Jumping Jack

Catching Up - Part 1 (Potty Training)

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

I am going to try to catch up the blog and get ~~all~~ some of my pictures and memories posted, so someday when Jack isn't so small I can look back and remember when he was.

I'll start with potty training...

I had put off potty training for long enough (my goal was for Jack to be potty trained by 2). I wasn't feeling well the weekend of December 10 and I knew we wouldn't be going anywhere, so I decided to put Jack in underwear. I was still not ready to potty train, but I figured it was worth a try and we'd just see how it went. Well, that Saturday was HARD! I think Jack must have gone through at least 5-6 pairs of pants and underwear that day and I thought for sure we were not going to make it through this! (Thank goodness for tile floors!)

Sunday was MUCH better! I think he only had one accident that entire day and we were now full blown potty training! I sent him to school that Monday in underwear and we haven't looked back. I was so worried that first day that he would have a lot of accidents. I think I must have packed 3 or 4 changes of clothes, just in case, but I don't think he had an accident at all that first day in undies at school. (I had sent him to school in underwear a few times before when I was toying with the idea of potty training, but I just wasn't ready to commit to it.)

If you have ever potty trained a child, then you know how hard it is and how much commitment it takes from everyone involved and how much time a day you spend in the bathroom! I think we must have spent half our time in the bathroom that first week! And, he went through a short phase where he refused to poop in the pot. It was so frustrating for me, because I knew he could feel it coming, but just would not go sit on the potty. Luckily that little phase didn't last long or we would have been buying a whole lot of new underwear! And speaking of undies, the ones from Gymboree are my absolute favorites! They are thicker than the cartoony ones and have such cute little designs on them. Some of them even come in boxer briefs. Adorable!

Our first true test of the potty training didn't come until the Wednesday evening after we started. You see, Jack and I have date night every Wednesday where we go eat at our favorite Mexican place and then go shopping. I took 2 changes of clothes on this little trip, because it was the first time we'd be out in public without a diaper. Mind you, this is only 3 days before we were having family Christmas at the lake and I had A LOT of shopping left to do. We made it through dinner fine - I think we took at least 2 trips to the potty - then it was off to Target. We went to the potty at Target before starting our shopping and I thought things were going well until I was in the middle of my shopping trip (shopping as fast as possible because I had a 2 year old without a diaper with me and I had a lot of shopping left to do after leaving target) and Jack said he needed to go potty. We made a beeline for the bathroom, sat on the potty and nothing happened... So back to shopping. Again, Jack said he needed to potty, so back to the bathroom we went and that's when I gave up and put a pull-up on him. I don't believe pull-ups play any beneficial role in potty training, but they sure did allow me to get my shopping finished without visiting anymore bathrooms around town!

It has now been 6 weeks since we started potty training and I'd say he's doing really, really well! He only wears a pull-up to bed at night and sometimes wakes up in the morning dry. He takes naps in underwear and very seldom has an accident during nap time and almost never during the day. I think when the pull-ups run out, I'm going to test him through the night. I didn't get him potty trained by 2, but he is potty trained before 2 and a half, and I'm happy with that!

If you have a potty training toddler or small child, check out this potty seat. I don't believe in using the kid sized potty that you have to dump out, so this little seat has been a life saver and Jack can even get on the regular potty all by himself now!

The Wilderness

2011-11-16T16:25:00.001-06:00

This past weekend we loaded up the truck and headed to the ~~lake~~ Wilderness for a little rest and relaxation! My mom met us there on Friday, then my Memaw and Grandad came to visit for the day Saturday.

At the entry to my parent's neighborhood there is a little pin that houses a couple of donkeys, GiGi and Willie, and everytime we go visit Jack loves to feed the donkeys and deer.

GiGi and Willie LOVE bread, apples and carrots, but I forgot to put apples and carrots on the grocery list, so hot dog buns it was!

It's funny to think back to the first time we took Jack to feed the donkeys - he was so scared and would jump everytime they would hee-haw. But now he walks right up to them!

Jack really likes the bread too! He'll take a bite first, then feed it to them. Quality assurance testing, I suppose! HA! GiGi is hungry!

But, Jack has gotten a little stingy and doesn't like to give the donkeys the last of the bread. When he got down to the last piece, he headed for the golf cart and was ready to go home!

Poor little deer didn't make it up to the fence in time for some bread. Next time we'll bring you apples, litte deer!

Boy of Many Hats

2011-11-01T15:50:00.000-05:00

Is Jack a fireman?

or a chef?

Is he Dr Seuss?

or the next NFL football player?

Nope...

For now, he's still just my sweet little boy!

First Movie Date

2011-10-27T12:44:00.006-05:00

A few weekends ago we had some friends over to eat BBQ and watch our Rangers play in the ALCS. I should preface this with the fact that we don't have too many friends with small kids that we see often, so I was excited when I found out Randy's friend and his wife were bringing their little girl. We'll call her P.

Of course all of the adults were hanging out on the patio enjoying a few adult beverages and watching the game, so I decided to put Lion King on for Jack and P in the living room. Us mamas were hoping it would keep them entertained and contained for a while!

