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Wednesday, June 12, 2013

7 Months

Man time is sure flying!! Mason is now 7 months old. He is still growing like a weed! 17 lbs 9 oz and 16 1/4 in long. He is in 9 month clothing. Not only is he growing but he is learning to do new things everyday. We have had a lot of accomplishments this last month. He is now sitting on his own and crawling. This is proving to be a new set of challenges. He loves to chew on cords (yikes), so childproofing has happened again. The only problem with this is I have a 3 1/2 year old who can undo all the childproofing I do. They are keeping me on my toes. Luckily Mason is determined to follow his brother, so at least they are going in the same direction still.

He is still not a fan of solid foods. He will only eat crunchy stuff like cheerios, graham crackers, and teething cookies. Even with self feeding he won't eat any fruits or vegetables. We will keep trying.

Sleeping is also still not happening to well in this house either. He does however nap good. We are up at least twice a night some ties more to eat. Usually he goes to bed at 8 then is up at midnight and 4 am to eat. He usually gets up for the day at 6 am and naps from 9:30-10 till noon and 2-3:30-4. I keep trying to tell him that if he would eat some cereal he wouldn't be hungry so much. lol He just doesn't get my logic.

Now that he is moving he is a lot like his brother...go go go eat sleep.  He still love to jump but does not do it as often since he hates to be cooped up for too long.  Camping is going to be interesting. We go in 2 weeks.  He is a little explorer and has to touch and chew anything he can get his hands on. Can't wait to share the stories of the adventures we will have this summer!

Pictures were hard to get this month, he kept trying to crawl off the couch!



Preschool Boy

Today is Landon's last day of school. AHHH. He has grown up so much since he started school in October. This boy LOVES school. Everyday he gets off the bus he excitedly shows me the art work in his backpack, he walks around singing all his new songs and often when he should be napping he's in his room counting to 20. Now if I actually ask him to do these things he just grins at me. He is talking great finally but sometimes still gets going to fast and no one can understand him.

I have tons of stuff planned to get us through the summer. We are going to watch movies and do the summer reading program at the library. I am also signing him up for swimming lessons in July. Midland has a lot of parks so we are going to explore those and have some picnics. In August  we are going to take him to see Thomas again. We have also talked about doing the Toledo zoo at some point. I am    bound and determined to keep him very busy this summer. Landon needs the structure and business everyday or he gets bored which then makes him act up. Thank goodness for Pintrest! I have tons of awesome looking crafts to do with him. I am hoping to keep him learning so that he can transition back to school smoothly.

Hard to believe my little toddler has grown into a full blown bike riding, potty trained, counting big guy.

(scary part of these pictures is the fact he is wearing 3t pants that were baggy in October and now he is in 4t already. Oh stop growing so fast Landon!!)

Monday, May 13, 2013

6 Months

Mason has been with us a whole half a year already! What a happy little boy he is! This last month has been super busy for us. Mason was baptized and all our family and friends were there to watch. We later celebrated Mason's baptism and my graduation!! My pinning ceremony was that same week. It is finally over, I graduated!! We then went to my grandparent's house to celebrate Easter with our family.

Mason has been a busy little boy this month. He is 16 lbs 14 oz and 25 3/4 inches long!. He is sitting in the 25th-50th percentile on both. He is also scooting and rolling all over the place. He has also attempted crawling and managed to army crawl a foot but hasn't done it since so I can get a video. It won't be long before this kid is on the go!

Sleeping is still not the best, he is up at 3 am and 6 am to eat every day. Solid foods are also not going well. If it even touched the tip of his tongue he gags and makes himself throw up. I'm thinking he's going to be a non-baby food kind of kid. We are going to try to let him self feed. Thinking this will help him , his doctor does too. Going to give him small pieces of very soft fruits and vegetables and let him figure it out on his own. this should be interesting!

So excited to see what the next month brings. Glad the weather is finally getting better and we can spend time exploring the great parks of Midland and enjoying our back yard!

