Highlights from 2013

What a great year this has been! Our lives have sure changed from where we were at this point last year. Since we didn't get around to doing a Christmas card/newsletter, this is the next best thing! Here's a breakdown of our 2013:

In January I was very much pregnant, my sister's threw me an awesome "owl baby shower," and Jason and I had some fun with Marley's Tigger. Most of that month was spent preparing for the arrival of our baby girl. 

 I was still VERY much pregnant in February, because Marlene decided to come a week and a day late. That picture was taken the day before she was born. Then on February 13th she decided to grace us with her presence, and we have been smitten ever since.

 March was when my family came out to visit and we had Marlene's blessing. This was the first time my dad and Nathan got to meet her. During their visit was when I became more confidant in being able to take Marlene out and about.

 In April we celebrated Marley's first Easter, and got ready to move out on our own. The last weekend in April we moved to South Salt Lake and LOVE it! We live in a nice, quiet neighborhood and have moved into a really great ward.

 May was mostly spent just hanging out at home. Jason and I both started new jobs (Olive Garden and TJ Maxx) which we both enjoy. It was during this month that Marlene learned how to roll over.

 In June we had fun celebrating cousin Evie's birthday, playing outside, and Marley became quite the scooter. It was during this month that we learned she would no longer 
stay in one place.

 In July I decided to chop off my hair, Marley went to her first parade, and got to meet Auntie Heather and Uncle Mason. They came to visit around Pioneer Day, and we had a lot of fun! We also celebrated Jason's birthday and shot off lots of fireworks. During this month Marlene got to try baby food and liked it for the most part.

 August was a quiet month for us because Jason started up school again. He was very busy and didn't have a lot of free time, so Marlene and I spent a lot of time at home. It was around this time that she learned to sit by herself and got her first two teeth, you can see in the big picture there! I also quit my job at the beginning of August because it was conflicting too much with Jason's schedule, and he was making more than me.

 In September we got to celebrate cousin Jackson's first birthday! His party was so much fun, and since Marlene had just learned how to crawl she could keep up with all the other kids. She also learned how to pull herself up to standing this month.

 October was one of my favorite months because we got to see family in California! We had such a fun visit where we got to see so many friends and family, most of them were meeting Marley for the first time. Also, Marlene had her first Halloween and was the 
cutest unicorn ever.

 In November Marlene and I spent lots of time at home, after my car decided to die on us. We enjoyed a little time outside before cold set in, and Marlene had a great first Thanksgiving. I also went back to work just before Thanksgiving because I'm crazy because Jason had room in his schedule.

December was a crazy month! I was kept very busy working 8-hour days, and Jason was preparing for finals. We were trying to sell my car and almost got scammed BIG time by some not nice people early in the month. Thankfully, everything worked out and we still had an amazing Christmas. Marlene loved spending so 
much time with family, and so did we!

Now we're ready to start a new year full of new adventures! 
Some events to look forward to are: 
Marlene's first birthday in February
Buying a new car ASAP
Our 4th Anniversary in April
 A Farmer family trip to Disneyland in June
(I'm super excited for that! We've never all taken a trip together.)
And many more....

Happy New Year!

Marley's First Christmas

Marley had a great first Christmas! Because we have so much family in the area, our Christmas was spread out over a few different days. 

First, we got together with my sisters on the 15th. Marley opened her very first present ever, and it was a Minnie Mouse from her cousin Evie.

I love it when all the cousins can get together and play. They're so fun to watch. We all had fun visiting and eating yummy food. Its so nice that we all live close now. 

  

Our next Christmas was at Jason's parents' house in Cedar Hills on the 24th. It was so much fun because Auntie Heather and Uncle Mason were there! We don't get to see them very often, and they sure loved seeing Marley. 

Marley scored some great presents from Grandma and Grandpa. They got her a push toy that will help her learn to walk and keep her VERY busy. 

Our third Christmas was spent at home with just our little family. Marley woke up around 8, had a bottle, and then we opened presents. 

Our camera died just as Marley opened her first present, but we were able to get a bit of video before, and more pictures after it charged for a bit. 

