Play date 3 - Central Library

This morning Holly text for a play date.  We've been trying to hook up a date for several weeks.  But today we did it.  It was raining so we went for some free fun at the Central Library Kidzone.  Miriam and Rachael joined Jones, Ewan, holly and I as well.  The boys are literally almost as tall as Miriam and they are for sure heavier.  It's so neat to see them all growing up and interacting.  It's hard to believe that like 4 years ago none of my quilty friends had kids and now we have a pack of them. 

Jones was a little ornery wanting to take everything out and not being so good at sharing.  But he enjoyed himself.  Afterward Holly and I took the boys for Punch Burger where they ate ketchup with a side of tots and slider.  

Thanksgiving

For thanksgiving we went to my moms.  She cooked us dinner for her birthday (she wanted to).  We enjoyed ourselves, Jones especially.  He loved the cats, and the new stacking cups.  He also liked taking a trip to the park.  It was a good short trip. I wish I had remembered to take a group photo.  But we only got a partial group that Dustin took.

Jones literally was soooo sleepy when we sat down to dinner he ate cranberry sauce and black beans and a smudge of potatoes then wanted to nap on his tray.

We continued to work on potty training. He tried on daddy's glasses.

I am thankful for a lot of things this year see prior thankful Tuesday 10s.  

Happy birthday Momo!

It's my moms birthday today (and thanksgiving).  Happy happy happy!  We are so thankful for her help around the house and it's so great to see her interact with Jonesy. 

Book 55 - The Bassoon King

Book 55 The Bassoon King by Rainn Wilson - this year I am on a roll.  Nobody saw that coming.  I have read a lot of celebrity books this year I feel like.  I actually really liked this one.  Rainn had a lot of interesting things to share and I appreciate his passion for education and philanthropy.  I also already loved Dwight Schruete and soulpancake.com (one of his side projects) so I enjoyed his book. A I liked his question towards the end of the book "What are ten things you KnOW" - I plan to blog that later this month.  But anyhow this one I would read again probably best celebrity book all year (of course I have already forgotten the other 5 or so don't quote me on that.)

Tuesday 10 - Thankful For

Well I have missed too many days of blogging in November but I have been working on this list for at least a week:

1. Snuggles from this guy.  There's something so great about a baby hug.  I also am a fan of how he tells me "hi" each I enter a room.

2. IMQG - it's so excellent to have a group of friends with similar interests and inspiration.  (ps we made this quilt).

3. Nana who comes to play for a few days.  Jones has soooo many things to tell you.

4. The hard work this guy puts in each week.

5. Date nights that include baby jones.  

6. Quiet moments to myself.

7. Healthy baby coming in 2016.  Ps like 75 days!

8. Heat!  Our heater filter needed to be changed (shame shame). And I thought my furnace was broken!

9. Gods grace.

10. Friendships both new and old. 

6:12 Pot Roast

I haven't made pot roast since my days at crackerbarrel and I am not ever sure why not.  It's super simple.  I am probably going to have to make it again soon.  I ended up following this recipe from QueenBee coupons... http://queenbeecoupons.com/slow-cooker-crockpot-coca-cola-beef-roast-recipe-simple/

True to form I did alter the recipe to use more coke (a whole can) and we didn't add potatoes although I ate the leftover roast with leftover mashed potatoes from another night.  (This is shown in said photos).  Our roast was super large too so I actually split it into two parts and cooked on in the oven at 275 for like 5 hours.  

Overall it was good.  I wished it had more flavor but it was better the next day.  And also the crockpot roast was by far superior to the oven one although they looked the same.  

Pitch-in Friendsgivingish Dinner

A month or so ago we talked about having a pitch-in with friends.  We never scheduled it because of various things going on etc.  But with thanksgiving coming up I thought why not now.  

I invited some friends over.  

I made pot roast and spinach artichoke dip (more about those later).  

People showed up.

They brought dishes.

They played with Jones.

We fixed plates.

We ate.

We talked.  

We watched YouTube videos.

Jones entertained.

I held baby Louise.

Jones gave her hugs.

There was dessert.

I took literally one photo and didn't pay attention to my phone.

It was a good evening.

(Said photo is here... jones waving bye to Louise)

Childless Date

Meant to post this like 5 times!  Our friend Lynley babysat for us.  And boom we went on a childless date to our friends surprise 30th party!  

We got stuck in traffic and literally were pulling up to her house as she arrived back home.  So we almost spoiled the surprise but we had fun!  Happy 30 Mrs Hawkeye aka Ashlie!

Adventures in Potty Training

We decided recently it might be time for potty training, he started telling me he "beed" which was something we were waiting for before we started.  

So we got him a seat and set forth.  So far we have been working Jones up to not being terrified of the potty.  Last week he was mortified by the idea of sitting on it.  Literally he was screaming and begging for us to take him down.  

But we have been talking about it.  Pointing at it when in the bath.  He's even been putting his seat back on when we've removed it for ourselves.  And gradually we are convincing him it's okay to sit on without a diaper.  We've been reading on the toilet which he enjoys so maybe we'll get there.  He has been telling us more about using his diaper though which is good.  Like yesterday he brought me wipes and a diaper and said "botty... shooey". Botty = Potty so he was very aware that he went to the bathroom just doesn't quite get we want it in the potty.  

Some people keep telling me he's not ready or that we should have started sooner personally I that he is our baby so we can decide what we think.  And I see progress so this is good.

Date Life with a Toddler

We went out for steak the other night.  Jones attempted to use the booster seat it lasted long enough for him to grab all the things on the table and then we resorted to putting him into the belted high chair (ahhhhh much better).  

He did enjoy sorting the sugar packs with me, and then one went in his mouth and we promptly snatched them out of his eyesight.  He continued to enjoy himself though waving at all the servers and employees as they passed by.  He also decided despite his normal distaste for bread that he was into it and are two whole pieces. He also ate his mashed potatoes with a butter knife which he seemed to think was a spoon.  We tried several attempts to swap it out to screaming fits in which we just gave back the butter knife.  

He seems to prefer mommys well done steak to daddy's rare although he eats them both.  At the end of dinner jones needed his own take out box too for his crayons as he was very interested in the one with leftover steak in it.  

Overall aside from a few screaming fits about the knife, and the giant mess he made on the floor it was a good date.