I popped popcorn and got them apple juice - it was like a real little movie date! But, that little set up did not last long! HA! They went back and forth between the playroom, the movie and outside. A 2 and 3 year old's attention span is not very long!! At one point they came out of the playroom holding hands. I wish I would have gotten a picture of that. Too cute!

We can't wait for P and her parents to come over and play again!

We had so much fun!

Happy Fall, Yall!

2011-10-26T12:01:00.001-05:00

An impromptu trip to my parent's this past weekend led us on an unexpected trip to a pumpkin patch! Ok, maybe it was just a small Fall display in front of a small town courthouse, but it was still fun to take pictures.

I think this is such a cute picture. Jack really liked Mr. Scarecrow! Notice how he's trying to hold his hand - sweet boy!

Had I known we were going to stop to take pictures with pumpkins and scarecrows on our way to the grocery store, I certainly would have dressed Jack for the occasion! Oh well, maybe we'll make it back sometime before Thanksgiving and he can wear his new turkey shirt.

This was his Thanksgiving shirt last year. I can't believe how much he's grown in just a year! Look at that chubby little face! :)

Such a little Turkey! I was scared Jack was going to knock down the turkey or break him in some way! He ran into him and bounced off like he was in a bouncy house before he finally plopped down in front!

Happy Fall, Yall!

A cold front is coming in tonight, so highs will be in the upper 50s/low 60s for the next few days! I've got my chili fixin's all ready to go! YUMMY!

In totally unrelated news - my Etsy shop has a facebook fan page! Are you a fan? If not, please go "like" Sunfire Creative and refer your friends! I'm giving away ONE FREE SHIRT to the person with the most referrals today. Contest ends at MIDNIGHT CST!

Jack Funnies

2011-09-27T13:42:00.002-05:00

Two is a HARD, but very funny age! For example...

The other morning I was getting ready and Jack was in the bathroom with me. He was playing in one of the drawers and came across the dental floss. I tried to take it away, but quickly realized that taking it away was going to lead to a full-blown tantrum, so I gave him a piece of the dental floss and he proceeded to floss his teeth and put the used floss in the toilet.

Then, I was in my sewing room filling some orders on Saturday and I knew Jack was in there playing, but he was being awfully quite (usually he's being a crazy toddler and throwing all of my fabric off the shelves), so I turned around to see what he was up to...

YES! Silly boy found a snowman filled with candy ~~that I can only hope was~~ from this past Christmas and started chowing down on it! The look on his face when I caught him was priceless!

I guess I probably should have taken the candy away, but he was being so quiet, that I just let him finish enjoying it!

Saturday evening our friends' daughter was going to her first homecoming dance. We were at their house before she left getting everything ready to go to the track and Jack was so funny! He was outside helping the guys and watching their every move!

Before we left we wanted to get a few pictures of the pretty girl with her dad and Pawpaw and Jack stood there for a little bit watching as we took pictures, then all of the sudden he just walked up and got in the picture like he should have been in every one. It was hilarious!

And, just in case you haven't seen this recipe floating around on Pinterest, I'm posting it here because it is sooo good! And, you really should try it!

Southwestern Egg Rolls**

Printer-friendly version

photo credit

Ingredients

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

12oz bag frozen corn, thawed

2 cups cooked, chopped chicken

chopped jalapenos, to taste

2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

salt & pepper

cumin

cayenne pepper

chili powder

garlic

egg roll wrappers

oil for frying

Method

1. combine all ingredients (sorry, I don't measure spices, I just taste along the way), except egg roll wrappers and oil. Mix well.

2. Position egg roll wrapper so that one corner is toward you. Put 1/4 cup mixture in center of egg roll wrapper, roll up half way starting at the corner closest to you, then fold corners pointing out over and continue rolling. Wet last corner with a little water to seal.

3. Fry egg rolls in skillet until brown and crispy on all sides - about 2 minutes per side.

I served these with Avocado Ranch and they were SOO good! To make the ranch, I followed the directions on the Hidden Valley Ranch packet and added a whole avocado and cayenne and blended with an immersion blender.

**Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats.

Off to the Dr

2011-09-23T13:02:00.000-05:00

I was really wanting to blog about all the awesome food Jack's been cooking up lately, but that will have to wait for another day. We are off to the doctor because that little smiley boy is not feeling well. He's snotty and got some YUCKY stuff coming from his eyes! I was hoping all week that it was just a cold or allergies that came with the change in weather, but I'm afraid that isn't the case. We shall see...

Go Cowboys! {and a recipe}

2011-09-19T12:57:00.000-05:00

It was a great weekend in TEXAS! My Red Raiders won, the Cowboys won (barely, but we'll take it!) and it sprinkled on Friday, rained on Saturday and finally stormed last night! Praise the Lord! It has been a long time since we've seen rain - I don't think I've ever loved the sound of thunder or flash of lightning as much as I did last night. And, I'm loving the cooler temperatures - it's beginning to feel like Fall!

Jack and Uncle Scott were two very happy Cowboy fans!

The rain didn't keep Jack from tailgating! He brought his chair in from the garage and was good to go. Sometimes he really likes the camera and we'll get the biggest "cheesy" smiles out of him. He'll even say "CHEEEESE" over and over. He's too funny!