After that, we were able to skype with my family and Marley opened her presents from Grandma, Papa, and Uncle Nathan. 

Then we headed to Bountiful for our fourth Christmas, with Jason's mom's side of the family. We're a pretty good looking bunch:

We had lots of fun visiting and opening presents, but Jason's allergies started getting really bad (they have a cat) so we went home early. 

After taking some naps and resting at home, we headed to our 5th Christmas, with the Henderson side. By this point, unfortunately I wasn't feeling too well and didn't get any pictures. We still had lots of fun though, and Marley loved all the attention. 

Christmas was a long day, but it was so much fun! Living close to so many of our family members is a blast. Now we're at home recovering from Christmas, craziness, and colds.

Can't wait to have my house back in order! Stay tuned for new projects coming up in 2014.

Thrifty Thursday: Holiday Garland

Its Thrifty Thursday! Today is the day I share craft projects that are virtually free. 

Today's craft is a holiday garland that uses stuff most people already have around the house. I found this fun site that has downloadable patterns all ready to be 
cut in strips, making it So easy!

Here's what you need:

-Computer paper

-Colored ink in your printer

-Scissors or paper cutter 

(Paper cutters are AMAZING. Get one if you don't have one already!)

-A stapler/or glue

Here's what you do:

-Go here to download some fun patterns

-Print your patterns out

-Cut your strips out and then cut them each in half

-Staple or glue your chain together 
(I stapled mine...my mantra is "Aint no body got time for that!" 
So I wasn't about to sit there and glue each paper...)

(Some tips: lay your strips in the order you want your pattern. I was sure that I was going to mess it up, but surprisingly I didn't! This helped. And you can see in the picture that I left a strip of white when cutting. This was just out of laziness, but you can't see it when stapled. Just saves a little time.)

Pretty simple! What I like about this is that The dimensions are already made up and I can save the files and make one each year. I will try storing mine with the Christmas decorations, but I'm pretty sure it will get smashed. 

Thanks whipup.net for the cute patterns! 

Marley's First Thanksgiving

Our day started out with Marley and I watching the Macy's Parade. I grew up watching that every year, and I knew she would have fun seeing all the bands, floats, and balloons. 

I think her favorite part was the marching bands.

After taking a nap it was time to head to Kaysville for Thanksgiving dinner with my mother-in-law's family. Marley had fun smiling at everyone and playing on the floor. 

Jason's grandpa was so cute, he got down on his knees to say hi to Marley once they arrived. He is a very sweet man and she loved the attention

Dinner was delicious, and Marley had some rolls. I was going to give her turkey to try, but she ended up needing a bottle right before we ate so I figured she would be too full. 

This little girl loves carbs the most anyways! 

I'm so grateful for the time we got to spend with family, especially my own little family. Sometimes we get so busy with school and work it is hard to find time to do stuff together. 

Now its time for Christmas! I'm so excited to take Marley to see the lights at Temple Square, get her picture taken with Santa, and have her open presents.

Thankful

These pictures pretty much sum up all that I have to be grateful for. I'm so blessed to me a mom, wife, daughter, sister, and auntie to some pretty amazing people. 

Life is pretty good around here. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Andes Mint Cookies

Ok guys. Here is the cookie recipe that should be your go-to for parties this holiday season. Close friends from back home know this recipe well because its my favorite, and the most requested treat in my arsenal. 

If you haven't noticed already, I don't do complicated or time consuming recipes. So it won't be a shock to you when I say that this recipe is easy and only has 4 ingredients. 

Here's what you need:

-1 chocolate cake mix 

(I didn't realize the one I bought had little 

chocolate chips in it...Christmas came early this year!)

-1 pack of Andes Mints or mint Hershey's Kisses if its holiday season.

(I actually prefer to use the Kisses)

-2 eggs

-1/2 cup oil

Here's what you do:

-Mix together eggs, oil, and cake mix

-Unwrap mints (Great job for little helpers) and break in half.

-Take half a mint (Or 1 Hershey's kiss) and completely cover with dough. I break the mints in half because it is easier to cover a square, rather than a rectangle. (And I prefer the kisses because it eliminates that step all together!)

