Merry Christmas from the Pickers

Coincidence?

Tonight we took a few pictures of Nora playing in just her diaper....

then we realized, we've seen this picture before....

Yep, took nearly the same picture six years ago of our 5-6 month old. 

These kiddos were certainly cut from the same cloth:)

5 Months

At five months, Nora is...

• Loving her exersaucer, high chair, and bumbo...really anything that gets her up and able to see what's going on.  It is particularly sweet when she is in her exersaucer and she watches Luke play football or basketball ball with Daddy in the basement:)
• Sleeping like a champ at night!  Usually about 8:30pm - 7am.
• Starting to giggle, but shares them only sparingly.  I guess we're not as funny as we thought we were;)
• Nursing 4 times a day (wake up, 11:30ish, 4ish, bedtime)
• Napping 2 long naps (morning and afternoon) and one quick 20 minute nap in the evening to get through till bedtime
• Finding her voice and making more sounds
• Still moody with people other than Luke, Mom, Dad, and Papa, but it's not consistent, so we don't really know what it is that upsets her???  Sometimes she's ok with other "strangers" like aunts, uncles, grandparents, but other times she's very emotional when she seems them. 
• Learning to roll from her back to stomach.  She has done it a few times in her crib, which we know about because she cries a strange, muffled cry.  We go in an check her and she is on her stomach and not happy to be there:)  She's a side sleeper now, but we'll see if she ends up being a stomach sleeper once she gets better at rolling over. 
• So much fun right now with all of her smiles, sounds, gurgles, giggles, etc.  We are all looking forward to our first Christmas as a family of four!





Take 1: NOT happy about pictures



Take 2: MUCH happier:)

 

Christmas Favorites

There is so much to love about the Christmas season and I think everyone has their favorites or things that induce fond memories.  Here are a few of mine!

Music

All I Want for Christmas Is You, by Mariah Carey (Michael Buble's version is a close second) ~ It also makes me think of one of my favorite movies below, Love Actually, because a girl in the movie sings it.

White Christmas, by The Drifters (from Home Alone) ~ Love this version and it always makes me think of Home Alone.

Where Are You Christmas, by Faith Hill (from How the Grinch Stole Christmas) ~  Simply a great song.

Christmas Canon, by Trans-Siberian Orchestra ~ I've always loved Canon in D, so a Christmas version is jsut a bonus!

Christmas Is All In the Heart, by Steven Curtis Chapman ~  This song makes me think of Luke when it talks of the "little blonde headed boy".

Baby It's Cold Outside, by Zooey Deschanel (from Elf)  ~ I'm sure I heard this song before seeing Elf, but I honestly can't remember and I love how Zooey sings it.

Christmas Song, by Dave Matthews Band ~ Simply a great song.

I cannot even begin to choose my favorite Christmas hymns, so I stuck with my favorites on the radio.

Movies

Elf ~ This has become a newer favorite for me and our entire family

Miracle on 34th Street ~ Specifically the 1994 version from my childhood.  I even still have the VHS:)

Love Actually ~ This isn't really a Christmas movie, but it's set at Christmas time and I always want to watch it in December

The Holiday ~ Another newer favorite with great actors and a sweet story.

Timmy's Gift ~ This is an oldie but a goodie from my childhood, and yes, I still have my own copy on VHS.

Decorations

If I had to choose just one decoration to display for Christmas, it would absolutely be the WillowTree Nativity that my Grandma gave me over the span of several Christmases.  One of my favorite things about it is that Mary is holding the baby Jesus.  It feels so intimate and touching.  And, I just love WillowTree figures andtheir ability to show feeling without any facial expression.

I have most everything in this picture except for the angels

I also love having the tree lit in the living room. The warm glow is heartwarming and makes the room feel so cozy and welcoming. 

What are your Christmas favorites?  I'd love to know what makes this season special for you too:)

 

 

Merry Christmas!

Life with Luke

There is simply no shortage of fun things coming from Luke.  I only wish I could capture them all:)

 

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While playing football with Brent:

B:  "You got me in the calf."

L:  "Is your cow ok?"

 

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Luke's description of the chocolate star Christmas cookies:  "It's like you're eating a sugar cookie and they a chocolate kiss falls out of the sky like a rain drop."

 

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Luke told me our Christmas tree is fiction (because it's artificial) and if we cut one down it would be non-fiction.

(Always applying what he learns in school:))

 

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Luke brought home the information to fill out for when he is Star of the Week in class.  One of the sections was "I am a star because..."  Luke filled it in with "I am a star because I know football passing routes." 

(He is certainly his father's son:))

High Five for Friday

Life has been a blur since Thanksgiving, and it's honestly been difficult to see the positives in the midst of sadness in our family.  The Monday after Thanksgiving, we learned that my Grandpa (my dad's dad) has terminal cancer.  Until very recently, he was a very healthy 85 year old man who was active and fun-loving.  After learning he had cancer in his stomach, lung, and liver, he decided not to pursue treatments.  He has gone downhill very fast and has been in the hospital all but just a couple days since his diagnosis and plans to be transferred to a nursing home for hospice care on Monday.  It is very hard to see him deteriorate so quickly, but we are grateful that his pain is now under control and that he's getting the care he needs.  I've only been able to visit with him once so far and plan to see him again tomorrow, but he is on my mind every day. 

