Friday, December 30, 2011

New Years Follow Fest!

For the New Year we thought it would be fun to do a major blog hop with lots of hosts! Hopefully everyone can get some new followers. And we can find some new awesome blogs to follow!

This super awesome blog hop is hosted by

Krista from ArmyWife-Style
Kacie from Chasing Fireflies
Whitney from Everything Happens for a Reason
Nykki from Another Day In Paradise
Katie from The Life of an Army Wife
Nancy from The Chrancy Family
Victoria from Smiles 'n' Snuggles
Stephanie from Moments That Take My Breath Away
Nicole from My Pregnancy Road Trip And Beyond
Stephanie from My Messmerized Life
Kelli from The How To Mommy
Annie from Letters to Mo

The rules are
Visit each host, and any of the people linked up that you find interesting. The more you follow, the more followers you get in return.
Link to your favorite post of 2011. Do not just link directly to your blog. We want to see your favorite post!
Write a post about this blog hop on steroids and include the button in your post. Spread the word!






New Year Follow Fest






Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012!

2011 was a good year for us.  We started out the year with the birth of our baby girl, Adalyn.  Over the past 10 months we've watched her grow into a spunky baby girl.  I can only imagine how much she'll change in the next year.  I created the blog in June and have completed several Pinterest projects and updates to the house.  To help say goodbye to 2011, here's a list of some of my favorite posts:

Favorite Tasty Thursday/Recipe
Favorite Wordless Wednesday however a close second was this one
Favorite Pinterest project - specifically the yarn wreath
Favorite Roadtrip

And here's a list of my most popular posts of 2011

Pinterest Project
Oreo Truffles
Holiday Vignette
Chick-fil-a Nuggets

I can't wait for 2012 as it's going to be a great year for the blog.  Be sure to check back tonight for a New Years Follow Fest!

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Adalyn's First Christmas

I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas with family and friends.  I know we did.  With it being Addie's first Christmas there were loads of pictures taken of her.  Rick and I decided not to get her a lot of gifts since we knew she would be getting a lot from other individuals and she doesn't need or want anything at this point.

Addie meeting her second cousin Colton

Opening her first gift with Uncle Joey


Her first gift on Christmas Eve

A family photo, Chloe wasn't cooperating.

Christmas stocking

I love her smirk!

Her new favorite bath toy!


She looks like a candy cane princess!

Her ball pit (don't mind the pajama model).


Video of Christmas morning


We cannot wait until next year when she really understands this all!

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Adalyn Month Eleven

First let me apologize for the delay in your monthly update.  It's been a busy month with Christmas and other parties we had to prepare for.  On Wednesday the 21st you turned 11 months old and it's been a big month for you!  Just a couple days after you turned 11 months we began celebrating Christmas with family and friends.  It was fun to watch you with all the presents, but that's for next month so let me stop there and instead continue with your eleven month info.


Stats:  We haven't been to the doctors office since your nine month well check so I'm not exactly sure on your measurements though I believe you've grown in height.  I think your weight has remained pretty close to the same so you're probably hovering right around 22 pounds.  You're still wearing 9 month clothes though you're getting close to the 12 monthers.



Sleep Schedule:  Well I guess we can say you're pretty consistent in this area.  You sleep about 6 hours, nurse and then sleep another 2-3.  For a couple days a few weeks back you had regressed to 2-3 hours at night but I think I know why (more on that later).  You followed up those few days of newborn sleep with a couple days of 8 hour straight sleeping!  Of course you got my hopes up only for you to return to 6 hours.  You'll get there!



Foods:  Last month we talked about how you started to self wean and eliminated a feeding.  Some days you eliminate a second and seem to be okay with that.  I also mentioned last month I eliminated a pump session at work.  That was bad news as my supply tanked.  I had to incorporate that session back into my schedule but the plan is to eliminate that one again after the first of the year!  You're still eating just about everything like a champ though we joke you're a vegetarian since you don't seem to like meat (we're thinking it's the consistency).  You still haven't quite figured out the sippy cup.  We'll try doing a small amount of my milk in it to see if that helps.


Firsts:  As I mentioned earlier, this month was a big one for you!  You celebrated mommy's favorite holiday, Thanksgiving and ate all the yummy food like a champ.  You experienced your first huge family encounter which was exhausting for me.  Next year it should be easier!  You became so well at cruising around the house that you took 2 steps on Saturday, December 10th!  Each day after you seem to add another step so you can now take about 10 steps comfortably.  You still prefer to crawl or cruise to get around the house but I think in a couple weeks you'll really be walking!  You still love clapping.  In fact, when we say 'yay!' you clap your hands!  You've started to wave bye, though it takes you a while to get your hand moving.



Favorite Toys:  Your favorite toys still seem to be random objects around the house.  You really love to carry your socks around the house.  In fact, this is how you typically walk; with a sock in each hand.  You love the Fisher Price Topzy Tumblers.  They're like weeble wobbles.  They have a weight in them which rocks back and forth when you move your hand.  You like to bang them together. 



You still love to dance.  One of the things I love so much about you is that no matter what's going on around you, if you hear a beat you sway or bounce to it.  It doesn't matter what type of music though you really love to dance to LMFAO.  You still only have 2 bottom teeth though it seems as if you always have your fingers in your mouth. 