Monday, April 8, 2013

5 Months

It is so crazy how fast this little guy is growing. Mason is now 5 months old! He is really starting to develop such a personality. He likes to sit back and watch everyone and just take everything in. His new favorite thing to do is jump. he will jump for hours if I let him. 

His second favorite thing to do is eat. He is still on an every 3-4 hour eating schedule, and boy does it show! He is now 15 lbs 4 oz and 25 inches long. He is sure growing like a weed. Sleeping has taken a not so great turn. He is getting up several times through the night again to eat. Hoping it is just because of a growth spurt. 

Tried cereal again this month and it is still a no go. Poor little guy hates it and I only managed to get a few bites into him. Worse part is that 2 hours later he throws it all up. That is my cue that he still isn't ready, so we hold off for another month. 

He is really strong and holds him self up really well with a little support! He can also roll from belly to back but hasn't mastered back to belly yet. Favorite toys this month include anything that crinkles!

We have a really crazy busy month ahead. We just celebrated Easter with Chris's family. This week is my final week of school!! Saturday Landon has his first soccer game and Grandma and Papa Peek will be here. Saturday night my mom is flying in. Sunday Mason is getting Baptized and we will celebrate that and my graduation with our family and friends! Tuesday I get pinned!! And then the next weekend is more soccer and Easter celebration with my family. So excited to see everyone and I just can't wait for Friday to be over!



Monday, March 11, 2013

Preschooler!

I can't believe a year ago we could barely get Landon to say 2 words. School has done wonders for this boy! My little toddler has morphed into a full blown preschooler. His language has grown by leaps and bounds since he started school in October. If you didn't know him, you would have never realized he has ever had a speech delay. He was in a posing mood for me the last few days so I got some good pictures and videos. In one, his dad convinced him to change Mason's diaper... I didn't get the camera out quick enough, but it started with Mason on his belly and Landon lifting up the back of his pants and sticking his nose down them.



Such an awesome big brother!

4 months (OH MY!)

Sitting here writing this post it seems impossible that Mason is 4 months already! Though it does seem like he has been a part of our family forever. He fits in perfect around here. He is my calm to Landon's crazy (thank goodness!). This little boy is just content to sit in his bumbo or lay on the floor with a few toys. We are pretty much sleeping through the night now, about 10-11 pm to 5-6 am. He takes a great afternoon nap at the exact same time as big brother (awesome for mom since it gives me great uninterrupted study time).

 He is such a happy, happy guy. Always flashing that dimple and cooing and smiling. Today was his 4 month check up and every thing went great. Poor guy got four shots and an oral vaccine and has been sleeping ever since. He is still growing right on track. He is 14 pounds (25th-50th %) on the nose and 24 inches (10-25th%) long. He is staying right in the same percentiles every month which is awesome! His head is 40 cm (5th-10th%). He is growing great, which doesn't surprise me because the boy loves to eat. We tried some cereal last week and he wasn't liking that at all. We even added some banana (only way his brother would eat it), but he wasn't having it. So going to take a week or so and try again.

So glad this little boy is part of our family! So excited to keep watching his personality develop. Love you Mason!


Thursday, February 28, 2013

Crock Pot Meal Follow Up

Today we cooked our final crock pot meal of the ones I had prepared and frozen before Mason was born. Original Crockpot Blog. In total we had 34 meals. They lasted us around 3 months! What a great time saver and a life saver those first few weeks Mason was born. Not having to worry about whats for dinner was great! There are a few that I would not make again (can we say yucky!), But a lot we would. Thought I would share the recipes of our favorites:



Healthy Mama BBQ Chicken
3 medium unpeeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces, about 2 cups.
2 large green pepper, cut into strips or cubes, about  2 cups.
1 large red pepper, cut into strips or cubes, about 1 cup.
2 zucchini, chopped, about 2 cups.
2 cups chopped onion.
2 tablespoon quick cooking tapioca (or flour, or some other thickening agent).
2 pounds chicken thighs or drumsticks.
2 15-ounce can of tomato sauce.
4 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoon ground yellow mustard.
2 clove garlic, finely minced, about 2 tablespoons.
1 teaspoon salt
Divide everything into two, one gallon freezer bags, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer.  Day of cooking, dump it into your slow cooker and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, or low 6-8 hours, depending on your specific slow cooker.

