Disclaimer

Jack just wanted everyone to know that the bright pink bib that he is wearing in the "Bananas" post belongs to McKenna...it's not his. He is definitely more manly than that. :)

Otter Goggles

McKenna had some funny goggles that we put on Jack. He didn't even care that they were on him which I was surprised by. He looked so funny!

Bananas!!!

Jack got to try bananas for the first time...finally something besides formula and rice cereal! He needs a little flavor in his life! This is in the morning and McKenna came straight out of bed to see what was going on. This is a picture of her famous CRAZY HAIR! I love it. Our friends came with their little girl Hailey, and I wish I would have got a picture of her crazy hair because it is hilarious! They are two peas in a pod. ...when McKenna isn't getting mad at her! :) I think she felt a little imposed on this week. Everything Hailey did, McKenna would tell her not to. One time she even told Hailey, "That's my carpet Hailey! Don't stand there!" Oh man, she is funny. I think my sister's next Family Night lesson will be on sharing. :)

Thanksgiving in Boise

We went to my sister, Stephanie's house for Thanksgiving. It was a lot of fun. Even thought we flew there, it seemed like it took FOREVER to get there. I guess Cleveland is a lot farther away than I think it is. We went paint balling on Friday and it was so fun! I have never been so I was a little nervous but it ended up being a blast! We even made it out with only a couple welts!! This is us with our game face. My mom even went with us, but for some reason she isn't in this picture. :(

Jack and his cousin McKenna. She is a crack up! She had been waiting and waiting for "baby Jack" to get there. Now she names everything Jack. She even has a little doll that she named Jack.

Aunt Whitney

McKenna wanted to do my hair... isn't it pretty?? :)

Okay...so this picture pretty much explains itself! McKenna is trying to be like her mom and feed her doll!! Oh man, we were cracking up!! She has quite the funny personality.
Jack was really good overall on the airplane. The way to Boise was a little questionable but the way back to Cleveland he was an angel! He liked to look out the window. That big red mark on his head in the bottom picture...yeah...I'm a bad mommy...I hit his head on the window at the airport when we went to go look at the airplanes!!!!

Jack had so much fun with Grandma and Grandpa Brownell! We wish we lived closer. They are pretty good at spoiling him, that's for sure! He is going to miss them!!! You better come visit soon Mom and Dad... :)

The Hillmans (minus McKenna). Thanks for letting us come to your house! We had a blast! It was a fun trip, but we are glad to be home and back in our little routine. Who knew that I would feel like Cleveland was home!

Costco

Here is Jack enjoying being a big boy in the cart at Costco with his friend Jackson. Jackson is a cutie pie! Every time you tell him to smile for the camera, he closes his left eye. Maybe no one really told him what the word smile meant?! I love how Jack had to be holding onto Jackson's coat just to make sure he wasn't going to fall out. These boys are a crack up!

I'm giving in

Wow...I am a geek!!

I have been tagged five times now by different friends and I keep telling Justin that there aren't six things about me that people would want to know! I have been trying to come up with something to write for a while now. But I figured since Justin will be at school studying ALL night (last night it was until 2 am!...it's finals week) that I have plenty of time to just sit here and think of something to write.

1. I am a Christmas fanatic!! In fact, I am listening to Christmas music right now and have been listening to it since..well...let's just say for a while. :) I love everything about Christmas. I love the commercials, I love the anticipation, I love Christmas Eve, I love the Karen Carpenter song that Angie and Justin hate, I love traditions, I love decorating and putting up my tree, and I LOVE the music! I just love the spirit of Christmas.

2. I don't eat berries. I'm not sure if it's a texture thing or what, but I just can't get myself to eat them! I love berry flavored things like jam and other things but I just don't like the actual berry. Sometimes I wonder if it's something I made up when I was little and I've stuck to it for so long, I just can't go back!