Needless to say, I have been preoccupied and it has really shown.  I've forgotten the most routine things, had a hard time motivating myself, and had trouble concentrating.  In the midst of a particularly busy couple days, I decided to change my perspective. 

Instead of being overwhelmed by the clutter in the house, I reminded myself that the clutter is a sign of a family of four living everyday life. A life we longed for and are blessed to be living.

Instead of being frustrated with myself over being forgetful and absentminded, I reminded myself to let it go and move forward.

Instead of spending all of my energy on keeping up or catching up with chores, I reminded myself that those moments were better spent focusing on my family.

Instead of stretching myself too thin, I decided to say no to a couple things so I could have a more peaceful pace. 

Instead of being annoyed that Luke ate the cookies I planned to bring to a cookie exchange, I smiled, blew it off, and made another batch of cookies (which ended up being hot out of the oven for the cookie exchange:)).

With ALL of that said, I am now ready and able to see my "high fives" again:)

• Nora has extended her schedule this week.  What I mean is that she had been taking 3 naps and eating about every 3.5 hours during the day.  The past two days she has taken one morning nap, one afternoon nap,  and just cat napped in the evening while on a car ride and she has eaten every 4+ hours.  The timing worked out wonderfully with our weekday routines (school pick up and dinner for the rest of us).  It's crazy how this change makes her feel so grown up all of a sudden!
• After three months back at Weight Watchers I've surpassed the 20 pounds lost mark!  I can't take much credit...it has honestly been breastfeeding that is making most of the difference because I haven't been all that strict with myself on the program.  I can take credit for going each week to weigh in, which keeps my sights in the right direction:)  I've got more progress to make, but this milestone felt good.

Not great comparison pictures, but I guess I can tell a bit

• I had the opportunity to spend some times with friends this week, which was good for my soul.  An afternoon with family friends last weekend and an evening out with some MOPS moms were much needed:)
• We have amazing kids.  Monday night after work, I realized that I hadn't grocery shopped since the week before Thanksgiving (and that was mainly for Thanksgiving dinner)...we were running low!  Brent had a basketball game mid-evening, so I brought the kids with me to two stores and they did great.  Ideal grocery shopping for me is a solo act on a day I don't work, but the kids were wonderful and we got it done on a work/school night:)  It was also great that it was a warm evening so being in and out of the car a few times wasn't bad at all. 
• Watching our kids together warms my heart.  Nora adores her brother and loves watching him, even if he's just relaxing in the same room.  Luke is amazing with Nora and loves to talk with her, read to her, and entertain her while she plays.  The kids also LOVE their daddy:)  Nora kicks, squirms, and lights up when Brent comes home from work and Luke chooses Daddy any chance he gets.  I could not be more blessed.

What a Difference a Year Makes

A year ago today, on November 29, 2011, Brent and I were nervous wrecks heading to our doctor appointment.  We had an ultrasound scheduled to confirm that our baby was 1) growing in my uterus, and 2) that the heartbeat was present and strong.  The first was a concern after our ectopic pregnancy in 2009.  The second was a concern after our miscarriage the spring of 2011. 

We were overjoyed to see our baby for the first time, just a little peanut on the screen, with a strong heart beat and growing appropriately in my uterus. 

The rest is history, Nora's story, and our lives will never be the same.   

Terrific Kid

We already knew we were beyond blessed with our little man, Luke, but he received affirmation at school yesterday with the Kiwanis Terrific Kid Award for Safety (one of the school's core principles). 

 

The teachers made it a surprise which was extra fun too:)  The first and second graders filed into the gym and none of them knew who was getting an award.  I'm sure they had an inkling once they saw their parents in attendance;) 

 

The video below is of Luke receiving his award from his principal.  (Others in the line next to the principal: vice principal, Gibbs Penguin mascot, three Kiwanis members).  There were a few kids from each class who received the award this month.  I believe they do these assemblies each month and recognize different kids each time for participating in the school's core principles:  Respect, Responsibility, and Safety.

 

We are very proud of our little man!

 

 

 

Certificate, Pencil, Magnet, and Sticker

Life

I was reminded very clearly today all that life entails.

We celebrated the life of a friend today.  She is a beautiful, healthy, vibrant 30 year old, whose husband loves her dearly.  So much so, that he threw a surprise birthday party for her in honor of her golden birthday.  They are expecting a long-awaited baby in a few months.

We rejoiced in the first giggles of our baby girl today.  The joy her smiles and giggles bring to our lives is immeasurable.

We learned that my Grandpa has cancer today.  He is 85 years old and, until very recently, he was a strong, healthy, and very capable man.  When I saw him a week ago, he had lost too much weight too quickly and was in a lot of pain. 

Life begins as our friends await the birth of their baby.

Life grows in our baby girl as she learns and develops.

Life continues as our friend celebrates her milestone birthday.

Life endures as Grandpa learns his diagnosis.  

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, and mourn with those who mourn." ~ Romans 12:15 

Four and a Half Months

Little Miss didn't have her four month doctor appointment until she was four and a half months and she's still growing strong!

 

Weight

15 lbs 2 oz

74%

 

Length

25.25 inches

72%

 

Head Circumference

16 inches

89%

 

As you can tell by that belly, she's eating well:)

Getting stronger when sitting up (propped up of course)

Newborn Picture Comparisons

I've been meaning to compare our newborn pictures to Nora's for a while now.  I was extra motivated after seeing a lot of my family for Thanksgiving and hearing several times how people thought Nora looked like me as a baby, especially her eyes. 

