LANDON'S FIRST BIRTHDAY!!!

I can't believe it but today is Landon's first birthday! It just doesn't feel like a year since I had him. Sometimes I think I could do labor again. Here is that story for anyone interested. I am not ready to be pregnant again. I'm still recovering from the first time. We have had such a fun year watching him grow and lean so many new things. He is such an amazing blessing in our lives and we couldn't ask for a better child.








We decided to celebrate his birthday yesterday since Keith now works at night. We went up to my parents for dinner and dessert. He just loves being around family and has so much fun with everyone. It is so cute to see him get excited when he sees people he knows. He loved the cupcake and made a good mess. He had so much fun so it was worth it. After dinner we gave him presents. He got clothes, shoes, books, a bath set and toys. He absolutely loved the books he got. He just sat there opening them and saying something that all of us couldn't understand.

Today was just a low key day we hung out this morning before Keith had to go to work. We kept calling him birthday boy and he would get so excited and start laughing. This afternoon my friend from work took some family pictures for us. (The last ones we took were bridals... somethings have changed...) Landon was good for awhile and then he just got bored. After I got him some food and we came home and played and he went to bed around 7. No very exciting for him but he is only one and he was just happy to play all day.

Landon is getting taller and taller. He is mostly in 18 month clothes because he is so tall but he is so skinny that they fall off his little bum. He thinks it is funny when we are chasing him around trying to get his pants back where they should be. Landon just learned how to do down the stairs so he is very excited about that. He is also drinking milk now and if he is not done when the milk and it is gone he will go to the fridge and yell at us until we come get more for him.

Landon loves being where we are and doing what we are doing. He loves to help in the kitchen and watch things in the oven. He loves watching the Bosch mix things. He is into everything tries to figure out how everything works. Once he figures it out we are in trouble.. He recently figured out the toilets and so we had to put locks on the toilets. However his absolute favorite thing is the brooms and mop. He carried them around everywhere even though they are twice as tall as him.

We learned quickly that Landon is not a good restaurant patron. Once he could babble and starting being more aware of everything, going out anywhere became a task. We took him out a few times and he would scream and yell at people to get them to look at him. Then he started throwing food at people and wiggling around until he got out of his seat. It is hard to not get mad when he is laughing at everything his is doing. Now we get stuff to go or just get a babysitter because we cannot take him anywhere. I guess no kid can be perfect.

Other than things with Landon our life has been crazy. Keith took a part time job from 10 pm- 9 am so we can start saving for a house again and getting completely out of debt. On top of that he is now working at his main job from about 1-9:30 p.m. His work hired some temps for a later shift and they needed someone at night to help out so Keith was offered that job. It was a pay raise so he accepted it even though the hours are not ideal. It is hard not having here at night but we do get him here in the morning and Landon loves playing with his dad.

I am still working two days at the hospital and then I am also doing eighteen credits at school. I go once a week to the BYU Salt Lake Center once a week and have four classes. It is a long ten hour day but you have to do what you can when you are a mother. I also have two online classes that I am also taking. The plan is to be done by June at the latest. It will be a crazy few months but then I will be done with my undergrad and can just take a break for awhile. The hardest thing about it all is really just time management. It is a struggle to decide when to spend time with family and when to do homework but I'm slowly figuring all that out. I just tell myself the end is near and then there will be more time for family.

Landon is basically the most exciting thing in our life right now. There isn't much time for anything else. Thus I haven't had much time to blog... Maybe when school is done I'll get back to the food blogging... At least I hope so...

Derby Pie

This is one of my favorite desserts! It is so rich, delicious and super easy to make! It is perfect topped with Whipped cream or ice cream!

1 frozen Pie crust

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs beaten

1 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter melted

1 cup chocolate chip

Beat eggs and slowly add sugar butter vanilla and flour. Mix in nuts and chips pour in pie shell. Bake 25-30 min at 350 degrees. I think it is better served warm but it still tastes wonderful cooled.

Stuffed Shells

This was one of my favorite dinners growing up. It is easy to make and very delicious!

