Friday Five: Anticipating Christmas

Christmas is FIVE days away! I am so excited! Anticipating Christmas has been one of my favorite things this year! Annelisa is at such a fun age for the decorations, lights, and her fascination with "baby" only helps as we prepare to celebrate our Savior's birth! 

Five things that I'm loving during this season:

• Jesse Tree: I'm in LOVE with this! Love that Annelisa looks forward to seeing which ornament she gets to touch each night! I love this new tradition helping focus our anticipation on our coming King, Jesus, in the form of a little baby! 
• Lights: I love that Annelisa demands that all of our twinkle lights stay on when we are home! I am loving getting to watch her excitement to turn on the "dights on the tee"! 
• My Family Measurements Ruler: My Christmas present is all finished and hung on the wall...you may have seen it on Facebook or Instagram last night! It's beautiful and my sweet husband made it for me! I can't wait to start marking on it!! :) 
• Baking: I love Christmas baking and can't wait to get started this weekend! 
• The workshop: Where all of Annelisa's new things are being assembled in anticipation of Christmas morning! I'm SO SO SO excited about watching Annelisa's joy this Christmas! 

{Mommy Style Field Trip} The Big Orange Pumpkin Farm, Celina, Texas

This fall I wanted to take Annelisa to a pumpkin patch to see the sights, smell the animals, and simply find some pumpkins! After several rainy weekends, we picked Saturday, October 19 to be our day to go! We decided on the The Big Orange Pumpkin Farm in Celina, Texas just north of McKinney. The weather was especially crisp and cool with plenty of sunshine. Annelisa, her daddy, and I had a fun time while on the Farm. We did all there was to do and then journeyed home with our collection of five pumpkins!

We started the morning by feeding the animals...

Then we went on a hayride to find out what happened to the farmer! 

Waiting for the hayride

Then we explored a pumpkin field... Annelisa especially liked running with her daddy! 

Then we walked over to complete the maze...

Finally, we ended our morning picking out our jack-o-lantern pumpkins and a few smaller ones to make a centerpiece inside. My little pumpkin wasn't much in the mood to pose for anymore pictures with the pumpkins! 

This picture preceded tears by moments. 

"Pick me up, daddy!"

All in all a fun, fall day with our little family. Annelisa quickly went to sleep on our way home! Looking forward to next year and doing it again!

Fall 2013 Family Photography Session

It's easy to look back and be especially grateful for the little things in my life, the small blessings God grants daily in the simplest of acts. This photography session will, forever, be one of these blessings. It was an afternoon of laughter, smiles, friendship, and family. I'm so thankful for Laura Stiller and her eye behind the camera...to capture a very busy almost eighteen month old Annelisa, her daddy, and me!

Here are few of my favorites..and yes, they will be making their way into our upcoming Christmas card! :)

Photos courtesy of Still: Life Photography
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Parker Rose Garden, Parker, Texas

18 Month Well Baby Exam

This is the simplest, easiest, most joy filled well baby exam Annelisa has had since she was born. I had NO concerns, Dr. Linh Ho had NO concerns, it was simply glorious! All Praise Be to God! I am so thankful that there's not more to write about this exam! Annelisa is growing in every way! So so so thankful!

The two big headlines from the appointment:

1. Annelisa has been growing like crazy! (see below!) 
2. Annelisa can stop taking Zantac for reflux! (Update: as of late October...she's off of Zantac completely!) 

18 Month Stats (79 weeks, September 26, 2013)

Weight: 25 pounds, 5 ounces, 75th percentile

Height: 34 inches, 97th percentile

Head size: 19 inches, 90th percentile 

Where Annelisa's been by the Stats! 

15 Month Stats (66 weeks, June 27, 2013)

Weight: 22 pounds, 4 ounces, 50th percentile

Height: 31.5 inches, 80th percentile

Head size: 18 inches, 50th percentile

12 Month Stats (52 Weeks, 5 days, March 26, 2013): 

Weight: 19 pounds, 8 ounces, 40th percentile

Height: 29.75 inches, 70th percentile

Head size: 17.50 inches, 35th percentile 

9 Month Stats (42 Weeks, 1 day, January 11, 2013): 

Weight: 18 pounds, 13 ounces, 50th percentile

Height: 28.25 inches, 65th percentile

Head size: 17.50 inches, 60th percentile

6 Month Stats (27 Weeks, September 27, 2012): 

Weight: 16 pounds, 11 ounces, 60th percentile
Height: 27.5 inches, 95th percentile
Head size: 16.75 inches, 50th percentile