This is his "CHEEEEESE" face! :)

Friday night we were watching "Man vs Food" and the guy was eating somewhere that had bacon wrapped tator tots, so we just had to try them. Let me tell you, there is absolutely nothing healthy about them, but they were GOOD. So good in fact, that we had them Saturday night and again Sunday night.

BACON-WRAPPED TATOR TOTS

Ore Ida Frozen Tots

Thick cut bacon, cut in thirds

Fresh or pickled jalapenos (we did both and prefer the fresh)

Shredded cheddar cheese

Sour Cream and Wing Sauce or Ranch for dipping

Toothpicks and a fryer

Let tots partially thaw, so you can get the toothpick through them.

Wrap tot and jalapeno in bacon, secure with toothpick.

Fry in deep fryer about 3-4 minutes or until bacon is cooked.

Top with shredded cheese and serve with Ranch or Sour Cream and Wing Sauce.

The phone picture does not do these little treats justice, so you'll just have to take my word for it that they are AWESOME and try them for yourself!

Relaxing with Daddy after a fun Sunday filled with football, rain, good friends and good food!

Have a great week!

Friday Randoms

2011-09-16T13:45:00.003-05:00

{one}

So I'm a little late hoping on the Pinterest bandwagon, but I'm on it and I'm hooked! What a fantastic idea - all the cool things you see online bookmarked and organized in one place? BRILLIANT!

{two}

Last Wednesday I got a phone call from my BFF, Heather, letting me know she and her family would be in town for the night and wanted to see if we could go to dinner! To say I was excited about seeing her would be an understatement! You see, Heather is an Army wife and the Army has them stationed far, far away in Kentucky, so I haven't seen her in well over a year. Heather, it was so great to see you, Dale and the kids! I can't believe how much they've grown! I hope you're having fun in Texas and next time, let's not wait so long between visits!

{three}

Jack will fall asleep anywhere, except his bed! It is getting a little bit better, but we still have a long way to go!

{four}

My latest additions to my shop - newborn layette gowns. I'm loving the pink and red circle monogram. Although, I am a proud RED RAIDER, I couldn't resist the urge to make a burnt orange UT gown. I think it turned out pretty cute!

{five}

Jack's new favorite place to eat is Chick fil A, so it's only fitting that be where he eats his first ice cream cone. He wasn't too sure what to think about it at first, but he quickly figured out he can eat it much faster with a fork and went to town!

{six}

Trying to count the money in his piggy bank! That little piggy needs to go to market, because he is FULL! HA!

Happy Friday!

*sorry for the poor picture quality. Most of the pictures are from my phone.

Home Make-Over - Before & After

2011-09-09T16:08:00.000-05:00

We started our little home improvement project at the beginning of July and FINALLY everything was finished last week. It was a long process and for the 3rd summer in a row we have had home improvement projectss going on during the HOTTEST part of the year, but alas, we survived! Granted there are still little things to be done here and there, but for the most part we are done... for now.

Entry Before

Entry After

This is one of those areas where work still needs to be done. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with our old living room tables, so here they sit in our formal living/computer room.

Sewing Room Before

Sewing Room After

Randy built a wall for me and installed French doors, so I now have a space all my own!

He also painted the shelves and tables for me. I still have quite a bit of organizing to do in here, but it's getting close. I ordered a ribbon rack from Rylie's Crafts which I know will be the answer to all my ribbon mess!

Living Room/Kitchen Before

Living Room After

I forgot to take a picture of the kitchen, but basically it just got new tile, removed the curtains, textured and painted the wall to match the rest of the house. Hoping for new countertops and cabinets in the near future. (fingers crossed)

Guest Room Before

Our bonus room upstairs is now our guest room.

Jack's Big Boy Room Now

At the beginning of May Jack learned to climb out of his baby bed, so we did what any concerned parents would do and made the baby bed into a toddler bed. Well let me just tell you that I have a toddler who HATED the toddler bed and refused to sleep in it. He would look and point at the bed and say "dada broke" because he thought Daddy had broken the bed. Despite my efforts to get him to sleep in the toddler bed (think Elmo bedding, bedtime books, sitting next to the bed, etc) he would not sleep in the toddler bed, and has since been sleeping on the couch. I'm happy to report he is sleeping in his new big boy bed, but it is still a fight.

Nursery Before

Jack's Playroom After

I love the pictures that were above Jack's baby bed too much to take them down, so for now I'm going to leave them. Although I love his new big boy room and his playroom, I'm really sad we no longer have a nursery in our house. It was always my favorite room! But... I am loving that there are very few toys in my living room now! HA!

I hope you enjoyed the quick tour of our home! I've made some changes in our master bed and bath, but it's not quite finished yet. I'll post pics as soon as I'm done!

Happy Friday!

2... Already?

2011-09-08T16:11:00.000-05:00

photo taken by Jennifer

Sweet Baby Jack! How in the world are you 2 already? Where did the time go? Your birthday was July 19th and we celebrated with an Elmo themed party at Grammy and Papa's lake house. We only did a small family party this year and I think you loved every minute of it!

Family Picture - don't mind the fact that we all look like a hot mess! That's what 100+ degree Texas heat and humidity will do to you!

Cake from Delicious Designs Cakes and More

You weren't quite sure what to think about everyone singing Happy Birthday to you, but you tried your hardest to blow out the candles.

