CJ and Molly's Wedding

We spent the past weekend in Grand Rapids at my cousin CJ's wedding. Almost the entire family showed up on Friday evening for dinner and a couple of beers (after we met up with those at the rehearsal.)

On Saturday Ali, Ethan and I met up with Jeff Doyle for lunch before I did a little shopping. Some of you know my desire to start up an autographed football jersey collection...well, it started on Saturday with a nice #20 Barry Sanders jersey. I will post pics once I have it up on the wall.

Back to the main event. The wedding went off without a hitch (which means neither Ethan nor Addy made too much noise during the ceremony, and both CJ and Molly said yes.)

We took Addy and Ethan back to the hotel to hang with a babysitter during the reception. The adults took pictures and did a little dancing.

A fun weekend was wrapped up with a very nice brunch at Molly's parents house. See all the pictures HERE.

18 Months, 2 1/2 Weeks

On Friday Ethan had his 18 month appointment. We saw a different Dr. in the practice this time and I felt much more comfortable leaving our pediatrician downtown than I did at Ethan's previous appointment at Central DuPage. I felt like Dr. Christiansen was much more thorough and more warm and fuzzy than Dr. Flannigan.

The appointment was a couple weeks late, but we thought this would give him a chance to add a couple more ounces to his weight. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. Oh, and the holidays had something to do with it too! Ethan is still a peanut, weighing in at 22 lbs. 7 oz. (8%) which is up a percentile from his 15 month check up. Ethan did shoot up in height though, measuring 33 inches tall (66%), up from the 33rd percentile at 15 months. So, we have a string bean on our hands, but the Dr. assured me that he continues to grow at a steady pace and that I should stop worrying so much. Easier said than done in my world! Ethan also had 4 shots and did very well, only about 2 minutes of crying and then he was back to his happy little self. A Thomas sticker makes everything better too! We did find out later that he must be allergic to an ingredient in one or more of the shots because he developed quite a bad rash that evening and into Saturday. Thankfully it was nothing serious and had disappeared by Monday.

We also discovered during Ethan's appointment that he has something called a hydrocele. You can read more about a hydrocele here, but basically a hydrocele is a swelling of either one or both testicles caused by a hole that allows fluid into the scrotum. The Dr. assured us that this is somewhat common in male babies and is nothing we should worry about, but something we should have taken care of in the next couple of months. Most likely, Ethan will have to have surgery to remove the fluid and seal the hole, but we will not know for sure until we see a Urologist at Children's in February (appointment is February 9th). We will keep everyone updated. Other than that, Ethan is doing great! He continues to be a really good baby. No wait (and I can't believe I am saying this), he continues to be a really good toddler! Why oh why does time go by so fast? I can't believe we are going to be celebrating his 2nd birthday in less than 6 months. I try to cherish every moment, but unfortunately life gets in the way and days go by too fast! I still love his snuggles and every time he wants to sit on my lap and read a book. He is all boy and loves his tractors, trucks, trains and cars. He is fascinated by big machinery and loves books. I actually think love is an understatement because he could sit on your lap for hours and read books. He has to be on your lap though, there is no sitting next to you! He also loves to read to himself in his big red chair! He is always busy, busy, busy which keeps Matt and I on our toes at all times.

While he is still not saying a ton of words (again something the Dr. told me I should not worry about until after he turns 2), he can recognize almost anything. He knows what a rooster, pig, sheep, dog, duck, and horse say and love to make funny faces and show emotion (see his "O" face above). He can point to pretty much all his body parts and knows where they are on mommy and daddy too! He still loves bath time and is getting more adventurous in the water....blowing bubbles, putting his face in, kicking, etc. Our paci (or 3 or 4) is still our friend at nap time and at night, along with several stuffed animals and 4 blankets. Again, the Dr. assumed that we don't have to do anything with the paci until age 2...whew!

Ethan has always been a good sleeper and that has not changed. Eating on the other hand pretty much stresses me out on a daily basis. He is just not a big eater. Does not like to try new things and does not like veggies. He is pretty much eating the same things he was at 15 months so I am gladly willing to take any suggestions one might have to broaden Ethan's eating horizons. He loves his milk, chicken nuggets, veggie burgers, raspberries, strawberries, cheese and any kind of snack you can imagine. That is all really! Oh, and he has a sweet tooth like his daddy!