Stuffed Shells

Box of large shells
24 oz can of Pasta sauce

Stuffing
1/2 lb of sausage
1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese
16 oz container of cottage cheese
1-1 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
8 oz chopped spinach
1 TBS minced garlic
1 TBS garlic salt

Boil the shells according to the package directions. Cook the sausage until brown and thoroughly cooked. Pour some of the pasta sauce in the bottom of a 9X13 pan to completely cover it. In a bowl mix everything for the stuffing ingredients. Once the shells are soft drain the liquid and when they are cooled down start putting the stuffing into the shells and then put them in the pan on top of the pasta sauce. I usually stuff all the shells that aren't broken or torn first because there are always left over shells. Once you have used all the stuffing pour more pasta sauce over the shells. Use as much or as little as your family likes. Then to top it off sprinkle some shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Cook at 350 degrees until the cheese on top is melted and starting to turn brown.

This recipe is easy to omit whatever your family doesn't like. Alter the recipe to your family's likes. This is how I usually make it. You could use hamburger meat instead of sausage or change which cheese you use or how much. I halved this for Keith and I and we had plenty for dinner and lunch the next day.

Zucchini Bread

So the other day my dad gave me a zucchini from their garden. This this was huge! So I remembered a few years ago my old roommate Janelle made some Zucchini Bread. I decided that was the perfect thing to make with this huge zucchini.

I went on a search for a recipe that I liked. That took awhile. There were a few that were ok but I decided there were a lot of people into substitutions... It is not for me. At least right now. So after some Pinterest searching I decided to look at my staple website the food network. I found a recipe that I could mostly follow.

The recipe is from Paula Deen. No matter what happened in her past this woman know how to cook and cook amazingly. She has some of the best comfort food out there. There were only a few changes I made. I added 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg because it really isn't my favorite. I also added more chocolate chips and added orange extract instead of orange zest. Also I added some sugar on the top before putting the bread in the oven because I like that crispy crust it gives it.

Here is the Recipe if you don't want to go look at the website.

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon orange zest
Whipped cream, for serving
Zucchini ribbons, for serving
Directions
Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Grease (2) 9 by 5-inch loaf pans.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, spices and baking soda.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar, and continue beating until well blended. Stir in oil, vanilla, zucchini, pecans, chocolate chips, and orange zest. Stir in sifted ingredients. Pour into prepared loaf pans.

Bake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove loaves from pans and cool. Chill before slicing. Serve with whipped cream and ribbons of zucchini.

So this makes 2 loafs of bread and I thought I had two bread pans but I only had one... The first one looked great and then I went to get it out and the bottom stuck to the pan. I knew that I should have used Crisco to grease the pan but I was being lazy and used Pam. So for the second pan I mad sure I greases it really well with Crisco. I used butter Crisco because it is just better. It worked out much better!

I feel for the first time making zucchini bread I did a pretty good job. I really liked the orange flavor that came through with this recipe. I didn't make whipped cream for it but it is good with some butter and is best when it is warm!

7 Layer dip

So seven layer dip is one of my go to for parties or just when I don't feel like using the oven. I use the salsa for so many things and it just tastes so much better than canned salsa!

Seven Layer Dip
1 can refried beans
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 Tbs. Taco seasoning
Shredded cheese
Guacamole
Salsa
Tomatoes
Olives
Lettuce
Onions

Mix the sour cream and Taco Seasoning together (I like more seasoning but you can use what your family likes). Spread refried beans into an 8X8 pan. Spread Sour cream mix. Add other topping as desired. I usually keep the Guacamole and Salsa on the side for my own personal reasons. Keep refrigerated until serving.

Salsa
2 Diced Tomatoes (vine ripe are best)
1/2 onion diced
1/2 cup cilantro chopped
Green peppers diced if desired
2 tsp. lime juice
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. garlic salt

Mix all ingredients together and serve. More garlic salt can be added for taste

Guacamole
Take some of the Salsa from above
2 avocados
1 tsp. lime or lemon juice
2 tsp. minced garlic
Garlic salt until desired taste

Take some of the salsa and add the other ingredients to a blender and blend until desired consistency. If you have more time hand mash avocados and add other ingredients. I like to add extra lime or lemon juice so the guacamole doesn't change color as fast.