 

You be the judge...

 

Luke & Nora

 

 

Brent & Nora 

 

 

Jen & Nora

 

 

Brent & Nora a Few Months Old

 

Jen & Nora a Few Months Old  

High Five for Friday

1. I was reminded twice this week how blessed we are to have my dad watching the kids in our home on the days I work.  Monday evening, I got home from work a little after 5pm and Nora had just laid down for a nap a little before 5.  This meant she got to have an uninterrupted nap and Brent, Luke, & I got to have dinner without juggling baby:)  If she had been at daycare, she probably would have woke up while being packed up to head home.  Wednesday morning, Luke was still sleeping when I left for work.  I was able to let him sleep in a bit since Papa was at our place and could get him ready for school after I left.  So wonderful!
2. I was able to volunteer in Luke's class for the first "official" time this year.  I have helped some with the first grade classes as a group, but not yet in his class specifically.  I love being able to put faces to the kids Luke talks about and to see there first grade lives in action:)
3. We celebrated Brent's 31st birthday this week.  We're not big birthday celebraters in our house, but birthdays always remind me how grateful I am for the birthday boy/girl.  There are SO many reasons I'm grateful for Brent...maybe that will be a future blog post:)
4. Last Sunday we dedicated Nora at church.  I mentioned a bit about this in her 4 Month post.  It was a good reminder of the spiritual element of parenting in the midst of the everyday physical and emotion needs we meet for our children.
5. Last weekend I was able to attend the Hearts at Home conference in Rochester.  It's a conference for moms with children of all ages to come together to be refreshed and to learn from the large variety of speakers on tons of topics relating to parenting, motherhood, marriage, etc.  Brent was the wonderful POD (parent on duty) while I was away Friday evening and all day Saturday which allowed me to recharge at the conference:)

Labor of Love

WARNING - This post may be TMI (too much information) for men folk.

I've been thinking recently that breastfeeding is really a labor of love.  I'm SO grateful that I'm able to breastfeed Nora ("breastfeeding our future baby" was on my bucket list after all:)).  I think my experience last weekend truly cemented breastfeeding as one of the ultimate labors of love...

I was at the Hearts at Home Conference in Rochester.  It's a conference held each year at the Mayo Civic Center that I've attended four or five times.  This year, however, was my first time attending as a breastfeeding mom.  I knew that babies were not welcome to attend, so I knew that I would be pumping in the provided "lactation lounge".  Little did I know that the lactation lounge was nothing more than a conference room with outlets to plug in our pumps.  The room was about the size of my bedroom with no privacy to speak of from the other moms using the space to pump.  Now I don't know if any moms were completely turned off my this set up, but I do know that MANY moms used the room, so many that I saw a line outside the door at one point.  The first time I came into the room, there were maybe four moms using it.  By the time I was done, I could hardly find a path to get to the door to exit!  There were literally 20 women in that room!  The experience made me think that there are few things I wouldn't do for my children.  I was willing to pump in a room full of other moms, with little *ahem* coverage, and made the best of the situation all in the name of providing for my baby.  (Please note, I am not telling this story as a "super mom" story looking for glory.  I simply found it hilarious and heartwarming what all of us mommas were willing to do for our babes:))

No doubt, a labor of love:)

Breastfeeding, while convenient in many ways, also has its draw backs in trying to accommodate baby's eating schedule.  I have a wonderfully functional and beautiful nursing cover (thanks to my dear friend, Liz) to use while feeding Nora, but I also try to take others' comfort levels into consideration when I decide when and where to feed Nora.  I never know if I'm a table away from someone at a restaurant who is uncomfortable with the idea of me breastfeeding in such close proximity. 

Here are some of my other random thoughts on breastfeeding recently...

• I'm certainly benefiting from the calories burned by nursing.  I've been doing Weight Watchers since early September and I have not been nearly as strict with myself as I have in the past, but I continue to lose! 
• I also enjoy the excuse to take a break at work to head to the comfy lactation room in the building.  Mayo provides clean, private (nothing like the Hearts at Home conference:)) lactation rooms that even have a hospital grade pump for our use.  All we have to bring are our own attachments to use.  SUCH a blessing! 
• I get an excuse to take a break at home every 3-4 hours as well:)  I like to be productive and sometimes I get so wrapped up in what I'm doing that I forget to take a break.  But, it's not hard to remember to take a breather when I have a baby demanding to be fed!;)  It is also a good reminder to slow down and enjoy the sweet baby face that I know will grow up far too quickly.
• It's FREE food for my baby.  No other time in my child's life can I say that I'm providing 100% of her needs without paying a dime!  It's also simply amazing how God has created our bodies as women and given us the ability to provide for our babies.
• It is a labor of love in the time it takes.  Brent did the math of a 24 hour day minus being at work, sleeping, and breastfeeding time and it left me with about 4 hours.  That doesn't leave much time on Mondays and Tuesdays.  THANKFULLY I am blessed with a half time schedule and an amazingly supportive husband!  (More props to the full-time working mommas who breastfeed!!!)
• Of course there are also health benefits, etc, etc that everyone always note when advocating breastfeeding:)

All in all, I am SO grateful for the opportunity to nurse Nora and that it has gone so smoothly for her and I.