4 Month Stats (18 Weeks, July 26, 2012):

Weight: 14 pounds, 7 ounces, 60th percentile
Height: 25 inches, 75th percentile
Head size: 15.75 inches, 25th percentile

2 Month Stats (9 Weeks, 1 day, May 25, 2012):

Weight: 11 pounds, 10 ounces, 60th percentile
Height: 23.75 inches, 90th percentile
Head size: 15.25 inches, 50th percentile

2 Week Stats (2 weeks, 4 days, April 9, 2012 (the day before my due date)):

Weight: 7 pounds, 10 ounces, 25th percentile
Height: 21 inches, 75th percentile
Head size: 14.14 inches, 50th percentile

4 Days Old Stats (March 26, 2012): 

Weight: 7 pounds, 2 ounces, 35th percentile
Height: 20.75 inches, 85th percentile
Head size: 13.75 inches, 50th percentile

Birth Stats (March 22, 2012):

Weight: 8 pounds, 0 ounces, 70th percentile
Height: 20.5 inches, 85th percentile
Head size: 15 inches, 99th percentile

Annelisa is 18 Months!

My dearest Annelisa,

This month was filled with so many events. As I write this, I'm looking back on this month with a smile and a tear...it was a hard month for your mommy, Grammy, GP and aunties, too. Despite the hard things of this month, you have been a daily delight and joy! Your precious hugs, snuggles, smiles, and love for us have been a bright reminder of the life we have been given here to live to the fullest glory of God!

Your first "selfie" a worthwhile documentation of your love of technology! You think that the baby monitor is 'your iPhone'....and take my iPhone at every opportunity! It's funny because all you do is tap the screen or talk to Siri, although someday soon you'll having lots of conversations with family without my assistance! You've also grown to love Face Time with two of your aunties and Grammy and GP.

Dinner with Dada

First coloring project

Afternoon snack with Farley

We brought in your Great MeeMaw's folding table and chairs that are the perfect size for you. You have enjoyed eating some dinners and snacks at this table as well as starting some crafts like coloring. It's especially sweet that MeeMaw gave this table and chairs to us when you were just a little baby, after she got to meet you for the first time. I know that she would smile and chuckle watching you navigate getting into the chairs and coloring your first pictures here. Your Grammy has memories of using this table when she was a little girl, so it's a special piece of furniture that we'll be utilizing for years to come! 

You love the water! This picture was after bath time one evening and I love that it captures you and I together. A happy moment of going about our daily routines...speaking of routines, Annelisa you are proving to be a LOVER of routines! You like knowing what to anticipate and what is coming next. I guess it's a good thing that I love routines too, so we work well together! 

This month our routine changed BIG time! With the start of school, all Fall activities started. This is your lunch container that I got for you to use once a month for our Bible Study Fellowship Lunches. Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) started in early September and it's keeping me plenty busy! I'm excited about what God will do this year as we go on Mondays for leaders' meetings and Wednesdays for class. I'm so excited to see what you'll learn from the lessons each week, and to that end what I'll learn too! You loved the songs and your children's leaders last spring! I am very expectant of what this year will bring! We also have Bible Study at church on Tuesday mornings. These first few weeks of being busy and out the door early have made nap time very important, but I think you and I are finding our rhythm for this semester! I know that I value our slower Thursdays and Fridays a ton! Just getting to have you and me time! 

This month you discovered that sitting on the stairs was a great seat for you! One particular afternoon I caught you playing with gate and having a seat! You were quite proud of yourself, and very cute too!  

We've also seen the start to the 2013 Aggie Football Season, here you are in one of your many game day outfits...it's funny to me how last year you had one "lucky" onesie and this year you have a whole maroon section in your closet. This little jersey is just too cute! These pictures are from Labor Day weekend when we celebrated Caleb's birthday! We had a full fun Saturday of swimming and playing with the Wilkerson's! 

This month you and Daddy have spent a lot of time building Legos together after dinner and on the weekends. It's hard to say whose enjoyed the time more...we'll just say that Daddy has built you some pretty incredible things to play with during these sessions! 

As it's started to cool off ever so slightly, I've loved dressing you in leggings! You are soooo cute in them! You have become very long and lean! This outfit is in 18 month size, but you are quickly outgrowing it! You are moving right on to 2T items...you need the length! You are still in size 4 shoes, size 4 diapers, and 18 month pj's. 