-Place on cookie sheet, and bake at 350 for 8-12 minutes

Because the cookies are already brown, the best way to tell they are done is when the tops look "cracked." This recipe yields about 3 dozen cookies, depending on how generous you are with the dough.

Beware, these are addicting. I made them last night at my husband's request, and guess how many are left...7. And I only ate one because it broke when I pulled it off the pan! 

Get em while they're hot.  

Linked up to:

iheartnaptime
little inspiration 
Classy Clutter Cookie Exchange 

Thrifty Thursday: DIY Sensory Toys

Lately I've been trying to think of inexpensive toys to make for Marlene to play with. I've been saving lots of plastic containers in hopes of coming up with something she'd like. Last night I came up with a sensory toy for her that engages sight, sound, and touch.

Here's What you Need:

-A plastic container with lid

-Hot glue

-Things that rattle (I used uncooked rice, pasta, and beans)

-Different textures for outside to catch attention

-Different colored items if your container is clear. (Pom poms, beads, buttons, etc)

Here's What you Do:

Fill up container with whatever you have on hand that will rattle.

Then hot glue the lid shut, making sure it is VERY secure. 

Next you get to decorate the outside. 

 Felt is a great way to add a different texture. If you are going to cut out letters, I recommend making a stencil and then trace it backwards to avoid pen marks. 

I learned that the hard way with the M. 

You can also pull out your Keroppi sticker book from 1997 and put sparkly stickers 

on your toy for visual appeal.

That's pretty much it! The best thing about babies is that they are VERY easily amused, so they'll be happy with pretty much anything. 

The best thing about this is that it was 100% free because I made it with stuff I already had. You would be surprised what you can do when you raid your stash of craft supplies!

Check out another sensory toy HERE

10 Month Update

Our sweet baby girl is now 10 months old! I have loved every minute of being a mom, but the stage she is at right now is by far my favorite.

We've settled into a great routine with naps and eating, she loves to play with her toys and can entertain herself, and she's always making us laugh with her silly 
expressions and shenanigans.  

Right now she officially has 5 teeth, with the 6th one about to show up any day now. Her top front two teeth are a lot more visible now and should be visible in pictures soon. 

We're having fun introducing her to new foods, but with that comes some rough tummy troubles. Her doctor said we could give her some plain yogurt, but that didn't go over too well. Also, her poor tummy can NOT handle pears for some reason. 

Here's how other things are going:

Marley Likes

Waking up early 

(Mommy does not.)

Feeding herself

(French fries and cereal)

Looking at books

Talking 

(Da-da is her favorite word.)

Giving puppy dog looks if you eat in front of her

Standing up without holding onto things 

(She's learned to lean against her toy bins.)

  Any time she gets to play with Daddy

Skyping with Grandma, Papa, and Nathan

Being outside

(Even if its the parking garage at Wal-Mart)

Bathtime

Kids

(She always smiles and laughs when kids walk by at church or the store)

Waving, clapping, and giving "high fives"

Making a surprised face

Marley Doesn't Like

Getting put in the car after having fun outside or shopping

When she notices Mommy or Daddy leave the room

Trying new vegetables.

(Still only really likes squash and sweet potatoes)   

Pinching her fingers when she closes a book

Getting her nose wiped

Wearing shoes

So excited to have the holiday season coming up where we get to introduce Marlene to so many new things. She is going to love Christmas! 

10 Things.

I've been having so much fun lately reading all of the statuses people are posting on Facebook with fun facts about themselves. Its always great learning new things about your friends, especially things they don't normally share. 

So I thought I would do a post of 10 things you might not know about me. 

1. I'm a very picky eater, and I don't like to eat cooked vegetables (other than corn and green bean casserole) or 90% of breakfast foods.

2. I take great pleasure in deleting things from my DVR once I've watched them. I just like to clear it out. Also, when we used to go to my in-laws' to do laundry and they weren't home, I would secretly clean out their DVR. It would say they had only 2 hours of recording time left, and the stuff was over a year old!