Chicken Salad/ Baby food

The best Caesar Dressing Ever!

It was another night of a simple dinner. After shopping at Target and then grocery shopping we were worn out so we went for the simple direction again. This is a very simple Chicken Salad. I cubed up a chicken breast and cooked it with garlic and a Montreal Chicken seasoning from Grill Mates. Usually we use just romaine lettuce but I had a bag of a garden blend so I used that. I topped it off with Parmesan cheese, chicken, croutons and Caesar dressing (the one in the picture is the only one we will eat). It took no more than 15 min to make and it is delicious!

Cooked Chicken

I also took some time tonight to make some food for Landon. We are headed to Colorado next week to see Keith's extended family. I found these containers at Target and thought they would be good for baby food. I make all my baby food in out Ninja Blender. It is seriously one of the best things we have in our kitchen! All I do is throw some cut up fruits or vegetables in the blender and puree it. This time I did pears, nectarines and butternut squash with apples. Landon doesn't love just vegetables so we have to mix it with something or put a good amount of agave in it.

My Pantry Part 1

There are a few things that I always have to have in my pantry or it just feels weird. This is other than the typical things like flour, sugar, sour cream, cream or chicken... I am a little weird about cooking. I have very specific things I like and very specific things that I do. Every so often I will go over some of the items I just can't cook without.

This I probably the item I use most often. I just don't like mincing garlic and so I use this. I don't have a specific brand that I always buy. Whenever I am out I just get what I can find whenever I am. It is very convenient to have and so much simpler than using fresh garlic. Garlic is the one thing I use in almost every non sweet thing I make. I almost always cook my meet with it or marinate my meat with it. It is such a good flavor and goes with so many varieties of food. It is a must in my house and it is a bad day when we run out.

One of my dreams is to have a spice cabinet with all my major spices in the larger jars like the ones above. These are the spices I use most often and I would not know what to do with out them. I have tried a few different types of Garlic Salt but Lawry's is my all time favorite. I use garlic salt basically every day. It can go in so many things and I use is it as much as I can.

The Grill Mates Montreal Steak is amazing! It is the best combination of seasons for just about anything! I used it on most meats and sometimes for seasoning some vegetables. I have not found a 'favorite' taco seasoning but this is the one from Sam's Club and it does the job that I need. It is very convenient to have around when I want to throw a Mexican flair into a meal.

I absolutely love having Ranch whenever I need it. They sell this jar at Sam's Club and it is so much better and cheaper than buying the packets. I use ranch in hamburgers, meatloaf or to season vegetables. I also am a little bit of a ranch snob and I only like homemade Ranch. It is so easy to make and so worth it. Just a cup of milk a cup of may and three tablespoons of the ranch and mix it up.

When I am baking there are a few items that I love having around. First is Butter Crisco. It is a very easy replacement for butter. There are somethings that just need butter but for like cookies Butter Crisco is the way to go. My absolute favorite chocolate chip cookies only use Butter Crisco. It is nice to have in the pantry in case I run out of butter. It doesn't happen often now that I have a freezer but it does happen. 

The other thing I am kind of a snob about is my choice in chocolate chips... I will not use semi sweet chocolate chips. I just do not like the taste so I use milk chocolate chips always. I will use non Hershey chocolate chips if I have to but Hershey's Chocolate is my all time favorite. I'm not a Nestle person to me the chocolate just isn't as good. It was the best day when I was at Sam's Club and they had these big bags of Hershey's chips! I an go through a bag a month sometimes. The best part is these big bags are about $6.50 (I can't remember the exact price). The best part is I don't have to worry about Keith opening a package of chocolate chips and eating so much I don't have enough for cookies or whatever else I need it for. 

I haven't really thought about buying peanut butter chips before but these have become a new staple. They are so delicious and can go with so many different desserts. I've been experimenting with them and have found they are really good in cookies and dessert breads. I've also mixed them with the chocolate and melted them for ice cream and to put on gram crackers.

