot pulls, pushes, lays on, pokes and prods him and he rarely even gets up.

This was on one of our walks outside on the driveway. Right  now I still one of his hands for him to walk on the pavement. He tries to let go of me...but I don't want to deal with skinned knees just yet. This boy loves to be outside and I love that about him!

And finally, one from this morning. I was trying to get a shot of all his teeth. He didn't get any until he was 8 months old and now he has 4...with several more just below the surface! 

Well, that was our week folks. Matt has Monday off for Labor Day so we're excited for a long weekend. No plans yet...but I'm sure we'll find something fun to do!

Have a wonderful holiday weekend...and if you want to link up to Insta-Friday you can do it here!

~Amy~

Wordless Wednesday

Hi pal.

We've spent lots of time outside lately. He loves it.

My bath time boy

All things involve feet in hands lately...

Sometimes both at once!!

Have a marvelous Wednesday everyone!

~Amy~

Elliot Update: 6 months old!

Elliot will be 6 months old on Thursday! Wow! Time flies when you're having fun. I'd like to do a little update like this every month till his birthday...they change SO fast!

Here are some Elliot's current stats:
-He's about 20 pounds
-Size 3 diaper (he's been in these for a while now)
-9 and 12 months clothing depending on the brand
-Usually naps 3 times a day. Each nap is anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half.
-Goes to bed around 8:30, usually sleeps till at least 6:15-30, sometimes longer. 95% of the time he sleeps all the way thru the night. If he does wake, we feed him and lay him right back down. He usually sleeps later in the morning if that happens.
-He can roll from his stomach to his back, but it usually happens when he's in his bed. (and so far he won't sleep on his back, so we have to go in and flip him back over right now!). He's very close to rolling from back to tummy, but hasn't yet.
-He can sit unsupported. I put the Boppy pillow around him because he never sits still very long. When he see's something he wants, he makes a lunge for it, and over he goes =)
-He still LOVES to eat! Any fruit or vegetable I've given him, he'll eat. During the day he usually eats every 3-4hours.
-Loves (diluted) apple juice and water.

For the most part, this age is alot of fun! He smiles alot, laughs, makes all kinds of funny faces and sounds. He's extremely inquisitive, grabs anything he can get his hands on (and usually tries to put it in his mouth). Everyone keeps warning me about how rough things will get when he can crawl or walk, but I'm ready! I think he'd be content alot longer if he could get around a little better without me having to pick him up and move him. 

Anyways- that's where we are right now, in a nut shell. Here's my boy lately...in the form of cell phone pics. 

In the grocery store, putting anything within grasp in his mouth.

Sitting up

In the lawn chair that Papa got him

Little chubby baby

Knocked out on Dad

Sometime this week, me and April have a little crafty/sewing project planned. If all goes well I'll post a tutorial! It's been way too long since I got to use my sewing machine, so I'm excited =)

Have a splendid Tuesday folks!

~Amy~

ABC's of Me

 Hi! I'm alive and well! Sorry for being so absent in the blog-world lately. I've just been completely lost in the busyness of life. The day in, day out grind, ya know? Sometimes I feel like I'm on a hamster wheel and can't get off! In between all of the busyness I've had alot of fun though! I'll do an update post later in the week to catch you up, but today I wanted to do a fun post. Just a little Q and A in the form of a alphabetized list:

A. Age: 30! Holy cow, I can't believe it either!
 

B. Bed size: KING. I can't even imagine sleeping in a smaller bed with my tall (6'7") husband...and the dog...and occasionally the cat. Yeah, I don't know how we get any sleep either =)
 

C. Chore you hate: Washing bottles. So many parts. I'm thinking it's a reason to breastfeed next time all on it's own.

D. Dogs: I'm definitely a dog person. I love all animals but I can't imagine my life without a dog. Such unconditional, all forgiving love and trust.

Lucy on Halloween a few years ago.

E. Essential start to your day: Coffee. Clearly.
 

F. Favorite color: Green...and sometimes pink...and lately purple. =)
 

G. Gold or silver: Usually silver, but gold's making a major come back!
 

H. Height: 5’3. I'm a shorty. And that's right, my husband is a full 16 inches taller than me!

Yep, I'm standing on a bench and FINALLY eye level with him =)

I. Instruments you play: None. A few years of piano lessons but not much to show for it.

J. Job title: Stay at Home Mama and wife. House manager?

I. I love: my family.

Mother's Day 2011

K. Kids: Yep, I've got one...and boy is he CUTE. I wish I had a dollar for every time someone's told me that they'd always hoped they had a red headed baby. It gets kind of weird at a point.

L. Live: in Georgia. Born, raised and lived here all my life!

M. Mom’s name: Kris. She's the best Mama ever!

Me and Elliot, my Mama and Rylie, April and Rowan on Mother's Day

N. Nicknames: Not sure I have any?? The only thing other I'm known by is Auntie...and that's just for Rylie and Rowan. And I just realized the other day that Matt and I call each other Baby most of the time when we're at home.
 