3. I cannot stand when people have long toe nails. It's gross. 

4. I put lotion on my hands about 20 times a day. I keep it in my purse, the diaper bag, by my bed, and in the living room. I just can't handle having dry skin.

5. Sushi is my absolute favorite food. Which is surprising because I'm such a picky eater. I don't think I ever would have tried it if I hadn't met Jason. I tried it while we were dating to be polite, and realized it was DELICIOUS!

6. I have 23 cousins on my mom's side of the family (I am #6), and 1 on my dad's. 

And they are all awesome.

7. I am a reality TV junky. I admit I watch all of the "Real Housewives" shows, Keeping Up with the Kardashians and any other reality shows on E! or Bravo. I do draw the line at dumb shows on MTV like Jersey Shore though. 

8. I have Netflix A.D.D. By that I mean that I have started watching like 10 different shows and moved on to something new without finishing. I'm in the middle of Drop Dead Diva, Revenge, Last Man Standing, Grey's Anatomy, Bones, How I met Your Mother, Alias, Hart of Dixie, Parenthood, and much more!

9. I am VERY OCD about having clutter around my house. People who come to visit probably think that I cleaned up just for them, but my house is always that clean. I also pick up all of Marlene's toys every time she goes down for a nap so that I can have a 

break from "baby land."

10. I consider my brother and sisters to be my best friends. I'm so grateful that we all get along and enjoy spending time together. 

There you have it! Did you know any of these already?

Thanksgiving Printables

This is my favorite time of year! Halloween is all fun and dandy, but honestly I'm happy when its over so we can get to the "feel-good" holidays. 

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it's all about family, food, and giving thanks. Here are some printables I made to help celebrate this wonderful time of year:

Hope you enjoy this holiday season!

Crock Pot Beef Stew

Well, I finally did it. I was finally brave enough to "invent" my own recipe! By that I mean that I was totally winging it when I made beef stew yesterday.

Since the weather has cooled WAY down and fall has arrived, I've been craving stew. Every time I've made it in the past, it has tasted very bland. Thankfully today, everything turned out delicious and we'll be making this a lot more come winter. 

Here's what you need:

-1 lb stew meat

-6 medium potatoes

-2 cups water

-1 packet ranch dressing mix

-1 packet brown gravy mix

-1 packet  Italian dressing mix

-1 can cream of mushroom + 1 can of water

-assorted vegetables of your choice: baby carrots, corn, peas, etc. (We didn't have any on hand so we went without)

-1/2 cup corn starch

12/14 Update: I made this again but didn't have a brown gravy packet so I used an onion soup mix. Still tasted delicious!

Directions:

-pour corn starch in bowl and coat stew meat, place in crock pot

-Peel and slice potatoes, not too large or they'll take too long to cook, place in crock pot. 

-Add any other vegetables

-In separate bowl, combine all mixes, soup, and water. Mix well and pour into crock pot. 

Cook on high for 3-4 hours, stirring about every hour. Be sure to check if the potatoes are done, that's usually what takes the longest. 

This is a great meal for a blustery day, or even a Sunday dinner to cook 

while you're at church.

  

Linked Up To:
Classy Clutter 

Our Halloween

For Marlene's first Halloween, we headed down to Grandma and Grandpa's house! They live in a great neighborhood that does lots of fun activities.

On our way there we took a detour and picked up cousin Evie! After that we made a stop at the bank Auntie Suz works at so we could show off our costumes, and get some candy. 

Then we were off to Cedar Hills where we spent the rest of the night. Once we got there I took Evie down the street to get her face painted. (I didn't take my camera and I wish I had!) Once we were done, Nellie came after getting off work. 

Jason, Heidi (his sister), and Evie carved some pumpkins because Grandma and Grandpa grew 7 in their garden this year! 

Finally after dinner it was time for trick or treating. Evie was chomping at the bit to get going, and Marlene was wondering what the heck we were doing. She's never been outside at night for very long before, but she was her usual happy self. 

We hiked (literally, who's idea was it to build houses on a mountain side?!) around the neighborhood and scored some sweet treats. Popcorn, caramel apples, hot chocolate, 

and of course CANDY! 

