A Veggie Adventure

Wow!  I can't believe that we are already at the stage where Grayson is ready for baby food.  He will be six months on January 22nd.  The time is flying by.

I was a bit worried that I wouldn't have time to make Grayson's baby food.  It was really hard to keep up while making it for Grace when she was that age, and I thought with two kiddos finding the time to do it may be a challenge.  Fortunately, Grayson has become a really good baby (took us a while to get there) and Grace plays by herself so well, that it looks like it just may work out.

There are several reason why I like to make my kids baby food.  Quality of ingredients of coarse, but believe it or not it is so much cheaper, not to mention that with Grace her skin was sensitive to the dyes in the store bought baby foods and she would get a rash on her face where the food had touched her. Best of all it's really easy and kinda fun to make.

Back to "it's so much cheaper" reason. While shopping the grocery store for vegetables to begin making baby food I thought I would compare the price of the store bought stuff to the vegetables.  I was amazed how much it has gone up in the short time since Grace was eating baby food.  In my shopping trip yesterday I was able to purchase a bag on organic baby carrots for $1.50, which made 8 individual portions.  I also got sweet potatoes that were on sale for $1.00 each and a bag of organic sweet peas for $2.00. What a deal.

I have a baby food processor, but a regular blinder or food processor would do just as well.  My mother in law bought me a First Meals cookbook by Annabel Karmel.  It is really good and has recipes for baby food for 6-9 months and beyond.  It also has recipes for family meals that help get or toddlers to eat their veggies.  If you are on your first baby or you didn't make baby food for your other kids and would like to try.  My suggestion would be if you are going to do it, I would start out with the homemade stuff rather than the store bought, because the texture is so different and it has been my experience if they try the store bought, they will be more likely to expect that smoother texture.

So, after making the carrots yesterday I tried them out on Grayson, and he LOVED them.  After he ate an entire portion he was so mad that it was all gone and wanted more.  We will continue on with the carrots for a couple days to make sure we aren't allergic, then its off to our next "Veggie Adventure"

Here is my finished product.  Lets hope Grayson enjoys his veggies and Mommy's hard work more than Big Sister Grace, who since she got off baby food is almost impossible to get to eat veggies!

Good Luck to those who try their own baby food!



Playing "Catch Up"

Wow!  Looks like I have been on a blogging hiatus!  It's been far to long between posts.  I have to get better about that.  So much has happened since I last blogged.  Thanksgiving, Christmas, Grace's first trip to the dentist.  Well lets just start where we last left off....

THANKSGIVING

My parents always do a huge Thanksgiving out at their house.  They welcome any and everyone who wants to come. Family, Friends, In laws, it is so much fun.  I counted 55 people this Thanksgiving.  We were packed in there, but it was so much fun.  The day always begins with snacks and the Cowboys game.  We didn't win this year, but it was a good game.  After the game dinner is served.  They always have a huge spread, enough food for an army.  Dinner was wonderful as usual, they out did themselves.  Once dinner is done, the real fun begins....Texas A&M vs. Texas!  Mom goes all out on sweet treats and "drinks" child and adult drinks ;)  We are an AGGIE FAMILY that bleeds maroon, but we have some Longhorn fans that attend which makes for a pretty rowdy crowd!  Our Aggies were victorious this year! GIG'EM AGS! 
My sister Carren met and became friends with Jane Jones in college at UT Dallas.  Jane and her Husband Chris are from England, and live in Frisco.  They have been attending Mom & Dad's Thanksgiving for 6 or 7 years, and the past 3 or 4 years Jane's parents have made the trip of England to Texas to come also.  They are so much fun and we really enjoy having them.  Chris and Jane are planning a move to Germany this summer.  We are really going to miss them, but are also looking forward to going to visit them there.
This was Grayson's first Thanksgiving.  He didn't get to enjoy our wonderful dinner, but he was just starting baby oatmeal at that time, and gobbled it all up.