I have said this before, but we just can't imagine what our life was like before Ethan. I know it definitely had more sleep, more date nights, and more down time, but I would give that up in a heart beat again to have such a sweet boy in our lives. He truly is a joy and we are blessed to have a such a happy healthy little boy. I can't wait to continue exploring this world with him and watching him learn new things each and every day. We love you so much!

Celebrations

Last week was a big week for birthdays and anniversaries in our family! My mom and dad celebrated their 33rd anniversary and my dad celebrated his birthday on the 8th. What better way to recognize such a wonderful day, than with a little party at our house. Nothing fancy, just make your own pizzas and a little cake!

Just a side note...my mom bought some pizza crust from Trader Joe's so we could make own own pizzas on Christmas Day, but because we had too many leftovers, we never got the chance to use the crust. Well, she and my dad ended up using the crust and a special sauce she made a couple days later and my dad claimed it was the best pizza he had ever had. Well, I will say, it definitely lived up to the expectations my dad created! Not sure if it is the crust or the sauce she made, but Trader Joes refrigerated pizza crust is definitely worth checking out! And, it's only $.99!

Before dinner, we opened presents (a watch and some clothes for my dad and a photography session for my parents) and took some pictures.
Dad enjoying a card

Parents to be!

Dad and his girls

Ethan and his Nanny

Yum...cake!

And just a cute picture of my sister's belly! She looks adorable! Oh, and Ben's too!

It was so much fun to have everyone together and celebrate 2 amazing occasions! We can't thank my mom and dad enough for all that they do; their continued support and being great role models. I know they have had 33 wonderful years together, but I truly believe the best is yet to come. Cheers!

Also, happy birthday to my Uncle Bill and Uncle Peter who also celebrated their birthdays last week!

Just A Little Something

Just a picture to tide all our loyal blog readers over until I can get my butt in gear and finish 9 or 10 posts (we have Thanksgiving, the entire month of December and New Year's to cover). I have them all started, but we have been entertaining for the past couple of weeks and I just have not had the time to finish.

In the meantime, a picture of Ethan sporting his new IU jammies from his Auntie Kristi and Uncle Ben! The PJ's looked so big when we opened them on Christmas morning, but fit him perfectly! Our little man is growing! Stats to come next week after his 18 1/2 month appointment!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Currently Investigating

I have spent this morning trying to figure out if we had an ice storm last night, or, Santa came in too hot during a practice run at the new house. What do you think?

Unfortunately, the tree did go through the roof the garage, so I get to spend my Christmas Eve day deciding if I want to get on the snowy, icy roof attempting a patch, or calling in the professionals. Currently leaning towards the professionals.

I guess if I figure out that it was Santa, I can have him patch it up on the way through the neighborhood tonight.

Snowy Night

Over the past 5 days or so, we have gotten between 6 and 8 inches of snow and it is beautiful! We have been busy getting ready for Christmas and really have not taken advantage of the snow until last night. Matt was heading outside to snow blow the driveway and Ethan was just dying to go with him. While he didn't quite understand the preparations involved in getting ready to play in the snow, I think the boots, pants, coat, hat and gloves were well worth it!

"Mom, hurry up....I am ready to go outside!"Not too sure about all this white stuff.
Mmmm, this stuff tastes pretty good!

Helping dad shovel!

I think overall, Ethan really enjoyed being outside in the snow. Well, until he got "thrown out" of the sled by his mom and landed face first in the snow. It only took a few seconds to recover and he was ready to go again! I am looking forward to a little fun outside this weekend because if it is going to be cold, bring on the snow!