Simple Stir Fry

So tonight I went simple. All day I was thinking about what to make for dinner and just couldn't decide. Finally I decided to go simple and easy. This is Stir Fry it is really easy to make. I cooked up a chicken breast with some minced garlic and a little olive oil. When the chicken started to brown I added a stir fry mix. We get ours at Costco or Winco. Any pack that looks good or that your family will eat works. Once the vegetables were unfrozen I added some panda express mandarin sauce. You could use whatever kind you like we just really like the mandarin sauce. I  let the sauce warm up and mix with everything and then put the stir fry over rice. I just used one chicken breast for Keith and I and we both had more than enough plus some for lunch tomorrow!

Southwest Rolls

So I had some left over won-ton wrappers from making Won-ton Salad so I wanted to make something similar to the Tex Mex Egg rolls from Cheesecake Factory. I also ran out of Sour cream so I mad up the dipping sauce with what I had.

Southwest Rolls

Easiest way to use minced garlic

Won-ton wrapers
1 can of corn
1 can of black beans
1/4-1/3 cup of cilantro
1 large chicken breast shredded
taco seasoning
1 tbs minced garlic
2 roma tomatoes diced
1/2 onion
1 cup shredded cheese
garlic salt to taste

Cook chicken to your liking using taco seasoning (I cooked mine on the stove in a little bit of water). Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients (except won-ton wrappers) in a bowl. Start adding stuffing to won-tons and rolling them up like an egg roll. Use a little bit of water on your finger to help seal the wrapper. Once all the rolls are stuffed spray cooking oil on them. Cook at 425 degrees for 20-25 min turning once. You can also deep fry them for 5-7 min. I made about 13 and stuffed them quite full.

Picture from http://www.poormet.com/buffalo-chicken-egg-rolls/

Dipping Sauce

4 oz of cream cheese
1/4-1/3 cup of cilantro
1 Tbs. lime juice
1 Tbs. minced Garlic
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup salsa (your choice)
2 tsp. Garlic salt
1 avocado

Most of the time I just estimate. So these measurements are just and estimate of what I used.

Cooking!

So I've decided to start adding recipes that I make to my blog. A lot of what I make comes from growing up and watching my mom cook or going to church things with her. My other sources are cookbooks or the oh so infamous Pinterest. After I decide on what I want to make I change things to fit with how I like making things or use things that I like or just what I have at the time. I will add pictures when I remember but they will not be professional or fancy I just want people to know what things look like in the end. I know the dread when trying to decide what to make for dinner so hopefully this can help other people come up with dinner ideas to get out of the rut of making the same thing over and over.

Cooking is a passion for me. It really helps me relax. There is something so rewarding to see people enjoying what you make. Making good food doesn't need to be difficult or complicated. It can be really simple and not stressful. It takes some time to get things going with cooking and it takes practice. I don't always make things perfect. Sometimes things are to salty or have too many onions but I learn form that and keep trying.

This is a recipe that I mad a few days ago for a girls night I had. One of my mom's friends brought it to a cooking night they had when we lived in Kentucky. I also made homemade ice cream that my Aunt Cami used to make.

Vegetable Pizza
2 Cans crescent rolls
Garlic salt
1 8 oz bar of cream cheese
1/2 cup mayo
3 tbs. Ranch or a ranch packet
sunflower seeds
broccoli 
carrots
tomatoes
cilantro
green onions

Spread out the crescent rolls on a cake pan and sprinkle some garlic salt on it (I use Lawry's Garlic Salt). Cook the crescent rolls for 10-15 min at 350 degrees (until golden brown). Mix together the cream cheese, mayo and ranch. When the crescent rolls are cooked and cooled then spread on the ranch and top with whatever vegetables you like. I listed what I used.

Citrus Ice Cream

3 eggs

3 oranges juice

2 lemons juice

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 pint whip cream

1 canned milk

3-4 cups frozen fruit blend

Add enough milk to be within 2 inches from the top

Add everything to an ice cream maker. Then use the directions of the ice cream maker to get the ice cream frozen.

My College Life

*This is a disclaimer that there are personal things in here and some of my personal opinions. If you don't like what I say that is your issue. If you don't want to read about it just don't continue reading. It is a little scattered because I am just getting things out. I'm not posting this so people to feel sorry for me. I don't want that at all. I just am tired of being asked why I didn't graduate yet.*


As I sit and watch my baby playing occasionally looking at me and smiling I really can't imagine a different life. I feel like in the last few years I have become a completely different person than I was four years ago when I graduated High School.