Four Months Old

At four months our little sweetie is:

• Loving her hands and her feet and grabbing at and sucking on all of them:)
• Grabbing anything and everything.  She pulls on her shirt, grabs toys, and attempts to bring them all to her mouth. Obviously this is demonstrating her ever increasing coordination.

Grabbing and sucking on toys

• Sucking on anything and everything. She sucks her thumb some when she sleeps, but when she is awake it is normal to see both of her hands in her mouth...and usually at the same time:)  This in turn produces a lot of drool:)  She is often changed into multiple outfits throughout the day as a result of excessive drool, spitting up, or leaking out of diapers.  Good thing she has been gifted many adorable outfits, sleepers, and hand-me-downs! 
• Trying SO hard to roll from her back to her stomach, but it hasn't quite happened yet.  I'm sure that will be coming soon!
• Sleeping well at night. She typically eats between 8:30-9:30pm, goes right to sleep after eating, and gets up between 5:30-6:30am.  We're so grateful for these longer nights which allow mom and dad to get to bed early if we want/need and the opportunity to sleep without interruptions!
• Showing her familiarity with certain people.  She is very comfortable with mom, dad, Luke, and Papa Beckmann (who watches her while mom works), but she is not so comfortable with some others.  We have yet to determine if it's anything specific that is upsetting her, so we're just assuming it's that she is less familiar with some of the other people???
• Eating every 3-4 hours, more often 3.5-4 hours, during the day.  She's still eating breast milk exclusively and we plan to wait to introduce solids in January. 
• Still napping inconsistently. She takes 3-4 naps a day and usually has two good naps a day. The other nap(s) are shorter and/or interrupted (fussing in the middle).  She stays awake about 2 hours after she eats and then is ready for her next nap. 
• Not what I would call a serious baby, but she is for pictures:(  And, we have yet to hear her laugh/giggle for real.  We're anxiously waiting to hear those giggle and to know what she finds funny so we can hear them often:)

Grabbing for her feet and showing a
little personality even if it's not a true smile

Not sure why she's in the laundry basket:)

Sweet big brother reading to baby girl

Brent and I dedicated Nora at church today, meaning we publicly shared our desire to raise Nora in the church and to teach her about God.  The life verse with chose for her is Proverbs 18:15:  "The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out."  Our hope for Nora (and Luke) is that they will seek out truth, wisdom, and love in their lives and that they will be discerning in their pursuit. 

We are beyond grateful for the blessing and opportunity to be Nora and Luke's parents:)

High Five for Friday

1. Last Saturday Brent and Luke went to the Michigan vs. Minnesota football game at the TCF Bank Stadium with all of the Picker guys.  First Michigan football game for Luke, first time to the TCF Bank Stadium for Brent and Luke, and I'm guessing the first of may Michigan football games for Brent and Luke together.  This is not one of my high fives exactly, but I know it was a fun experience for my guys:)
2. An extra hour of sleep after "falling back" with the end of day light saving time.  I was extra grateful this year that Nora still had a good night sleep, so we actually got to enjoy the extra hour:)
3. A low key week with my family.  We are enjoying our last full week "off" before basketball starts for Brent two nights a week.  I love quiet evenings home with my family:)
4. Thanks to Ruth & Kerry (Brent's parents), Brent and I were able to grab dinner out last night.  It had been a while since we'd had the chance with our busy schedule, so it was nice to be out of the house without the kiddos.
5. The Hearts at Home North Central Conference is this weekend in Rochester.  First of all, I'm grateful it's in Rochester, because I probably wouldn't go if it required travel.  Second, I'm excited for the speakers and workshops on being a mom, wife, etc.  Tonight was a couple hours of fun at the Moms' Night Out.  If you get a chance, check out the improv group we saw: 321 Improv.  They were very entertaining and my cheeks are still tired from all the laughing:)  Third, I'm grateful for my husband who is willing to hold down the fort while I'm out.

Coming to a Thanksgiving Table Near You

I'm not sure what motivated me to pick up a cookbook I've never used before, but I'm sure glad I did!  I was given Crock-Pot 5 Ingredients or Less Cookbook either last Christmas or the Christmas before and I had yet to try a recipe from it.  Honestly, I get more recipes online these days.  I gave the Rustic Garlic Mashed Potatoes recipe below a trial run today for a potential Thanksgiving potato solution.  I'm sold! 

Rustic Garlic Mashed Potatoes

2 lbs baking potatoes, unpeeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp butter, cut into 1/8 inch pieces
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup milk

Place all ingredients except milk into crock pot; toss to combine.  Cover; cook on low 7 hours or on high for 4 hours.  Add milk to potatoes.  Mash potatoes with potato masher or electric mixer until smooth.  (I left them in the crock pot on warm after mashing.)

Makes 5 servings


I was very surprised how only 1/2 tsp garlic powder was enough to fill my house with a heavenly garlic scent and only 2 Tbsp butter were enough flavor that we could eat them without any additional butter to taste (and I like buttery potatoes).

I'm excited to try out some more recipes from this book now! 

High Five for Friday x2!

We have been busy little beavers here at the Picker Palace, so since I missed last week's High Five, I'm making this week a double! 

