Mardi Gras/Ash Wednesday

Having married a man from New Orleans, I have been introduced to a whole new season. Mardi Gras.  When I first thought of Mardi Gras, I thought of the Bourbon Street, women flashing to get beads and lots and lots of craziness!!

However, my freshmen year of college I had a roommate from South Louisiana and I went with her that year.  Yes, that stuff does go on, but you can go to places that are families with kids, and people just having fun.  I loved it!!  Growing up in small town Arkansas It was so fascinating to see all the floats costumes and all the fun that is celebrated. For the most part a lot of the "craziness" takes place in the French Quarter.  There are places that you can go and not have to see "that stuff." I have been 3 times now and Love to go!! We haven't been able to go the past two years, with having Audrey and now being huge and pregnant.  I can't wait to take our kids and put them on ladders and let them catch their own beads!!

Here is a picture taken 2 years ago ( was was pregnant with Audrey and didn't even know it)

Back to my original thought....
Since Jonathan and I have been married we have celebrated Mardi Gras.  I have decorated the house, made Cajun food, and even learned how to make a king cake.  (lets just say the king cakes have gotten better each year :) ) Also with this celebration, I have also joined Jonathan in giving up something for lent.  I never did that growing up and have really enjoyed the process of giving something up to focus more on Christ and why we celebrate Easter. I do have to say that it is hard to choose something that you will miss, but then something that you can actually go without for 40 days.  I gave up sweets last year and lets just say I won't do it again :)

This year our church did an Ash Wednesday service.  I had never been to one and Jonathan mentioned that we should go.  Can I just say it was such a moving service and really helped prepare my heart for what this season really means, and why we go through lent. The prayers, music, and liturgy ( a new word I learned last night) was so moving.  I hope that they continue doing the Ash Wednesday service, because I would really like to make this a tradition.

On a side note, we took Audrey with us to the service.  When we walked in it was quiet, with a slide that said enter quietly.  Can I just say that is a mother's nightmare when you are entering with a 16 month old.  There were a couple of times during the service that there would be silence for reflection or prayer.  It is hard not to just pray that Audrey will stay quiet until the music starts again!!  She did very very well considering her age and that it was close to her bedtime.  Jonathan did have to go stand in the back with her, but only so her random laughing out loud and cow sounds wouldn't disturb the people sitting beside us.

I am very excited what the next 40 days has in store for me.  I really pray that I become more like Christ and do better about letting him have COMPLETE control over my life.

Psalm 51 (was read at the service)

 ¹ Have mercy on me, O God,
   according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
   blot out my transgressions.
² Wash away all my iniquity
   and cleanse me from my sin.
 ³ For I know my transgressions,
   and my sin is always before me.
⁴ Against you, you only, have I sinned
   and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
   and justified when you judge.
⁵ Surely I was sinful at birth,
   sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
⁶ Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
   you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
 ⁷ Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
   wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness;
   let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
⁹ Hide your face from my sins
   and blot out all my iniquity.
 ¹⁰ Create in me a pure heart, O God,
   and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me from your presence
   or take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation
   and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
 ¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
   so that sinners will turn back to you.
¹⁴ Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
   you who are God my Savior,
   and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
¹⁵ Open my lips, Lord,
   and my mouth will declare your praise.
¹⁶ You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
   you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
¹⁷ My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
   a broken and contrite heart
   you, God, will not despise.

To walk or not to walk....

Audrey is now 16 months old and is still not walking. I really think she could if she wanted, I just think she is a perfectionist ( she may or may not have gotten that from me).

She will stand in the middle of a room and clap or dance, but she won't take that first step.

For example...



We were cleaning her room the other day, listening to the radio and this is what she would do over and over

I'm not worried that she hasn't taken her first steps. I know that she could, I think she is just waiting until she can run!!!





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Update cont.

Next on our list is our trip to Maryland to see jonathan's family. This was Audrey's first flight and she did great. I packed an entire bag of toys and all she was interested in was a plastic cup and the arm rest.











We are wore out from a long day of traveling



We went to Gettysburg while we were there








We got to meet our great grandfather, here is 4 generations




While we were there we also celebrated Grandpa's 60th birthday!!



On the way back home we were delayed 6 hours in the airport, so not fun!!

This is the first hour...




And here is hour 4. I hate the picture but it's too accurate not to post



This next picture made it all worth it...



After all our traveling we moved Audrey into her big girl bed. She has been sleeping in it for 2 weeks now.



Well, thats my update on what has happened over the last several months. Once again I will try and do much better.

Until next time!!

-Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I'm Back!!

