Friday, August 28, 2015

5 on Friday - Baby Food Edition

In an effort to clean up my draft posts, I accidentally deleted my Baby Food Edition Post.  



So, here is a new version!

In our house, we use a combo of Baby Led Weaning and homemade puree's.  I personally have a hard time letting #wiggydiggy  eat something that I cannot.  So I try everything I make and I eat everything I serve him (even Gerber Puffs!  Apple Cinnamon....YUM)

Step 1
The Supplies

Gather your necessary utensils:
Food Processor or Blender
Steamer/Rice Cooker or Pot with Steamer Rack
Knife
Cutting Board
Peeler
Trash Bowl
Ice Cube Trays
Spatula
Freezer Bags
Marker



Step 2
Gather up your fruits and veggies and start prepping.

Peel, slice, and dice to your hearts content.  The smaller the pieces, the faster they'll cook.  The exceptions are soft fruits (banana, plum, peach, blueberry, etc.  Just throw straight into the processor) and squash (cut length wise, place face down on a cookie sheet with some water and bake at 350 for about 60 minutes *depends on size of squash*)

I like to put my blends into bowls so I have everything portioned out and easy to see.


Step 3
Steam and Blend

If you have an electric steamer, you can use their User Guide to determine length of steam time.  Tougher fruits/veggies take longer to steam.  If you are steaming on the stove-top - just check periodically until a fork can pierce the food easily and cleanly.

I like to start steaming my toughest veggies first.  While they are steaming, I will blend up a puree of soft fruits that don't require steaming.

In the beginning I made single fruit or veggie purees.  Now I mix a variety together for fun flavors
Simple combinations:

Sweet potato, Apple and Pear
Apple, Banana, Peach and Plum
Pumpkin, Banana and Apple with Cinnamon
Strawberry, Blueberry, Banana
Sweet Potato, Pumpkin and Carrot

Step 4
Pour into Ice Cube Trays and Freeze

I'm not a stickler for the 1 oz equal size.  I buy ice cube trays from the dollar store (2 for $1!).

Once you have a blend all mixed together, grab your spatula and get to pouring!

If you have a better memory than me, you may not need this next tip
I keep a sticky note on the counter with a diagram of what tray is filled with what.  That way when I pull them out of the freeze hours later, I remember what I made!

Once everything is in the freezer, I write out all the freezer bags - Puree and Date.  It helps keep Justin and I on the same page and from letting a puree get ignored for too long.

Step 5
Clean up, Bag and Tag :)

Pop those yummy purees into their freezer bag for easy access in the future!



THE GOOD LIFE BLOG
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Monday, August 24, 2015

20 Questions

I've seen this pop up all over blogland, and I couldn't resist.  Besides, it's always fun to get to know someone new!

1. Favorite food:
Before pregnancy, it would have been pasta with cheese/cream sauce.  Now I’ll take a fresh crisp salad or a bacon cheeseburger for every meal please!

2. Flip flops or high heels:
High heels, hands down.  (Especially these)  I even wore heels to work the day before I gave birth! 


3. Favorite places to shop for yourself:
Outlets ;)  Especially J. Crew, Ralph Lauren, and Hilfiger.  I love the quality of their clothes and the classic cuts and prints.  I want clothes that will last for years.

Oh, and The Limited for their dress pants.  :insert heart eyed emoji here:

4. Standard Coffee order:
Latte, please and thank you.  Now that I drink coffee daily, I had to learn how to make a latte at home.  I handsdown love the Gingerbread Latte from Starbucks.  Hurry up fall!

5. Road trip must have snack:
Cheez-its.  Lots and lots and lots of water – La Croix, plain, Pellegrino, etc.

6. DIY or hire it out?
I love DIY, but I have no skills.  Jhas major skills but lacking in time.  If I had a million dollars, I’d hire it out and just get everything done at once.

7. Top 5 TV shows:
We cancelled TV.  (GASP, SHOCK).  We do have Netflix though!  Currently we are watching The Office and Parenthood.

Of all time?  Gilmore Girls will forever hold the #1 spot in my heart.

8. Favorite Book: 
I read A Ring of Endless Light by Madeline L’Engle over and over again throughout school.  I still love that book.

9. Favorite Form of Exercising:
T-25.  Short, fast and intense.  I lose motivation and drive after 10 minutes.

10. How tall are you?
5'7"

11. Do you try something new at restaurants or stick to your favorites?
It depends on the restaurant.  There are some places we go to JUST to have our old faithful’s. 

12. One make up item you can't live without:
Mascara. 

13. What's on your nightstand?
Water bottle, clock, bible, Kleenex box, glasses, phone charger

14. What's one thing motherhood has taught you?
The absolute joy of selflessness.  I knew that I would give up a lot of ‘me time’ by having #wiggydiggy, but it was the easiest and happiest decision I’ve ever made.  I had 29 years to do what I wanted; now I get to spend my time loving and helping our lil guy grow into the best man he can be. 




15. Music that reminds you of high school:
I can list of ton of music that makes me think of Jr. High, but high school?  I have no clue.  Maybe J.Lo?

16. If you could live anywhere in the world besides your current city where would you live?
Uh, can this PLEASE BE REAL?!  I would love to live closer to my parents.  Cheyenne, WY isn’t so bad 12 years out of high school.  I’d love to move back to Lincoln, NE.  I still think of Lincoln when I think of home (I would truly miss the mountains though).  How about northern CO – that’s a happy medium!

17. Tell us something about you we might not know:
If someone else is vacuuming, I have to leave the room.  It’s a childhood fear I never outgrew.

18. Websites you read/browse (besides blogs):
We deactivated our Facebook accounts, so I suddenly have so much time!  Haha.  Only kinda.