I've been asked a few times lately why I am not graduating college this year and really the simple answer is
life. It is not for a lack of effort it is more all the things that have happened to me in the last four years and most of them very unplanned. He is the reasons why I didn't graduate when I 'should' have and how I have changed.

I graduated high school knowing a few things not wanting kids and not wanting to get married until I was at least 28. Also I wanted to go to medical school and that was the end of it. I was not going to consider any other option. The idea of having a kid was just to much. I had so many other things that I wanted to do with my life and a kid was just going to get in the way of my dreams. Oh  how things have things changed...

Looking back at who I was when I graduated and who I was for along time after it kind of makes me a little sick. I was so worried about who everyone else wanted me to be. At least who I thought everyone wanted me to be I really lost myself. I was so worried about other people's opinion I didn't go after certain things I wanted because I was afraid of what others would think. I did things that I really didn't want to do because I was doing what I though other people wanted me to do.

It took some time but I really got a hold of what I wanted and who I wanted to be. Once I had these realizations I became a much happier person. I finally was able to realize why my parents were strict and why they mad us do and not do certain things. It was not an easy transition and there are time that I can feel myself falling back but now I have an amazing husband who is there to support me and tell me to do what I want and be who I want to be not who I think people want me to be.

A few days after I graduated high school I left for BYU. I started college very excited and very ambitions.  I was excited but I was extremely homesick. It was a very hard semester being away from my immediate family and friends. Soon after I got into my second semester I found out my family was moving out to Utah and I started not being so homesick.

In September had my first surgery of my college life. That was my first of seven surgeries that I have had to have since starting college. I've had kidney stones surgically removed twice. I was then diagnosed with chronic Kidney stones and i get them at least once a month. I then had to get my gall bladder out because I started throwing up every time I ate. Then I had to have a surgery to see why I was having really bad and painful periods. It was after that surgery that I got the devastating news that I may not ever be able to have a baby and that I had until I was 25 to have kids and then I needed to have everything taken out because I had pre-cancerous cells in my uterus. In June of 2011 I had foot surgery because it was really painful to walk. I thought I would be done but of course I was not.

I had issues when I was pregnant with my heart so a few weeks after I delivered Landon I had to go get a heart procedure done to make sure that my heart was working properly. Then the screws from my foot surgery were backing out and I had to get them surgically removed. Surgeries are not my only issue there are quite a few other things I have to keep a check on. I have at least 10 doctors that I see a few times a year. Doctors visits have just become a regular part of my life. It can get very annoying but it really has become my life. I had to learn to balance medical issues with school, work and a social life. It was not easy at all. I really think I have paid more for medical expenses through college than what I've spent on college so far.

I really hope that I am done with surgeries but I know that I really am not done. I know for sure when I am 25 I have a surgery but it will be better than having to fight cancer. There will probably be more but that is what insurance is for. I really don't know what I would do without it. I really don't understand people who are just fine with not having insurance. It would make me so nervous because you never know what could happen. I did not expect any of my medical issues and I would be in so much debt if I didn't have insurance.

In order to pay for everything and all my medical bills had had to start working full time and go to school full time. I would go to school from 11 to 4 or 6, then I would go to work from 8:00 to 4:30 am and come home and crash. It was a very hard year of working night shift and going to school full time. I know a lot of people who have to do that but when you go to a school that tries to limit students to working 20 hours not many people around understood the time commitment it took.

On top of all that I was dealing with issues from being sexually abused by people who I thought were there for me and that I could trust. There were times when I would have panic attacks during class if a male would sit next to me because I didn't want to get to know them and have something happen. I had a very very hard time trusting the majority of the male gender for a very long time. I tried very hard to hid it because I thought I was being dumb. I later learned it is very common. In all honesty I started being able to trust a male when I stated dating Keith. At the time I really wasn't sure why I felt so comfortable around him but I later learned why. The pain of sexual abuse doesn't go away but I have such a wonderful husband who lets me vent or cry or do whatever I need to to try and get past what I need to. He is always by my side and he knew that all of the pain and issues wouldn't just go away but he married me anyway and has been so wonderful.