Well, I'm not sure if I waited long enough to start this again!! My problem is I am such a control freak and want to be sooo organized that I feel overwhelmed about how long its been since I blogged.  I feel like now I have to write I blog about everything that has happened since my last one or I'm a failure as a blogger!! So, by thinking that, I have waited and waited and waited to post something new.  Then I realized, this is not about being the best blogger, or being the super mom that has all her kids pictures up to date with all of their stats.  This is about me and my life and NOT comparing it to all the other great blogs that I read.  So,  I recently read my friend Rebekah Boone's blog and she did a really cool thing to catch up so I'm copying the idea!!

Here is some snippets of what I've missed:


Yes, Audrey's shirt does say big sister!! She is going to have a little brother, Luke Paul, in May!!

Audrey turned 1!! I had so much fun planning her party. I made her invitations (I can make yours too!!) cupcakes and small cake!  We did a lady bug theme, and it turned out soo cute! Lets just say she is like her Momma and LOVES chocolate!!

The pumpkin patch! I just love how her hair almost matches the pumpkins!! My sisters fiance' took the pictures!!

Picture with Santa

Our good friend Clint came to visit. (Gotta love that face)

We have had so much snow this year! Audrey was more interested in her mittens and Chloe (our dog) than the snow.

Jonathan got me an Iphone for Christmas this year!!! I'm so excited about it.  I downloaded this app so I can update on my phone, so I'm going to continue this post from my phone because I have pictures on there I want to post.  Look out!! I might just post 2 in one day!!

Baby Food

 Disclaimer!!!! By writing this blog I am in no way saying I am super mom or that my baby is eating better, or I have it all together. This is not to make other moms feel less of a mother because they may or may not do this.  

Before we started feeding Audrey solid foods I did a lot of research about what kinds of foods to start her on and what she should eat.  I ran across this website www.wholesomebabyfood.com and it made me think that  I could make her own food too.  

I looked at many different websites and tried to figure out how much time this would take me and if it was even worth all the extra work.  I am a stay at home mom, so anything to save money is GREAT!!! But, I wanted to make sure that I would be saving enough to go through the work.

After reading blogs, and looking at websites, I found that it is actually easier than people think to make your own food.  Plus, you know that it doesn't have all the preservatives, and it is fresh food.  

Well the first batch I did was so easy. It really didn't take me that long to do. After several times doing it I realized that its better to do a lot at once just so you only mess your kitchen up maybe once a week instead of several times.

Okay I'm going to start from the beginning... 

The picture below is everything that I started out with. The book Homemade Baby Food

is something that I bought.  It is not required to do this, there are plenty of recipes online, but i really enjoy this book. Also, the diet coke in the pic is also not a requirement, but it is on my list of must haves when making food. :) There are also peaches, apples, pears, green beans, broccoli, peas, and I did do carrots with are not in the picture.

 

In this picture I have all of the utensils needed.  (Notice Audrey in the background enjoying her food!!)

Cutting board, knives, large pot, steamer basket, apple core, potato peeler, small processor, and a large processor.  I got the small processor for Christmas this past year.  It is great for small batches. The larger one came from my parents. This was actually given to them for a wedding gift, and they never used it, so I took it home.  If you are really wanting to do this, then I would recommend getting one.  It is not a must, but it does make it easier when you are making larger batches of food.   

This next picture shows the peas in my large pot.  I use the steamer basket and cover until the peas are soft.

I peel all of the fruit. For the pears I found that it is easier to cut the ends off and then use the potato peeler to get the remaining skin off. I then slice around the core and cut into pieces.  The smaller you make the pieces the faster they cook.

The apples on the other hand, don't work well for the potato peeler.  I cut them in half, or use the apple core, and then peel and cut them in bite size pieces as well.

You can either place these in a steamer basket or boil them until they are soft.  I don't boil them on a very high because I don't want the nutrients to cook out of them.  I add a small amount of Lemon juice to the apples and pears, this keeps them from turning brown.

Using almost all of my burners!!

Below are the carrotts that i forgot to place in the picture.  (Actually at first I didn't want to do them.  I had enough going on, but as you can see below my husband jumped in and did it himself.  I was grateful later!!!)

After your vegis are steamed I place them in my processor and blend them to the consistency that Audrey likes them.

To make a smoother puree, just add water.

Then you divided them into ice cube trays.  And Freeze.  I use ice cube trays because each cube is about 1oz. After they have frozen I pop them out and store them in freezer bags.  Then when Audrey needs to eat i grab a few and put them in the microwave on defrost.  

I didn't have enough I cube trays so I had to store them in something else until the others froze.

I timed this entire process.  From taking the very fist picture to the last picture it took me about 2 1/2 hours. I also kept my receipts from the grocery store and I saved a little more than half, by doing it myself.  

There are several more fruits and vegis that Audrey enjoys that are just as easy to do.