3. Just like Denisse, I have to follow a certain order in the shower. First, I shampoo my hair. Then I put my conditioner in. I then wash my body, shave my legs (not every day of course, but on the days I do, this is where it falls into the order of things), and wash my face. Then I finish up by rinsing out my conditioner. I don't know why I do it like that, but I can't picture doing it any other way!

4. I LOVE cereal. Pretty much any kind. I could eat it all day! It's so funny because I remember my sister-in-law, Stephanie Heaton saying once that Rice Crispies has 100% of your daily folic acid and I sometimes use that as an excuse in my head as to why I can have another bowl of cereal! Man, I should really stop.

5. I am the world's worst procrastinator. I am actually getting a little better since I married Justin because he gives me such a bad time about it. He is constantly reminding me to do thing because he says if he doesn't, I will probably put it off for another month. Hey, if it gets done eventually, who cares how long it takes me?! Right?

6. I love to lay on a fresh, cold pillow. When I was little, I used to lay on the very edge of my pillow and as soon as that spot would start to get warm, I would move over a little bit. Then when I had used all the cold spots on that side, I would flip my pillow over and start again. I would do this until I fell asleep. Isn't that weird? Now that I look back on it, I think it is so funny.

I guess if I sit here and think long enough, I could come up with a lot of weird stuff about me! It's good that I only have to put 6 because I might start writing things that could really embarrass me!!

Now I am passing this "tag" off to..... Whitney Brownell, Stephanie Heaton, Stephanie Berglind, Stephanie Hillman (I told you I know a lot of Stephanie's!) and my Mom. (Angie, I was going to put you, but I think you have already done it...if not, then TAG you're it!) You have to write 6 interesting things that people might now know about you. Can't wait to read them!

What I want to be when I grow up...

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk's lawn. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someones garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived." -Marjorie Hinckley

Super Stephanie Wells

Well, I just have to say that my sister-in-law, Stephanie Wells, is amazing! (I have to say her last name because there are about 50 Stephanie's in my life and it's hard to keep them all straight!) She is a super woman to the max. Always doing cute things for other people, always nice, rides horses (hence the picture of her and Spencer), rides four wheelers, has a cute house, and has four kids who never seem to run out of energy. She also is a great cook and has shared some amazing recipes with me that I am going to share with you. They are super easy to make, and so yummy. I swear cooking dinner, for me, is like a full time job. Making sure you have the ingredients, deciding WHAT to cook (that's the all time worst), etc, etc. I don't make anything that isn't easy mainly because with my luck I would spend all that time on it and something would go wrong making it a huge waste of my time. So if I am making it, you know it's a breeze.

White Chili

3 cans Northern White Beans (including the juice)
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1 C. white onion - chopped
1 C. salsa (Pase Pecante mild)
6 C. chicken stock (4 for a thicker chili)
3-4 chicken breasts - cooked and cubed

Put everything in the crock pot on LOW for 3-4 hours. Serve with sour cream, monterey jack cheese and white corn tortilla chips.

Cream Cheese Chicken

4 or 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in strips
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 pkg. dry chicken gravy mix

Brown the chicken strips. Combine all other ingredients and beat with an electric mixer until mostly smooth. Add chicken and put everything in the crock pot. Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes or noodles

Let me know how it goes!

For my cousin Holly

Holly keeps asking for a picture of our whole house. So Holly, this is for you!

Our New Favorite Picture

I just can't get over how funny this picture is. My sister, Angie, took it when she was here and we have it up on our magnet board in our kitchen. Every time we walk by it we just can't help but laugh! When Jack gets really excited he makes his eyes go big and flares his nose, just like this picture! It is a picture perfect example of his fun personality. I love it.

Poor Jack

This morning I had to take Jack the pediatrician to get more shots. I hate taking him and seeing him with such a sad face! After the shots, he gets the saddest cry you have ever heard. But I do love going and having them weigh him and seeing how much he has grown. The results....

Weight: 14 lbs 6.5 oz (25th percentile)
Height: 26 inches long (75th percentile)

He is so tall and skinny!! Hmm...sounds like someone else I know! :)