Life the bast four years has not been super wonderful but there has been so many amazing thins that have happened that I can look past those bad things and move forward. I have so many things in life to be thankful for and I just don't see a reason to complain very much. I have so many miracles that have happened in my life that I know that I need to make the best of my situation and rely on people who will stand by me.

In my position in the hospital I talk to so many people whose life is so much worse than mine and I just can't help but be thankful for my issues when I could have it so much worse. Life is never easy but it could be worse so I think it is best to make the most of the situation you are in and if is isn't working then DO something. Don't just sit around and complain. Change things that you can and improve things you can't get rid of. If someone isn't willing to do something to help or change their situation they shouldn't be complaining about it all the time. There are times when we all need to just have a 'woe is me' moment but then we need to move on and do something.

I still have dreams and I still want to be in the medical field but not in the way I had planned when I graduated  high school. I have full intentions of finishing my undergrad and then go to physician assistant school a few years later. There are just other things that I need to do first. I need to finish my undergrad, try and have another baby and spend some time with my family. I always tell myself I can always go to school I can't always have a baby or spend time with my family. I know that I am on the track that I need to be on to get what I want in life.

I can't believe I used to not want children because Landon is my whole world. I love being married. I have such a wonderful husband who is my bigger supporter in my life and pushes me to do everything I want to do. I many not have graduated when I should have but I have so much life experience and such a different perspective that I really don't care that I didn't graduate this semester. I think I am doing the best I can. Like my mom said yesterday "I'd like to see someone where you are and accomplish as much as you have."

Our Mobile Little Man

Pool Time

Our world has been turned upside down since Landon has become mobile. It is crazy how fast he is doing things. Just two weeks ago he just laid on the floor and would roll around a little bit. Those were the nice days. Now he is EVERYWHERE! He is crawling like a crazy man!

At the pool

Then last Saturday when I was at work he started crawling up the stairs... He thinks he is so funny. When we have time we sit with him and go up with him so that we can watch him. I figure the better he is at it the safer he will be. I've tried to teach him how to come down but he just thinks it is funny to slide down the stairs. Every new step he goes up he turns around and laughs and almost falls backwards. We had to get another gate so that he couldn't get up the stairs. He was very unhappy with that.

Landon selfie

Landon has also started getting up to furniture and kind of walking around. He honestly tries to be on his feet as much as he can because he doesn't love crawling. He falls often and is all bruised but he is learning. Every time he falls I tell him he is ok and to get back up. He doesn't cry as much when he falls. It is funny though when he cried because most of the time he is being a dramatic faker so it is hard not to laugh at him.

Ready for summer

We got Landon some used toys and he loves them! They make noises and they are shorter so it is easier for him to stand at them and play. Even with all the new toys he still just wants paper and the remotes. We have to keep the remotes away from him because he was leaving teeth marks on them.

Eating our food

We have taken Landon to the water park a few times this summer and he just loves it. He still isn't sure about the waves in the wave pool but he just gets so excited when he is in the water. We got him a batman pool float and I think everyone else loves it more than he does. It is entertaining to watch him in the pool. He tried to drink the water and then he coughs very dramatically like he is choking and then he laughs about it.

Another Selfie

Landon is eating so much. We were going through baby food like crazy so I decided to start making my own baby food. It is really easy and Landon seems to really like it so far. He had a hard time with vegetables before and it has gotten a little better. He really likes it when we but agave in the food to make it taste a little better. We decided he must like it because he isn't even 9 months yet and he is in 12 month clothing! He is just a very tall boy not very chunky just long. We will see later this month at his appointment exactly how big he is.

I seriously couldn't ask for a better child he is almost always so happy and smiling. Even our his bad days he is still isn't a horrible baby. Every once and awhile he will have a melt down but it isn't anything horrible. He loves getting people's attention whenever we go so he can smile at them. It is so cute! He loves looking at himself in the camera and he just smiles so big when he sees himself.