French Beef Dip
5 pounds of rump roast or bottom round beef (cut into smaller sections, not tiny, just enough to fit into the bag, you can cut them up more after they are cooked)
4 packages of portobello mushrooms, leave them whole.
2 14 ounces of beef broth (add day of)
2 onions, chopped
6 to 8 garlic cloves, minced
Assemble all ingredients(except broth) into freezer bags.  Place in freezer.   Day of cooking, place in slow cooker and add broth.  Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4.  Serve with rice or cous-cous or make sandwiches.  This recipe makes extra liquid, for dipping if you make sandwiches.

Teriyaki Chicken
Medium – Large bag of carrots
Red Onion into Large Chunks
2 large cans pineapple (undrained)
4 Garlic Cloves
4 Chicken Breasts
1 cup teriyaki sauce
Follow directions above, and split everything into two gallon freezer bags. shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. Instructions for Bag: Add 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce to crock pot, Cook on low 8 hours or high 4 hours. Serve over hot rice. I added a lot more teriyaki sauce to our tastes. 
Savory Chicken
4-6 chicken breasts
2 cans stewed tomatoes
4 Tbs white wine
2 bay leafs
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion (I put one small in each bag)
1 cup chicken broth
2 tsp salt
4 cups broccoli
Follow directions above, and put everything (except broccoli) into two gallon freezer bags. shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. Instructions for Bag: Cook on low 8 hours, add broccoli during the last 30 minutes

Mexican Style
2 lb ground chuck
1 large chopped onion
2 shredded carrots
salt, pepper, taco seasoning & cumin to taste
you could also go ahead and add diced tomatoes if you want
Brown everything together, drain, put everything into two gallon freezer bags, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. Instructions for Bag: Add to tacos, nachos, enchiladas, other casseroles)

Newlywed Beeftips
2 lb beef stew meet (diced from deli)
23 oz french onion soup
4 cups water
frozen broccoli 
rice or noodles
Split everything (except broccoli and rice) into two containers. shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. Instructions for Container: Cook on low 8 hours or high 4 hours. Mix in frozen broccoli 30 minutes before it’s done, or add steamed broccoli after it’s done. Serve over hot rice or noodles ~ Someone gave me this recipe at my bridal shower and it was soooo easy and delicious that it’s still a favorite.

Slow-Cooked {beef} Fajitas
2 lb beef round steak cut into strips (across the grain)
2 8 oz cans diced tomatoes w/ chiles
1 large onion or 2 small
1 green pepper, cut into strips
1 red pepper, cut into strips
2 tsp cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 jalapeno chopped (optional, obviously not a good toddler choice)
Split everything into two containers. Shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. Instructions for Container: Cook on low 8 hours or high 4, Scoop with slotted spoon onto corn (or flour) tortillas. Garnish with sour cream, avocado, shredded cheese, pico de galo, etc ~These are a huge crowd pleaser!  

Spaghetti for a Crowd
2 large cans of your favorite sauce (or homemade)
2 cans diced Italian style tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped fresh basil (optional)
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, shredded
2 lb browned ground beef or turkey (optional)
salt/pepper to taste
Split everything into two containers. Shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. Instructions for Container: Cook on low 3-4 hours, serve over fresh, hot pasta and top with shaved parmesan!