COUSIN CHRISTMAS
The Nelson side of the family, which is my mothers side always does there Christmas Celebration on Christmas Eve.  Now that we are all older and have families of our own, it can be difficult for everyone to make it on Christams Eve.  This year we decided to do a Christmas Celebration with all the cousins
(the grand/great grand kids).  Tiffinee was so kind to offer her home to us for dinner, playing and a slumber party.  Mom & Aunt Teresa brought 11 kids from Mt. Pleasant to Tiff's house in Euless.  Memaw Nelson's car served as the cargo train, hauling all their bags, sleeping bags & gifts.  Tiffinee prepared a wonderful spaghetti supper that all the kids really enjoyed.  We took them to play at the neighborhood park, they made Christmas Tree ornaments, opened gifts, went to look at Christmas Lights & made Smores!  It was a really fun time, everyone got along great and most of all everyone survived! haha!

Colton, Ryan, Grace, Grayson, Taylor, Tyler, Skylar, Anna, Bekah, Izzy, McKala, Kai, Maggie, Natalie & Daxton (we have lots more cousins that were not in attendance..maybe next year)

FAMILY CHRISTMAS

 Owen and I spend Christmas Eve at his parents (GG & Grandpa).  GG makes a wonderful Prime Rib Dinner, Owen's Favorite meal of the year I think!  After dinner we go to our house (there are two houses in between GG & Grandpa's house and ours) so we go to our house and open presents.  Owen's parents are the best gift givers, each gift is always so thoughtful and usually something very much needed. They took Grayson and Grace to a photographer friend of theirs home studio and had their pictures done for Owen and I.  They had them framed for us.  We were so surprised.  Owen and I both got tears in our eyes.  Thank you GG & Grandpa!  We love the pictures.  This year Grace won the prize for most gifts.  She must have had 30 to open.  It was so cute, with everyone that she opened she would say "it's just what I always wanted" and was so great about spending time looking at each gift and not just rushing to open another one.  We were so proud of her.
Unfortunately our little family had been fighting a stomach bug that hit Daddy on Christmas Eve. He felt much better on Christmas morning and was able to get out of bed to see the kids get their Santa stuff!  Grace was so excited this year it was so fun to watch.  We are looking so forward to Grayson getting to enjoy Christmas next year.
Christmas morning we make the trip to Mt. Pleasant and spend the next for days with my family.  Grace got a bicycle from Memaw Poag, she was over the moon.  I filmed her getting it on our video camera, I wish I had a picture of her face.  She was so excited.  She also got a Dora Guitar from Nelson (Memaw Nelson to everyone other than Grace) it is one of her favorite things to play with.  All in all we had a wonderful Christmas, we are so blessed.

GRACE GOES TO THE DENTIST
Last week Owen took Grace to her first dental appointment.  She has been supposed to go twice before and was sick both times.  Her dentist is hard to get into, so we had to wait forever to get an appointment.
We have had the "Dora goes to the Dentist" book for awhile and it is one of Grace's favorites.  She picks out the different things in the waiting and exam room and loves the part where Dora gets a toothbrush and sticker for being such a good patient.  She even took her Dora book along with her to show Dr. Holly.
Owen was so proud to report that Grace was so good at the dentist and that everyone loved her.  She told everyone at mothers day out that day about her trip to the dentist.
Dr. Holly says everything looks perfect and we are doing a wonderful job on dental health.  Grace is very into brushing her teeth.  Even more now that she got so much fun stuff at the dentist.

 GROWING BABIES
Grace and Grayson are both growing up so fast.  They are both such great kids and a joy to be around.  They aren't perfect, but we sure love them and feel so blessed that the lord chose us to be their parents.  It seems like yesterday that Grace was born, it's so hard to believe that almost three years has gone by.  Grayson has been such a wonderful addition to our family and Grace is absolutely the best big sister around.  She is great with him & he loves her!



Grace 2 1/2

Grayson 5 1/2 months

Whew!  That was a lot of work!  I will NEVER wait that long to blog again! Hope you all enjoy and are having a wonderful New Year!

Until Next time,

Rheagan