Superman in the Batmobile

Sleepy guy

Going up the stairs

This is what happens when he doesn't get his way

Standing in his crib 

There isn't much new with Keith and I we are just into our routine of work and taking care of Landon. I'm going to be taking some online classes soon to get going on finishing school. Other than that there isn't much new with us.

Just a little update

Eating Ice Cream

As I'm sitting here alone waiting for Keith to come home from working the later shift at work I realized it has been awhile since I have done an update.

Not liking the Grass

Landon has been growing like crazy! He is over seven months old now! Landon is over 20 pounds and has to be at least 30 inches long. He has started getting ready to crawl but hasn't done it yet. It is funny to see him try. Sometimes he gets really frustrated that he can't go very fast but he can certainly get around the room rolling. Yesterday I was in the kitchen getting something to eat and I hear something and then Landon crying. I can in and he had pulled the DVD player on himself. So I had to move everything higher and make sure all the cords are out of his reach. He wasn't very happy that I took his 'toy' away. Such is life. I get to be the bad guy. The other day we put him on the grass and he did not like that one bit! He was up on his toes and holding himself up so fast. We think the crawling is coming but we are enjoying him not being so mobile

Not happy he isn't moving

Landon has also stared to give high fives when you ask him. It is so funny because he gets so excited when he hits someones hand. He also talks so much! He sings in the car, will try talking to people and just talks just to hear himself. I just love seeing him advance and grow it is so much fun! He also has a favorite TV show, it is Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood on PBS. It is extremely funny to watch him watching the show. He laughs, gets excited and starts bouncing. He usually watches the whole thing and is so happy.

Last week poor Landon was sick :( I just thought it was his other tooth that came in but it wasn't. We still don't know what it was because the doctor still hasn't gotten back to us... but that's a different story for another time... Landon had a fever and we were changing 6-7 poopy diapers a day. They usually called for a total outfit change... I did a lot of laundry last week. He wasn't sleepy well either. As much as I hate him being sick I do love that he is extra cuddly. He just wanted to be right next to me all week so we didn't get much done. He was still very happy though. Then all the sudden Monday everything went back to normal and we haven't had a bad poopy diaper since.

Watching Daniel Tiger

Landon is eating like crazy! He wants to be eating everything that Keith and I eat but he doesn't always get to. He loves eating baby food and just chows when we give it to him. He get very upset if we don't feed him at a pace that he agrees with, which is usually as fast as possible. He is a little stinker and refuses to breastfeed during the day. He will when he first wakes up or if he is going to bed. I'm just fine with it because I got tired of fighting with him and trying to force him to eat. It makes life easier to just go with what he wants right now.

Hanging out at Church

We have a very opinionated and strong willed child. If things aren't how he wants it he will let us know. If he is done with something he will also let us know. He very much likes being the center of attention. He will yell at me if I am on the computer and not looking at him. Then when I put the computer away he will just happily go back to playing in his bouncer. He also is picky. Keith got him a pair of jeans with a snap and the other day I would close the snap and not long after he would unsnap it if he was trying to relax or when he was eating. He got very mad when I would snap it again . He may be a little spoiled but for right now I am just fine with it.

I finished this semester about a week and a half ago. It is so nice to be done for then semester. Even though I am not finished with school it was such a relief to be done with the semester. I like school but it is so hard to get things done with a baby, husband and work to worry about. I will be so happy to just be done with my undergrad when that time comes.

Relaxed baby with unsnapped Jeans

We are so excited for the summer! We have a pool pass and plan on being there often! We want Landon to like the water so we figure the more we go the more used to the pool he will be. It will be nice to just hang out and have fun with friends and family this summer. We are planning on going to Colorado to visit family but other than that we are staying home because we are trying to get out of debt as soon as we can and then start saving again for a house or something.

That is our life right now. It pretty much revolves around Landon and all the exciting things he is learning and doing!

Being a Mother

This isn't an update it is more of a rant/my view on being a mother.

Some days being a mom is really hard. Even though it is everything I've ever wanted it doesn't make those hard days easier. You question why things just don't work out and why things are happening the way they are. You wonder if you are a good mother and if you can really be this child's mother and give them everything they need. Then there are those moments when you realize why you are a mother and how absolutely wonderful that blessing is.

