Wordless Wednesday.

Mommy's headband is funny...

Everyone have a wonderful Thanksgiving and count your blessings! I know I am. Taking a blogging break for a couple of days to enjoy the family and holiday. 

Almost Turkey day!

Thanksgiving is almost here...yay! I love this holiday and time of year. I love the extra long 4 day weekend! We go to the central coast to spend time with our family there. Great time of year to be there. Its always so beautiful. I hope its cold. I was just going through my pictures from Thanksgiving last year. Check out "Easy." It makes me sad. My how has he grown and changed...fast. Such a little butterball then. 

Oh and I just read in a magazine that the average American consumes 4,500 calories on turkey day! What??? That's INSANE! No way! I will not gain 5 lbs on this day alone, but I will enjoy it. Sooo...I decided I'm just gonna run my butt off everyday until then so I can truly enjoy the day and not feel an ounce of guilt. I'm sure I'll feel soreness instead. SOOO worth it. I love the holidays. I'm such a cheesy mush. I'm pulling out all my Christmas decorations today and starting to decorate. I'll post pictures later. 

We're having throwing issues...

Thanks mommies for the binky advice. I will try some of those ideas when I get a back bone. Okay, so here's the deal... "Easy" throws everything. Ever since he started eating solid food he has tossed stuff overboard. My response has been once he starts heaving his food, he's done eating. Well now before I can get to him he is chucking his food so fast. Making a HUGE mess. On my bad days it really gets to me. This has escalated into throwing everything. Obviously he throws anything that even resembles a ball. That's normal. He has a heck of a arm on him! No kidding. Professional baseball pitcher in the future? Joel is happy about that. He will throw heavy toys, rocks, sand, remote controls, my phone...you name it. Its never out of malice or to be mean. Its always playful. I tell him "no throwing" and that doesn't seem to phase him.

I think its starting to become an issue? Or is it? How much of it is him just being a boy? I want to be very careful to not sissy-fy him. Not even a word. Is it even possible? This is an issue that has been ruffling my feathers and will post a blog about this later. We are suppose to be raising men. Anyways...any advice? Is it just a phase? Boys will be boys right?

wordless Wednesday.

Disneyland pros!

Being season pass holders of Disneyland we're becoming pros. Well, we are figuring out some little tricks for our family.  We went this last Sunday and it was the most enjoyable Disneyland experience we've EVER had! "Easy" is changing and growing in rapid speeds. He's already changed so much since last time we took him. We walked in and he was instantly excited and stayed that way the whole time. They're getting ready for Christmas. Disneyland Christmas is my favorite! It was amazing. We kept tripping out at how animated "easy" was being. He was pointing, oohing, and ahhing. It was so much fun to show him around. He was a real boy! ha. (by the way, that Pinocchio ride is a little creepy). It was really neat to just explore and check stuff out we've never seen before. We went on the long train ride through the park. "Easy" thought that was amazing.

saying choo-choo. check out the chompers!

He loved any ride that was on water. He's really into boats right now. Other people in line were laughing at him. Of course we always have to make a trip to Pooh's corner...go on the ride...and indulge on some yummy chocolate. He ran from the ride straight into the shop yelling "pooh!" We were laughing so hard. 

Someone really loves Pooh Bear!

"Easy" got a chocolate covered pretzel. Messy, but worth it!

It was the most relaxing Disneyland trip! "Easy" was such a good boy. I'm so proud of who he is becoming. He's our little bud. I really enjoy his company and we have so much fun with him. He didn't cry or even whine once!
He even fell asleep in his stroller around dinner time for about an hour. What a treat for Joel and I. We got to sit and eat dinner without entertaining a toddler. We enjoyed our clam chowder bowls and took our time. 

Okay and here is a Disneyland trick I've discovered! I put "Easy" in his footsie PJ's when it started getting late. He was warm and oh sooo cute! On the way home he fell asleep in the car and we transferred him straight to bed when we got home. Worked like a charm! Like I said getting to be D-Land pros here! haha.  

HELP! Advice?

Ahhh...I love this boy! He is SOOO adorable I can't even handle it sometimes. Anyways, the issue...I need to start thinking about saying bye, bye to the binky! I need help! Seriously. Its getting harder and harder the older "E" gets. He now asks for it and whines if he doesn't get it. Its just easier. Joel and I call it the cork. haha right? or lazy? I at least want to limit the binky use to naps and sleeping at night. He wants it all the time now. He has the sweetest little voice and is talking like crazy! We want to hear him. Not grunts. He really will grunt at me. 

So mommies...any advice? I've gotten the cold turkey advice. That's not me. I'm a pushover and a softy. I wouldn't be able to handle breaking his little heart. I opt not to take that approach. I've heard the very classic put the binky in an envelop together and send it to a baby because binky's are for babies speech. Nope. Can't see that working with "Easy?" Not only do I think he won't understand (almost 18 months a little on the young side?), but he's so freakin' stubborn! He'd cry all night! 