You received lots of gifts including books, colors, puzzles, clothes, tricycle, bean bag, 4-wheeler, swimming pool, ball pit, and lots of balls!

You are growing up way too quickly and becoming more and more of a little boy and less of a baby everyday. Daddy and I think you are pretty smart! You can sing your ABC's, you know most of your colors, you are trying to count, you know exactly what you want to eat and don't want to eat and you are becoming more and more strong willed everyday! You favorite foods are still oatmeal, nutrigrain bars, pinto beans, enchiladas and rice, but we've added lots of new foods to your diet as well. You LOVE Chick-fil-A and ask for "ickin' and fench fies" almost daily. You really like pork chops and have tried steelhead trout and really liked it too. I'm so happy you will at least try new things even if you don't really care for them. You don't have much of a sweet tooth, but you would eat any entire bag of chips, if I'd let you! HA!

You love playing outside, but were not a fan of the heat this summer. You took swimming lessons and I found out how much you really LOVE the water. You are not afraid of water at all and it makes mommy extremely nervous. You like to jump off the side of the pool, but have not quite figured out how to jump out and not just straight up. You often jump before someone is ready to catch you! You are a master at blowing bubbles in the water and love blowing bubbles during bath time. You are not scared at all if you go underwater unexpectedly. This scares mommy too!

I am so proud of the little boy you are growing up to be. You are so sweet and lovey and give lots of hugs and kisses, but you are 100% ALL BOY too! If I ask you to play "sweet baby" you will lay your head on my shoulder and snuggle, but only for a second! You LOVE, LOVE, LOVE sports and watch some sort of sport every night before bed. You've learned to tackle by watching football on TV and I am almost certain you will grow up to be a pretty good football or baseball player. You do not like soccer though. Just this week you started a little sports class at school, so I'm excited to see how much you learn over the next few months.

At your 2-year check-up you weighed 32 pounds and were 36 inches tall.

You are a healthy, happy, thriving, crazy toddler and I am so happy to be your mommy!

I love you sweet boy!

Life is Good!

2011-06-21T08:37:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness! I can hardly believe it's been 2 months since my last post! Life has been busy lately! Since I last posted, I went to the Dallas Blogger Meet-Up and had so much fun finally getting to meet some of my favorite bloggers in real life! I was promoted to a much larger hospital, which has proved to be a lot more work than I anticipated, but I'm loving the challenge. I closed my Etsy shop for a while, but I'm back open for now. My sweet, sweet child who loved to sleep is LOST! I don't know what happened, but he has not gone to sleep in his bed since the beginning of May. He now sleeps on the couch every night and some nights sneaks into our bed. I'm not loving this stage. I'll save the whole story for another post. And, I guess the biggest thing that happened is my parents bought a lake house! And, the best part is that it is only an hour and a half from us!!! We went down there for Memorial Day weekend and then the following weekend. It's so much fun! Here are a few pictures from our visits.

View from the back of the house

Aunt Linzi and Jack

Happy as a clam - he LOVES the lake!

He actually loves the life jacket too - thank goodness! :)

Loves the boat too! Jack is a pretty good little driver too!

We've added jet ski and boat to Jack's vocabulary.

Randy loves to fish! I really want to catch a fish too, but so far have had NO LUCK!

Even the gloworm took a dip! Ran had to fish her out! HA!

Memaw and Aunt Sherry

Grandad and Mama

And after a LOOONG day at the lake and no naps, I have one tired little boy!

Sorry for the poor picture quality, a lot are phone pictures or taken from another site. I'll be back soon to update, in pictures, the past few months.

LIFE IS GOOD!

Quick Update

2011-04-22T14:16:00.001-05:00

Jack and I went to Houston last weekend to meet Baby Brady and celebrate my step-dad's birthday.

We ate lots of yummy crab legs, shrimp, sausage, corn and potatoes! So good! Baby Brady was too sweet. I can't remember Jack ever being that small, and actually even smaller than Brady. I was hoping someone would email me more pics from the weekend since I didn't take any, but no such luck! Jack couldn't care less about the baby he just went about playing and paid no attention to me holding Brady. Jack would go look at him every once in a while when Brady was sleeping in the pack-n-play. I can only imagine the trouble those two will get into when they get a little older! HA!

We're still spending LOTS of time outside and thank goodness because Jack loves to throw is food everywhere when he's sitting in the highchair. He does much better eating outside and doesn't make nearly the mess. The Easter bunny came a little early with a new coloring book and crayons, so he's been coloring almost everyday! And his latest obsession is ICE. He will stand in front of the fridge screaming until we get him some ice. Maybe it feels good on his gums? We're still waiting on a few more eye teeth to come through.

Jack had an Easter Egg hunt at school yesterday. He came home with too much candy and a lot of eggs!

He's a smart little guy, after opening eggs at my parents' house last weekend, he knows that all the good stuff is inside!

I can't believe how big he looks in these pictures. He looked so cute in his Easter shirt yesterday morning, but by the time he made it home from school and played in the mud yesterday evening, he was a MESS!

Today was pajama day at school, so Jack got to be comfy in his PJs. I ordered him the cutest pair of New Balance tennis shoes and was disappointed yesterday when I tried them on him and they were too small. I ordered a 7, so apparently NB runs really small. They would have looked so cute with his jammies!

