Back Home Again... in Indiana!

Ok, so that title is super cheesy... but it's true! For my out of state friends, that is the title of the state song of Indiana. You might have heard it if you watch the Indy 500.

SO, WE MADE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

We rolled into town on Sat, May 1st (the drive was uneventful & long!) and have been going NON STOP ever since. Seriously we have been working from the minute we get up until the minute we go to bed for like 2 weeks now.

We are getting all of our stuff moved in. Which is usually a notsofun task, but imagine moving your stuff into a house already filled with STUFF! It's been pretty brutal. But, the weather has been awesome and we are so so so so so happy to be here.

I got to sneak over to Emily's so Ellie could play for a bit today and some friends have stopped by, so I guess it hasn't been ALL work :)

We are getting a fence put up tomorrow (yay!), but the dogs have been doing great. Lily LOVES the grass & runs around like a crazy bunny in it.

Ellie adjusted almost immediately and has been sleeping like a champ! Grandma & Grandpa did great w/ her on their flight! They said she was a good girl.

Here is a picture of the gorgeous view from our bedroom! More pics to come...

Weelicious

AMAZING website I just came across (thanks to Whoorl)!

www.weelicious.com



Ellie is a week shy of 9 months and already despises being spoon fed! She loves feeding herself, but she's not 100% proficient w/ the finger foods yet--most fruits and veggies seem to be a little too slippery. Also, she doesn't have any teeth yet. She's cutting her front bottom 2, but I don't see those really coming in handy w/ chewing anyway. She seems a little young to be doing so much finger foods, but I guess all babies are different? Or is this normal?

So far we have done, avocado, puffs, whole wheat toast, yogurt puffs, black beans, cheese (she freakin loves cheese--just like her momma & dada), vegan hot dogs, vegan chicken nugs, peas, soybeans, egg yolks.

Please give me more ideas of tiny finger foods she can gum!

We are having fun w/ it... she takes forever to eat, but we don't mind. I'm trying to help instill healthy eating (and not binge eating!) as early as possible. We are also trying to help her to not be a picky eater.

What about the dried baby fruits? They say 12 months on the package.

What about raspberries and strawberries? Some of the guidelines say 12 months for strawberries? Are they allergenic?

Thanks!

album 04\17\2010 (27 photos), by jennifer skinner

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
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Baby Food

Hey mommies!

I'm going to let you in on a little secret...

When I was pregnant and reading every.single.book.magazine.website about being pregnant, having a baby, etc, there was much talk about making your own baby food.

Of course, it sounded very complicated & time consuming, but being the SUPERSTAR first time mom that I am, I figured NO PROBLEM! And many other moms I spoke to told me, "yeah I was planning on doing that, but just don't have time... yada, yada, yada." Again, feeling all superior, I thought to myself, oh, I'll make time! Not to mention, the scary things I have read about jarred baby food... I was gung-ho.

I prepared myself for it to be time consuming, tedious, labor intesive, etc... But here's the secret: IT'S SUPER DUPER EASY!!!!!!!!!!

Craig bought me the Berea Baby Cook, recommended by our friend Ally (as a b-day present, mind you). It's a steamer & food processor in one... and I swear. Making baby food is a cinch! And it's so cheap. You just cook the fruits & veggies you would be eating anyway... And of course, so healthy!

quick indy trip

craig, ellie and i flew to indy for the weekend for a quick trip! craig had a big meeting/interview coke trying to get the details worked out for his transfer... it was more like an interview, though, so we don't officially know what is going to happen w/ that. ugh! either way, it was a blast and it reinforced our decision as to why we are moving. our family & friends are so awesome! the weather was great and we loved seeing so much green & trees.

here are a few quick pics. we were so busy that i hardly took any pictures, except a few w/ my iPhone.


Ellie & Daddy reading in first class! (we got upgraded--yay!)



sleeping on the plane (for 20 whole minutes)


first class


eating lunch on the floor at grandma pattersons

playing w/ her cousins: nate, noah & sam



kyla & baby ellie


aunt juju & lola

Mothers!

My cousin Hannah forwarded me an email today that I thought I would share. It's cute. And of course brought a tear to my eye :)

MOTHERS

Real Mothers don't eat quiche;
They don't have time to make it.

Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils
Are probably in the sandbox.

Real Mothers often have sticky floors,
Filthy ovens and happy kids.

Real Mothers know that dried play dough
Doesn't come out of carpets.

Real Mothers don't want to know what
The vacuum just sucked up...

Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?'
And get their answer when a little
Voice says, 'Because I love you best.'

Real Mothers know that a child's growth
Is not measured by height or years or grade...
It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother.....

The Images of Mother

4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything!

8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!

12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn’t know everything!

14 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother? She wouldn’t have a clue. .

16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's so five minutes ago.

18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date!

25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it!

35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.

45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?

65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes,
Because that is the doorway to her heart,
The place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole,
But true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she
Shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

Family Pics

Here are all of the pics from our fun photo shoot a month or so ago!


I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
Click here to view photos