My Buddy and Me

We are so far behind on posts, it is not even funny! I am hoping to be caught up by the time Christmas gets here on Thursday and do a better job in the New Year! We will pick up where we left off when we returned from the farm....
The weekend before Thanksgiving, the Berndt's stopped by for lunch on their way to a party in Plainfield. It was an unseasonable warm November day so we took Alex and Ethan outside to burn off some extra energy before nap time.
The boys had a great time on the swings and the slide and loved chasing each other around the yard. By the end, they had both figured out how to climb up the steps and use the slide by themselves. After lunch and running around, the boys were exhausted and ready for a nap. This gave us adults some time to watch football, have a few beers, and catch up! It was so good to see Jaime, Mike and Alex. We can't wait to meet their newest addition in just a few short weeks! Thanks for making the trip out to Glen Ellyn!

The Farm

A bit late on the post, but in mid-November the fam headed up and over to Deckerville for the opening of deer season. We met my mom and dad along the way then were joined by Uncle Mike that night for the local fish fry. One of the highlights of the trip was the cornucopia of beers we enjoyed at the bar on Friday night. PBR, Schlitz and Blatz. All $1. I had never had Blatz but was told it was a staple at Michigan State in the 70's and 80's. Maybe it was the $1 price or the seven hour drive, but all three were delicious.

Deer season opened on Sunday this year so Saturday was spent doing some things around the farm. Ethan was in heaven. Not only was it about 60 degrees so he could be outside all day, but there were tractors everywhere. Ethan got on the old Massey Ferguson pedal tractor:

The bigger Massey:

And the Case IH:

Heck, he even rode a horse:

I know that you really want to know who got a deer, so Uncle Mike took a doe on Monday morning. We all took shots, but he was the only one who hit something other than dirt. At least there will be a little meat on the table this winter.

We went to visit Pappy in the nursing home on Saturday afternoon and Sunday evening. I am pleased to report that he was in probably the best spirits that I have seen him in for a few years. Of course we forgot to take a camera both times, but Pappy loved hanging out with Ethan.

I took some pictures on Saturday, some from one of my favorite spots - on top of one of the grain bins:

The rest of the photos can be found HERE.

If you want to find the farm CLICK HERE. Just north of the intersection of Mills and Hunt Roads (seriously.)

Family Photos

On Sunday we had some family photographs taken by an amazing photographer, Carley Slater. Even though the weather was a bit chilly, we decided to brave the cold and head outside for some shots. I stressed all week about what we were going to wear and where we were going to take pictures, but finally came up with a plan the morning of the shoot. After Carley arrived, we decided to take a different, less matchy-matchy approach and I could not be more thrilled with how the pictures turned out. I am having a hard time deciding which ones I like the best because they are are beautiful!

Carley posted the pictures below on her blog, along with a few others, but you can see them all on her website. I will post all the information below the pictures. If you are ever looking for a great photographer, I highly recommend Carley. She was really enthusiastic and did a great job of working with Ethan and capturing some amazing photos!

To view our additional photographs, go to Carley Kay Photography by clicking here.

Click "Enter Site"

Then "Clients" in the upper left

Password: hunt1206

Give A Little Bit

A couple of weeks ago, Us Weekly featured a gift guide for various individuals you might have to buy gifts for this holiday season. The initial key chain caught my eye initially and lead me to the the Urban Outfitters website. From there, I stumbled upon a few other pretties that would make fabulous gifts either for yourself or a friend, sister, mom, co-worker, etc. Top row from left to right:
Weathered Wood Jewelry Cabinet
Multi Initial Key Ring
Assorted Initial Pendant

Bottom row from left to right
Delicate Initial Necklace
Lace Pedestal Jewelry Stand
Scalloped Wall Jewelry Rack

Snowy

It looks like the first snow of the season has fallen. I woke up this morning to a dusting of pretty white snow.

Halloween

I can't believe it has been a month since Halloween has come and gone. Yes, this post is long over due (along with a few others) and I don't really have an excuse other than just being busy the past couple of weeks. More on that later, but first, Halloween!
We had grand plans of heading to downtown Glen Ellyn to do some trick or treating at the local shops, but due to nap and eating schedules, it just did not work out. Instead, we hung around around the house with Katie and Jack and Meredith and Collin. Collin, Ethan, and Jack had a great time playing together and getting into trouble as you can see from the picture above. The "what did we do?" look on their faces is priceless! In reality, they were just raiding the animal cracker bucket!We headed outside around 4, when trick or treating began, in hopes of getting the boys to a few houses. The boys were more interested in running around and playing than getting candy. Regardless, Jack and Ethan looked adorable in their cowboy and fireman costumes.