I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Easter Weekend!

Praise the Lord!

He Has Risen!

Things You Should Know if We're Gonna be BFF

2011-04-14T12:52:00.002-05:00

Today's post is all about me!

I'm going to the Dallas Blogger Meet-up in a few weeks and Jenn thought it would be fun for everyone who is going to do a little "Get to Know You" post so we can all get to know each other a little better before heading out to meet in real life! I'm so excited (and nervous), but it is going to be a fun weekend!

This pic is from last Easter - I can't seem to find any decent recent pics!

- I grew up in Kilgore, TX home of the World's Richest Acre and the Kilgore College Rangerettes (no, I was not a Rangerette) Kilgore was typical "small town USA". I cheered throughout high school, was the yearbook editor and on Student Council - I graduated in 1999 #11 in my class of 204. Damn English for keeping me out of the Top 10. I HATE English, but love math and science.

- I went to college at Texas Tech. I love Red Raider football and college was definitely some of the best years of my life. I graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science in Restaurant, Hotel and Institutional Management.

- I still work for the same company that gave me a job right out of college. My title is Director of Food and Nutritional Services - basically I manage the food service for a hospital. I used to be in corporate dining, but I like the hospital much more.

- Obviously, I'm a mom. Jack was born on July 19th, 2009. I used to think I wanted him to be an only child - now I'm not so sure.

- I'm an only child, but have 2 step-sisters. Our parents didn't marry until we were grown, so I've never lived with them.

- I don't eat cucumbers, but LOVE pickles.

- I could eat chips and salsa, steak and potatoes EVERYDAY! Most fruit (including fresh avocado and tomatoes) makes my throat and ears itch.

- I bought a sewing machine last summer because I needed a hobby and I wanted to make a rag quilt. Little did I know a few short months later I would open an Etsy shop and actually have people buy from me. I still get excited everytime I sell something! It's funny to look back at my posts about the first things I made. I think I've come a long way since then. HA!

- I wish I was an Extreme Couponer or sale rack shopper, but I'm not. I do; however, always load e-coupons onto my Kroger card and always search for discount codes before buying online. (RetailMeNot is my FAVE)

- I prefer shiraz or a beer over fruity cocktails or margaritas.

- I do not like to shop and when I do shop, I prefer to shop alone. My mom said when I was born "Oh yay! Now I have a shopping buddy!" She could not have been more wrong!

- I rarely listen to music other than country. If I had to pick only one artist to listen to for the rest of my life, it would be Kenny Chesney.

- I never knew I was such a homebody until I had Jack.

- I could live without a TV and the only show I really watch religiously is Wheel of Fortune.

- I'm a pretty good cook, but I am NOT a baker!

- I am not very out-going. It takes ~~a few drinks~~ a while for me to warm up to people.

That's all yall! Anything else you want to know? Just ask! I can't wait to meet everyone. If you are a Dallas area blogger and would like to join the fun, visit the DBM blog for details or Jenn's blog to link-up your "About Me" posts.

Phone Pics (Semi-Wordless Wednesday)

2011-04-13T14:50:00.001-05:00

We have been spending A LOT of time outside lately! Jack loves to climb up in the golf cart when we get home from school. Thankfully the golf cart has moved over to Uncle Scott's garage, thus making it much easier to get Jack in the house! HA!

Jack has also been having lots of "picnics" lately. I think he likes eating outside because he can walk around with his food - inside he has to eat in his high chair. AND, outside he gets to drink Capri Sun. They are his special "outside" drinks! HA! His new favorite foods are peanuts, pistachios, chicken taquitos and cracker sandwiches (cheese on crackers, stacked 2 high).

Jack has gotten really good at walking/running in flip flops, climbing up on the picnic table and playing in the dirt. Typical BOY! Did you notice our new shades hanging in the background? They are awesome and let us enjoy even more time outside since they keep the sun from beating down on us in the afternoon.

This little boy plays HARD - look at those dirty hands and feet! I took these picture Sunday evening after playing outside all day. He was filthy and so sleepy he climbed up on the table, laid down and said "nite, nite". Not before a bath, silly boy!

Growing Too FAST!

2011-04-05T12:19:00.002-05:00

Jack is growing way too fast! I think my mom got him this little stool for his birthday last summer and I remember thinking "it'll be forever before he can use that" but low and behold the time has come!

Jack can now climb up on the stool to brush his teeth and wash his hands. When Ran took him to wash his hands the other night, I was surprised the stool made him tall enough to reach the sink. I guess in my mind, no matter how big he gets, he'll always be my baby!

He is actually pretty good at brushing his teeth. I let him play with the toothbrush for a little bit before I get in there to brush his teeth good, but I think he gives them a pretty good scrubbing.

Of course, playing in the water is his FAVORITE part of the whole thing! Well, maybe that and putting the lid on the toothpaste. HA!

My friend, Laurie, came over Sunday afternoon to pick up the birthday outfit I made for her little girl, Zoey, and Jack was so funny. He stood there with his thumb in his mouth and just looked at her for the longest time. He finally warmed up to Miss Zoey a little and would give her a little smile. Those two are too cute!

