Fulton Right Now

Fulton,

   Right now you are becoming more and more of a little boy each and every day.  You are sleeping in a "big boy" bed.  (You need mom or dad to stay in your room until you fall asleep.)  You wake up early and usually ask for a "nack" (snack) right away.  Your days consist of lots of time outside, going on walks, playing cars or with your toy animals, drinking mom's homemade smoothies or chocolate milk, and rough housing with dad.  You like to dance to Johnny Cash, you love to watch Elmo on T.V., and you love to look at pictures of yourself.
   You continue to be very affectionate toward mom and dad.  You repeat almost everything we say;  you are talking like crazy.  You get frustrated if you want to do something and can't.  Sometimes if you're tired, hot, or hungry, you through a tantrum.   
    Right now there is nothing more your dad and I want more than to spend time with you.  We love watching  you play.  We love how you love us and we love that we get to share in this adventure called life with YOU!  

Homemade Black Bean Corn Salsa

One bag of frozen corn (thawed)
One can of blank beans (rinsed)
1/2 cup of salsa
1/2 of BBQ sauce (I use Sweet Baby Rays)

Serve Chilled

This is a great summer dish to pass.  It is quick, does not cost too much, and nearly always is a favorite at potlucks.

Digital Scrapbook(ing) Take 1

I love scrapbooking, but I love good looking photos even more.  My goal with scrapbooking is to let the photos tell the stories themselves.  I have always loved the look of digital scrapbooking but never found it very economical to try it, until now...

I used Google's free Picasa and printed the photos as 12x12 at http://persnicketyprints.com/  (BTW, persickety prints is awesome, so fast and such good quality and they did not even pay me to say that!)

For detailed directions look here: http://blog.persnicketyprints.com/2010/12/creating-scrapbook-page-with-google.html

Homemade Bagels

Easy, tasty, and wonderful bread machine bagels found here.

BTW - I think these are way cheaper than buying from the store and just as good.

Vacation Post 3

Day Three....

Day three starts out much like day two - that is we watch cable cartoons and then head down to breakfast.  The plan was to  go to Leelanau Peninsula but both Bill and I are a little anxious about driving farther North.  (The check transmission light that kept coming on on the way up is in the back of our head.)  After tossing around a few ideas of what we could do today, I finally just tell him let's say a prayer and head to Leelanau.

I am so glad we did!  Leelanau turns out to be the coolest town we have ever been to.   It's hard to put into words, so I will let the pictures themselves speak for this cozy little fishing town. 

Also, we had zero transmission lights on the way there and all the way home.  

Family Vacation Post 2

Day two...

Wake up, turn on the cable T.V. cartoons (we don't have this is our house so this is a real treat).  Eventually make our way down to breakfast.  Fulton attends breakfast in his P.J's.  It is a free breakfast, but not cheap.

Head out to the children's museum.  Fulton LOVES the children museum and explores every inch of the place a few times over.    He knew it was a place just for him.  At just over 2 hours at the museum, Fulton asks me to hold him and I ask him if he wants to go get lunch.  He says yes, and I tell Bill now is our chance to go without a tantrum!

Off we head back downtown for an amazing lunch at the Blue Tractor.  Although our very hot and tired child didn't let us eat together (Bill ate, I kept Fulton busy and then we switched),  the food was amazing!  I had a pulled pork sandwich and Bill and a burger topped with pulled pork.  I got a great spicy Ginger ale and Bill got a local beer.  We also love the decor of the Blue Tractor.  Once we leave the Blue Tractor we explore town some more until Fulton has had his limit.  We leave and try to head back to the hotel for a nap (fail - Fulton won't sleep).

After hearing Fulton sing to himself for 45 minutes,  we decide to head to Moomers  for dinner.  Ice-Cream for dinner, yes please.  The ice-cream the boys get does not disappointment and either does my frozen yogurt blended with raspberries.  We had back into town to walk the beach, but our trip is short lived.  Our very hot, very tired, napless child has really reached his breaking point.  We head back to the Hotel only to find Fulton has gained a second wind and is running circles around our hotel room.  Oh well, at least we get to hang out and enjoy some Deadliest Catch and Ice Road Truckers.  Two of our favorite shows we rent from the library.

Family Vacation Post 1

Vacation...our first...ever.  It was great and lived up to everything I expected it to be.

Vacationing with a 21 month old is just that...vacationing with a 21 month old.  I suspect everything is harder with a 21 month old and vacation probably was too, but he had a great time coming along with mom and dad and we loved sharing this adventure with him.

On the way there our check transition light kept coming on.  We were a little nervous and kept pulling over to reset the computer, but we made it there just fine.  Fulton slept most of the way there.  We arrived in destination city around 4:30 or so.  Unloaded our gear at the hotel room, let Fulton explore the room, and then took off to town for dinner.  Our meal was fabulous.  We sat outside on a covered porch of a brewery specializing in smoked meets and beer.  Is this my family or what?

  There was one other couple aside from us dinning on the patio and they were extremely understanding of Fulton's need to be up and walking around.  While waiting for our food Bill and I took turns with Fulton and watched the storm come in.  Bill, Fulton, and I split a sampler platter of different smoked meets.  It was amazing.

After dinner we explored town, bought some chocolate covered cherries, and then heading back to the hotel room just as it started to rain.  Back at the hotel room the boys went for a dip in the pool.  We then enjoyed all the cable shows we never get to watch, and went to bed around 10.  Fulton would not sleep in the king size bed with us.  Thankfully we had his pack and play and feel asleep in less than 5 minutes once in "his" bed.

Banana Peach Smoothie

One single severing cup of Peach Yogurt
One overly ripe banana
Two ice cubes.

Blend together.

Serve.

 Fulton drank this entire smoothie without coming up for air.

Homemade Breadsticks

I found this recipe over at Clover Lane.
It turned out great and was very easy!

The dough in the "rising" process.

Fulton kept busy with his "cooking" tools.  He poured cheerios back and forth between an empty sippy cup and his cheerio bowl.

Right Now

Right now Fulton is transitioning to a big boy bed and it is going surprisingly well.

Right now we are preparing for vacation.  This is our first vacation ever. To say we are excited is an understatement.

Right now I cannot put down yet another Beverly Lewis novel.

Right now Bill is finally getting to feel those baby movements I have been feeling for a long time now.  (Baby P the second is kicking hard enough to be felt on the outside now).

Project Life January

My project life is up-to-date.  However, I only have pictures taken of January's layouts.  Enjoy! 

Week One

Week Two

Week 3

 Week 4