Five Favorites

This is my first link up...saw the idea on Anna Kate's blog and linked up to Camp Patton.

This should be fun! :)

1. So, when I was pregnant I spent all my time reading about child birth and forgot to read about when the baby actually is here. Needless to say we had a very rough start. I scoured the interwebs for help, but EVERYONE has contradicting views. I came across this book at a used book store. I had never heard of it, but I LOVE it! Combine what it says about baby having 90 minute wake cycles and what this book says about putting baby on a schedule...I think we have a winner! After 4 days of following baby's cues and a feeding schedule, Ted slept 8 hours last night! Of course, I didn't because I kept waking up expecting him to wake up!

2. I don't know if it's being on a schedule or because he's almost 3 months old...Ted is getting to be so fun! He laughs and "talks" all the time now! I discovered this awesome play mat from a friend. Ted loves it! When he kicks it he plays music and he loves looking in the little mirror.

3. I just discovered this coffee creamer. It is so yummy! Coffee at home that now tastes like an iced mocha?! Yes, please!

4. Ted is so fun now...he enjoys reading/eating books! I love watching him try to grip things.

5. We took Ted to his first baseball game this week and he loved it! He looked like a little old man watching the game. He was even on the jumbotron! I am so bummed I missed a picture of it, but we took plenty of our own.

This little man is 3 months tomorrow and he is getting baptized on Sunday! We are ready for a great weekend!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies

These cookies are delicious.

I don't really think I have a problem with my milk supply. I mean...do these cheeks look deprived?

A friend of mine sent me this recipe so I thought I would try it. I love cookies, especially if I can pass them off as "healthy cookies". 

I asked Delia from Delia's Kitchen to help me change the recipe up so it would be a little more healthy. She has some really scrumptious recipes that I have tried and they have all been a hit.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies from Food.com

Ingredients (substitutions in parenthesis)
1 cup butter (organic)
1 cup sugar (1/2 cup organic cane sugar)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar (1/2 cup sucanat)**
4 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons flax seed meal
2 eggs (organic)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour (1 cup whole wheat, 1 cup regular)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups oats (organic)
1 cup chocolate chips2 -4 tablespoons brewer's yeast

(2 tablespoons chia seeds)

I love chia seeds...I try adding them to everything!

**This time I did not have any Sucanat, so I did 1/4 cup dark brown sugar and 1 ripe banana**
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix the flaxseed meal and water and let sit for 3-5 minutes.
3. Beat butter, sugar and brown sugar well.
4. Add eggs and mix well.
5. Add flaxseed mix and vanilla and mix well.
6. Sift together flour, brewer's yeast, baking soda and salt (and chia seeds).
7. Add flour mix to butter mix.
8. Stir in oats and chips.
9. Scoop onto baking sheet.
10. Bake for 12 minutes. ***
11. Let set for several minutes, then remove from tray.

***I only baked mine for 9 minutes.***

Yields about 4 1/2 dozen cookies.

Hope you enjoy!!

Have you ever made any lactation treats?

Anamosa Adventure

For the past five years, some of my friends and I have gathered in Anamosa, IA
 at my friend John and Mandy's house. 
It has all the makings for a great annual event. 

And if you know me, you know I love a good annual event! We put up tents in their big back yard, have a homemade drink contest, serenading by the guitar around a campfire, enjoy delicious food and treats (SMORES are my favorite!), and even better...the company of these lovely ladies and gents.

So this was the fifth year and we decided to have shirts made. 

Even better, we decided to all wear our shirts on the same day...

 and walk to the local bowling alley.

We were the only ones there.

I seriously can't get over how hilarious this was. I adore all of these wonderful people so much! They are some of the reasons I am so torn about living so far away and a reason I try to make it back as often as possible.

Five years ago there were only two littles in our group. Now there are 10 with one on the way in December!

It is such a fun weekend and I look forward to it every summer! It is by far the best weekend of the entire summer (4th of July in San Diego might be a tie).

 Love the backyard full of tents!

 Afternoon sing-a-long

 My Goddaugther Mary and Ted with their mustaches

 Can't handle the cuteness!

And for some reason, we love reenacting Senior Picture poses...

This is one of my all time favorites now...love these ladies so much :)

 Everyone loved meeting Ted!

 This was from a few years ago. A few new additions since then!

As always a fabulous weekend with fabulous people. 
Ted was exhausted from so much fun!

Is this Heaven?

No, it's Iowa! Jason and I took Ted to Iowa to visit all my family and friends. I love Iowa, especially in the summer! I love long summer nights where it doesn't get dark until late, seeing the fireflies come out at night (Jason saw his first one!), and summer rain.

Ted can't wait to go to Iowa and show off his new roll-up pants!

Perfect on the flight!

I love, love being from Iowa and now that I am a mom I miss it even more. I have an amazing family in Iowa. It all starts with this amazing lady!

I pray my life will be half as blessed as hers. She's 92 years young and has amazing faith. She raised 8 wonderful children who went on to give her 26 beautiful grandchildren (yours truly is number 8) and 25 great-grandchildren (so far!). Ted is number 22. Yep, three more great-grandchildren just since April! 

My grandma LOVES to cook for us! I don't think I've ever been home to visit without having breakfast with her. Her pancakes are amazing! What's her secret? I'm sure some form of lard. :) 

Also, without fail she always serves...

JELLO!!

Did you know more Jello is sold per capita in Iowa than any other state?! Seriously, it's because of Grandma Millie. You can always count on it including some type of fruit and if you're lucky, some marshmallows, too.

My family loves celebrations too. My mom's cousin turned 50 this year and she decided to celebrate with 50 journeys in one year! We were happy to join her for one of them at Ashby Park. I grew up across the street from this park. My sister and I used to tell the neighbor kids our dad owned it. He may have...

Some of the crew celebrating with Coleen

This was after a LONG car ride from

Anamosa, IA. More on that trip coming!

Like I said, my family LOVES celebrations. They don't really need a reason for one, but since I would be in town with Ted, my aunt Jane threw a party! It was so much fun! I think 11 of 23 (at the time) great-grandkids were there! 

We were missing a few, but how cute! Nine great grand-children were born last year from July 11, 2012 to July 10, 2013! Can you say Irish Catholic?

Meet the Roosevelts...Eleanor and Ted

3 1/2 weeks apart

This is my Godfather...he is such a trooper. 

The only son of eight. He has 7 loud and crazy sisters. 

He was pretty excited to meet Ted!

I was so happy for my parents to meet Ted. They have three other grandsons! We all really thought Ted would be a girl!

We went back to Ashby Park with my brother and two of his kids, Jayden and Colton. They are super adorable and loved playing in the water!

They loved meeting Ted too!

Here is Ted meeting my nephew Nick! Nick is more like my little brother. Ted was so happy to meet Uncle Nick and I was so happy to see him!

Love this picture so much!

Seriously...aren't these the cutest roll-up pants?!

They kill me!

Vacation is exhausting

Representing the great state!

Playtime with his buddy Jonas!

Weekly photos, Iowa edition!

It really was a wonderful week with my family. I love being there and I love living here. My heart gets pulled between two places so much. I never thought I would or could move back, but now that I have a child it's different. It would be amazing to raise Ted around such a big, awesome family just like I was raised. My cousins were my best friends growing up. At the same time, I have an amazing group of friends here that is rooted in my church that I love! 

If only I could somehow move my church and all my friends to Iowa, or...my whole family moves here! Then I wouldn't feel so torn.

So to all my family members that might read this...it really is awesome to never shovel snow. :)

Heading home...