Zoey's Birthday Outfit

Ladybug Birthday Outfit

Thank you Laura for the awesome tutu tutorial! I love the way it turned out! I'm hoping to get a few good pictures of Zoey in her outfit at her party this weekend. Wish me luck! Taking pictures of a moving toddler is HARD! HA!

HAPPY TUESDAY!

Cedar Plank Salmon and Simple Risotto

2011-04-01T12:01:00.001-05:00

We rarely eat salmon, but after randomly grabbing a few salmon fillets and cedar planks at Target the other day, we're hooked! This recipe is so simple and so good! I'm typically not a salmon fan because it can get a little "fishy" tasting, but not this one! Nope - it's PERFECT!

Ingredients

salmon fillets, skin on

Adkins BBQ Seasoning (I found it at Kroger)

cedar planks

Soak cedar planks in water according to package directions. Season salmon with Adkins, let sit at room temp until the grill is ready. Place salmon on cedar plank, then on grill. Grill until internal temp reaches 145 degrees. Do not overcook!

I realize this is a HUGE piece of fish, but it's so good! I ate almost every bite! :)

Simple Risotto

1 cup arborio rice

1 diced onion

1-2 cloves chopped garlic

1/2 stick butter or 1/4 cup

3 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Saute onion and garlic in butter in medium saucepan until translucent (about 5 min), add rice and saute an additional 5 minutes or until rice starts to brown a little.

Add broth and cook over medium heat stirring occassionally until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. (I added a little more broth, covered and cooked about 5 more minutes once liquid was absorbed)

Stir in cheese and serve. Don't add any salt or pepper until the end, if needed. My risotto was perfect without adding any salt or pepper.

It was so nice yesterday that Jack had dinner outside - a peanut butter sandwich, pineapple and cheese. His FAVE!

Do you have a Chop Wizard?

I'm not big on kitchen gadgets, but when I first tried this one at my sister's house, I had to have it! It makes cutting vegetables so quick and easy - I can chop a whole onion in about 30 seconds! I'll spare you the entire infomercial spill, but it really is awesome! It can be found in the "as seen on tv" section of wal-mart, target or bed, bath and beyond, or you can order on Amazon.

Have a great weekend!

Happy Birthday, Baby Brady!

2011-03-29T11:20:00.002-05:00

Brady Wayne

Born at 7:06pm on March 28

7 pounds, 2 ounces

21 inches

Baby Brady, Mommy and Daddy are doing great! I'll post more pictures when someone emails me some good ones. Right now all I have is iPhone pics.

Happy Birthday, Baby Brady!

We can't wait to meet you!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In other Jumping Jack news, a package came in the mail for Jack yesterday! It was a new lawn mower from his GG. He LOVES the lawn mower! After "mowing" the carpet and kitchen, we decided to try it out on the actual grass.

This little lawn mower is really cool and has knobs that make noises and a pull start thingy that sounds just like a real mower. It also came with a little gas can so you can put "gas" in it! So cute! It's made by Little Tikes.

phone pic

I must really love the yellows, teals and greens right now! I bought this comforter for our room yesterday and it just happens to match my blog design perfectly. HA! I'm hoping to find really cute fabric and make curtains to pull all the colors together. I'm loving the lighter colors! It's such a nice change from the black and cream we had. Now I just need to get some coordinating towels for the bathroom!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Are you going to the Dallas Blogger Meet-up? Jenn at Perfectly Imperfect has set up a Linky for your "Get to Know Me" posts! Linky will be open until April 29th.

Miscellany Monday

2011-03-28T15:31:00.001-05:00

{one}

Jumping Jack finally got a make-over! I've been thinking about it for a while and I just couldn't stand it anymore, so the FABULOUS Shannon hooked me up again!

Shannon's company, Sweet Bean, does all sorts of design work including printable party packages, premade or custom blog design, holiday cards and more! Shannon is so easy to work with - check her out! I know you won't be disappointed!

{two}
I'm going...

ARE YOU?

Contact Neely for info.
Can't wait to meet yall!

{three}
I really need to start taking more pictures of Jack. I didn't take a single picture all weekend and this is the best one I could get this morning...

and clearly, it's awful! Bad MOM!

Notice the baggie in his hand? He eats toast for breakfast most mornings and one day he didn't finish it before it was time to leave, so I put it in a baggie for him to eat in the car on the way to school. Well, now he saves enough toast for me to put in the baggie everyday! Silly boy!

{four}
My sister is still in labor. She was induced this morning, but it doesn't look like Baby Brady will be arriving until sometime tonight. He's taking his sweet time! I'll post pictures of the sweet babe tomorrow!

{five}
Enchilada Casserole
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 diced yellow onion
1 diced bell pepper (optional)
1 cup frozen spinach (optional)
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom (or chicken or celery - whatever you have)
1/4 cup milk
1 can Rotel
8-12 Corn Tortillas
Shredded Cheese
Black Olives*
Chives*
Diced Tomato*
Sour Cream*
Jalapenos*

image via

-Preheat oven to 350

- Brown ground beef, onion and bell pepper, season with salt, pepper and garlic.

- Once cooked, stir in soup, rotel, sour cream, milk and spinach, mix well.