In less than a month we'll be celebrating your first birthday.  I cannot believe how fast a year has past.  At the same time it seems like so long ago that you were a third of the size you are now.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Wrap Up & A Day Off

With less than 48 hours to Christmas, I'm wrapping up lose ends on the blogging and will be back Tuesday, December 27th!  I hope you all enjoy your time with family and friends.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Christmas Cookies

With only 3 days until Christmas, my baking has been going on in full blast.  I usually make 5 different varieties of Christmas treats (plus or minus one if I'm not feeling it) a couple days before Christmas.  One of my favorite recipes is for Chocolate Mint cookies.  When I first found this recipe I wasn't too sure I'd love it since I like mint in small portions, but I love me a chocolate cookie so it was worth trying out!


Ingredients
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 tablespoon water
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
2 cups Andes mints

Directions
Cook butter, brown sugar and water over low heat until butter melts completely.  Add chocolate chips and mix until almost completely melted.  Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.  While chocolate is cooling, combine flour, salt, and baking soda.  Pour chocolate mix into mixer and beat in 2 eggs.  Slowly add dry mixture to wet while stopping to scrap sides.  Beat well until all ingredients are incorporated evenly.  Fold in mints and freeze for 1 hour.

Drop by spoonful onto slightly greased baking sheets.  Cook 10 minutes at 350 then remove from oven.  Let cookies sit for 10 minutes before moving to cooling rack.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

A New Christmas Ornament

It's Adalyn's first Christmas so what else do we need to get to celebrate the occasion than a personalized Christmas ornament for our tree.  I found this ornament on Etsy and it's about the cutest thing ever.



It says, "My first smell of freshly baking cookies...My first trip to see Santa...My first touch of freshly fallen snow...My first time ripping into presents and falling in love with the magic of My first Christmas...

PS.  I'm guest posting over at Army Wife-Style.  Please go check out Krista's blog, she brings some seriously funny sense of humor to her blog.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Gourmet Candy Apples

Each year, a week before Christmas I attend a gourmet candy apple making event with my BFF and her family.  It's become a huge tradition that I cannot wait to involve Adders in next year.  This is what you can expect once all the madness is over:



Sunday was the event and oh how I look forward to this every year.  You know the apples you see in the mall that look so heavenly?  The ones covered in caramel, chocolate of every variety, as well as many other tasty toppings.  That's what we do every year and then some of my nearest and dearest are lucky enough to taste these tasty apples every year.

Here's the crew (minus a few)
We start around 9:30 Sunday morning by getting the apples out and making sure any damaged aren't used.  We then pound sticks into the apples and start dipping into caramel.  The caramel apples are then passed onto someone with a free hand who holds the apples until they're cool enough to sit down.  After the apples cool completely you have to reform as some caramel pulls off the apple.  


Then, it's time to decorate.  We usually start by dipping into milk chocolate, adding any toppings and then drizzling dark chocolate, white chocolate, mint chocolate and even more milk chocolate.





The best part is that I get to eat these for a solid week.  Yes, I will have gained a pound or five but it's so worth it!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Adalyn Meets Santa

My office hosted a children's holiday party complete with activities, games, candy canes, breakfast of pancakes which are flipped at you, as well as Santa.  This was Addies first Santa meeting.





Thursday, December 15, 2011

Christmas Cheer Blog Party - Holiday Decor

Today is the final post in the Christmas Cheer Blog party.  It's been a great way to connect with other bloggers on ideas and a great motivation tool for me to get the house up to the festivities.  So today's post is hosted by Michaele over at Michaele Noelle Designs.  Come link up with us!

Holiday


Here are some of the decorations that can be found around our house in time for the holiday spirit.  Some you've seen on previous posts regarding the Holiday Mantle, Holiday Vignette, Christmas Tree, Christmas Craft, and the Christmas recipe.  Check out those posts and see all the pictures here.

Holiday Vignette with Subway Art


Holiday Mantle


Christmas Craft


Christmas Tree


Mod Podge Scrapbook on Letters


Pinecones & Cranberries

Santa

White Poinsettia

Apothecary Jars filled with ornaments and Candy Cane Kisses

I hope you've enjoyed reading about my Christmas Decor.  I hope to go all out next year since this year I've done much more crafts than in years past.  We're having an annual holiday party in a few weeks to plan for with our decor!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Wordless Wednesday: Future NY Times Bestseller Here



The girl loves books.  Oftentimes she crawls as fast as she can down the hallway to her room and this is how I find her.  In the middle of her favorite books!

Don't forget to sign up for the Ultimate Christmas giveaway if you haven't already.  Today is your final chance!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Christmas Cheer Blog Party - Christmas Recipes

Today marks the final week of the Christmas Cheer Blog Party and we're celebrating with Christmas recipes!  Today we're linking up with Natsha at Schue Love.  If you missed out on our previous posts you can read about them here, here, here, and here.  Come link up!


Holiday


I love Christmas food and especially love the Christmas treats.  I typically stick with the same 5 cookies that I make every year but this year I found a great recipe I'll be incorporating into my rotation.  A good friend of mine made these and I was in heaven!

I recently found the Candy Cane Kisses and I can't stop eating them.  So when my friend made these Candy Cane Blossoms with the Candy Cane Kisses I couldn't wait to try them out.


1 bag Hershey;s Kisses brand Candy Cane Kisses

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons milk
Red and Green colored sugar

Preheat over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove wrappers from candies (approx. 35)

Beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg in large bowl until well blended. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternatively with milk to butter mixture, beating until well blended.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in red and/or green colored sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 - 1o minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cookies is set. Remove from oven; cool 2 to 3 minutes. Press candy piece into center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Yields approximately 35 cookies.

Come back on Thursday for the final link up of Christmas Decor and don't forget to enter in the Ultimate Christmas Giveaway which ends tomorrow.

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