And yes, we were totally those parents that took their baby around with a bag even though she's too little to eat any sweets. Only one person called us out on it.

Overall it was a great evening, and Marlene crashed pretty hard once we got home. Next year I'll try and think of a fun family costume.

Recipe Review: One Pot Spaghetti

Over the past week, I've had fun trying new recipes. So far we have had two fails (Balsamic Pot Roast and Buffalo Chicken Pasta) and now two successes! 

We tried "One Pot Spaghetti" last night and LOVED it! I have always been a Spaghetti person, and last night I converted Jason. This recipe takes it to another level in taste and simplicity. 

Here's what you need:

1 lb ground beef

1 can chicken broth (I used 8 oz from my carton)

1 jar Ragu

1/2 cup water

8 oz spaghetti noodles (about half of package)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

-In large pot, brown the meat and drain excess liquid.

-Add broth, sauce, and water to pot with the meat.

-Bring to boil, and then add pasta.

-Reduce heat, let simmer for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally, and add more water if needed.
-Once your pasta is cooked to how you like it, remove from heat, stir in cheese and serve!

After you've enjoyed this delicious dinner, you can enjoy the easy clean up of just one pot! The next time we have company, I'm pretty sure I will make this.

DIY Fabric Blocks

A few weeks ago I posted this picture on Instagram of the fabric blocks I was working on. I realized that I should share the tutorial because this is something SUPER easy! 

The tutorial I used can be found Here.

It was so simple I finished these in just two days. (Would've been faster if my sewing machine isn't so loud...no sewing during nap/bed time.)

This is a great project for emptying out your scrap box of fabric. You can make them any size you want, judging by what scraps you have. 

I used flannel fabric for two of the sides just to add different texture. Also, I didn't realize but the pink ribbon I used for the taggies also has bumpy edges. Perfect for a curious little babe. 

Here you can see they are a winner! I even toyed with the idea of putting bells inside or "crinkly" materials, but in the end I just went for something simple. And this way they can come to church.

Recipe Review: Mongolian Beef

I LOVE it when a Pinterest recipe works out. I love it even more when its easy, and can be made with ingredients I would normally have on hand. 

 

Photo via
This recipe was easy to make, and so delicious I have ZERO pictures of my own because we gobbled it up. The original recipe can be found at Six Sisters Stuff but I'm going to share what I did, because I omitted some ingredients to make it easier. 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak, cut into stir-fry sized strips
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup brown sugar

(I left out carrots, green onions, and diced ginger.)

Directions: Coat each piece of meat with corn starch and place in crock pot. Combine all other ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Pour over meat and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or low for 4-5.

We ate ours over rice, and you could totally add your own vegetables if that's your thing. This recipe will definitely make a weekly appearance at our house.

9 Month Update

I can't believe that my baby girl is 9 months old now. She has officially been outside of my tummy as long as she was in there!

In the past month Marley has cut another tooth, ridden her first airplane, and said her first two "words." She can say "ba-ba" and "mama," but they aren't ever directed at me or a bottle...she just likes to talk!

Yesterday Marlene had her 9 month check up and has sure grown a lot. At her 6 month check up she weighed 15 pounds 6 oz, and measured 26 inches long. Now she is 17 pounds 13 oz, and measures 27.25 inches long. 

All day I was dreading her appointment because I knew she would need a flu shot. Any parent knows that shots are the worst, but guess what. Marlene didn't even cry! I didn't even know that could happen...  

I have a feeling we are also days away from Marley cutting at least 2 more teeth on top. We had a rough night last night, and she has been super clingy. 

Here's how other things are going:

Marlene Likes

Feeding herself snacks

Watching Doc McStuffins and the Price is Right

Trying to grab any electronic device

Digging through her toy bins

Being outside

Her bath toys 
Riding in shopping carts or the stroller

Listening to music
Banging toys on the tv stand
 

Marlene Doesn't Like

Face-planting

Sitting still during diaper changes

Wearing shoes or headbands
Going to bed

 Another month gone by, I can't believe how much our little girl is growing. I'm grateful for every day I get to spend watching her learn and grow into such a little person. She never ceases to amaze me.