Cilantro Lime Chicken with black beans and corn
6 chicken breasts
3 Tbs olive oil
2 limes, juiced
2 cups cilantro
1 large bag of frozen corn (or two smaller bags)
4 minced garlic cloves
1 finely chopped red onion
2 cans of black beans, rinsed
2 tsp cumin or chipotle powder
salt/pepper to taste
Split everything into two containers. Shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. Instructions for Container: cook on low 8 hours or high 4 hours, serve with hot tortillas or tostitos. Dress with sour cream, guacamole, and/or cheese

French Onion Soup with Beef Tips

2-3 Pounds of cubed stew beef
2 Cans of cream of mushroom soup
2 Cans of golden mushroom soup
1 Can of French onion soup
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook on low all day.Serve over rice or egg noodles.

Paige's Taco Soup
1 can kidney beans, rinsed
1 can corn 
1 med. onion, chopped
1 med. bell pepper, chopped (in my house we have to chop them BIG so kids can pick out) or 
a can of green beans for a milder flavor
1 envelope dry taco seasoning
1/2 c. water
5 c. vegetable juice
1 c. chunky salsa (Paige uses chunky, I use a less chunky one)
Place ingredients in slow cooker on LOW for 6-8 hours.  If you need to add water add by 1/2 cups. 
For freezing you can freeze ingredients BEFORE cooking in a bag... or freezer AFTER cooking in a bag. May top with following toppings in individual bowls just before serving: shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips





Savory Vegetable Beef Soup (2 Bags use 2 gallon bags! not gallon bags it almost doesnt fit)
Chop (1) Onion and Chop (2) Cloves of Garlic- Brown in Pan with the Ground Beef- once cool divide mixture between bags
(2) whole carrots chopped per bag
(2) celery stalks chopped per bag
(3) Red Potatoes chopped per bag
(1) can v8 split between bags
(1) 28oz can diced tomatoes SPLIT between bags
(1) cup frozen green beans in each bag
(1/2)TBSP Worcestershire per bag
(1/2) cup Beef Broth per bag
(1) TBSP Parsley per bag
(1) tsp Basil per bag
1/2 tsp Thyme per bag
(1/2) tsp salt per bag
(1/2) tsp pepper per bag
(1) TBSP Sugar per bag
*Place in Crockpot with 1.5 cups of water and 15 oz Beef Broth. Cook on LOW 8 Hours.

Chicken Marsala

4 Chicken Breasts (boneless, skinless)
1/4 Cup of All-purpose Flour
1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
1/4 Teaspoon of Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon of Dried Basil
1/2 Cup of Marsala Wine
1/2 Cup of Chicken Broth (low sodium)
2 Tablespoons of Butter
8 Ounces of Mushrooms (sliced)
Put the chicken breasts in a 5 quart crock pot. They can go in frozen, but make sure they don't overlap as much as possible. Mix the flour, salt, pepper, and basil, and sprinkle over the chicken.
Pour the wine and broth into the crockpot. Dot the butter over the chicken and dump the mushrooms on top. Cook LOW for 6 hours. When the 6 hours are up, take the chicken out and place on the serving dish. Stir the sauce a little, and spoon the sauce over the chicken. Serve over pasta or rice.

 

Chicken Penne Cacciatore

2 Pounds of Chicken Thighs (frozen, boneless, skinless)
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1 Can of Roasted Garlic and Onion Spaghetti Sauce
1 Can of Sliced Mushrooms
2 Cans of Diced basil, oregano, garlic tomatoes
1 Can of Sliced Olives
1 Package of Penne Noodles
Drain mushrooms and black olives. Put all ingredients into slow-cooker except the penne noodles and cook on LOW for 8 hours. Boil noodles according to package. Remove chicken and shred. Place chicken and noodles back into slow cooker and stir. Serve with side salad and garlic bread.

Not a freezer one but great recipe none the less:

Stuffed Green Bell Peppers

4-6 green peppers depending on crock pot size
2 packages zatarans Spanish rice
2 15oz cans diced tomatoes
2 lbs ground beef

Brown hamburger, chop 1 pepper, prepare Spanish rice per package directions. Mix all this together and stuff peppers. Place in crock pot. Put remaining rice mixture around and on top of stuffed peppers. Cook low 8 hours





There are a few more I didn't make up. So I will be doing this again with our favorites and a few new ones!