1. Red Barn Learning Center - We met up with my good friend, Liz, and her family at the new Red Barn Learning Center between Stewartville and Hayfield.  It was a beautiful day to tour the little farm, take in the sights, and enjoy time with friends.  It is a cute little place if you ever find yourself in the area.  I saw on Facebook that they will be open through this weekend.
2. Cousin Time - MEA weekend brought all of the Picker grand kids together, including the two newest additions (Nora and Alaina) for the first time in a while.  The boys got right down to business playing, the dads enjoyed a Michigan football game (and a win), and the babies were cuddled and enjoyed:)  Luke, especially, simply cannot get enough time with his cousins.
3. Beckmann Family Meal - It is a tradition in my family that we go out to eat for each of our birthdays and that the birthday boy/girl gets to pick the location.  Well, this year I decided to request a home cooked meal from my mom instead of heading to a restaurant.  My mom had a week off work, so she spent the day with Papa and Nora at our place then made a wonderful meal.  My request was porcupine meatballs and baked potatoes, but my mom doesn't make a meal for our Beckmann clan without options.  She also made a roast in the crock pot with potatoes and carrots, turkey meatloaf, corn, and apple crisp for dessert.  It was fabulous!  Wonderful food and sweet company:) 
4. Swimming Lessons - Luke started swimming lessons at the RAC.  These are his first swimming lessons in a few years and the first ones he's done without Brent or myself in the water with him.  He's doing well, having fun, and even told me this week after lessons that he wishes they were another hour longer:)  Our hope was that he would get more comfortable in the water and get some basic swimming skills.  After just two lessons we're seeing progress!
5. Book Fair - Luke's school had their book fair, one of mine and Luke's favorite events!  Luke picked out a few books, Nora got a book, and we bought a couple from his teacher's wish list for their classroom.  I'm not sure what it is about the book fair, but I love it:) 
6. Spirit Run - The Spirit Run was my run-with-a-goal-in-mind run for the fall:)  I wanted to get back to running after Nora was born, so I picked a 5K from the Rochester Track Club calendar for October 27.  After training in September and October, I felt ready for the run.  Apparently my body had other ideas though.  I was able to run two and a quarter miles before getting so nauseous that I had to walk.  After crossing the finish line, the nausea won out:(  I have never been sick like this before while exercising, so I don't know what happened???  "Why is this on your High Five if it didn't go well?" you ask?  It was still an accomplishment.  My plan and hope was to run the entire 5K (3.1 miles), which didn't happen, but I still did the training and ran what I could the day of the run.  It was also a fun morning because Luke ran the kids' 1K with two of his friends and two of my friends and Brent also ran the 5K.  It was a nice morning to get out for a run, even if it didn't end as I'd hoped:) 
7. Council Bluffs - Last weekend we made a quick trip to Council Bluffs, IA to visit our friends from Baltimore who were in IA for a family wedding.  It was a short trip but well worth the chance to see our dear friends:)  Our kids did GREAT on the car ride down (4.5 hours in the car) and our first night as a family staying in a hotel went well too.  We enjoyed beautiful weather while in Iowa too.  The guys got to play some football Saturday and the kids played outside Sunday afternoon.  All in all a great weekend!
8. Halloween - We had a great first Halloween as a family of four.  After picking Luke up from school, we headed to Brent's office with the kids in costume.  His office is pretty serious about their candy, so Luke already had half a bag of candy to start out Halloween night:)  We invited grandparents over to see Luke and Nora, then Luke and Brent went out trick or treating the neighborhood.  It was beautiful weather for trick or treating and there were TONS of kids out in our neighborhood. 
9. Christmas Shopping - I like to start Christmas shopping early and to think about what gifts I'd like to get people early too.  This week Brent and I decided on our Christmas budget, so let the Christmas shopping begin! 
10. Thanksgiving - I decided to brave cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year.  We will have a small group at our house so I thought it would be easier to try out my Thanksgiving cooking skills:)  I'm excited at the idea of planning and cooking for the holiday, which I've never done before.  Wish me luck! 

So, do you believe me now?  We've been quite busy:)  I'd love to add pictures for each of the items above, but that would be redundant.  Check out our Shutterfly site for the MANY pictures from October:)

A Soup A Week, Just What The Colder Weather Ordered

I shared my resolution to make a pot of soup a week for the rest of 2012 on Facebook and had a couple requests for recipes, so here goes!

Ham & Wild Rice Soup from Live Better America but I can't find it on the site anymore - One of our favs that I've made a couple times for events/friends already in October

2 c diced, cooked ham
3/4 c uncooked wild rice
1 med onion chopped
1 lb thawed/drained mixed vegetables
14 oz chicken broth
1 can cream celery soup
1/4 t pepper
3 c water
1/2 c fat free half and half

Mix all ingredients, except half and half, a crock pot. Cover and cook on low 8-9 hours.  Stir in half and half and increase heat to high.  Cover and cook 10-15 minutes.

Taco Soup - I've made this one with and without meat and it can be made in the crock pot or on the stove.

1 can black beans, undrained
1 can corn, undrained
28 oz diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can pinto beans, undrained
1 lb ground beef or turkey, browned
1 pkg ranch dressing dry mix
1 pkg taco seasoning
1-2 c water

Add all ingredients to crock pot and cook on high for a few hours.  (Can also cook on stove for one hour.)  Serve with sour cream and cheese on top and cheese quesadillas or chips to dip.

Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup from Taste of Home Healthy Cooking

Curried Chicken Corn Chowder from Taste of Home Healthy Cooking

Chicken Tortilla Soup from Live Better America

• I don't make the tortilla strips, seriously, you can buy them or just use chips:)
• I also like to add corn to the soup

Zuppa Toscana (just like Olive Garden's) - I got this recipe from a friend at Bunco last year:)

White Chicken Chili from Live Better America (I don't add the zucchini)

Makeover Baked Potato Soup from Taste of Home Healthy Cooking

Do you have favorite soups?  I'd love to hear about it!  Brent and I love soups in the winter and they are great for left overs too!

High Five for Friday

1. Turning 31 Ain't So Bad, check out my post from earlier this week.  Sunday was my birthday and we had a perfect day at home as a family.  I slept in, did some fall baking (pumpkin bars and pumpkin mini muffins), listened to some old favorites from high school/college (Destiny's Child and some original Rascal Flatts), and simply enjoyed my family.  It was a perfect way to end my 30th year and kick off my 31st year:)
2. We had Luke's first quarter conferences for first grade. He's doing great and has a lovely teacher.  Read more at my post from earlier this week. 
3. It's MEA week, which means Luke's been off school Thursday and Friday for a long weekend.  I love having the extra time with him home.  And, to make it even better, we've had nothing planned for the extra weekdays off! 
4. I had been telling Luke for a while that I needed to bring our comforter and a rug to the laundromat so I could wash them in the bigger machines.  We finally made it a reality yesterday while Luke had the day off.  He was SO excited to go.  I love sharing the "firsts" of life with my kids.  Truly one of the biggest joys!
5. I had a great weigh in at Weight Watchers this week.  I'm over 1/3 of the way to my goal and I've only been back at it for six weeks!  The fact that I'm nursing has certainly been helping the cause this time around.  It may be difficult with the holidays coming up, but I'm hoping to be back at my goal weight by January.  Here's hoping!

One Proud Momma

We had Luke's first quarter conferences for first grade tonight.  He is doing great in math and reading, both on his teacher's assessments and the district assessments.  His writing and drawing are already improving from the beginning of the school year too.  This is always a feat because he's simply not interested drawing or writing.  Thankfully he gets LOTS of practice in first grade and at home with homework:)  We were also very happy to hear a bit of a reprimand for chatting with classmates.  Sounds strange, I know...Luke tends to be shy, especially in large groups, but Mrs. Parker said he's now joining in with the chattiness of the class.  Brent and I were very happy to hear he's chatting with classmates and will work on guiding Luke in chatting when it's appropriate in class:)  Luke's only ever at a loss of words with us when we ask about school (read: usually talking our ears off:)), so it was very reassuring to hear from his teacher that he's participating, making friends, and having a good school year so far!  Luke and a few other classmates also got to have lunch with Mrs. Parker today for being respectful and responsible in class.  Very proud momma indeed:)

31 Ain't So Bad

I woke up this morning to Brent saying,

 

"Happy birthday...

Married 9 years...

Two kids...

At your job for over 7 years...

College degree...

I'd say things are pretty good for 31."

 

I completely agree dear:)



Me and my sweethearts on my birthday:)

Three Months

At three months, Nora is:

• Getting pretty good at sucking her thumb.  She prefers her right thumb and usually rolls onto her right side a bit while sucking it.  So far she sucks it mostly when she is falling to sleep/sleeping.

• Very interested in her hands.  She holds them together in front of her face and watches them move.  She also flails her hands around and hits herself in the face often:) 
• Spending all day Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday mornings with Papa Beckmann while Mommy is back at work.  They've been doing great together and enjoying lots of walks around the neighborhood.
• Starting to wear more 3-6 month clothes and I've "retired" more of her 0-3 month clothes (some just because it's too summery for the fall weather we've been having).  We're also just moving her into size 2 diapers. 
• Very chatty!  It's so fun listening to and chatting with her:)  She makes lots of "g" sounds in from her throat and it sometimes even sounds like growling.  We are not the only lucky ones to get to hear her voice; she also likes talking to the animal friends in her floor gym.
• SO smiley now.  Her smiles are so very sweet and light up her entire face.  Her eyes just glisten when she smiles:)  I think I see her Daddy in her grins.
• Sleeping through the night.  She had been sleeping about 7 hours a night since the end of August, but couldn't seem to press beyond that hump.  As of last week, she has been eating between 9:30-10:30pm and getting up to eat between 6:30-7:30am.  This schedule is much better for Mommy and Daddy now that we're both back to work. 
• Weighs 13lbs 10oz.  Mommy had a doctor appointment the other day so we snuck a weight at the clinic:)  According to the web, her weight is about 60-70th percentile.
• The queen of the "45 minute intruder", meaning you wake up fussing after napping for 45 minutes.  If we let you fuss a bit, you fall back to sleep and sleep another 30-45 minutes.  One of the many things we've gotten to know about Miss Nora:)
• Full of personality and we love to learn more of who Nora is as she grows.

Filling up this laundry basket

See what I mean with her hands...
she gets in some awkward positions:)

Love those eyes...and lashes...
and cheeks...and lips...I'm just in love:)

A family picture!  We rarely get these,
so I'm always excited when we do.

Growing fast!