O. Overnight hospital stays: once, when Elliot was born.
 

P. Pet peeve: Bad drivers, rude service people, people showing up to your house unannounced...

Q. Quote from a movie:

Joe Fox: It wasn't... personal.
Kathleen Kelly: What is that supposed to mean? I am so sick of that. All that means is that it wasn't personal to you. But it was personal to me. It's *personal* to a lot of people. And what's so wrong with being personal, anyway?
Joe Fox: Uh, nothing.
Kathleen Kelly: Whatever else anything is, it ought to begin by being personal.
-from You've Got Mail

R. Right or left handed: righty
 

S. Siblings: Twin sister April. Don't tell Matt, but she's my other half. I would be lost in this world without her.

T. Time you wake up: Whenever Elliot wakes up, He's the boss (for now).
 

U. Underwear: Yes, I'm a fan of it.
 

V. Vegetables you dislike: Eggplant and Cauliflower. Yuck.
 

W. What makes you run late: Matt and sometimes Elliot
 

X. X-Rays you’ve had: Pretty sure chest x-ray's when I was younger and x-ray's on my teeth are all I've had.
 

Y. Yummy food you make: I make all kinds of yummy foods. Wish I had time to cook more...but unless I can do it with one hand (and a baby in the other arm), I can't do it right now.

Z. Zoo- favorite animal: Giraffes!!  I love them. But, does anyone else get a little depressed at the zoo? Exotic animals in tiny pens...i don't know, maybe I over think things =)

I got to go on a little walk with my sis and our kiddos this morning and the weather was gloriously cool =) Apparently it exhausted the boys:

Have a great Monday ya'll!

~Amy~

A Day in the Life...

Hi! I'm still here! I feel like I've been stuck on the proverbial hamster wheel of life lately...unable to jump off! Last week was a fun and busy one. I had some family in town and had a wonderful time seeing and spending time with them. We also had two very fun play dates...and Wednesday Elliot had his 4 month doctors visit. Being a stay at home mama is by far the most difficult job I've ever had but even on the hardest day there's still nothing else in world I'd rather be doing. I feel so very blessed to be able to be able to stay at home with my sweet boy!

My sis did a great "day in the life" post the other day. I love seeing a little birds-eye view into people's lives, don't you? Does that make me a Nosy Nellie? Oh well. So here is a teeny glimpse into my day...in pictures. Here we go!

My favorite breakfast lately- oatmeal with half a sliced banana and 1/2 a tbsp of almond butter. YUM. Sometimes I get to eat this before the baby wakes and sometimes I eat it sitting on the floor in front of the baby's bouncer...after feeding him first!

Coffee and Google Reader. Is there a better combo? Again- sometimes I can get to this before Elliot wakes up and other times I don't.

 

This is what I see when I go in to get my boy when he wakes up...the top of his purty little head =)

Hi. I'm a sleepy bear. 

Time to eat...he has a bottle 5-6 times a day. Our Boppy has paid for itself a billion times over. After he eats, Elliot is awake for a good hour and a half to two hours...during which time we:

Watch Mama clean the kitchen

 Put everything in our mouths!!!

Play on the floor

 Sometimes Mama gets on the floor too.

Eventually I wear him out enough and it's time for a nap...for him, not me (don't I wish!). While he's napping I clean house, get dressed, eat, sometimes work out. My how the time he's asleep FLIES by. When he wakes up we usually get down to business...

This boy is a food monster, watch out ya'll!

Occasionally I get to do some crafty things like:

Make an Easter wreath...

or sew a bag (one of the projects in my sewing e-course). 

The rest of the day goes on like the beginning, eat, play, sleep. Lately, in the afternoon, we've been really enjoying going outside. Unless the sun is in our eyes:

Eventually I cook dinner and Matt comes home (YAY!) and it's time for Elliot's bath. 

Oh but this kid loves a bath!

A little bit of chill time with the Dad and then this little boy goes to bed! 

Me and Matt spend about an hour or two together and then we go to bed as well...exhausted!

And that's my day ya'll! Long and tiring but boy am I blessed!

Have a wonderful Monday everyone! Monday is my day to put my house back together after the weekend. Tell me it's not just MY house that spins out of control between Friday night and Monday morning!

~Amy~

Make this now!

Doesn't this look scrumptious? Believe me, it is! The best part about this recipe is that it's SUPER simple and the ingredients are things I usually have in my kitchen.  I found the recipe here and instantly knew I had to try it out. 

Here's what you'll need:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie Recipe from Nestle (found over here)
Preheat oven to 325

1 unbaked pie crust, homemade or store bought
2 large eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter softened (1 and 1/2 sticks)
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup pecans or walnuts (optional)

 First you beat the eggs until they're foamy (I used the whisk attachment of my mixer for that part). Next you add the sugars and flour and mix until it's well blended. After that, you beat in the butter. 

Next you fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts and pour it into the pie crust. I don't have the patience to make pie crust ya'll. I've done it several times and it just isn't my thing. I used Pillsbury and it was oh so good!

Fold over the edges of your crust and pop this baby in the oven for 55-65 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

Have a great weekend everyone! We have a door to finish putting up in our hallway, a new mailbox to put up...I'm making dinner for family tonight...having coffee with my sister-in-law in the morning...in other words- BUSY! What are ya'll up to? Whatever it is you're doing MAKE THIS PIE =)

Amy