Our neighbors next door always do a bon fire on the drive way and hand out candy. We took advantage of the warmth from the fire and set up shop right next to them. It works out pretty well since we share a driveway! The weather this year was a lot more brisk than last Halloween which was perfect for our chili dinner tradition. This year we added White Chicken Chili to the mix and it was a perfect addition! After several hours running around outside, it was time to hit the hay! I couldn't resist a picture of the two boys in their Halloween jammies!

The first Halloween in our new house was a lot of fun with visits from good friends and family, but I will have to say I was a little disappointed in the lack of trick or treaters that visited our house. I was expecting tons of trick or treaters and had prepared myself with 3 huge bags of candy from Costco. Much to my dismay, I only went through about a bag and a quarter (which left us with a TON of leftover candy...not good). I don't know if Halloween being on a Saturday actually put a damper on the number of kids out or if it was just the chilly weather. Regardless, I loved seeing all the kids dressed up, especially the little ones. Most popular costume this year....Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz....go figure! See more pictures from Halloween here.

Good Luck Hilltoppers

Good luck to the Glenbard West Hilltoppers football team as they make their way down to Champaign today! The Hilltoppers are undefeated and we hope this streak continues as they take on Wheaton Warrenville South in the class 7A state football championship.

Ethan and his daddy are hoping to be part of a state championship sometime between 2021 and 2026. Good luck Hilltoppers!

I Am So Excited, I Just Can't Hide It!

I am beyond excited to share this little bit of news with you....

On or around May 11, 2010, Matt and I will be blessed with another niece or nephew! Yes, Ethan is going to be a cousin again because my sister and Ben are expecting a baby! Ahhh, I am beside myself about this!

While we have known for a couple of months now, my sister gave me the "go ahead" last week to do a blog post about their wonderful news! We are so excited for Kristi and Ben and I can't wait for my little sister to experience pregnancy and motherhood, it is so amazing! I know that they are going to be wonderful parents; their baby does not know how lucky he or she is to have them in their life.

So, many many CONGRATULATIONS to my sister and Ben. We cannot wait to meet your little baby boy or baby girl in May. Enjoy the upcoming months and all the wonderful things pregnancy and parenthood have to offer!

Foodie

Matt and I have been trying to cook dinner for ourselves as much as possible lately. In order to keeping things interesting, we like to try a variety of recipes we receive from friends and family or found online and in magazines and newspapers. While some of the recipes we try end up in the garbage because they prove to be too time consuming or just plain terrible, we have found quite a few that are really delicious. I wanted to share with you 2 great recipes that we have really enjoyed (well, we both loved the orzo, but only I really love the paella) and will be making again!

The first recipe is Chicken, Lemon, and Dill with Orzo found in November 2009 Martha Stewart's Everyday Food

Chicken, Lemon, and Dill with Orzo

4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 pound chicken tenderloins, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pound orzo
4 ounces crumbled feta
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400. In a sauce pan, bring broth, 3/4 cup water, butter, salt, and pepper to a boil. In a 3 quart (I used a 2 quart and everything just fit) baking dish, combine chicken, orzo, feta, dill, lemon zest and juice. Pour broth mixture over orzo and stir to incorporate. Bake until orzo is tender and cooking liquid is creamy, 40 minutes. Sprinkle Parmesan on top and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

The second recipe is one that I love from Weight Watchers new Comfort Classics cookbook. It is not quite as easy to put together as the orzo, but equally delicious.

Chicken and Sausage Paella

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 (1/4 lb.) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
4 ounces turkey kielbasa, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
3/4 cup long grain white rice
1/2 cup frozen peas
8 small pimiento stuffed olives, sliced
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate.

Add the kielbasa to the skillet and cook 1 minute, stirring often, until browned; transfer to the plate with the chicken. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken, kielbasa, broth, tomatoes, rice, peas, olives, and saffron and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 20 minutes. Remove fro the heat and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

We hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we do! And if you have any that you would like to share, bring them on, we love to try new things!