High Five for Friday

1. Chatting with my daughter.  Brent came home to Nora and I chatting on the bed one day this week.  She was full of sounds, smiles, and very interactive.  It was so very sweet listening to her voice, watching her eyes light up, and, of course, kicking her busy feet:) 
2. MOPS is usually a highlight of my week and this week was no different.  We had a speaker who has children in high school and college share the 10 things she's glad she did as a mother and 10 things she wishes she had done.  I'm so very grateful for the wonderful women at my table this year and for the speakers we've had already and this week was only our third meeting of the year.  Our leadership team has done an amazing job of planning a year of MOPS focusing on the Proverbs 31 woman. 
3. Last weekend I attended a Community Ed class to learn about making baby food (love Community Ed!).  The dietitian who lead the class was great, and a mother of two herself, and I learned some great stuff for when Nora is ready for baby food this winter.  I didn't tackle making baby food with Luke due to lack of freezer space and time, but with Nora I'm working less and we have an additional freezer to store the food I make. I'm looking forward to trying it out!
4. We were blessed by some generous people this week who shared baby girl clothes with us that their daughters had outgrown.  One of Brent's co-workers gave us 4 diaper boxes full of clothes and one of my new friends at MOPS shared some adorable outfits with Nora as well!  Such wonderful stuff from generous families:)  Nora's closet is bursting at the seams!
5. Our annual orchard visit!  Mine and Luke's favorite part of fall:)  We went to Northwoods Orchard, just five minutes from our house, with Papa and Gma Beckmann.  It was a beautiful fall day with sunshine and nice temps for sweatshirts.  Luke had a blast with the corn maze, we went on the tractor/wagon ride, had some fun photo ops, had some homemade treats (donuts and caramel apples), and picked out our pumpkins for carving in a few weeks.  Always wonderful memories made at the orchard:)  Check out our photo site for more pictures.

We were teasing Luke that
Nora was taller than him:)

Luke with Papa and Gma

Wagon ride!

My adorable pumpkins among the pumkins:)

High Five for Friday!

It's Friday!  Let me just say, it's hard to start a new tradition/ritual, especially when it's only once a week.  I nearly forgot about High Five for Friday already:) 

1. I finished up my last week of working three mornings a week (and will start back to my normal half time schedule on Monday).   It was very helpful to start back to work gradually so we could all adjust to the new routine.  I've said it before, but I am SO grateful for an accommodating workplace that allows me to have more time at home with our family!
2. This week was also the beginning of Papa Daycare at our house:)  My dad retired last Friday and started up his new post at our house Monday morning.  What a trooper!  (I have to add, he wants to be Papa Daycare.  No arm twisting here.)   He spent Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mornings with Nora and with Luke before school started.  It was so sweet to hear Luke tell me about reading with Papa before school each day and Dad and Nora made the most of the beautiful weather with walks each morning. 
3. My lovely cousin, Steph, makes it down to Rochester from St. Paul every couple months for work and we got to have an evening to catch up.  It's always great to see her, share a meal, and this time we even hit up Target:)  We also like to schedule shopping dates together a couple times a year, which I think we'll be doing again sooner than later now that I'm no longer prego:)
4. I got to spend the "school day" with my friend, Liz, on a quick jaunt to IKEA today.  (I say school day because I left with Nora right when Luke went to school and was back in time to pick him up from school.)  Liz is one of my very favorite people:)  We met in high school and have been friends since.  She's a wonderful, kind, loving friend, wife, and mommy:)  We try to get together every couple months and take turns meeting in Rochester or the Cities/Hudson, WI where she lives.  Today we met, babies in tow, at IKEA because I had something on my radar.  It's funny to think back on all the years that we've known each other and how our time together has changed to us both being moms of two, married, and in our thirties.  Yikes, that last one hurts;)  Anyway, I could write an entire post about Liz and I.  In short, Liz and Jack (her 6 month old) and Nora and I had a nice time strolling IKEA and enjoyed lunch at TJIFridays:)
5. This week was overall quite relaxing.  It was the first week that I was back to work that Brent and I both felt like, "Yeah, we can handle this new life/routine of ours."  That sounds dramatic.  It really wasn't that bad the last couple weeks.  It was just an adjustment phase:)   But this week, we had less happening in the evenings and were able to enjoy down time as a family (we're all home bodies...well, I guess the verdict is still out on Nora, but the rest of us are).  Nora slept better this week and we can now say with confidence that she sleeps through the night.  She eats between 9:30-10:30pm and sleeps until 6:30-7:30am.  All in all, it was a very nice family week:)     

Our Handsome First Grader

 

I'm in love:)

 

 

Oh, and he prefers not to be called handsome;)

So Long September

September 2012 was full of adjustments for this little family, both individual and family changes. Luke started first grade, which he's enjoying, but it's been an adjustment for all of us having him in school all day.  He has been more tired than usual and is disappointed each night when we tell him it's time for bed.  I think he's just used to having more down time with Brent and I and the reality is that we have less of that during the week now that we only have evenings together.  It's been a big adjustment for me too.  I miss having that extra time with Luke and feel like the evenings are more about getting things done (dinner, bath, homework, reading, etc) than just enjoying each other.  And, of course, we now have two children to split our time between:)

September also marked the beginning of another football season.  In our house it's an adjustment:)  Brent plays city league football two nights a week and plays FCA league on Saturday mornings.  Brent is also a big football fan, so I try to keep the schedule clear during Michigan and Vikings games:)  Luke's also heading down the path of football fan-dom quickly.  Yesterday he asked me if my request for him to come downstairs could wait because there were only a few minutes left of the game...oy...it's starting already! 