Singing on the front porch with mulch in hand! 

Annelisa, this month we also faced one of the most difficult processes in this life, saying goodbye to a dear loved one. I have struggled to write this monthly update letter because I know that this is the only way you'll remember what happened during your 18th month. You are so full of life and love and I am so saddened that your Great-Grandma Clark won't get to share in it with us. I am so thankful that she got to see you and meet you three times, but on the same token am so saddened that it was only three times. I wish that we would have shared more moments just the three of us, I wish that I would have taken a picture of her holding you when she first met you when you were a little baby! Saying goodbye to her has been so hard because I have so many "I wish" statements for her! The lost relationship is so hard. The coming months will be hard as I am sure that there will be many things that remind me of her and then to remember that she's not here. 

She passed on Monday, September 16, and you attended her funeral with us on Friday, September 20. You were a great trooper! You brought many smiles to those that attended and I was so glad to have you with us! I am sure that I'll tell you about her and the many memories I have with MeeMaw as you grow! She was a very active Grandma in your Aunties and my life. God has been so good to us in this process, we had a sweet moment with MeeMaw in her hospice room to have quiet conversation and watch her light up at getting to see you again! I also had the chance to tell her how happy I am that she is one of my grandma's and how much I love her. God also blessed me with an extra measure of peace in knowing she would be spending eternity with Him. September 16 was the most exciting day in her life as she got to meet Jesus face to face! 

In the midst of all of these things, Grammy, GP, and your aunties were here a couple of times and stayed with us! I think you enjoyed all the extra cuddles, stories, and playmates! You also got to meet your Great Aunt and Uncle again and see your Great Grandpa Clark, too. 

All in all, your 18th month was one that won't be quickly forgotten. It has left me with a multitude of sweet memories! Annelisa, you are such a sweet blessing in my life and I am beyond grateful to God for giving you to us as our daughter! I'm so glad to celebrate your half birthday and all that you are! 

I love you to the moon and back again! 

Mama 

VEGAN BAKING! Oh My!

I've been learning some new tricks in the kitchen the last week or so...I've finally decided to try my hand at some vegan recipes to begin to expose Annelisa to the glories of baking!

Vegan as defined by Merriam Webster: a strict vegetarian who consumes no animal or dairy products.

Although we do not abide by this definition in our household for most of our food consumption; for baking, vegan recipes are winners! NO EGGS!! I'm truly terrified of what eggs may hold for Annelisa at her next exposure, so I have decided that I'm not buying them anymore. Why have a food in the house that only I can eat?

I've taken a pretty significant vacation from baking this summer, partly because it's summer! It's easily 90 + degrees each day here in North Texas; wait, who am I kidding...it's closer to 100 + each day! I really don't have much need to make the house any hotter than necessary! But this whole egg avoidance issue has really gotten to this mama. Thanks to Pinterest and my friend, Google, I am slowly overcoming my fear and diving back into baking...but for all of us! If we can't all eat it, than I won't be making it!

Since last weekend, I've made three "breakfast" breads. Each has been enjoyed more than the last. AND each has been feed to my little lady!

First up!

{Photo credit to the blogger at Prevention RD}

Zucchini Muffins found at this link. These were a great way to use up my lone zucchini from the farmers market. I cut the recipe in half as I only had one cup of shredded zucchini. I then chose to bake them in my mini muffin tin. I also only used unbleached all purpose flour as I don't tend to keep any whole wheat pastry flour on hand. On the whole, these were thoroughly enjoyed! Gone in about three breakfast. You really wouldn't have known that they were egg free! :) Next time I need to use up a zucchini, I'll be headed back to this recipe to make more of these!

Next....

{Photo credit to the blogger at Charlotte's Kitchen Diary}

Cranberry, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread found at this link. This was delicious! I think I enjoyed it more than Annelisa! I opted to add gooey chocolate chips and the sweet tang of Craisins, yum-yum! This recipe required some additional math for me as it has the temperature in degrees Celsius...the conversion chart I used recommended 320 degrees Fahrenheit, I opted for 325 as it seemed more "normal"  with my baking experiences. The bread turned out beautifully! This loaf lasted about three breakfasts (and snacks) as well. I didn't make it truly vegan as I used whole milk, however one can easily switch to a soy, rice, or almond milk if desired. It was a really tasty recipe!! I highly recommend it!