- Cut tortillas into forths and stir into mixture. Amount of tortillas needed depends - mixture should be creamy before baking (tortillas will absorb excess liquid)

- Put mixture into greased 9x13 pan, top with cheese and bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

*Top with remaining ingredients

I've also made this recipe with shredded chicken and it was delish!

Happy Monday!

Our Week

2011-03-25T12:23:00.002-05:00

I'm so glad it's Friday! This week has FLOWN by, it seems!

Here's what's been going on in our world...

Peek a boo!

{one} Lots of grilling and playing outside! The weather has been beautiful here this week - in the 80s everyday! Our "spring" weather days are numbered so we're trying to enjoy them as much as possible. Before we know it, it will be 100 degrees here! (I'm not complaining about the HOT days ahead - I'll take 100 over freezing any day!) Last night I made Jalapeno & Velveeta Stuffed Chicken Wrapped in Bacon and Ran grilled it. It was pretty easy to make - butterfly chicken breasts, season with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic, then put a chunk of velveeta and sliced jalapenos in the middle. Roll it up, secure with toothpicks, wrap in bacon and grill until bacon is crispy and chicken is done. It was really good, except I need to come up with a way to keep the cheese inside the chicken. Any suggestions?

driving is right around the corner

{two} Thanks for your sweet words on my last post regarding my Memaw. She went home yesterday and is doing good. The surgery worked, all of the tests came back negative and she is cancer free.

Praise the Lord!

the snack cup goes EVERYWHERE

{three} I will become an Aunt for the very first time on Monday (if not before) when Baby Brady is born! I cannot wait to meet the little guy! I just know he and Jack will have so much fun playing together when he gets a little older. I'm also anxious to see how Jack reacts to Mommy holding another baby when we go visit next weekend! :)

learning to kick the soccer ball

{four} I think Jack is teething again. The past few nights have been ROUGH and the drool has been constant. I'm hoping they come in QUICK because once again, it's not fun for any of us!

the boy loves hats and his first school friend birthday party invite

{five} Here are my latest, and in my opinion, greatest new designs. I'm not sure which I love the most - maybe the onesie with the bow? Or, the adorable Kole set? Or, the sweet ice cream set? I love them all! Everytime I make something new, it's my new favorite thing... until I make something else!

SUNFIRE CREATIVE

I'm excited to now offer pink, turquoise, yellow and white girls' tanks. I'll also be adding newborn layette gowns to the shop next week!

Don't mind the cheetos on his little face - they're his new FAVORITES!

Have a great weekend!

I'll be back on Monday with Recipes that Freeze Well, Part 2.

Over the Hills and Through the Woods...

2011-03-22T11:31:00.001-05:00

to Grandmother's house we go!

Ok, so not exactly, but Jack and I did go to East Texas this past weekend. My Memaw had surgery about a month ago, and was moved to a rehab hospital last week, so Jack and I went to see her. Thankfully, Jack has become a pretty good traveler. He still doesn't sleep much in the car, but at least now he doesn't scream bloody murder while on a road trip.

Memaw and Jack

Memaw is recovering pretty well from her surgery and will hopefully go home Friday. I know she's ready to get home and I know Grandad is ready to have her home.

My mom, Jack and Grandad

We had a nice little visit and got to eat at my FAVORITE hamburger joint - Jucys. It is SOOO good! I was afraid the beans might be a little spicy for Jack, but he gobbled them right up! That boy LOVES beans!

Trent, Aunt Sherry and Jack

We also got to see my little cousin, Trent, who was home from college on Spring Break and my Aunt Sherry. Jack really liked Aunt Sherry and would hold her hand wherever we went. He also liked giving goldfish to everyone in the room. Sometimes he's so sweet!

He did not; however, want to pose for a picture with Mommy!

For Japan with Love

2011-03-18T00:43:00.006-05:00

Click image for information on how you can help.

Recipes that Freeze Well

2011-03-16T12:57:00.012-05:00

I mentioned in yesterday's post a few recipes for new mommies that freeze well! It's always nice when friends bring dinner after the new baby comes, but after a while you're back to cooking again, so I thought it'd be nice to share a few of my favorite recipes that also freeze well. These would all be great to half or double and take for the new mommy and daddy to eat at the time and then an extra to freeze for later.

Before I get to the recipes, please know that I do not follow recipes well, and most of these were handed down from my Memaw, so the measurements are not precise. Specifics of what I use:
- 98% fat free cream soups
- Mexican blend shredded cheese (unless otherwise specified)
- 2% milk Velvetta and original Rotel
- 93/7 ground beef and I don't drain it
- yellow onion (it's sweeter, IMO)
- I season all meat w/ salt, pepper and garlic (SPG), to taste

Stuffed Bell Peppers

4 bell peppers, cut in half from top to bottom to make a bowl (color doesn't matter)

1 lb ground beef

1 diced onion

3 ribs diced celery

8oz can tomato sauce

1 boil in bag white rice, cooked according to package

handful shredded cheese

large can crushed tomatoes

photo credit: foodphotoblog.com

Directions

- preheat oven to 350*

- Boil peppers in salted water until tender, about 10 minutes, drain

- Brown meat, onion and celery, season with SPG

- once meat is cooked, add rice, cheese and tomato sauce, mix well

- put peppers in baking dish, stuff with meat mixture, top with crushed tomatoes

- bake for 20-30 minutes

Tips

- to freeze, do not add crushed tomatoes until you are ready to bake.