September held lots of changes for me too, which of course impact the entire family (especially when there is an infant involved).  I've started my crawl back to my pre-pregnancy body by rejoining Weight Watchers and training for a 5K in October.  Nora accompanies me to WW meetings once a week, but she's too young for me to jog with her in the stroller.  That means that I have to find time three times a week to get out for a jog while Brent's around to hang with the kids.  The good news is that I have a very supportive husband and I've been able to hit my goal of jogging 3 times a week all but one week in September! 

The other major change for our entire family has been my returning to work.  Thankfully I was able to return only three mornings a week beginning September 17.  It's been helpful to ease back to work.  I will return to working the first half of each week on October 8.  In September, Brent and my mom were able to adjust their schedules to watch the kids while I was at work.  Starting in October, my dad will be our in-home nanny:)  He will come to our house on the days I work to take care of Nora and get Luke off to school.  Nora has been taking a bottle well and her happiest time of the day is the morning so all has gone well so far!

There were ups and downs throughout our month of adjustments, but I'm happy to report that I've survived and are even thriving most days:)  September was a month of adjustments and I'm hoping October will be a month of settling into our new routines. 

High Five for Friday

A blog I follow, The Small Things Blog, has inspired me to start a tradition on my blog:  High Five for Friday!  The idea is to share the top five things from the week.  I think it's a great way to find the positives after a typically busy week.  So, here's my first attempt!

1. Luke has his first loose tooth!  He was so excited that he had to call me at work Monday morning to tell me:)  It was so sweet to hear his little voice on the phone telling me about a big boy moment.  *Sigh*...they grow up so fast...
2. Nora has been taking some much better naps this week.  We've had several two hour naps, which has been extending her time between feedings up to 4 hours at times.  (She was previously eating every 3 hours.)  Read:  Mommy is getting more done around here:)
3. I have been reminded yet again that I am married to an amazing man.  Monday, Brent stayed home for the morning so I could go to work.  Tuesday, we had a stressful day/evening with Nora and he was helpful as always.  Wednesday, he listened to me have a vent session about my stresses with life (read: breakdown after the rough day before).  Thursday, he hung with the kids so I could have an evening out.  Friday, he went to work after a very tiring week (sounds simple, but it's important).  He takes such great care of us and is an amazing father and husband.
4. I had a surprisingly good Weight Watchers weigh in after what I thought to be a not so good week.  Always a wonderful surprise!
5. We had our second MOPS meeting of the year this week and our Mentor Mom spoke about praying for our children.  It was especially meaningful because her adult daughters both came to share what it meant/means to them to have a mother who is dedicated to praying for them.  It was very touching and inspiring.  After our Mentor Mom shared, we had a very open, honest discussion at our table about the power of prayer, our apprehensions and questions about prayer, and how to cope through some very big struggles in life and how prayer fits into those times as well.  I am so grateful for the table of women I am blessed to spend the MOPS year with and that we are already comfortable to share the not so easy topics/conversations after only two meetings. 

Ten Weeks

At ten weeks, you are:

• Starting to make bubbles with your mouth.  Sounds strange, but it's kind of cute:)
• Startling easily, especially with Daddy's voice.  If he raises his voice to talk to one of us in another room, your lip goes out and you start crying. 
• Officially able to sleep through the night!  You've only done it once this week, but that means you can do it!  You went from a 10pm feeding to 6am.
• No longer home with mommy full-time.  I started back to work three mornings a week this week and you spent the mornings with Daddy.  I get to have this schedule for three weeks, then I'll be back to my half time schedule and you'll start spending those days with Papa Beckmann once he retires. 

Showing off her fall styles
and those beautiful baby blues:)

 

Our busy, happy girl:)

Gold Rush Finds Make Their Deput

August 2012 marked my second year of attending Gold Rush Days in Oronoco, MN.  Having lived in Rochester all of my life, I knew of Gold Rush but always assumed it was just a bunch of old junk that wouldn't appeal to me and the styles I prefer for our home.  I'll be the first to admit that I was wrong!  I checked it out last year with my parents, who have become very interested in antiques over the past ten years.  I was skeptical, but it was a beautiful day so I thought it would at least be nice to spend the morning outside:)  I was quickly surprised that several pieces of furniture caught my eye.  I did some browsing, but didn't make any purchases.

 

Fast forward one year to August 2012, when I spent TWO days browsing Gold Rush because I loved it so much!  Once again, the weather was perfect and several things caught my eye.  By day two, I was ready to commit to a few purchases.

 

The black side table, a birthday gift from my
parents from Gold Rush,
fits nicely with our gallery wall

Close up of the refinished piece

I was also motivated to update some
pictures on our gallery wall 

 

This my new favorite: Dancing pics from
Bridget & Ross' wedding last fall

I also got the large monogram "P" at Gold Rush

It is made of wood with a tin covering.
I loved the colors!

 I still have a set of three tin wall hangings that I plan to hang.  I'll try to remember to post pictures once I made the daunting decision of where to hang them:)

 

Mark your calendars for Gold Rush next summer.  I'll see ya there!