I was having a hard day this week, nothing seemed to be going well. It just seemed to be one thing after another, doctors visits, school, work, you name it and on top of everything I had a very upset baby who is teething. He was having a hard day and it was really hard to watch him not feel well. I was just so tired and just not sure what to with everything going on. After trying to get the baby happy by watching some you-tube videos I came across these two videos.

It is amazing how simple things can really make you reevaluate you life. Yes things were not going the way I thought and/or wanted but at the end of the day I was so blessed. First of all I have a very loving and patient Savior who knows my struggles and is there for me when I need it the most. Second, I have an absolutely amazing husband who loves me and my son. We don't always agree but I know he would do anything for me and Landon. I also have the most amazing blessing of being the Mother of a beautiful and healthy baby. He has become the center of my world. I feel so blessed to have him and be able to be part of raising him. I realize that things will not always be perfect and there will be bad days. In the end I know that I am being blessed and that I'm not doing this alone there are many people helping me. 

My heart just ache for those people who struggle to have children and are not able to. When I thought that may be us it was just so hard to even grasp. It just makes me hope that those people have an opportunity to make a difference in a child's life and experience the wonderful joy of teaching and caring for a child. I love being a mom and I just hope that those who really want to be a mom have that opportunity in some way. 

So it begins...

LOVE Him!

Ice cream was gone

Today was a momentous day in our house, Landon's first tooth broke through. I figured it would happen soon because he has been crabbier than usual and nothing seemed to help. This afternoon we found out why. He was upset so I was rubbing his gums and then all the sudden I felt his little tooth. I opened his mouth to look and make sure and it was there just peaking through. So we now being the 'fun' of the rest of his teeth coming through. It is not fun to have him upset and in pain but it is how life goes. One thing he loves that seems to help is ice cream so I've stocked up.

At the Dr.'s office

In other news we went for Landon's 6 month check up and he is 28.5 inches and 16.6 pounds. He is in the 99 percentile for height and the 34 percentile for weight. So he is tall and skinny, just like his dad. Landon had to get shots and he was not to happy but he only cried for like 45 seconds and then he was done and just wanted to cuddle with me. I do not object when he wants to cuddle. The doctor said he looked great and everything is going well with him and he doesn't see any problems.

After his shots

After the doctors I went to get things for his first Easter. I really wasn't sure what to get a 6 month old. Honestly he could care less and just likes to play with the plastic eggs. I've decided that for the most part he has enough clothes so we are are working on building a little library of books for him. I ended up getting him so books and I found some superhero wall decals for his room (those are more for his dad but Landon don't care). We also got him a cute outfit for Easter and I'm excited for him to wear it on Easter.

Hanging out with his eggs

It is so much fun to watch Landon learn new things and try new things every day. He has started to wave to people. It doesn't happen all the time but when it does it is so cute! He loves making eye contact with people in the store and is not satisfied until they smile at him. It takes a lot longer to get through a shopping trip because we get stopped by so many people because he gets their attention. He is also working on being able to get up to crawl. He can get up on his knees but then his head falls to the floor. He gets upset but it is hard not to laugh at. Recently we ask him to give us a kiss and he just opens his mouth wide. He doesn't quite have the concept but we are working on it.

Everything is his

Not much has been going on for us. We have just been working and taking care of the baby. I've got a few more weeks of the semester so I've just been doing homework and tests with the free time I can find. I still this it is funny that I thought I would have a lot of free time to do school. I don't; it is a lot harder having a child and going to school than I thought it would be. Luckily I have an amazing husband who helps out whenever I need it and is very willing to do anything I ask or need him to do without complaining. I give so much credit to those mothers out there who are doing everything they can for their child when they do not have support for the baby's father. I couldn't imagine raising a child on my own.

Eating dinner

Our little family is doing well we are just busy with life. We are slowly getting our place to where we want it. It is starting to feel more like home. We got pictures up and that really does make a difference. We are almost done unpacking. There are a couple of bins and a box or two that we still need to go through but I was tired of unpacking so I stopped for awhile. It will be a good day when everything is finally unpacked and has a place.

Such a good sleeper