- goes straight from freezer to oven (don't forget to add tomatoes), bake at 350 about 1 hour, or until hot

- I always make the full recipe and put it in 2 pans, one to cook now, one to freeze for later. The 8" square tin pans are perfect for this! Could also double and use 9x13 pans.

- Serve with mashed potatoes

Chicken Spaghetti

1 lb chicken breast, cooked and chopped, I boil the chicken in chicken broth

(or one rotisserie chicken shredded)

1 can cream of mushroom

1 can cream of chicken

4 oz velvetta

1 can rotel

12 oz spaghetti, cooked in chicken broth according to package with celery & onion, drain

(I use the same water I boil my chicken in - cook the chicken first, then the pasta)

1 diced onion

3 ribs diced celery

shredded cheese

photo credit: myrecipes.com

Directions

- preheat oven to 350

- Once you drain your pasta, throw it back in the same pot and add all ingredients, except shredded cheese

- Mix well and keep heat on low so velveeta will melt

- Once mixed put it in a baking dish and cover with cheese.

- Bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes

Tips

- to freeze, do not add cheese until you are ready to bake.

- goes straight from freezer to oven (don't forget the cheese), bake at 350 for an hour, or until hot

- I always make the full recipe and put it in 2 pans, one to cook now, one to freeze for later. The 8" square tin pans are perfect for this! Could also double and use 9x13 pans.
- Serve with caesar salad and garlic bread - we love the salad in the bag w/ all the fixin's and Texas Toast Garlic Bread w/ Cheese. So GOOD!

I'll be back with more freezer friendly recipes next week!

Random Tuesday Ramblings

2011-03-15T12:01:00.005-05:00

{one}

My weekend started at 4:15 on Friday afternoon with a call from Jack's school saying I needed to pick him up because he was running 101.4 fever. At the time, I was pulling into the Wal-Mart parking lot about to get a long overdue spur-of-the-moment haircut at the Wal-Mart salon - I already know this is NOT a good idea, so THANKS daycare for saving me from an awful haircut!

Entertaining himself at the doctor's office.

{two}

The rest of our weekend was spent taking care of a sick Jack. He ran fever most of the weekend, wouldn't eat, fought sleep and had some yucky stuff in his eyes, so I knew it must be an ear infection. A trip to the Dr yesterday confirmed my suspecions and he started antibiotics last night. I'm hoping for a quick recovery, because this waking up in the middle of the night, on top of daylight savings time, has made me one TIRED mama!

{three}

Thanks for all the sweet comments and suggestions on my last post! I think I am going to go with the barnyard theme for Jack's party and luckily I think I've found the perfect little petting zoo place to have the party. Details coming soon!

{four}

I've been busy, busy, busy sewing the past week or so! Here are a few new things I've made recently. I love receiving custom requests and am so excited for a few new shirts and a tutu I get to make in the next few weeks for some very sweet first birthday parties!

Cookie Monster Gift Set

Dinosaur Gift Set

Lovey Blankie w/ Paci Clip

Lovey blankies might be my new favorite thing to make!

Especially this one! It's so bright and cheery!

Easter Egg Truck

Easter Bunny Shirt

Personalized Name Shirt

{FIVE}
My sister, Sarah, is going to have sweet baby Brady pretty soon and my mom and I were talking about good foods to make for new moms and dishes that freeze well, so I thought I'd make a little list. I'll post recipes for all of these tomorrow.

- Chicken Spaghetti
- Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Italian Shells
- Chicken Enchiladas
- King Ranch Chicken

What are your favorite "new mommy" meals?

A Day in the Life - Jack's 2nd Birthday

2011-03-09T12:02:00.003-06:00

I can hardly believe it, but my dear friends, it's true...

In 4 short months my little man will turn 2!

Time is flying and I know his birthday will be here in the blink of an eye! I swore, after months of planning his first birthday party, that his 2nd would be something low-key with just family and a few friends. Now that his birthday is getting closer, I'm having a hard time doing only a small party! Especially with all the party inspiration I find in the bloggy world! Plus, my friend, Ashley, had a "petting zoo" themed party for her daughter and I've loved the idea ever since! Although, I'm really hoping to hold the party at a petting zoo and not have one come to my house, but we'll see! I'm loving these ideas I found on Parties and Pretties!

Sweet tea, lemonade and a wheelbarrow full of drinks? Yes, please!

I LOVE these gingham table cloths! And the wicker baskets for snacks! So cute!

A hayride on neighborhood streets? What a fantastic idea and I'm pretty certain we could make this happen!

Love the treat boxes - I did similar boxes last year for Jack's Beach Monkey Party.

I love this little craft idea, too. Cheap and easy and the kids get to take something home with them and watch it grow. Perfect!

And this cake! Need I say more? I'm a sucker for an AMAZING cake and this one is just adorable!

Inspiration pictures via Parties and Pretties

I still have a few months before I have to decide for sure what route we'll go with Jack's party, but I'm loving the barnyard theme!

What do yall think?

What have you done for your kids' 2nd birthday parties? I'm looking for suggestions!