The last bread was Pumpkin Bread! I married into a family with a wonderful pumpkin bread recipe. I really struggled with replacing the recipe with one that just wouldn't hold up to a pretty tough critic, my husband! I turned to other recipes for egg-less inspiration, I Googled away to find egg replacers and decided to use ground flax seed and water to make a gel like slurry that can replace an egg. The two worries I had in doing this were: 1) that my ground flax seed slurry would change the flavor of the bread due to the flax seed oils going rancid in the freezer, 2) that replacing all three eggs in the recipe the bread wouldn't turn out as well as the past. So with many a prayer I followed the tried and true recipe: 

Pumpkin Bread 

Mix: 

1 cup vegetable oil (I used a blend of Canola, Sunflower, and Soybean Oils from Crisco) 

3 cups sugar 

3 tablespoons ground flax seed (mixed with 9 tablespoons water, let sit for two minutes before using in recipe) {Or 3 eggs} 

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 15 oz can pure pumpkin

Add the following to the wet ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

(I sift all of these together before mixing with the wet ingredients.)   

Blend until just mixed, pour into prepared (greased and sugared) loaf pans (use powdered sugar instead of flour)

Two bread sized pans bake at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours 15 minutes, begin checking at 1 hour 45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 

or 5 inch loaf pans, makes nine (great for gifts!) bake at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour 30 minutes, begin checking at 1 hour, until toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool in pan for twenty minutes, then cool completely on wire racks. Store well covered and refrigerated. 

Great toasted and served with butter or cream cheese. 

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It turned out perfect!! You couldn't even tell a difference between the egg version and the egg-less...granted we operated on memory, but you get the idea! This was by far Annelisa's favorite of all the breads I've made this past week! 

Now, I need to start thinking about how I'll manage to do my Christmas cookie making this year...there are a lot of recipes to evaluate! Yum....just starting to think about all the "research" I might need to do! :) 

Annelisa is 17 Months!

My dearest Annelisa Grace.

Your 17th month has been such a BIG month!! You walked! Yes, you finally walked! We have been anticipating this moment for quite a while and it has been such a JOY to have you toddle around with us! Your first official walking moment happened at Grammy and GP's house in Houston on Saturday, July 27, 2013. You were playing with a make-up bag that belongs to Auntie Erin and you couldn't crawl and hang on to it, so instead you stayed up on your two little feet and walked between the chair and the coffee table. I wasn't even sure what to say; I was afraid to praise you for fear of scaring you or startling you, so I just watched with my mouth agape! You then promptly realized what you had done and sat down and crawled back to me. A little while later Auntie Lauren, Grammy, and I were able to coax you to walk around between us! IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!! You were sooo proud of yourself and we were so proud of you! You proved to yourself that you could do it and you haven't looked back! Now that you are officially a toddler you have been loving wearing shoes! You will bring them to me to put on your feet and you love to play with them when they are off. One of your favorite activities in your car seat is to undo the Velcro on them while we drive to our destination. Your feet also grew during this month, I believe as a by product of time and the daily usage of you walking on them...you are now in a size 4 shoe! Your have two pairs of shoes that fit: purple sparkly TOMS and your Stride-Rite tennis shoes. I had bought you some turquoise sparkly TOMS but you quickly outgrew them, I think you only wore them 4 or 5 times, but they were really cute while they lasted!

I mentioned earlier that you and I had gone to Houston to visit Grammy, GP, Auntie Erin, and Auntie Lauren for the weekend of July 26-28, 2013. It was a fun weekend away so Dada could work on his module and study. While we were in Houston, Mama and the rest of your relatives went to the Houston A&M Club's Coach's Night. We all got dressed in our maroon and white for the occasion, even though you stayed back with a babysitter. 

We had the chance to spend some time with Miss Reveille before the dinner and program started. It was quite the Aggie extravaganza! Complete with Yell Leaders, Coach Sumlin, President Lofton, and over a thousand of our closest Aggie friends. Needless to say, we are all very excited about the upcoming Fighten' Texas Aggie Football season!  

The next day you and I spent some time on the patio investigating Grammy's pineapple plant. This was the first time I realized that you love playing in the dirt! You moved several handfuls of dirt out of the pineapple plants pot! After our investigation was complete, we all went swimming at the neighborhood pool before lunch. You loved getting to swim, go down the slide, and float in your raft! That afternoon is when you walked for the first time! It was such a fun day! That night at dinner we all taught you the freshman wildcat to formally begin your Aggie Yell instruction. No whooping until you reach upper classman status! 

