It's raining, it's pouring

Maria had been wanting to go out and get wet in the rain, since it has been raining quite a bit here the last couple weeks. So finally there was a rainy time with no thundering when she was actually awake. So, she enjoyed the cool rain!

blueberries

okay, so I figured out how to get the videos on the blog again...hence the marathon of videos I have been posting. This video is from way back when we went blueberry picking and I posted about it here. Maria sure had fun!

blessing

We have been teaching Maria The Wesleyan Grace for a couple of weeks and she can already say it really well. Actually better than a simple "Thank you God, for this food" that we used to say with her, which usually came out more like, "God this pray, Amen." The Wesleyan Grace was the table blessing that Larry's grandparents and his family growing up used at meals.

At the beginning of the video I was trying to get her to sing the song she had just finished singing, "I love God, I love God, I love God, I love God..." you get the picture. But she did make up another song, which she has been doing a lot lately, starting with some gibberish and then she says "I wash my hands when I all done."

These are the words to the blessing that she is saying,

Be present at our table Lord.
Be here and everywhere adored.
These mercies bless and grant that we,
May feast and fellowship with thee.

We have plenty to praise God for; his provisions that we have the opportunity to bless each day.

jumping

Here is Maria's new skill of jumping with both feet together, she likes to jump everywhere, which can mean a LONG walk around the block even sometimes. We like how she crouches really low and then makes her jump.
We have plenty to praise God for; new skills.

Pretend Sleeping

Okay, here is the video that I mentioned back in this post.

the rattle

Anna jabber

Three Months

Yep, three months already.

Don't know her measurements since we don't have a checkup this month. I will try to get her on our scale for an estimate, but it's not really accurate. She is growing for sure though, since most of her 3 month outfits barely fit her, and size one diapers are way too small...moving on up to 6 month clothes already....sigh.

Still eats and sleeps well. Usually nurses 5 times a day, with an additional dream feed when I go to bed. She is ready for bed at 8 and usually sleeps till 8, if she isn't awoken by her noisy sister in the morning. She is napping about 3 times a day for about 1 1/2 hours each...sometimes longer. She is a very happy girl, loves bath time and gets a kick out of peek-a-boo.

She is able to hold a rattle and likes it noise when she shakes it. She does some tummy time, although doesn't like it as much as sitting up in my lap. She does like to look at the world around her.

Her fingers are a great soother for naps and bedtime. I find that after I change her and put her down for a nap, she will usually be sucking on her hands for a few minutes to help herself fall asleep. Doesn't cry much when falling asleep anymore.

Maria likes to "pat" her on the head. Has been found "reading" to her. Wants us to get her as soon as she hears her awake in the morning or after naps. Likes being a big "sissy".

We have plenty to praise God for; a happy growing 3 month old.

blogging bagels

So, I have made bagels at home twice, and we have decided that we really like them. Not that I don't like the store variety, but they seem to be SO heavy and often too big. So making your own, you can decide how big and they don't seem so heavy. So here is the basic recipe I used and directions, plus a couple pictures.

Honey Bagels

from Taste of Home

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1-1/4 cups warm water (110° to 115°)
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup honey, divided
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 egg
• 4 to 5 cups bread flour
• 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• (My changes: I left out the egg because we only had one and I needed it for dinner. I also didn't use the toppings. We like them plain.)

Directions:

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the oil, sugar, 3 tablespoons honey, brown sugar, salt and egg; mix well. Stir in enough flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until a smooth firm dough forms, about 8-10 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. (I used my mixer instead of kneading by hand, works well with a dough hook.)

Shape into 12 pieces; roll each piece into a 10-in. rope. Form bagels by overlapping the ends; pinch to seal. Place on a lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes. (The last time I made them I read about making balls of dough and poking a hole in the middle instead of making ropes, it worked well, so I did it again.)

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, bring 8 cups water and remaining honey to a boil. Drop bagels, one at a time, into boiling water. Cook bagels for 45 seconds; turn and cook 45 seconds longer. Remove bagels with a slotted spoon; drain and sprinkle with onion, sesame and poppy seeds.

Place bagels 2 in. apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. (I did have a problem with it sticking to the wax paper, not sure if I had actually used parchment if it would have been okay, maybe next time I will just grease a pan) Bake at 425° for 12 minutes. Turn and bake 5 minutes longer or until golden brown. Yield: 1 dozen.

Okay, Mindy, now you owe me the strombolli recipe! :)

The girls

Anna~ 3 Months

Maria~ 28 Months

"old" friends

Kelly and Mindy
Joe was the lifeguard at the pool.

Maria checking out the slide.

Yep, still life guarding...check out his grip on Zane!

Molly and Curtis

Steve checking out how "cool" we all looked in high school.

Making a "pond." Yep, the house will need a power wash after they're done.

more mud...

Robyn and Chris scoping out the yearbook.

Molly, Jessica, Steve, Robyn

Mindy, Kelly

Saturday we had a nice time hanging out with friends from high school. A few couldn't make it, but those who were there had a good time catching up, meeting all the kids...(9 total) and of course eating! It was a hot day, but the kids found ways to keep cool involving water mostly, but also sand and mud!

Thanks Robyn and Chris for hosting everyone...we had a great time. We'll have to do it again next summer.

We have plenty to praise God for; "old" friends.

shopping

"Aunt" Katie
Mindy, Jessica, Katie

Easton cheesing for me!

I met up with my mom, my best friend Mindy, my "little sister" Katie and her mom Sally on Friday to go shopping. We were at Jefferson Pointe and had a nice lunch at Panera after shopping. I was excited to find 6 shirts and especially excited to get 2 pairs of sandals, as finding size 11 isn't always very easy. After lunch my mom took the girls back for naps and I went to Kohls with the others.

Later that night when I got back my youngest brother Ryan and wife Lisa came over with Easton, Maria's cousin, for dinner. My grandma, G-G was there too. We enjoyed seeing all of them.

rattled

She can actually hang onto it pretty well and has a mighty shake!

imagination station

Here's the situation. Maria has laid out multiple blankets and placed dolls/animals on each one...their individual bed apparently. She even made a bed for daddy, and all of this was in Anna's room too. She loves to pretend she is putting her dolls to bed and hug and kiss them, telling them "good night".

I have a cute video of this, and her telling me not to take her picture because she is "sleeping" complete with squinty eyes to prove it, but alas, for some annoying reason once we put our laptop on a wireless connection I can't for the life of me get a video to upload...so if you have any great ideas on what to change to get it to work, we welcome your suggestions. Until then that video and several other cute ones are just hanging out on the computer!

We have plenty to praise God for; Maria's fun imagination.

Fun is...

just being a two year old!

We have plenty to praise God for; a usually sweet sometimes precocious two year old.

full of smiles

love that tongue!

We get lots of smiles from Anna lately...hard to catch them.

anticipation

We have been waiting quite a while to enjoy this lovely red bell pepper...and tonight is the night! Doesn't it look yummy?

We have plenty to praise God for; yummy red bell peppers.

more Grissom

"What's that button do?"

"uh, maybe you shouldn't have done that Joshua!"

"hmmm, this sign would make a good souvenir."

"You can be Orville, and I'll be Wiburina, okay?" " Gee, these ropes are about the best thing here, don't you think Joshua?"
" Well, the planes are pretty cool too, huh?"
"Yeah, the Navy rocks!"
" Maria, you have the coolest Dad."

"Let's ditch these girls, Uncle Larry."