Any other ideas? Maybe I'm just looking for the easy way out? What the heck...his nickname is "Easy!" This is going to be hard isn't it? CRAP.

Homemade Applesauce

So my mom makes this homemade applesauce that my lil' guy loves! Its super yummy. And if you've tried to make homemade applesauce you would know that its simple. I don't know why I wouldnt take the time to make it before? The apple flavor is stronger, and the texture is more chunky and less baby-foody than the store bought version. While it simmers your house will have a scrumptious, warm fragance. Just heavenly. Very fall-ish! 

"Easy" being a normal toddler (so I hear) is going through a picky spell...again. I can't get much in him. So yesterday I made a big batch of this applesauce (I tweeked my moms recipe a bit) and it was a hit! Yeah! Makes mommy very happy to see him eat something other than cheese and crackers...jeez. So here is the recipe. Give it a try. My next goal is to try to can a few batches. Haven't gotten there yet.

For every two apples add a pear. I think that's the secret. Adds a special sweetness to it.

• Peel and core the apples and pears.
  
• cut into chunks
• put into pot with water. Amount depends on the consistancy you want it. Better yet, if you have apple cider add that instead of the water. Just watch it and make sure it doesn't burn.
• A squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
• Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar to taste.
• cook until apples and pears are soft
• mash with a potato masher or put it in the blender.
• Enjoy!

 

Moved in and amazing pictures...YEAH!

We are finally completely moved in! Yay! Feels so good. I can finally wake up in the morning and plan a fun day with "Easy" with out having the house looming over me. I know I say it alot....but we are lucky. We have such great families. They're always there to help. Love 'em. My sister-in-law and her hubby came down for a couple of days with the sole purpose to help us move in. Wow. What a huge help. Anna is an organizer-cleaner-unpacker-extraordinaire...pretty much a whole lot of awesome! Seriously, she could make a career of it. She showed up ready to work, and boy did she. By the time they left everything in our entire house had a place. She's a little crazy.

Cameron and Anna are also amazing photographers. Cameron specializes in wedding and engagement pictures. He has phenomenal talent! And Anna likes to photograph kids and preggos. Not biased (well, maybe a lil)but the Ingalls rock! You really should check out their work. 

While they were here they took some more pictures of us. We love having photographers in the family! Its a pretty big perk. Lots of adorable pictures of "Easy E!" Thanks guys! 

Beach Camping!

Success! Beach camping was a blast! Ethan was awesome. Seriously, such a good boy. This was his first time that he was really into the beach. He was stomping in the water, digging in the sand, throwing rocks...everything a little boy should be doing. He loved it. The weather was perfect. Not to hot, not to cold. It didn't start raining until we were packing up. Lots of beach combing, Joel got some surfing in, beers, good food, bonfires, and some of our most favorite people in the world...priceless! Can't wait to do it again. We all had so much fun. There are so many great pictures to share it was hard to narrow it down.

I'm lucky.

Walking with "mammy"

Nicki and J

Me, Donny, and Nicki

Bud, Sadie, and Mom

Fat baby feet...the best!

The joys of motherhood...

So this time change is super sucky!!! "Easy" didn't get the memo that I'm suppose to get an extra hour of sleep? We're up at the wee hours of the morning watching cartoons in the dark. Fun. I hope he adjusts...fast! Oh, and he's sick...double fun. Good thing he's so stinkin' cute...

Halloween!

This was "Easy's" first Halloween to dress up and go Trick or Treating! He exceeded my expectations. I guess I didn't know what to expect? First of all, he was freakin' ADORABLE! Seriously, the cutest Lil' Giraffe EVER! He picked out the giraffe so I knew he would like it. But he for sure hammed it up! We walked around my moms neighborhood. I knew he wouldn't last long. Maybe a few houses? I couldn't believe it? He totally got the hang of it. He learned very quickly that houses were handing out candy. He would walk up and ask for "NUMMY-NUMS!" Ha! We were laughing so hard. He was accompanied by his own little paparazzi. Between me, my sister, and my mom taking pictures...flashes were going off like crazy.  
After the brief Trick or Treating we started our 3rd Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest! Yep. We take it seriously.
And the winners this year....drum roll...Whoo-hoo...ME! I'm so not creative. Especially carving against a table full of artists. So cool! Got a pumpkin full of loot. oh... and my brother Donny won the stencil division. Mine was free hand. haha. We're weird. The next day we went Beach camping. Blog on that soon...It was AMAZING!

care package.

"Easy" got a package in the mail from his Nana and Opa and the instructions were to let him help open it! Brilliant. He LOVED it! They know him well. Sesame Street balloons popped out...Can't get better than that.