I hate that this picture is blurry, because it shows the joy you feel walking around and discovering new things! I had bought you some alphabet magnets that you have absolutely loved playing with on the refrigerator!  I love that you find such joy and amusement in the simple things like a $4 set of magnets! 

Your favorite book, "The Wheels on the Bus," from last month was beginning to fall apart! I decided to have it reinforced...to put it mildly! I took it to an office supply store to have it laminated and bound. It was a simple paperback book with two staples holding all the pages together...and it just wasn't going to hold up well to even the gentlest of toddlers reading it each day. This solution will ensure that it is apart of our family library for years to come. It's practically indestructible! And I dare say you've enjoyed it more...when we allow it back into the book rotation.(...did I mention it was a favorite of yours last month!) 

After Mama's hair cut before Annelisa's turn.

The beginning! Yep, you got to hold a comb! :) 

Near the end! 

This month you also had your first hair cut on Tuesday, August 6. You came with me for my hair cut and finally got to meet Miss Nora who has cut my hair for a several years now. She was so excited to meet you and give you your first hair cut. She didn't cut that much off as much as give your curly blond locks some shape! I'd say that it was pretty cute to watch you sit in the chair and watch her cut your hair! You were a really good trooper about it all, you especially liked watching in the mirror. You didn't really fuss or cry! Your hair has really grown in well after the cut too!

Annelisa at 17 months you have a love of accessories! I already mentioned that you love shoes, but you have loved playing with some of my necklaces. It didn't help that I had them out for a week hanging on my dresser knobs while cleaning out my closet and finding a better organizational solution for them. You were so happy toddling around playing in and with them! But then again, you are happy most of the time! 

August 15, 2013

17 month birthday, August 22, 2013

We had two play dates with friends from church this month at the Fountains at Fairview. Both times we ventured into the playground that's in the Beach at Fairview! You enjoyed the sand a lot, especially moving it around in your bucket and watering can. You even went down the big slide all by yourself with help from another mommy to catch you! After playing in the sand, we would walk over to the fountains and both times you were happy to play on the steps or on the sidewalk rather than in the water. I think the fountains being somewhat unpredictable has kept your from trusting them. 

This month we also celebrated Daddy's 31st birthday with cousin C's and Uncle Stuart's! It was quite the family party! You enjoyed all the attention you received from all of your cousins, Aunties, Uncles, Mimi and Pops! Annelisa, you also spent a good bit of time carrying your "purse" around the house! Happy Birthday, to all of our August studs! :) 

First time to REALLY eat cake! 

In honor of your 17th month coming to a close, I decided to venture into the bakery at Whole Foods to see if they had any egg-less options for you! Not that you really need to eat cake...but life tastes a whole lot better with a little sugar in it! I was so happy to buy a piece of their vegan (dairy and egg free) Cookies 'N Cream cake. You enjoyed it at lunch that day very much!

Reading in your chair at the end of your 17th month pictures. 

I love this face!! So much thinking going on! 

This month your favorite book was Dr. Suess's "Oh, The Places You'll Go". It's fun to watch you "read" it! You still love books! Your daddy and I love reading to you especially at nap time and bed time each day! You love getting to pick which books we'll read, too!

At 17 months, you have a love of walking, wearing shoes, going "outside", Farley, "daddy", and me. You have about ten words: dada (which you call anything you don't know the name of), Daddy, outside, all done, uh oh, ooh, cheese, thank you, hot, Farfar, hi (with a wave), "all done" (with a wave bye bye) and "a" which is one of your many attention getting sounds. You understand so much of what I ask you and follow one step directions pretty consistently. You can use sign language to tell me that you'd like milk or a drink. You also can shake your head no. You love to give hugs and cuddle with me. You love to attempt to love on Farley. He's still getting used to you walking around! You are wearing 18 month size onesies, shirts, and dresses and your 12 month size shorts still fit perfectly!

Well, Annelisa Grace that was your 17th month! It was busy with so many new milestones for you! You are learning at lighting speed! I am so proud of you! I love you more than you know, and nothing, nothing can ever take that away! We pray that God will continue to grow you into a woman after His own heart and that you will realize your need for a savior and trust Jesus in your own heart! I am SO thankful that God chose me to be your mommy!

With all my love,

Mama