Pinterest, Buzzfeed, Weather.com

19. Morning person or Night owl?
Morning.  I love to go to bed early so I can get up early

20. Favorite Breakfast meal:
Bacon.
 I guess I’ll eat it with eggs, fruit and toast so it’s a well-rounded meal.  But I’ll just eat a plate of bacon.

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Life Lately

Life is kicking my butt these days.  I'm traveling every week for work, hence the slow down on blog posts.  However, we've made a few changes at the house.

Water heater door!  We installed an exterior door.  It used to be an interior door. Granted it is *in* our garage...but our garage isn't heated. Or inside.  So the interior door never made great sense. 

Painting new trim. 

New light over the kitchen sink.  I really like a white base so I can change decor without clashing. 

We finally removed the UFO light in our room!  This isn't my "dream light" but it isn't an eyesore anymore. 

Fingers crossed we'll have more progress soon!
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Monday, August 10, 2015

The Tale of the Missing Hot Water

Long story short:
Our water heater went out.

Long story made longer:
Took us a whole extra day to get it put in.

Thanks pipes (insert sarcasm)

Turns out that the previous owner's 'handyman' work on the sprinkler system made the opening three whole inches smaller than the water heater.

Which meant.....we took the door off.  Then took a stud down...
PESKY PIPE!

Love those wires?!  Another project to tackle.
The dead water heater. Ew. 


This is how we made do over the weekend.  (Boiling pots of water to use with the freezing water in our pipes.  FUN!)  Bless the in-laws who let us shower at their place Friday morning.  Bless them.

The new water heater!!

And a proper door to follow.  There was an interior door on previously.

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Photo Dump







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Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Cheyenne Frontier Days 2015

We flew to Wyoming for a week in July.  (Technically, we flew to Denver, then drove to WY, but....details)

The last full week of July is one of the best out of the whole year.  It's Frontier Days!!  Otherwise know as CFD, Largest Outdoor Rodeo, or the Daddy of 'em All.

I grew up in Cheyenne (among other places) and my family still lives there.  This is our favorite summer activity to partake in.  9 days of rodeos, night shows, parades, melodramas, pancake breakfasts and cowboys.

Meeting the family!


#cousinlove

Free pancake breakfast!

Sleepy baby

Haven't had Chick-fil-A in YEARS




Toby Keith Concert


Keith Urban Concert

Finals Rodeo

Eating Dinner in DIA

The countdown is on for next year!! 

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Answer Me This

1. At what temperature do you keep the thermostat set? Summer, winter, day, night?

In the winter, I try to keep it around 68 in the main part of the house.  We have baseboard heaters, so I'm able to have lil man's room warmer and our bedroom cooler.

In the summer we are at the whim's of the weather.  With no air conditioner, we keep fans going and strategically open and shut windows to keep the house cooler than outside.  Even after weeks of 90-100 degrees days, we can keep it in the low 70's in the house.


2. What is your favorite frozen beverage?

Dole Smoothie Shakers!  Just add juice and you're good to go :)  Most mornings I don't have time to make a fresh smoothie, so I love I can grab and go with these.

3. Where do you keep your keys?

If my jeep is in the garage - they are on the dashboard.  Anywhere else, I put them in my purse.

4. Have you ever really been lost?

Yes.  I would intentionally get lost when I moved to a new city.  I'd just drive around exploring

5. What is the last movie you saw in the theaters?


I can't remember.  I think Magic Mike 2 on Girls Night Out.  Maybe?

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Monday, August 3, 2015

#wiggydiggy 8 Months

#wiggydiggy  | 8 MONTHS




nicknames | bug, lil man, buggy, magoo

weight |  18 pounds 2 oz and 28 inches long!!  


size | Size 3 diapers all the way, 12 month jammies and a healthy mix of 9 and 12 month clothes.   I have a feeling it will be all 12 month before this month is over.

 sleep |  Still an awesome sleeper.  You had a few bumps while on vacation with your schedule being thrown off, and then again when you were fighting a virus.  You are down to 2 or 3 naps a day that average 2 hours.  You sleep *mostly* through the night, going to bed by 8 and waking up when I nurse you before work.



eats | Anything and everything we give you!  You have homemade puree's at daycare and we do 'Baby Led Weaning' at home.  You are SUCH a good eater!  We still nurse but you have been boycotting your AM bottle at daycare.  :/  Not sure what your new schedule will look like.  



loves | Your jumperoo, as always :)  Books, being in your Beco, cars/trucks/things with wheels, playing peek-a-boo.

dislikes | Waiting on food, dirty diapers, laying on your back

firsts |  Crawling!!  While on vacation, you finally put it together and used your arms to pull you forward!!  You are trying really hard to get up on your hands and knees, so I think that is just days away.  Eating ribs ;)  You love your protein!



Momma | It's true, what they say.  Time flies the first year.  I feel like we should still be home, snuggled up in the rocking chair, memorizing each other’s faces.  How did we get to 8 months so quickly?!  You are a mover and a shaker.  You are so inquisitive about everything around you and so serious when you are learning something new.  You absolutely LOVE to play with your friends and you are always so happy!  I love how you light up when you see me.  I love the monkey grip you have around my neck when I pick you up.  Our bond is tight, kid.  I love you so much.

Daddy | Son, you are 8 months old today and wow how you have grown. Your mom and I were talking the other night about how you used to fit across our chest and now you take up our whole upper body. You are a mover and squirmer and are so curious about everything. It's so fun seeing you learn and develop right in front of our eyes. You are army crawling like a champion and starting to push up and bring your knees up. It won't be long until you will be motoring around the house.  I love you so much son and can't wait to see how much you develop in the next month. 

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