Family night!

Last night we had our Rae family dinner, and though not everyone could make it, we still just enjoyed being together. Pulled pork sandwiches, home made pumpkin pie and learning the game Puerto Rico... it is always so special when we are together...

We love you all!

Shredded beef sandwiches...

I love my Crock Pot. I will be honest, I grew up with a, lets call it, a stew that my mom would make in her crock pot and I didn't like it. It was bland and didn't have much flavor and it was one of those things that tasted really healthy for you and that is NOT a plus when you are in kindergarten. (My mom is an amazing cook and has introduced me to MANY slow cooker recipes in hopes that I wouldn't disregard the crock pot as a viable asset to making dinners happen.)

I love you mom!

So in the almost 8 years that I have been married, I have been enjoying the process of gathering recipes that can be made in the slow cooker and last night I tried one from my sister-in-law and it was awesome. (She has made it for us and I loved it but sometimes when I attempt to duplicate a recipe, it just doesn't quite happen the way I want it to...)

It is so easy. You put a beef roast in the crock pot. Slice holes in the side facing up. Use half of a 16 oz jar, with the juice of deli-sliced peperoncini, poured over the roast, allowing the juice to get in the holes that you have made. Cook on low for 6 hours.

When done, shred with forks and then place on rolls, topped with the remaining peperoncini. We added deli mustard and roasted bell peppers. It was tasty and SO EASY, and Kit loved it. Again, these are my two criteria for a new recipe.

The added bonus to a crock pot dinner is more sitting on the floor with Ryder and feeling less stressed about making dinner and balancing a baby, right when Kit gets home.

Wholesome Baby Foods

We have been having a slow start on getting Ryder on a really good solid food schedule. And then I feel like we are behind and I realize that I keep having to talk myself down, telling myself that his weight is up and he is getting rounder and he is a very happy contented baby.

In addition to The Super Baby Food book, a friend shared this website with me and it has been so helpful with recipes and scheduling and it has really taken some pressure off. It doesn't feel so overwhelming.

If you have little people in your house, I think that you will find this website really helpful...

Enjoy eating with your little person!

good morning!

A view from my kitchen window this morning...

The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Psalm 19:1

I hope you have a wonderful day!

happy seven months, little man!

Ryder Rae~

Oh my goodness, I can't believe that you are 7 months old today. It goes so fast! We love being your parents. You are so wanted and waited for and loved and I am thrilled that we have the honor of watching you grow and live life with you.

You are such a happy baby, however you did get the gene from your parents that if you are tired AND hungry, you are NOT a happy camper. Otherwise you smile and you have a laugh that shakes your whole little body. We describe you as delightful and joyful.

You have started solid foods and your favorite is avocado. You have not gotten any teeth yet, but you have to little buds on your lower gums so we know they will be coming any time. Since you were 8 weeks old, you have slept through the night, with two exceptions:

1. when we were at the cabin in august (you went right back to sleeping through the night when we got home)

2. When we were on vacation in Oxnard and you REALLY started teething. That was a rough two weeks.

I can't imagine how yucky teething must be, but you are handling it like a champ.

You smile at pretty much everyone and you will let other people hold you, but you always look to see if your dad or I are in eye shot. If I could make a bet, I would say that you are going to be a kid that tries anything, but you want to watch and take it in before you just jump in. You will have some elements of caution but then you will always try new stuff too.

You are sitting up all by yourself, no propping needed and you just think that is the best thing ever! You laugh like crazy and it is so cute to see. We have discovered that you have sensitive skin like your dad so you have gotten all types of rashes and break outs and we have been to your doctor and the urgent care for random break outs and reactions to things. We will just make sure that we always have benadryl on hand for you.

People have a hard time seeing you who you look more like. Everyone agrees that you have my eyes and most people think that you look more like your dad, but then we will pull out baby pictures of your papa or of myself and they look like your baby pictures. It will be fun to watch you grow into your own little self...

I sometimes look ate your face and I am overwhelmed by how much I love you. Your dad says the same thing. We just can't believe you are ours and we just couldn't love you more!

Happy 7 months old little man.

birthday celebrations...

My younger nephew and my dad both have birthdays in November so we celebrated them tonight. It was been a long week. Between work, special friends and get togethers that end after midnight, a trip to urgent care because Ryder had a reaction that caused his face to swell up (he is fine now, it was a freaky fluke thing and we don't know what caused it...), and a talk that my sister and I gave to a mom's group at her church, I was spent by the time friday after noon came around. We had a REALLY nice time together. My mom made an amazing pasta dinner and my sister made apple crisp, Kit took a nap, we watched a movie with the kiddos while the new lego toy was assembled, and Ryder had a nap and was his usual cheerful self (you would not know that he is teething...) It was really an enjoyable, low key day. It was very needed to say the least.

The birthday boys...

Ryder sporting the onesie that my sister made, in honor of my dad, the best dressed guy I know (who loves a good tie)...

Ryder loves his Mia and Papa.

Turkey time

For our thanksgiving dinner a few days ago, we used this recipe and a deep fryer for our turkey. We really liked it. If you have a chance to try it, we hope that you enjoy it as much as we did.